Ralph Evans and his Family Boxing Dynasty…

Harry Jones’ grandad Ralph Evans, right, holds the bag for former professional Wayne Evans during a training session in 1975

By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

Welsh boxing has always had a proud history.

Indeed, the only British world champion who retired without losing was proud Welshman, Joe Calzaghe. Him and his father Enzo managed to create some form of dynasty within Wales that allowed Enzo to go on and support and train other world champion boxers. The story, however, of the Evans clan that came from Tonypandy in Wales and settled in the south of England is one that seems to eclipse even the Calzaghes.

One of the principal members of the clan, Ralph Evans, was a bronze medalist in the 1972 Munich Olympics. His family had firm connections with boxing, which continue even to this day, thanks to grandson, Harry.

Ralph’s bronze medal was, in 1972, the best finish by a Welsh boxer at any Olympic Games for 40 years, until Fred Evans in 2012 in London surpassed it. But one of the fascinating things about Ralph Evans is not just that after the Olympics he decided to retire and never entered a boxing ring professionally, but that he also became a coach for his brother, Wayne.

Ralph Evans was one of six children born in Tonypandy, South Wales, and his parents moved him to Waterlooville in Hampshire near Portsmouth when he was seven years old. His father was a former youth and miners boxing champion, his uncle, Gordon, owned Tonypandy boxing club, so there was certainly the sport in his blood. Whilst in Waterlooville, a boxing club was founded by Gwyn Evans, his father, after they had moved.

And so along with Ralph, Evans’ younger brother, Wayne, also took up the sport, however Ralph didn’t get into boxing until later. He began wanting to race pigeons, which is something that we know that Mike Tyson in particular has a fondness for.

But boxing got him and in his first year as an amateur, Evans fought 27 times, got to the British schools final, but was disqualified when the referee said that one of his punches was low. In his second year as an amateur, he got to box at the National Associations of Boys Clubs. He was then in another final, but suffered a close points defeat to Patrick Cowdell. However, the prize for winning that particular event, apparently, was to go on a training scholarship with none other than heavyweight Joe Bugner in Norway. Evans’ defeat to Cowdell was so close that he also was offered a place and went off to stay with Bugner’s mother, so that he could participate in the training.

When he came back, he became the first Welsh Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) champion of a newly created light flyweight division. It meant he could go to the British ABAs. He got to the final at the age of only 17 but was defeated by Mickey Abrams in May 1971 at the Wembley Arena.

He was chosen then to represent his country, Wales at the European Amateur Boxing Championships in Madrid in 1971, meeting Franco Udella, but he lost a split decision 3-2, despite the fact that he knocked Udella down to the canvas on five occasions. Due to the decision, a number of people within the arena decided to rip up seats, throwing them into the ring and protest, leading to a long delay of several hours before the contests could continue.

It came as no surprise that he was therefore going to be the chosen representative for the Olympics, but it almost never happened.

At the time, British politics within boxing in the amateur code was what might be called a little political – or dodgy.

Ralph appeared at the Double Diamond Club in Caerphilly for an eliminator to decide who would go to the Munich Olympiad. In the other corner was favored fighter, Mickey Abrams. Abrams was to be the captain of the ’72 Olympic boxing team. Ralph beat him but was then ordered to fight again as another eliminator to see if the selectors could get the right decision. Ralph beat Mickey again.
Once at the Olympics, Ralph got past Mexican Salvador Garcia with a 4-1 win. Round 2 saw a dominant performance against Chile’s Héctor Velazquez. Some called it, “the purest boxing exhibition of the tournament.”

Then off he went for Chanyalew Haile, who was in the quarterfinal and represented Ethiopia. He got a scoring knockdown in the first round, and then won again on points to reach the semi-final.
He faced György Gedó in the semi-final on the 8th of September 1972 in the Olympia Hall in Munich. Gedó was too strong for Ralph. Evans’ mouth suffered a cut during the fight, but it meant he would get a bronze medal.

Upon returning to the UK, he had a most promising future according to national newspaper The Guardian but at the age of 19 Ralph Evans decided to retire as a fighter.

Instead, he went off to support his brother.

His brother managed to climb the ranks until he fought another Welsh legend in Johnny Owens for the British title in 1978; unfortunately, he came up short and that was as far as he went within the professional code.

But much more is hoped for with grandson Harry Jones who is currently in the amateurs.

Knowing that his grandfather Ralph claimed a bronze medal in the 1972 Olympics, and that Harry’s great uncle, Wayne had battled Johnny Evans for the British bantamweight title, it was inevitable that young Harry was going to go into boxing. He did however, like his grandfather Ralph, not begin in the sport of boxing as he spent some time playing cricket and rugby.

Harry credits his time with his grandfather, Ralph working out of a specially made back garden boxing gym in helping his development. One of the biggest reasons he believes he’s developed and done well in a short amount of time he’s been boxing is because of the hours and long chats he’s had with his grandfather. In an interview with the local newspaper, Harry said that he had a great time with his grandfather, explaining that his grandfather originally didn’t want him to get out of the boxing ring because he was his grandson but when he started boxing and saw the obvious ability that he possessed he decided not to stop him because he didn’t want him to waste the ability that he was showing. And perhaps that is why on his amateur debut his footwear was the same color as his grandad wore in the Olympics.

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