Phil Edwards

Philip Cilia (born 12 May 1936) was a Welsh Middleweight boxer who fought under the name Phil Edwards. Edwards was Wales middleweight champion from 1957 until his retirement in 1962. One of the best British fighters at his weight, Edwards was unfortunate to box during the reign of Terry Downes, and he twice failed in a challenge for the British title against Downes.

Boxing career Edwards was born in Cardiff, Wales in 1936 as Philip Cilia to a Maltese father and Welsh mother. He was orphaned at the age of 11, but was looked after by an older brother. Over the next two years Edwards was a regular at both Willenhall and the town hall at Walsall, with infrequent bouts in Cardiff and Birmingham. During this period he fought on 30 occasions, winning 25 of them.

Edward's very next fight after his title success was against Nigerian boxing legend Dick Tiger. Tiger was a one-time world middleweight and light-heavyweight world champion, and Edwards showed his class by lasting the full ten rounds, losing on points. Edwards then faced Freddie Cross for a second time in a title defence of his Welsh middleweight belt. This time there was little controversy when Edwards was given a points decision.

On 30 September 1958, Edwards was given his first chance at the British middleweight title, recently vacated by the retired Pat McAteer. His opponent was Londoner Terry Downes, and Edward's team made the decision for him to sit back in the early rounds to play on Townes supposed weakness as a distance fighter.

After losing to Downes, Edwards took four months off, before returning to the ring to face Nigerian Orlando Paso. Despite having beaten Paso twice in earlier meetings, Edwards suffered a technical knockout in the fourth round, resulting in his first back-to-back losses of his professional career. Matters worsened in February 1961 when he fought John "Cowboy" McCormack, who had briefly held the British middleweight title in 1959. The match was an eliminator for another shot at the middleweight title and after the fight went the full distance, McCormack was given the decision. Edwards fought twice more in 1961, beating American Neal Rivers and Londoner Pat O'Grady. The next year was Edward's final year as a professional. He started well beating his first three opponents by points, but on 24 September he faced George Aldridge at Granby Halls in Leicester for another eliminator for the British title. The fight went the distance, but again Edwards came up short losing the decision. This was Edwards' last professional fight.