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When Cherbourg boxers were king by Marcus Priaulx 18 June 2014
C
herbourg boxers ruled the nation when their sport was probably the most popular in the country during the 1960s. Jimmy Edwards, Adrian Blair and Jeffrey Dynevor went to the Empire (Commonwealth) Games as Australian Champions in 1962 and Dynevor came home with gold. He was the first Aboriginal to win a gold medal in any sport at such a games but former Australian professional champion Arthur “Bullet” Bradley said Edwards was the best boxer to come out of the town. “He should’ve fought (world welterweight professional champion) Emile Griffith and was one of Australia’s best ever fighters,” Bullet said. “But he wouldn’t train. He was an absolute freak.” (Bantamweight) Dynevor and (Lightweight) Blair were noted hard trainers and did so under the eye of Bobby Barkle who accompanied them as national coach to Perth, along with Kingaroy Aboriginal boxer Eddie Barney. Blair also went to the 1964 Olympics where he won his first fight before losing to eventual Russian silver medallist, Velikton Barannikov. Along with Dynevor he would travel to Kingaroy to train at the old council chambers behind the Carrollee pub. It was a small gym with a ring in the middle and was always packed to capacity. “The Cherbourg boys would drive along the old forestry road from Wondai to train and spa,”
Bullet said. Kingaroy businesses would sponsor their trips away as boxing “was the Number 1 sport in those days”. Cherbourg tournaments in the town hall that stands today would always be full and men would “belt bondship into each other and have a drink afterwards. “There was a competitive spirit but terrific sportsmanship,” Bullet, who admittedly felt scared before facing a Cherbourg fighter, said. “You could hardly hit them in the first round they were that quick,” he
said. “We really admired them and they were happy-go-lucky blokes; tough.” To this day Bullet, who has seen thousands of fights, reckons the one of the best ever was between Jimmy Edwards and Adrian Blair. “It was at Cherbourg,” he said. “The crowd just erupted. “It was awesome. “Jimmy was quicker and too good but it was mayhem; action packed. “You couldn’t hear the bloke beside you talk.”
Qld champions 1957-58 left to right: A. Bradley (lightweight), E. Barney (Under 7st) and G. Dynevor (Flyweight)
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