“THIS September 24, in Leeds, I’m being inducted into The British Ex-Boxer’s Hall of Fame. I boxed nine European champions and four who fought for ‘world’ titles. It’s a great honour to finally be recognised.
In my day, English boys were always in front of us. I was a black immigrant from Wales but not considered Welsh. I never got a big fight in Wales, never had any build up. Bill posters were always… ‘and Pat Thomas’; an afterthought.
Eddie Thomas managed all the top Welsh boys but never showed interest in me. He’d bring over Colin Jones, another welterweight, to spar me because he couldn’t find anyone else. I just touched Colin, taught him, but he’d never, ever have beat me. Not until I was ‘dead’ at welterweight, anyway.
Once a light-middleweight division was established here, whoa! (rubs hands). I finally had the strength to do my talent justice. I was a different fighter, could bang ‘em hard. I had the ability to beat any light-middle in this country.
‘Cause I was softly spoken and skinny, I was underestimated. Opponents thought: ‘He’s a tidy boxer so I’ll bustle inside.’ But every opponent hated to be inside with me, because I had wiry strength. I was stronger than
