Al Phillips

Al "The Aldgate Tiger" Phillips (25 January 1920 – 7 February 1999) was a Jewish English professional featherweight/lightweight boxer of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, who won the European Boxing Union (EBU) featherweight title, and British Empire featherweight title. Phillips took both the British Empire and sanctioned British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) British featherweight Title against the powerful black feather British Guianan Cliff Anderson in fifteen rounds at Royal Albert Hall in Kensington, England in 1947.

He was an unsuccessful challenger for the BBBofC British featherweight title, against Nel Tarleton in February 1945, and Ronnie Clayton in February 1951. His professional fighting weight varied from , (featherweight) to , (welterweight). The Ring ranked Al Phillips as the third best featherweight in the world in the mid-1940s and between 1944 and 1951, he remained a top ten featherweight in the world for 44 months. On 16 April 1945 Phillips lost to Crowley at the Royal Albert Hall in an eight-round points decision. The victory confirmed Crowley's victory on a fourth round foul on at Newington on 18 December 1944 by referee Jack Hart. In their April bout, there was bad blood between the two, and Crowley took the sting from Phillips blows with a smothering defense, and gained points with left hand jabs, especially during the final rounds. His performance in the final rounds were sufficient to win the points decision.

British Featherweight Champion, 1947 On 18 March 1947, Phillips officially took the British Empire and sanctioned BBofC Featherweight Title against black feather British Guianan Cliff Anderson in fifteen rounds at Royal Albert Hall in Kensington, England. The decision of the referee Peter Muir was not popular with the crowd.

Phillips defended the title for the first time against Anderson on 1 July 1947 in an eighth of fifteen round disqualification for an illegal kidney punch at Olympia, Kensington.

Losing all titles, Sept 1947 On 11 September 1947, Phillips lost all three titles, the British Empire, BBofC, and European EBU lightweight title against Ron Clayton of Blackpool at the Anfield football stadium in Liverpool.

Selected fights

Win Jim Brady 24 April 1944 Leeds 10 Rounds Eliminator for Brit. Feather Title Win George Pook 21 June 1944 Soho 1st Round KO Eliminator for Brit. Feather Title Win Len Davies 2 Aug 1944 Soho 6 Rounds DQ Eliminator for Brit. Feather Title Loss Nel Tarleton 23 Feb 1945 Manchester 15 Rounds Final for Brit. Empire. Feather Title Win Cliff Anderson 18 Mar 1947 Kensington, W. London 15 Rounds Won Brit. Empire. Feather Title Win Ray Famechon 27 May 1947 Kensington, W. London 8 of 15 Foul Kept Brit. Emp. Feather Title Win Cliff Anderson 1 Jul 1947 Kensington, W. London 8 of 15 DQ Kept Brit. Emp. Feather Title Loss Ronnie Clayton 11 Sep 1947 Liverpool 15 Rounds Lost European, Brit. Emp. and BB of C Feather Title Loss Ronnie Clayton 26 Feb 1951 Nottingham 15 Rounds For European, Brit. Emp. and BB of C Feather Title