Голливудский боксер Говарда Уинстона

Welsh boxer

Howard Winstone, MBE (15 April 1939 – 30 September 2000) was a Welsh world champion boxer, born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. As an amateur, Winstone won the Amateur Boxing Association bantamweight title in 1958, and a Commonwealth Games Gold Medal at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff.

In his early amateur days Winstone was very much a two fisted fighter, but as a teenager, whilst working in a local toy factory, he lost the tips of three fingers on his right hand in an accident. As a result, he lost much of the punching power in his right hand and so had to change his style to rely much more on a straight left.

Winstone won 83 of his 86 amateur fights, and in 1958 he was the ABA bantamweight champion.

Winstone turned professional in 1959 and was managed by former European welterweight champion, Eddie Thomas. Winstone made his professional debut in February 1959 at Wembley Stadium, London, when he beat Billy Graydon on points over six rounds. He then proceeded to win his first 24 fights, at which point he was considered ready for a shot at the British featherweight title. In May 1961 he fought Terry Spinks the holder of the British featherweight title at the Empire Pool, Wembley. He out boxed Spinks, forcing him to retire after ten rounds, and so claimed the British title. He continued to win all his contests and in April 1962 he defended his title against Derry Treanor, at the Empire Pool, winning by a technical knockout in the fourteenth round. The next month he defended his title against Harry Carroll in Cardiff forcing him to retire after six rounds. His first defeat came in November 1962 his 35th fight after 34 straight wins. He was beaten by Leroy Jeffery, an American featherweight, by a technical knockout in the second round after having been knocked down three times. In January 1963, he defended his British title for the third time, defeating Johnny Morrisey by a technical knockout in the eleventh, in Glasgow. In July 1963, he challenged for the European featherweight title, fighting Italian holder, Alberto Serti in Cardiff. Winstone won the title when the referee stopped the fight in the fourteenth round. One month later he defended both titles against Billy Calvert in Porthcawl, winning on points over fifteen rounds. In December 1963 he again defended his titles against John O'Brien, again winning on points. In January 1964 he suffered only his second defeat in 45 fights, losing to the American, Don Johnson. In May 1964 he defended his European title against Italian, Lino Mastellaro at the Empire Pool, winning by a technical knockout in the Eighth round. In January 1965 he defended his European title again, against Frenchman, Yves Desmarets in Rome. He won on points over fifteen rounds.

In September 1965 he challenged for the WBA and WBC world featherweight titles held by the Mexican southpaw, Vicente Saldivar. The fight was held at Earls Court Arena, London and Saldivar won on points over fifteen rounds. In March 1966 he defended his European title against Andrea Silanos in Italy winning by a technical knockout in the fifteenth round. In September 1966 he defended it against Belgian, Jean de Keers at Wembley and won on a technical knockout in three rounds. In December 1966 he defended his British and European titles against the Welsh featherweight, Lennie Williams, defeating him at Port Talbot in eight rounds. In June 1967 he was ready for another world title challenge against Vicente Saldivar, this time in Cardiff, but again lost on points, although the decision favoured Saldivar by only half a point. Four months later, in October 1967, he fought Saldivar again, this time in Mexico City, but lost after being knocked down in the seventh and twelfth rounds. His manager threw in the towel in the twelfth. After his latest successful defence, Saldivar announced his retirement leaving his world title vacant. In January 1968, Winstone fought the Japanese, Mitsunori Seki for the vacant WBC world featherweight title at the Royal Albert Hall. He won when the fight was stopped in the ninth due to a cut eye, and so finally gained a world title. Saldivar was in the audience to see his vacated title won by his old rival. In July 1968 he defended his newly won world title against the Cuban, José Legrá, at Porthcawl, Wales. Although Winstone had beaten Legra twice before, he was knocked down twice in the first round. He continued fighting, but unfortunately he sustained a badly swollen left eye, which caused the bout to be stopped in the fifth round. Having lost the world title in his first defence, Winstone decided to retire at the age of 29.

No. (Number)ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes67Loss61–6José LegráTKO5 (15)1968 07 2466Win61–5Jimmy AndersonPTS10 (10)1968 04 0965Win60–5Mitsunori SekiTKO9 (15)1968 01 2364Loss59–5Vicente SaldivarTKO12 (15)1967 10 1463Loss59–4Vicente SaldivarPTS15 (15)1967 06 1562Win59–3Richard SuePTS10 (10)1967 01 1761Win58–3Lennie WilliamsTKO8 (15)1966 12 0760Win57–3Don JohnsonDQ4 (10)1966 10 1059Win56–3Jean De KeersTKO3 (15)1966 09 0658Win55–3Andrea SilanosTKO15 (15)1966 03 0757Win54–3Brian CartwrightTKO9 (10)1965 12 1356Loss53–3Vicente SaldivarPTS15 (15)1965 09 0755Win53–2José LegráPTS10 (10)1965 06 2254Win52–2Eduardo GuerreroTKO5 (10)1965 06 0153Win51–2Don JohnsonPTS10 (10)1965 03 2952Win50–2Yves DesmaretsPTS15 (15)1965 01 2251Win49–2Boualem BelouardPTS10 (10)1964 12 1450Win48–2Baby LuisPTS10 (10)1964 12 0149Win47–2Jose BisbalPTS10 (10)1964 09 2148Win46–2Phil LundgrenTKO7 (10)1964 06 2247Win45–2Lino MastellaroTKO8 (15)1964 05 1246Win44–2Rafiu KingPTS10 (10)1964 03 2445Loss43–2Don JohnsonPTS10 (10)1964 01 2844Win43–1John O'BrienPTS15 (15)1963 12 0943Win42–1Miguel CalderinPTS10 (10)1963 09 2042Win41–1Billy CalvertPTS15 (15)1963 08 2041Win40–1Alberto SertiTKO14 (15)1963 07 0940Win39–1Juan CardenasPTS8 (8)1963 05 1339Win38–1Gracieux LampertiTKO8 (10)1963 04 2938Win37–1Johnny MorriseyTKO11 (15)1963 01 3137Win36–1Teddy RandTKO3 (10)1962 12 2736Win35–1Freddie DobsonTKO3 (8)1962 12 1035Loss34–1Leroy JefferyTKO2 (10)1962 11 0534Win34–0Billy DavisTKO7 (10)1962 09 1133Win33–0George BowesPTS10 (10)1962 08 1832Win32–0Dennis AdjeiPTS8 (8)1962 08 0231Win31–0Harry CarrollRTD6 (15)1962 05 3030Win30–0Derry TreanorTKO14 (15)1962 04 1029Win29–0Oripes dos SantosPTS8 (8)1962 01 0928Win28–0Olli MäkiPTS8 (8)1961 11 2027Win27–0Gene FosmirePTS10 (10)1961 09 0426Win26–0Aryee JacksonPTS10 (10)1961 08 2425Win25–0Terry SpinksTKO10 (15)1961 05 0224Win24–0Floyd RobertsonPTS10 (10)1961 01 1923Win23–0Roy JacobsPTS10 (10)1960 11 2822Win22–0Jean RenardPTS10 (10)1960 10 2521Win21–0Jean RenardTKO8 (10)1960 09 2220Win20–0Sergio MilanTKO6 (10)1960 08 1519Win19–0Phill JonesPTS10 (10)1960 07 2718Win18–0Noel HazardTKO3 (10)1960 06 2317Win17–0Con Mount BassiePTS10 (10)1960 05 1916Win16–0George CarrollTKO4 (10)1960 05 0915Win15–0Gordon BlakeyRTD8 (10)1960 03 3114Win14–0Terry ReesTKO8 (10)1960 02 2413Win13–0Colin SalcombeTKO6 (8)1960 02 0412Win12–0Robbie WilsonPTS8 (8)1960 01 2511Win11–0George O'NeillRTD7 (8)1960 01 1410Win10–0Billy CalvertPTS8 (8)1959 12 149Win9–0Joe TaylorTKO4 (8)1959 09 148Win8–0Billy CalvertTKO7 (8)1959 09 017Win7–0Hugh O'NeillPTS6 (6)1959 08 086Win6–0Ollie WylliePTS6 (6)1959 07 145Win5–0Jake O'NealePTS6 (6)1959 06 244Win4–0Jackie BowersPTS6 (6)1959 05 273Win3–0Tommy WilliamsPTS6 (6)1959 04 152Win2–0Peter SextonPTS6 (6)1959 03 141Win1–0Billy GraydonPTS6 (6)1959 02 24

He continued living in Merthyr Tydfil after retirement. In 1968 he was awarded the MBE. Later, he was made a Freeman of Merthyr Tydfil due to his boxing accomplishments. He died from kidney disease on 30 September 2000, aged 61. In 2001, one year after his death, a bronze statue of Winstone by Welsh sculptor David Petersen was unveiled in St. Tydfil's Square, Merthyr Tydfil. In 2005, he beat Owen Money, Richard Trevithick, Joseph Parry and Lady Charlotte Guest to be named "Greatest Citizen of Merthyr Tydfil", in a public vote competition run by Cyfarthfa Castle and Museum as part of the centenary celebrations to mark Merthyr's incorporation as a county borough in 1905. His brother, Glyn Winstone continues to run a café business in the town's bus station under the boxing themed trading style "The Lonsdale Bar".

The life of Howard Winstone was made into a feature film called Risen Starring British actor Stuart Brennan as Howard Winstone which was released in 2011.