Johnny Frankham

“Gypsy” Johnny Frankham, a British light heavyweight from Reading, Berkshire, boxed from an orthodox stance and made his living the hard way in a division where there was seldom a soft touch and never a quiet night. He turned professional on 12 May 1970 and fought through to 1976, finishing with 28 wins, 11 losses and 1 draw from 40 bouts, with five wins by knockout listed on the standard records.

He had a known pedigree before the pay days, winning the 1969 Amateur Boxing Association light heavyweight title out of Reading ABC, the kind of domestic honour that told you a man could box as well as fight. He was also very much of his own community, described in coverage as an English Romany Gypsy, and the nickname followed him into the professional game as both a badge and a calling card.

Frankham’s early professional years were busy and London-centric, the familiar circuit of halls and promoters, with regular appearances on Mike Barrett bills where you were expected to sell tickets, keep winning, and learn quickly. In May 1971, he was matched with Dave Hawkes on a Royal Albert Hall show, and in that same period, he won the Southern Area light heavyweight title, building a reputation as a tough, reliable operator who could go rounds at a good pace without needing favours. Then came the curiosity that still comes up whenever his name is mentioned: a non-scored exhibition at the Royal Albert Hall on 19 October 1971, two rounds shared with Muhammad Ali on a tournament bill that had Ali rotating through opponents.

His peak arrived when the British light heavyweight title came back into view. With the belt vacant after John Conteh’s reign, Frankham met Chris Finnegan on 3 June 1975 at the Royal Albert Hall and won a 15-round points decision to become British champion. It was a result that suited the way he boxed, straight, physically strong, happy in the exchanges, and stubborn enough to make a championship fight feel like a shift. For all Finnegan’s class and experience, Frankham found a way to keep the fight on his terms often enough to take the verdict and the Lonsdale Belt.

The reign was brief, and the return was immediate. They met again at the Royal Albert Hall on 14 October 1975, and this time Finnegan regained the title over 15 rounds on points, with the referee scoring it in his favour. Frankham boxed on into 1976 and then left the ring, his championship remembered as a proper British title win, earned against a gold medallist and established champion, in the old surroundings where British boxing used to do its serious business.