Dennis Avoth

Dennis Avoth
Statistics
Real name Dennis Avoth
Rated at Heavyweight
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Nationality British
Born (1947-10-05) 5 October 1947
Cardiff, Wales
Boxing record
Total fights 45
Wins 22
Wins by KO 4
Losses 20
Draws 3
No contests 0

Dennis Avoth (born 5 October 1947) is a retired Cardiff-born heavyweight boxer. Avoth was a promising amateur boxer who turned professional in 1967. He held the Welsh Heavyweight Championship title from 1971 to 1973. He is the brother of Eddie Avoth, who was also a boxer and who became British, and Commonwealth Light-heavyweight champion, and European Light-heavyweight challenger.

Boxing career

Avoth boxed out of the Victoria Park boxing club as a youth, and whilst still a teenager he won the Welsh Amateur Boxing Association title, beating Del Phillips, who at 6 ft 5ins was seven inches taller than Avoth.[1] The Welsh title allowed Avoth to enter the European championships, but was forced to retire after a torn rib ligament.[1]

Avoth turned professional in 1967 and like Eddie Avoth, his older brother before him, he joined the stable of Merthyr based trainer, Eddie Thomas. Avoth's first professional bout was against London-based fighter Doyley Brown at Grosvenor House in Mayfair, an undercard to a Ken Buchanan match. Avoth stopped his opponent via technical knockout in the fifth of the six round fight. This was the first in a string of seven unbeaten fights, including a victory over Paul Brown at the National Sporting Club in January 1968. Despite this promising start, his allusions of following his brother as a major contender were broken by four straight loses.

Avoth was back to winning ways in the first half of 1969, remaining unbeaten in six fights, though all were through points decision. His run was broken in May when he faced future British heavyweight champion Bunny Johnson at the Midlands Sporting Club in Solihull. The eight round fight went the full distance, with the bout being awarded to Johnson. This was followed by a draw against his amateur title opponent Del Phillips, before Avoth again faced a future British heavyweight champion, Danny McAlinden. The fight against McAlinden was part of a national heavyweight competition held in Mayfair, London for a prize of £1,000. The eight man knockout contest was scheduled for three rounds per bout and Avoth faced Manchester-based fighter Obe Hepburn in the quarter finals. After beating Hepburn on points, he then beat Billy Wynter by the same decision in the semi-final. The other semi-final was between McAlinden and another future champion, Richard Dunn. McAlinden knocked out Dunn in the first round, and then managed to stop Avoth in the final again in the first round, but this time via technical knockout. Avoth fought once more in 1969, a loss to Central Area champion, Billy Aird, before readjusting his sights on a new challenge, the Welsh heavyweight title, held by North Walian Carl Gizzi.[1]

1970 began with mixed results for Avoth. He lost to Charlie White, a fighter he had faced four times previously as a professional, before he recorded a win over Terry Feeley at the National Sporting Club. He then lost to Cliff Field before a Wales heavyweight title eliminator with Del Phillips was arranged. The fight was arranged as the top billing at Swansea's Top Rank Suite on 22 June 1970. The night started poorly for the Avoth family when younger brother Leslie was beaten by Santos Martins on the undercard, and Avoth's ambitions to become Welsh heavyweight were dented after Phillips was given the decision by referee Adrian Morgan after the match went the full ten rounds.[1] Avoth finished 1970 with another two losses; to Peter Boddington in London and then to Bunny Johnson in Aberavon, both on points decision.

In 1971, and now managed by his father Jack, Avoth got his shot at the Welsh heavyweight title, which was still held by Carl Gizzi and had now been undefended in the six years since Gizzi won the title. The title fight was taken out of Wales and was staged at the National Sporting Club in London. The fight went the full ten rounds and Avoth was given the decision, making him the new Wales heavyweight champion. 1971 ended with two more wins, over Guinea Roger and Brian Jewitt; but 1972 began with two loses, which included the first time he had ever lost a professional fight by knockout when Roger Tighe stopped him in the sixth round of an eight round contest. In April 1972, Avoth defended his Welsh title for the first time when he again faced Del Phillips. The two met in Swansea and again the fight went the distance, but this time referee Adrian Morgan gave the fight to Avoth. Avoth defended his title just once more when he beat Gene Innocent in Swansea in June 1973. Avoth was to fight just once more, a home bout in Sophia Gardens Pavilion in his home town of Cardiff. His challenger, Phil Matthew, knocked Avoth out in the first round, and Avoth retired from the sport soon after.[2]

Professional boxing record

22 Wins (4 knockouts, 18 decisions), 20 Losses (6 knockouts, 14 decisions), 3 Draws
Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
Loss 13-4 United Kingdom Phil Matthews KO 1 01/08/1973 United Kingdom Sophia Gardens Pavilion, Cardiff, United Kingdom Avoth knocked out at 2:29 of the first round.
Win 10-3-1 United Kingdom Gene Innocent PTS 10 27/06/1973 United Kingdom Top Rank Suite, Swansea, United Kingdom BBBofC Welsh Heavyweight Title.
Loss 9-1 United Kingdom Eddie Neilson PTS 8 30/04/1973 United Kingdom National Sporting Club, Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
Loss 5-0 United Kingdom Tim "Fire" Wood PTS 8 19/04/1973 United Kingdom Wolverhampton Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom 39.25-39.5
Win 10-20-1 Saint Helena Guinea Roger PTS 8 05/02/1973 United Kingdom Top Rank Suite, Swansea, United Kingdom 39.25-39.
Loss 6-0 United Kingdom Eddie Nielson PTS 8 27/11/1972 United Kingdom National Sporting Club, Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
Loss 6-0 United Kingdom Frank "The Tank" Carpenter PTS 8 24/10/1972 United Kingdom Bull Ring Sporting Club, Birmingham, United Kingdom 38.25-40.
Loss 5-0 United Kingdom Frank "The Tank" Carpenter PTS 8 27/06/1972 United Kingdom Villa Park, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Win 13-5-1 United Kingdom Del Phillips PTS 10 24/04/1972 United Kingdom Swansea Cwmfelin, Swansea, United Kingdom BBBofC Welsh Heavyweight Title.
Loss 6-0 United Kingdom Les "Is More" Stevens TKO 6 27/03/1972 United Kingdom Top Rank Suite, Reading, United Kingdom
Loss 20-6-3 United Kingdom Roger Tighe KO 6 14/02/1972 United Kingdom National Sporting Club, Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
Win 9-7-2 United Kingdom Brian Jewitt PTS 8 29/11/1971 United Kingdom West of England Sporting Club, Bristol, United Kingdom
Win 8-18-1 Saint Helena Guinea Roger TKO 5 09/11/1971 United Kingdom Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
Win 31-11 United Kingdom Carl Gizzi PTS 10 11/10/1971 United Kingdom Cafe Royal, Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom BBBofC Welsh Heavyweight Title.
Win 22-5 Jamaica Bunny Johnson PTS 8 22/09/1971 United Kingdom Midlands Sporting Club, Solihull, United Kingdom
Win 9-8-2 United Kingdom Brian "City" Hall PTS 6 05/07/1971 United Kingdom Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom
Loss 18-4 Jamaica Bunny Johnson PTS 10 19/10/1970 United Kingdom Aberavon, United Kingdom
Loss 13-1 United Kingdom Peter Boddington PTS 8 08/09/1970 United Kingdom Empire Pool, Wembley, London, United Kingdom
Loss 8-4-1 United Kingdom Del Phillips PTS 10 22/06/1970 United Kingdom Swansea, United Kingdom BBBofC Welsh Heavyweight Title Eliminator
Loss 6-0 United Kingdom Cliff Field TKO 7 09/03/1970 United Kingdom Centre Hotel, Bloomsbury, London, United Kingdom
Win 9-5 United Kingdom Terry Feeley TKO 4 10/02/1970 United Kingdom National Sporting Club, Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
Loss 6-7 United Kingdom Charlie "Wizzer" White PTS 8 12/01/1970 United Kingdom Mayfair Sporting Club, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom
Loss 3-0 United Kingdom Billy Aird PTS 6 29/09/1969 United Kingdom National Sporting Club, Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
Loss -- United Kingdom Danny McAlinden TKO 1 07/07/1969 United Kingdom Mayfair, London, United Kingdom
Win 10-21-2 Antigua and Barbuda Billy Wynter PTS 3 07/07/1969 United Kingdom Mayfair, London, United Kingdom
Win 7-11-2 United Kingdom Obe Hepburn PTS 3 07/07/1969 United Kingdom Mayfair, London, United Kingdom
Draw 7-0 United Kingdom Del Phillips PTS 8 02/07/1969 United Kingdom Cardiff, United Kingdom
Loss 12-2 Jamaica Bunny Johnson PTS 8 07/05/1969 United Kingdom Midlands Sporting Club, Solihull, United Kingdom
Win 1-1 United Kingdom Jack Cotes PTS 6 28/04/1969 United Kingdom Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom
Win 5-12-3 United Kingdom George Dulaire PTS 6 24/03/1969 United Kingdom National Sporting Club, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom
Win 1-0 United Kingdom Jack Cotes PTS 6 10/03/1969 United Kingdom Colston Hall, Bristol, United Kingdom
Draw 6-10-1 United Kingdom Obe Hepburn PTS 8 24/02/1969 United Kingdom National Sporting Club, Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
Win 5-11-3 United Kingdom George Dulaire PTS 8 03/02/1969 United Kingdom Cafe Royal, Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
Win 4-4 United Kingdom Charlie "Wizzer" White PTS 8 23/01/1969 United Kingdom Dunstable, United Kingdom
Loss 3-4 United Kingdom Charlie "Wizzer" White PTS 6 27/11/1968 United Kingdom Sophia Gardens Cricket Ground, Cardiff, United Kingdom 29.5-29.75.
Loss 8-6-1 United Kingdom "Crown" Vic Moore TKO 7 12/05/1968 United Kingdom Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom
Loss 10-2 United Kingdom Terry Daly PTS 6 09/04/1968 United Kingdom Empire Pool, Wembley, London, United Kingdom 28.75-30.
Loss 2-2 United Kingdom Charlie "Wizzer" White PTS 8 27/02/1968 United Kingdom Drill Hall, Northampton, United Kingdom 39-39.5.
Win 3-2 United Kingdom Terry Feeley PTS 6 12/02/1968 United Kingdom Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom 29.75-29.5.
Win 2-3 United Kingdom Paul "Cleveland" Brown PTS 8 22/01/1968 United Kingdom National Sporting Club, Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom 39.75-39.
Win 2-1 United Kingdom Charlie "Wizzer" White PTS 6 11/12/1967 United Kingdom Raynors Sporting Club, Leicester, United Kingdom 29.75-29.25.
Win 0-2-1 United Kingdom "Boxing" Bert Johnson PTS 6 28/11/1967 United Kingdom Afan Lido, Aberavon, United Kingdom
Win 1-1 United Kingdom Paul "Cleveland" Brown TKO 5 22/10/1967 United Kingdom Hotel Metropole Sporting Club, Brighton, United Kingdom
Win 3-12-3 United Kingdom Barry Rodney PTS 6 09/10/1967 United Kingdom Raynors Sporting Club]], Leicester, United Kingdom
Win 3-4 United Kingdom Doyley Brown TKO 5 14/09/1967 United Kingdom Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Jones (2009), p.1
  2. Jones (2009), p.2

Bibliography

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