Potteries based boxing promoters Impact Boxing today announced that they would stage the first boxing event at Trentham Gardens this century when they host a dinner event at the venue on June 6. The last time the venue played host to the pugilistic arts was on December 8, 1999.

Impact Boxing also announced that, although the line-up was yet to be confirmed, it would include a title bout and that a number of celebrities from the boxing world would be present. Former WBC Welterweight Champion John H. Stracey will head the list of eminent guests.

Beginning boxing at age 11, Stracey had over 130 amateur bouts and represented Great Britain in the lightweight division at the 1968 Mexico Olympics. He lost to eventual Gold Medal winner Ronnie Harris of the USA.

Stracey won 45 of his 51 professional bouts and stopped no less than 37 of his opponents, having won each of his first eight pro fights by knockout.

In June, 1973 Stracey KOʼd Bobby Arthur in the fourth round of a 15 round contest to secure the British Welterweight title at the second time of asking: the two men had previously met in October 1972 in a clash for the then vacant title but Stracey was disqualified in the seventh.

The following year, John departed for Paris hoping to win the European title on foreign soil. He faced Roger Menetery at Roland Garros, home of the French Open tennis tournament, and succeeded in knocking out the Frenchman in the eighth round.

Now establishing himself on the world scene, Straceyʼs chance finally came in December,1976 when he was pitted against the Cuban Jose Angel Napoles for the WBC title in Mexico City. Stracey recovered from a first round knockdown to cut Napoles so severely that the contest was brought to an early conclusion by the referee in the sixth round. In defeating Napoles, Stracey became only the fourth British boxer to win a world title overseas.

John H. Stracey successfully defended his WBC title against Hedgemon Lewis in London the following March before facing Carlos Palomino in June ʼ76. The Mexican Palomino brought Straceyʼs reign as world champion to an end by producing a right hand that led to the Englishman being counted out.

Stracey retired from boxing after defeating Georges Warusfel with a ninth round stoppage on May 23, 1978. Subsequently, he became the first British boxer to be inducted into the WBC Boxing Hall of Fame.

John now enthralls audiences with his cockney humour and tales of his East End upbringing as well as accounts of his illustrious boxing career. He is also an accomplished singer and is renowned for his tribute to Frank Sinatra. John has shared the same bill with Johnny Mathis and the Eagles and has performed at the famous Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas.

Tickets for the event are available from Impact Boxing by contacting 0797 182 4337.

Share/Save | (0) comments | Add your comments
Click to read more boxing articles by Boxing Press

Discuss in Boxing Forum

---

Related Boxing Articles...

• WBC Boxing News: Don Jose Sulaiman Salutes Japan’s Toshiaki Nishioka

  From the office of Jose Sulaiman: Toshiaki Nishioka of Japan has joined a very select group. The super bantamweight finally won the WBC championship on his fifth attempt. He joined German >
  
  

• Joe, Enzo Calzaghe Plus Stracey And Woodall Work For Children’s Charity

  A NIGHT TO REMEMBER FOREVER MORE! Bedford sports fans give thanks to David Walker of WBCME, who has scooped the nation by securing the No.1 boxer in the UK, the fabulous >
  
  

• Frank Maloney Meets Dave “Boy’ Green on the Dinner Club Circuit.

  

  At the present moment in Britain, there are a number of top American fighters doing what we call the dinner club circuit. They go >
  
  

• John Still the WBA Featherweight Champion.

  "Indonesian Thin Man" Chris John is still the WBA's featherweight champion after scoring a technical knockout after nine rounds on home soil this past weekend. John remains undefeated at thirty-six >
  
  

• WBA Boxing Champ Chris John Visits Indonesian Consulate In L.A.

  WBA Featherweight Champion Chris John visited the Indonesian Consulate in Los Angeles, California where John met with fans from the local Indonesian community. John was accompanied by Los Angeles Indonesian Consul >
  
  

• Boxing Result: John Outboxes Marquez In Indonesia

  Cat quick WBA Featherweight Champion Chris John has yet again defeated another challenger to his throne, this time the well respected Mexican former double titlist Juan Manuel Marquez as the >
  
  

• Women’s Boxing Champion Mia St. John On Episode Of “LA Ink”

  WBC International Champion, Mia St. John, just filmed an episode of TLC's highest rated show "LA Ink" with Kat Von D. The show which airs Thursdays at 7pm/6pm Central, features a >
  
  

• John-Rojas For WBA title.

  Undefeated Chris 'Indonesian thin man' John is the WBA featherweight champion of the world and will defend his title against late replacement Jose 'Cheo' Rojas on the 3rd of December >
  
  

• Women’s Boxing Star Mia St. John To Be Honored In Mexico

  On Mexican Revolution Day, November 20, 2008, Mia Rosales St. John will be honored in Zacatecas, Mexico by Governor Amalia Garcia Medina, for her role in sports. Mia's family is >
  
  

• WBC: World Boxing Cares

  Big Champions Supporting Little Champions From WBC President Jose Sulaiman: The WBC is proud to announce the launching of this program in support of all those little champions around the >
  
  

---

Boxing News Tags: Impact Boxing, John H Stracey