Redvers Sangoe

Redvers Sangoe (6 July 1936 – 14 August 1964) was a Welsh light heavyweight boxer. Based in Tiger Bay in Cardiff, Sangoe's professional career spanned from 1956 to 1960 and he held the Welsh light heavyweight title from 1958 to 1960, successfully defending it on two occasions. In 1964 Sangoe was involved in a street brawl and died from a stab wound sustained in the encounter.

Personal history Sangoe was born in Tiger Bay in Cardiff in 1936. He was educated at St. Mary's School before he switched to South Church Street School. As a school boy some of his peers would later become boxers under the same management, including Joe Erskine. Erskine's father was one of Sangoe's first boxing trainers which he took up at the age of twelve. Sangoe won a Welsh schoolboy's boxing title, and after leaving school became the British Army Lightheavyweight Champion. When the two were weighed in at City Hall, Cardiff, Sangoe scaled at while Newport-based Trigg came in lighter. After the Turpin fight, Sangoe took a five-month break before lining up against Chic Calderwood at Earls Court Empress Hall in Kensington on 12 January 1959. The fight was an undercard bout to the Henry Cooper vs. Brian London British and Empire Heavyweight title fight, and Calderwood was quick becoming a serious contender for the Lightheavyweight British title with wins over both Mooney and Rowe, who had both defeated Sangoe. Sangoe lasted until the fifth. Sangoe boxed only twice more, both matches in 1960. He lost on points to Gerry McNally at Oxford in April and then he was stopped by Jack Whittaker on 27 June at Coney Beach Arena in Porthcawl. During the encounter, Sangoe suffered several stab wounds to the chest and was taken to Cardiff Royal Infirmary. The South Wales Echo reported at the time that Sangoe had initially been taken to Bute Street police station, before being transferred to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

On 15 August, the accused was charged with Sangoe's murder and remanded in custody at Cardiff Magistrates Court. When his home was search a blood stained pen-knife was found, to which he stated he had used against Sangoe. At the hearing, it was revealed that the fight was over a woman who was a one-time friend of Sangoe who was now living with the accused. Sir Charles Hallinan submitted that his client not face trial for murder as, in his view, Sangoe was the aggressor and assailant.