Billy Walker

William Walker (born Stepney, London, 3 March 1939) is a British retired heavyweight boxer and actor. He turned professional in 1961 after 39 amateur bouts. His nickname was "Golden Boy". His professional record was 21 wins (16 by knockout), 8 losses and 2 draws. During 1967, he fought for both the British and European titles, losing to Henry Cooper (Great Britain) and Karl Mildenberger (West Germany) respectively. After he retired from the ring in 1969 he appeared in several British films and TV shows. His autobiography When the Gloves Came Off was published in 2007.

Early life and family William Walker is the son of William James Walker, a brewery worker, drayman at Watney's brewery, and wife (Limehouse, April/June 1925) Ellen Louisa Page (Southwark, October/December 1903 – ?). He is the youngest of three brothers.

During World War II, his father served in the Royal Air Force and the boys lived with their mother in Bedfordshire, and later in Ilford, Essex. He left school at 16 and started working in the printing business. Later a friend introduced him to a more highly paid job as a porter in London's historic Billingsgate Fish Market. He was also a bouncer and part-time DJ at the Ilford Palais dance hall which was managed by Jimmy Savile at the time. He joined a West Ham boxing club to keep fit, and was eventually persuaded to spar with other members and found that he had the talent to box competitively.

Amateur career Walker's older brother George had been a successful light heavyweight boxer and persuaded him to enter the sport, with the ambition eventually to turn professional. With his natural ability, and George's guidance, within three years he had won the British (ABA) Amateur Heavyweight title. Soon after a first-round knockout of American Cornelius Perry in an international tournament broadcast on national TV, promoters were competing to sign Walker to lucrative contracts. About this time the media started calling him "The Golden Boy" and "The Blond Bomber".

Billy refused a rematch with Derry heavyweight Jim Monaghan after a disputed first-round TKO in a four-nations competition in Dublin 1961. Monaghan had Walker bleeding heavily from the nose from a steady hard jab before the ref prematurely stopped the fight when Monaghan got caught with a right to the body. Monaghan was never knocked out as an amateur or pro.

Professional career With brother George as his manager, Walker embarked on a professional career that in six years would see him challenging for both the British and European titles. With his curly blond hair, boyish good looks and all action style the public flocked to see his fights. George invested the purses in a string of night clubs and restaurants and soon the brothers were rich. Billy Walker moved to London's West End and mixed with society's elite. On one occasion he was presented to the Queen, who told him that she enjoyed watching his fights. This was during London's "swinging sixties" and Walker took full advantage of his wealth, fame and good looks to have fun with a series of beautiful women. Although he never fought in the US, during his career he stopped rated American heavyweights Charlie Powell, Bowie Adams, Ray Patterson and Thad Spencer inside the distance. In spite of a few weeks' coaching at Harry's Gym in Harlem, Walker's defensive skills remained marginal, and some of his later fights against world class opponents had to be stopped owing to cuts and excessive bleeding from his nose. In 1969 at the age of 30 he retired from the ring, a very wealthy young man.

Business life

When Billy Walker retired from boxing, George Walker continued to run their business empire as though it were his alone. This soon led to disputes and eventually they parted company. He also played comedy roles in two Frankie Howerd films, Up Pompeii and Up the Chastity Belt in 1971. Changing financial conditions a few years later forced him to look for other income. He moved to Jersey, a tax haven in the Channel Islands and became a successful property developer. George Walker went on to become a tycoon in the UK gambling and film industries with his Brent Walker Group but he too suffered a reversal of fortune, but later developing new business interests in Russia before dying of a heart attack in the south of France in March 2011.

He has been active on the speaking circuit and is an honorary steward for the British Boxing Board of Control. He collaborated with the Kray twins' confidant and writer Robin McGibbon on his autobiography When the Gloves Came Off , which was published in 2007.

Marriages and issue

In 1968, Billy Walker married Susan Coleopy and they had two children, Daniel and Clare. They divorced in 1976.

In September 1981 his girlfriend Chrissie gave birth to a son, Warren, but she opted to bring him up on her own. They are still on good terms.

He married Jackie in 1982. They also had two children, Kelly and Thomas (Tom), but divorced in the 1990s.

In 1997 he married Patricia but she died of cancer in 2003.

Walker is married to his fourth wife, Susan, whom he had known from his time in Jersey about thirty years previously. They live in Jersey.

Professional boxing record

Loss

TKO 8 25 March 1969

Win

TKO 6 12 November 1968

Loss

TKO 6 7 November 1967

Loss

TKO 8 21 March 1967

Win

DQ 1 13 February 1967

Win

TKO 8 6 December 1966

Win

TKO 10 25 October 1966

Win

TKO 1 20 September 1966

Win

KO 3 2 May 1966

Win

TKO 4 31 March 1966

Loss

TKO 8 19 October 1965

Draw

PTS 10 19 August 1965

Loss

PTS 10 30 March 1965

Win

KO 2 26 January 1965

Win

PTS 10 27 October 1964

Win

KO 2 12 May 1964

Loss

TKO 8 10 March 1964

Win

DQ 6 28 January 1964

Loss

PTS 10 12 November 1963

Win

TKO 10 10 September 1963

Win

TKO 2 24 June 1963

Win

PTS 8 11 June 1963

Win

KO 3 26 March 1963

Win

KO 2 29 January 1963

Win

PTS 8 26 November 1962

Loss

DQ 3 20 November 1962

Win

KO 1 13 November 1962

Win

KO 2 6 September 1962

Win

TKO 1 14 August 1962

Draw

PTS 8 22 May 1962

Win

TKO 5 27 March 1962