Albert Finch, British middleweight boxing champion; Times of London
Hyfler/Rosner
Durable middleweight who took the British title from Dick Turpin
and lost it to his brother Randolph six months later
Albert Finch held the British middleweight title for only six
months between April and October 1950. But that unadorned statistic does
less than justice to his fistic talents. For Finch held the title between
the reigns of two of the most formidable of the British middleweight
champions of the era. These were Dick Turpin, who had made history as the
first black boxer to win a British title in June 1948, and his younger
brother Randolph, who went on to world title honours when he relieved the
great Sugar Ray Robinson of his title in July 1951. (Turpin's tenure of it
was to be even briefer than Finch's of the domestic title.)
Finch also had to his credit the first defeat sustained by
Randolph Turpin. This was a shock points win in April 1948 that was, until
Turpin's defeat at the hands of Robinson in September 1951, the only blemish
on a record which had been largely composed of KOs in early rounds.
Finch was not noted as a heavy puncher - only 21 of his 103
bouts ended inside the distance. But his ringcraft generally kept him out of
trouble and he had both skill and stamina.
At the time he won his British title from Dick Turpin, Finch was
already having difficulty making the middleweight limit - 11st 6lb. After
losing it to Randolph he moved up to light heavyweight and campaigned in
that division until the end of his career.
Finch was born in Croydon, into a market-trading tradition that
has bred many boxers over the years. His first fights were in a makeshift
ring in a backroom of The George tavern in Croydon's Old Town. There, at
nine, he won his first bout, watched by a crowd of men and women sipping
their mild-and-bitter.
His professional career began in August 1945 with a draw against
Eddie Starrs in a six-rounder at the Queensberry Club in Soho. Over the next
few years he amassed a useful record of points wins at venues in London and
the South East. He faltered at his first attempt on the South East Area
middleweight title, losing on points over 12 rounds to Mark Hart at
Walworth, London, in April 1947.
On April 26, 1948, he beat the up-and-coming Randolph Turpin on
points over eight rounds at the Albert Hall, which did no harm at all to his
morale. In October that year he reversed his previous decision against Hart
to take the South East title in front of a hometown crowd.
His first shot at Dick Turpin's British title ended in a loss on
points over 15 rounds in Birmingham on June 20, 1949. But on April 24 the
following year the result was reversed over the distance. Turpin had Finch
down twice, in the seventh and the ninth, but Finch finished strongly and
won a close verdict. He was to beat the elder Turpin again, this time in
eight rounds, in July 1950.
But young brother Randy was by this time forging to the top of
the contenders, and at Harringay arena on October 17, 1950, he emphatically
claimed the middleweight title as his own in a five-round knockout. This
persuaded Finch to move up to light heavyweight. (There were no "super
middleweights" in those days - before weights and titles proliferated to
today's profligate proportions.)
King of this division was Don Cockell, who held the British and
European titles. Cockell, later to move up to heavyweight and challenge
Rocky Marciano for his world title, proved too strong for Finch, disposing
of his challenge in seven rounds in October 1951.
Finch had two more shots at the British title: against Alex
Buxton in November 1954 and Ron Barton in March 1956. He carried on boxing
for another couple of years, finally quitting the ring in 1958, following a
three-round knockout at the hands of Noel Trigg.
In retirement in the Croydon area Finch worked successively for
the Argentine Meat Company and the Co-op Dairy. He was also a pigeon fancier
and as a recreation enjoyed the aviary he created in the garden of his
Croydon home.
He and his wife Audrey had a son and two daughters.
Albert Finch, British middleweight boxing champion,
April-October 1950, was born in Croydon on May 16, 1926. He died on January
23, 2003, aged 76.
