Randolph
Adolphus Turpin was born in Leamington on 7th June 1928, the son of
Lionel Fitzherbert Turpin and Beatrice Whitehouse. Lionel was the first
black man in Leamington, after emigrating from British Guiana. Beatrice
was white, a local girl whose father, Tommy Whitehouse, was a
bare-knuckle fighter. Randy was the youngest of five children, with two
older brothers, Dick and Jackie, and two older sisters Joan and Kathy.
He was forced to overcome problems from an early age. Three months after
his birth his father Lionel died, this was due to being gassed on the
Somme in the First World War, an injury from which he never recovered.
As a three year-old Randy contracted double-pneumonia, a serious form of
the infection in both lungs, from which he almost died.
Randy was a fine athlete at West Gate Council School, being particularly
good at swimming. It would be this that would give him his next setback,
because while swimming in a river he was trapped underwater by weeds and
suffered a damaged eardrum. This made him partially deaf for the rest of
his life and made it difficult for him to mix freely.
Boxing was in the family, and Randy's elder brother Dick turned
professional when Randy was nine years old. Randy joined the Leamington
boys club, which was run by John 'Gerry' Gibbs, a police inspector, who
soon saw the promise in Randy. Starting at twelve, Randy had 100 amateur
contests, winning 95. In 1943, aged 15, he was the British junior 112lbs
champion, and in 1944 the junior 133lb champion. He achieved a unique
double in 1945, by winning both the junior 147lb championship, and the
senior ABA Welterweight championship. This made Randy the youngest ever
ABA champion and also the first black boxer to win an ABA Championship.
By this time brother Dick had joined the army, and brother Jackie the
Royal Navy. Randy left his job with a local builder and joined the Royal
Navy as an assistant cook. He continued to box in the Navy, and won the Navy championship, the Inter-Services Boxing Association title, and
another ABA title. Randy's enjoyed his best amateur moment in 1946 when
fighting American Harold (Hal) Anspach. It was widely thought that at
seventeen years old, Randy would find Anspach too strong. He proved the
doubters wrong by knocking out the American in 90 seconds, watched by a
crowd of 10,000 people. Anspach would go on win the 1946 US Amateur
Championship at 160lbs, a feat previously achieved by Ezzard Charles and
Joey Maxim. Anspach turned professional shortly after Randy, but wisely
avoided another meeting between the pair.
In September 1946, Randy shortly after brother Jackie joined the
professional boxing ranks. He signed with George Middleton, a local shop
keeper, who was already managing brother Dick. Randy would use the
nickname of "The Leamington Licker" as a professional, a name given to
him during his school days for his ability to lick people twice his
size. His career as a professional started brightly on September 17,
1946. He defeated Gordon Griffiths in less than two minutes, the referee
stopping the bout after Griffiths was down for a second time.
Randy fought and won fifteen times, with many of these fights featuring
on the undercard of fights involving brother Dick, and big British names
like Bruce Woodcock. His first minor setback was being held to a draw by
Mark Hart, who he had previously beaten over six rounds. He followed
this with two decisive first round knockouts, over Freddie Price and
Gerry McCready.
He
then scored his biggest victory too date with a points victory over
British Middleweight champion Vince Hawkins. Randy at 19, was not old
enough to fight for the British title. Although the British Boxing Board
of Control had only recently changed their rules to allow black boxers
to contest the British title, and Randy's mother wanted Dick to have the
first chance to win one.
Randy had at this time separated from his first wife Mary Stack, with
her accusing him of assault. The case was dismissed, although the
troubles obviously affected Randy during a disappointing points defeat
to Albert Finch. This would be the first in a series of personal crises,
that would affect his performance in the ring. Randy out pointed Alby
Hollister before giving possibly the worst performance of his career,
three months later against Jean Stock.
On the day of the fight Randy was told that his wife had been given
custody of their son. It is said that Randy told brother Dick in the
dressing room, that he did not feel like fighting and would not be
surprised if he lost. Randy fought with no heart, and retired at the end
of the fifth after being dropped several times.
Following these setbacks Randy took a five month break from boxing, his
longest spell without a fight since his career began. He vowed to never
lose again, and came back to boxing with a series of brilliant wins.
There were eight wins in 1949, the best being an eighth-round stoppage
of Cyrille Delannoit, who had lost the European title only a month
earlier. Four more wins followed in 1950 before Randy had his most
satisfying win so far. He defeated Albert Finch with a fifth round
knockout, which saw him take the British Middleweight title in the
process. This victory was made ever more special for Randy, who had saw
Finch defeat brother Dick for the title only months earlier.
Randy began 1951 by destroying Dutchman Luc Van Dam in 48-seconds to win
the European Middleweight title. His success continued with another
defeat to be avenged, this time Jean Stock. Randy defeated Stock by
knockout in round five, the same round in which he had lost some three
years before. Three more knockout victories would follow, including the
defeat of the highly rated Jan de Bruin.
Randy having now avenged both of his defeats and beaten some high
calibre opposition was handed a World title fight. His opponent the
seemingly invincible Sugar Ray Robinson, in Earls Court, London.
Robinson was reaching the end of a European tour, which had seen him
defeat a selection of hand-picked opponents. Throughout the tour
Robinson had suffered numerous setbacks including Jan de Bruin walking
from the ring, and a Disqualification loss (which was later changed to a
no-contest). Robinson arrived in Britain in an open-topped Pink
Cadillac, accompanied by 53 cases and an entourage of eight including a
hairdresser, odd-job man, and a midget whose job was to be a court
jester.
Randy would receive a purse of $28,000, whilst Robinson would receive
treble Randy's purse with $84,000. Randy out-punched, out-muscled, and
dominated Robinson on his way to becoming World Middleweight Champion.
Randy instantly became a British hero, and in front of thousands was
paraded around his hometown of Leamington in an open top car. While many
shock defeats have appeared over the years, they are almost always by a
lucky punch. Randy's win was different, he out-boxed and out-fought the
champion for the entire contest, leaving the result in no doubt. Sugar
Ray acknowledged that he was soundly beaten with by stating:
"You
were real good. I have no alibis. I was beaten by a better man" Sugar
Ray Robinson
Robinson used a clause in the contract that guaranteed a re-match.
Robinson's preparation was much improved and he added 3lbs of weight
after being bullied around the ring in England. Randy purse would be
vastly improved from the first fight, as he earned $207,075. Robinson
despite being the challenger would receive more with $248,491. The
return fight was held at the Polo Grounds in New York and drew 61,370
spectators, a record for Middleweights. Despite his dominance in their
first fight, Randy would still be a 6-to-4 underdog.
Randy
fought just like he did in the first fight and was getting to Robinson.
Going into the tenth round the fight was even on the referee's
scorecard, with four rounds each and one even. Midway through the tenth
round, a right-hand Randy split Robinson's left eye so badly the fight
could have been stopped. Fearing the stoppage Robinson threw everything
he had at Randy, who chose the unwise move of fighting back rather than
defending.
Robinson landed a series of good body punches, followed by left and
right hooks. A huge right cross put Randy down for a count of seven,
before Robinson landed a barrage of punches with Randy pinned to the
ropes, with only seven seconds of the round to go the fight was stopped
by referee Ruby Goldstein. Randy's reign as Middleweight boxing king had
ended after just 64 days. Randy was unhappy with the stoppage stating:
“He should not have
stopped it. With only seven seconds to go I was perfectly keen.”
Randy Turpin
During his stay in New York Randy became friendly with a black girl,
Adele Daniels, who saw him off when he left and expected to see him
soon. Whilst Randy did not keep contact with the girl, she would
reappear in his life a little later. On returning to Britain Randy
immediately focused his attentions on the British and Empire light
heavyweight titles. His opponent for the titles was Don Cockell, who
outweighed Randy by 12lbs. Cockell fought bravely but was floored three
times and stopped in the 11th, Cockell would later last nine rounds with
Heavyweight Champion Rocky Marciano. Randy continued to his successes
with a point's victory over Doug Miller, who he floored four times.
In 1953, after the retirement of Sugar Ray Robinson, it was decided that
the winner of a bout between Randy and Frenchman Charles Humez for the
European Middleweight title, would face the winner of an American
Elimination series. Despite having troubles in making the weight, Randy
out pointed Humez before a sell-out 54,000 crowd at White City, London.
The winner of the American elimination series was the Hawaiian Carl
'Bobo' Olson, and he and Randy would meet in October 1953.
Randy's preparation for the fight with Olson was minimal, boxing only 30
rounds in training. This was due to the reappearance of Adele Daniels at
his hotel expecting to resume their relationship of some two years
earlier. Randy was at this time engaged to be married to a Welsh girl,
Gwenneth Price. Adele Daniels caused several scenes forcing Randy to
retire to his training camp, declining to train, talk to the press and
threatening to return home at the slightest provocation.
The fight with Olson had begun well with Randy taking the opening three
rounds, before suffering a cut under his eye in the fourth. Randy was
bullied throughout the fight and was down in the 9th and 10th rounds.
Randy appeared unmotivated during the fight and lost in a convincing
points decision. Randy claimed after the fight that it was the troubles
in his life, and not Olson that defeated him on the night declaring:
“If I had been in my
natural mental state, I could have stopped him about the eighth round”
Randy Turpin
The
day before he was due to return to England, Adele Daniels accused him of
rape and assault, claiming that he had attacked her during Randy's stay
in New York for the Robinson fight. Her lawyer sought for $100,000 in
damages and Randy was arrested, he was allowed home after lodging
$10,000 as insurance that he would return. Despite his troubles Randy
married fiancé Gwenneth and appeared to have another run in him after
winning a point's decision over the undefeated Olle Bengtsson.
This
was until a first round knockout against Italian Tiberio Mitri in Rome,
put an end to his World title aspirations. Despite not reviving his
World title hopes, he did defeat Alex Buxton for the British
light-heavyweight title. Around this time he returned to New York for
the trial, the case was settled out of court before Randy could give
evidence. Adele Daniels accepted an settlement payment of $3,500,
Randy's costs were more considerable.
As Randy's career began to come to an end, complacency started to set
into his performances. A fourth round knockout defeat to Gordon Wallace,
a fight in which he was floored four times, saw him retire from the
ring, however the retirement would last only six months. This defeat
also put an end to Randy's hopes of fighting current Light Heavyweight
king Archie Moore. On his return to the ring he achieved two knockout
victories over Alessandro D'Ottavio and Jacques Bro, before a points
defeat to Hans Stretz in Germany.
Randy defeated Alex Buxton for the third time in his career to win the
vacant British Light Heavyweight title, this victory saw Randy win the
Lonsdale belt outright. Seven months later he successfully defended his
British title against Arthur Howard over fifteen rounds, despite being
floored three times. Six more wins over average opposition followed
throughout 1957 and 1958, before Randy was knocked out by Yolande Pompey
of Trinidad in two rounds, this defeat saw Randy retire from the ring
after a career spanning twelve years.
Following his retirement it became clear that Randy's finances had been
less than well managed. Numerous failed business ventures including a
hotel and holiday camp saw him fall heavily in debt. For money Randy
fought as a wrestler at £25 a bout. He also had a job working in a
scrapyard, which was owned by former manager George Middleton. In 1962
the Inland Revenue claimed £17,126 on his boxing earnings, Randy could
not pay and was declared bankrupt. He made a brief return to the ring to
score knockout victory over Eddie Marcano and Charles Seguna, before
troubles with his eyesight put an end to his career for good.
With many troubles in his life Randy committed suicide on May 17 1966,
aged just 37. Following his death Randy has received an induction into
the International Boxing Hall of Fame. In 2001, exactly 50 years after
his victory over Sugar Ray Robinson, a statue of Randy was erected in
Warwick town square.