Brian London | |
|---|---|
 London fighting Muhammad Ali in 1966 | |
| Born | Brian Sydney Harper 19 June 1934 West Hartlepool, County Durham, England |
| Died | 23 June 2021 (aged 87) |
| Nationality | British |
| Other names | The Blackpool Rock The British Bulldog |
| Statistics | |
| Weight(s) | Heavyweight |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 58 |
| Wins | 37 |
| Wins by KO | 26 |
| Losses | 20 |
| Draws | 1 |
Brian Sidney Harper (19 June 1934 – 23 June 2021), better known by the ring name Brian London, was an English professional boxer who competed from 1955 to 1970.[1] He held the British and Commonwealth heavyweight title from 1958 to 1959, and twice challenged for the world heavyweight title, losing to Floyd Patterson in 1959 and Muhammad Ali in 1966, both times via knockout. He was one of a quartet of British boxers, with Henry Cooper, Joe Erskine, and Dick Richardson, who dominated the British heavyweight-division's boxing scene throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
An orthodox fighter, London was 6 feet tall and fought at about 14 stone 12 pounds (208 lbs).[2] His nicknames in the ring were "The British Bulldog" and "The Blackpool Rock".[3][4]
- ^ Mee, Bob (8 December 2005). "Fight night in great tradition". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
- ^ Wolstencroft, Pete (6 November 2013). "Brian London the original Blackpool Rock". British Boxing BBTV. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ Rawling, John (24 June 2021). "Brian London obituary". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- ^ "Brian London, boxer known as 'the Blackpool Rock' who fought Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight title – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021. (subscription required)