John H. Stracey


John H. Stracey is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1969 to 1978. He is a former welterweight world champion, having held the WBC and lineal welterweight titles between 1975 and 1976. At regional level, he held the British and European welterweight titles between 1973 and 1975, and is ranked by BoxRec as the 8th best British welterweight of all time.

Amateur career

Stracey competed for Great Britain as a lightweight at the 1968 Summer Olympics. He was defeated in the Round of 16 by eventual gold medallist Ronnie Harris. Stracey won the 1969 ABA light-welterweight championship.

Professional career

Early career

Stracey began his professional career on 17 September 1969, knocking out Santos Martins in two rounds. Stracey won his first twelve fights, eleven by knockout, but against obscure opposition. Fight number thirteen was against Teddy Cooper, on 19 January 1971. Cooper was not a big name in boxing either, but this fight ended in controversy when Stracey won by a fifth round disqualification. On 5 October 1971 Stracey drew in ten rounds against Frankie Lewis.
Stracey produced five more wins before being matched with Marshall Butler, on 25 May 1972, at the Royal Albert Hall, suffering his first defeat after being outpointed by Butler over eight rounds. He then put a string of four more wins together, before facing Bobby Arthur for the British welterweight title, on 31 October, at the Royal Albert Hall. He lost the fight with another controversial ending: This time, Stracey found himself disqualified in round seven. Stracey then won five more bouts in a row. In February 1973, Stracey traveled to the United States, were he fought Danny McAloon on the undercard of the first Ali vs. Bugner fight, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, on 14 February. Stracey won the bout via unanimous decision. He then met Bobby Arthur in a rematch on 5 June, this time winning the British title with a fourth-round knockout.

Stracey vs. Menetrey

On 27 May 1974, Stracey got his chance at the European welterweight title, fighting Roger Menetrey at the Stade de Roland Garros, in Paris, France. Stracey won via eighth-round knockout. On 29 April 1975, he defended his European title against Max Hebeisen, at the Royal Albert Hall, winning via RTD in the sixth round.

Stracey vs. Nápoles

During the 1970s, it was a common practice to give world title shots to boxers that held continental titles. For example, the OPBF champion would be given priority over other challengers for world title fights. Stracey was not the exception, and, after winning five more fights in a row, he received his first world title shot: challenging WBC welterweight champion José Nápoles, in Nápoles' home-town of Mexico City, Mexico, on 6 December 1975. Stracey was sent down in round one, but he recuperated to close Nápoles' eye and have referee Octavio Meyran stop the fight in the sixth round, Stracey winning the world championship by a technical knockout. The new champion declared, "He could have knocked me down in every round but I'd have won it anyway". It was Nápoles' last fight.

1976

On 20 March 1976 he retained the title against perennial world title challenger Hedgemon Lewis by a knockout in round ten, but on 22 June, at Wembley, he lost the world title, being knocked out in twelve rounds by California-based Mexican Carlos Palomino. In his next fight, he lost to future world title challenger Dave Boy Green, with a badly damaged eye in round ten. Stracey retired as a winner when he knocked out George Warusfel in nine rounds in Islington on 23 May 1978.

Outside the ring

Stracey bought the Three Horseshoes pub in Briston, Norfolk, and renamed it the John H Stracey. In 2011 the pub reverted to its original name. He also had, at one point, a boxing school in London.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
51Win45–5–1 Georges WarusfelTKO9 23 May 1978 Michael Sobell Sports Centre, London, England
50Loss44–5–1 Dave Boy GreenTKO10 29 Mar, 1977 Empire Pool, London, England
49Loss44–4–1 Carlos PalominoTKO12, 1:3522 Jun, 1976 Empire Pool, London, EnglandLost WBC, The Ring, and lineal welterweight titles
48Win44–3–1 Hedgemon LewisTKO10, 1:2520 Mar, 1976 Empire Pool, London, EnglandRetained WBC, The Ring, and lineal welterweight titles
47Win43–3–1 Jose NapolesTKO6, 2:306 Dec, 1975 Plaza de Toros México, Mexico City, MexicoWon WBC, The Ring, and lineal welterweight titles
46Win42–3–1 Keith AveretteDQ8 30 Sep, 1975 Empire Pool, London, England
45Win41–3–1 Ruben Vazquez ZamoraTKO8 30 Jun, 1975 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
44Win40–3–1 Max HebeisenRTD6 29 Apr, 1975 Royal Albert Hall, London, EnglandRetained European welterweight title
43Win39–3–1 Ernie LopezTKO7 29 Oct, 1974 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
42Win38–3–1 Tony GarciaTKO3 1 Oct, 1974 Empire Pool, London, England
41Win37–3–1 Roger MenetreyTKO8 27 May 1974 Stade Roland Garros, Paris, FranceWon European welterweight title
40Win36–3–1 Vernon MasonKO4 23 Apr, 1974 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
39Win35–3–1 Jack TillmanTKO4 26 Mar, 1974 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
38Loss34–3–1 Cuby JacksonTKO3 11 Dec, 1973 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
37Win34–2–1 Marc GervaisTKO4 13 Nov, 1973 Empire Pool, London, England
36Win33–2–1 Urban BaptisteTKO4 30 Oct, 1973 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
35Win32–2–1 Jose Papo MelendezTKO3 10 Sep, 1973 Empire Pool, London, England
34Win31–2–1 Bobby ArthurKO4 5 Jun, 1973 Royal Albert Hall, London, EnglandWon British welterweight title
33Win30–2–1 Pat MurphyTKO5 9 May 1973 York Hall, London, England
32Win29–2–1 Jose PetersonPTS813 Mar, 1973 Empire Pool, London, England
31Win28–2–1 Danny McAloonUD1014 Feb, 1973 Las Vegas Convention Center, Winchester, Nevada, U.S.
30Win27–2–1 Otha TysonKO3 15 Jan, 1973 Nottingham Ice Stadium, Nottingham, England
29Win26–2–1 David MelendezTKO7 5 Dec, 1972 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
28Loss25–2–1 Bobby ArthurDQ7 31 Oct, 1972 Royal Albert Hall, London, EnglandFor vacant British welterweight title
27Win25–1–1 Les PearsonTKO2 10 Oct, 1972 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
26Win24–1–1 Joe YekinniTKO2 6 Jun, 1972 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
25Win23–1–1 Antonio TorresTKO6 22 May 1972 Piccadilly Hotel, Manchester, England
24Loss22–1–1 Marshall ButlerPTS825 Apr, 1972 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
23Win22–0–1 Ricky PorterPTS84 Apr, 1972 York Hall, London, England
22Win21–0–1 Des ReaTKO2 7 Mar, 1972 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
21Win20–0–1 Bernie TerrellTKO2 15 Feb, 1972 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
20Win19–0–1 Yvon MariolleKO4 25 Jan, 1972 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
19Win18–0–1 Guy VercoutterTKO7 17 Nov, 1971 Empire Pool, London, England
18Win17–0–1 Dave WyattTKO3 27 Oct, 1971 York Hall, London, England
17Draw16–0–1 Frankie LewisPTS85 Oct, 1971 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
16Win16–0 Bouzid Ait ElmenceurPTS84 May 1971 York Hall, London, England
15Win15–0 Dante PelaezPTS816 Mar, 1971 Empire Pool, London, England
14Win14–0 Yvon MariolleKO6 23 Feb, 1971 Shoreditch Town Hall, London, England
13Win13–0 Teddy CooperDQ5 19 Jan, 1971 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
12Win12–0 Ferdinand AhumibeTKO4 8 Dec, 1970 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
11Win11–0 Willie ReaTKO3 6 Oct, 1970 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
10Win10–0 Billy SeasmanRTD5 29 Sep, 1970 York Hall, London, England
9Win8–0 David PesentiPTS912 May 1970 Empire Pool, London, England
8Win8–0 Harri PiitulainenRTD6 27 Apr, 1970 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
7Win7–0 Bernard MartinRTD3 17 Mar, 1970 Shoreditch Town Hall, London, England
6Win6–0 Tei DoviTKO3 10 Feb, 1970 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
5Win5–0 Tommy CarsonTKO7 20 Jan, 1970 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
4Win4–0 Bryn LewisTKO6 9 Dec, 1969 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
3Win3–0 Ray OpukuTKO3 18 Nov, 1969 York Hall, London, England
2Win2–0 Ronnie CliffordTKO2 2 Oct, 1969 York Hall, London, England
1Win1–0 Santos MartinsKO2 17 Sep, 1969 York Hall, London, England