Jimmy Wilde vs Joe Symonds 1916-02-14

Highlights of Jimmy Wilde, the greatest flyweight of all time, fighting for the British Flyweight title against Joe Symonds. Wilde was only 5 feet tall, but had a vicious punch that knocked out boxers outweighing the mighty atom by as much as 50 lbs. He was known to knockout heavyweights in booth fights. To this day, he is still regarded as one of hardest hitting punchers P4P in the history of boxing.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Jimmy
• Wilde
• Joe
• Symonds
• Boxing
• Flyweight
• Flyweights
• Mighty
• Atom
• Ghost
• Hammer

[thallassocracy]

I met Jimmy Wilde when I was a boy - my uncle boxed out of the same stable. I never saw footage of the Joe Symonds match before - thankyou.

Jimmy was from Quakers' Yard - a sleepy little place. The nearest town is Merthyr Tydfil.

Merthyr Tydfil has statues commemorating three famous boxers who came out of the area: Eddie Thomas, Howard Winstone, Johnny Owen.

Maybe Jimmy Wilde was the greatest pound for pound boxer of all time, maybe not. He is almost certainly the most undervalued.

[raduz123]

i totally agree Lois was past his prime when he fought, Marciono, the only reason he accepted the fight is cuz he was broke. Im sure Lois would have beat him during better days . The fact remains though that Marciono was unbeaten. Hell he beat Ezzard charles twice! he resume is more that ok, it may not be as expansive as others but 49 wins 43 ko's is fantastic.

[1899sharkey]

Great clear footage. Wilde is my pick for greatest fly.

[mikezcartlidge1984]

my great grandad Jim Cartlidge fought Joe what i would do for some footage of him fighting!

[Fistiana7]

Great comments on the great Jimmy Wilde. Boxing buffs have never forgotten the greats of yesteryear from the likes of Langford, Ketchel, Wilde himself, Greb, Leonard, Armstrong, Louis, Pep, Robinson all the way to the modern era greats like Ali, Duran, Napoles, Olivares and more recently Chavez, Tyson, Leonard, Jones jr and now Pacquiao.

[joanjohn553]

Joe Symonds 'Hubert Head Toms', was my grandfather. He died before I was born, so never met him. Nice to watch this, though. Joan Toms.

[CousCous102]

Jimmy Wilde lived in my house in 1922!

[andrewr62]

@RapedByRepublicans I have. What you need know is that Dempsey's statement was made when he was

a young novice and his manager wanted him to fight Langford. Langford was far too experienced and at the end of his prime.This was in 1916. Smart move by the young Dempsey. By 1921 Dempsey really had nothing to fear from Langford past his prime and going blind. Kearn's rejection was more his not wanting to be involved in mixed race title match which had resulted in race riots and deaths in 1910.

[RapedByRepublicans]

Hey, when I was 8 dempsey was my favorite of all time (and for many, many years after that), but... i'm not so sure anymore. Gene Tunney, a man who had himself been given fits by a middleweight, beat Jacks ass off (and I believe Greb beat Dempsey sparring too), its tough not to look at that, then again, Dempsey did KO Jack Sharkey...? who, had Schmeling not got hit in the balls, would've prolly been champ a while. early boxing is insanity... and i love it.

[RapedByRepublicans]

@andrewr62 have you never seen that interview where dempsey admitted himself, "they say I never avoided anyone... well thats not true, I avoided Sam Langford, why should I get my head knocked off for nothing?"... Dempsey's manager Doc Kearns also purported told Langford (circa 1923), when Langford asked for a title shot, "Sam, we were looking for someone easier".... dunno if thats true. Also, the idea that Dempsey avoided Harry Wills,... maybe overblown, maybe not... its too bad though

[RockDempsey]

Jimmy Wilde is one of the greatest and most prolific knockout punchers who ever lived. And this and his losses to Pancho Villa and Tancy Lee are the only footage of him. It makes me sick.