The Don Cockell Story by Mel Dixon Sep 1st 2008

When the name Don Cockell is mentioned, it is usually only in one context: his failed world title challenge to Rocky Marciano. The British heavyweight champion took a terrific and merciless pounding as he found himself out of his depth over the big pond. So one-sided was the beating that in any discussion of bravery in boxing, Don Cockell's gallant stand demands a mention. As Marciano said after the fight: 'I don't think I ever hit anyone else any more often or harder.' And so it was Cockells failure that earned him a place in the footnotes of boxing folklore, but what of the rest of his career, and the journey that took him from being a Battersea blacksmith to Britain's best heavyweight? Donald John Cockell was born on September 22, 1928, in Battersea, London. He first started boxing in the fairground booths which were a mainstay in British boxing from the 1820s; a place where skilled up-and-coming fighters or old washed-up bruisers would take on members of the public. Parallel to this, he made his way through the amateur ranks before turning professional as a light-heavyweight in June 1946. He was just 17 when he knocked out Trevor Lowder in the fifth round. It was the beginning of a career that would span, a now unimaginable, 81 fights in just ten years. With his hectic schedule, Cockell quickly built up a decent resume, winning 22 of his first 24 fights, with both defeats coming against the unheralded Jock Taylor. He was making his way up the rankings during a time when the British light-heavyweight scene was dominated unopposed by Freddie Mills - the popular Mills made no defences during his eight year reign. Cockell continued to win most of his fights, with the odd blip that was perhaps inevitable with the frequency of his fights. Notably, he traded victory and defeat against future British heavyweight champion Johnny Williams. When Mills retired as light-heavy champion in 1950, the title was vacated. Cockell had worked himself into a position to challenge for the title against Mark Hart - a man who had held a young Randolph Turpin to an eight-round draw. The fight took place in Harringay and Cockell won via a fourteenth-round knockout. After this he twice defeated the once-upon-a-time, world class American Lloyd Marshall, before going on to relieve Albert Yvel of his European title in seven rounds. If Cockell was on cloud nine, he was quickly brought back down to ground zero when a few fights later, the dangerous American Jimmy Slade, took him out in four rounds. Victory could have seen Cockell land a fight with Joey Maxim, but with defeat the opportunity had gone. The Slade fight was typical of British boxing during this period. The main promoter during this era was a man named Jack Solomons. When he felt that audiences were getting tired of the Brit vs. Brit match-up, he brought along a decent American boxer to spice things up. This would often lead to defeat for the British fighter, but more importantly for Solomons, it would mean the making of a quick buck. He had no real interest in conquering America when there was so much to be made at home. The transatlantic mismatch was an event that he mastered. It became apparent that Cockell was struggling to make the weight; he was out of the ring for four months before returning to defeat Renato Tontini on points, after suffering two early knockdowns. He made the second defence of his British title against a post-Ray Robinson Randy Turpin who was stepping up a division. The vacant Commonwealth (British Empire) title was also at stake. Turpin was at the peak of his powers and was simply too fast and powerful for the game champion. Cockell was down once in the third and twice in the eleventh before the referee called it off against his protests. It would be Cockell's last fight at the weight and four months later, a bigger, rounder version of Don Cockell made his heavyweight bow. He knocked out Paddy Slavin in round two. At this time, the British heavyweight title was one of the biggest prizes in sport. It garnered much attention in the press and was steeped in reverence. After all, the Brits never had a hope of winning the world heavyweight title (especially as there was only one in those days) - and the last one that did was Bob Fitzsimmons back in 1899. So, as a nation, there was only thing to aspire to - domestic glory. This is what Cockell had set his sights on… In a final eliminator Cockell was matched with the much-faded Tommy Farr. The man who went 15 rounds with Joe Louis could last only seven with Don. This set up his showdown with Johnny Williams - a boxer he had shared the spoils with earlier on in his career. On May 12, 1953, Cockell defeated the scientific champion with a 15 round points decision and became a proud holder of the Lonsdale belt. His reward for winning the title was a journey to America for a face-off with one-time Marciano foe Harry Kid Matthews. It looked set to be the usual story of a British heavyweight champ falling short against an American opponent. The fight was staged in Seattle where Matthews was a local favourite, and the boxer-puncher made a strong start opening up a cut under Cockell's left eye. Jack Richards from the Vancouver Sun reported that: "From the outset, Cockell plodded stolidly into a maelstrom of angry leather." Matthews looked in relative control until Cockell made a dramatic comeback in the ninth-round, knocking down his opponent three times. It was enough to turn the fight around and earn him a close ten-round points victory. Cockell racked up two more victories - including a successful defence of his commonwealth title in South Africa - before taking on Roland LaStarza. LaStarza had lost by a controversial split-decision to Marciano a few years earlier, and it looked as though the British champ would be out of his depth. Once again he proved everyone wrong with a points win, this time on home turf. LaStarza claimed he'd been the victim of a hometown decision and his manager advised all American fighters against boxing in Britain. Nonetheless, Cockell now held two victories over big-name American opponents, and was manoeuvring for an unlikely world-title shot. He defeated Harry Matthews on points in a rematch, and when they were matched together one last time it was a final eliminator for the heavyweight championship of the world. Matthews retired in the seventh round, and Cockell had earned himself a shot at the greatest prize in sport against the indomitable Rocky Marciano. It had been 17 years since a British heavyweight had fought for the world title; and that had been Tommy Farr in 1937. Just like Farr, Cockell was a huge underdog, and although the British press displayed some customary patriotic confidence, it was tempered with the suspicion of American foul play - they complained about the ring size, doubted Marciano's sense of fair play, and questioned the integrity of the American officials. As it turned out, their cynicism would be well placed. The American writers on the other hand, saw the whole event as a cynical mismatch: Don Cockell was routinely lampooned as, among other things, 'The Waist of Time' and 'The Battersea Butterball'. For them, he was just another in the long line of British 'horizontal heavyweights'. The fight took place on May 16 1955 at the Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, in front of 15,235 spectators. Cockell never stood a chance. He didn't have the power to keep Marciano at bay, nor did he have the speed or defensive qualities to avoid the champions blows. Cockell, for what it was worth, believed that he could win the fight on superior boxing skill and counter-punching. And indeed, he did possess decent boxing skills, and despite his doughy physic he could be light on his feet and had decent stamina. Unfortunately he wouldn't get the chance to prove it due to the postage stamp-sized ring, and the blind-eyed officials who would not see Marcianos Queensbury-rule breaking methods. The fight became a massacre. In the first two rounds Cockell was able to match Marciano, but after that the action was all one way. Marciano used forearms and elbows, 'head clashes' and low blows - not to mention punches after the bell. It was as if his legal blows were not punishment enough. The fight became a spectacle despite being a mismatch, and despite there being an absence of drama. It was a spectacle because Cockell was absorbing an inhumane amount of punishment and yet still standing. Between rounds six and seven he had been sick in his corner due to a combination of wicked low punches and legitimate body whacks. Yet still he stood and still he came forward as The Rock unfurled full power roundhouse hooks to his head and body time and time again. Eventually his punch resistance succumbed at the end of round eight when he was sent halfway through the ropes. He came out for the ninth where he was put down twice more… and got up twice more. The third time he scrambled back to his feet he didn't know where he was - he was looking in the wrong direction with Rocky preparing to finish him with a deadly right hook. Somehow he withstood the punch, and some follow-up hooks before the referee eventually stepped in. In defeat Cockell became a source of national pride and the British newspapermen were united in their praise. Peter Wilson of the Daily Mirror enthusiastically described how Cockell had fought with "the kind of courage which refuses to bandage in front of the firing squad. The driving urge which made men die rather than surrender to Everest… The sun had set on the arena, but it had never set on the heavyweight champion of the Empire." It was as good as the end for Cockell. He had two more fights and lost both - to the world class Cuban, Nino Valdes, and the 'Tongan Terror,' Kitione Lave - before bringing an end to his career. He died of cancer on July 17, 1983, at the age of 53. Cockell really was a product of his time - a time when British fighters were light-years behind their American counterparts, and where the only titles they could realistically challenge for were domestic and European honours. Don challenged for both, and won both. He was a two-weight champion, and a world title contender. He will never be remembered as one of the all-time greats but he will always be remembered for his gallant defeat to Rocky Marciano, and a feat of bravery is indeed a great way to secure a legacy.

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