While Randolph Turpin is widely regarded as one of Britain`s premier boxers of the 1950s, particularly celebrated for his historic victory over Sugar Ray Robinson, his impressive achievements in the amateur ranks are frequently overshadowed.
Turpin`s amateur tenure was relatively brief, spanning four seasons, but highly successful. Born in June 1928, he was just 14 when he claimed his first national title, winning the ABA Youth Class A championship at 9st 7lbs. The following year, he secured the Class B title at the same weight. These categories corresponded to specific age groups (14-15 for Class A, 15-16 for Class B). In 1945, Turpin continued his ascent by winning the ABA junior title at 10st 7lbs.
His dominant performance in the 1945 junior championships, which included two first-round knockouts, prompted a Boxing News reporter to highlight his name among those “destined to go places in the world of boxing,” recognizing his exceptional potential early on.
The ABA Senior championships were held later in 1945, delayed partly by the end of the war in Europe. Having turned 17 just weeks prior, Turpin was eligible to enter. Previewing the event under the headline “Turpin the Terror,” BN described the 17-year-old building worker as possessing “terrific punch and something that crops up only very occasionally when it comes to boxing skill,” predicting he had “a great chance.”
Randolph seized that opportunity, defeating Wally Thom, who would later become the British welterweight champion, on points to win the senior middleweight title. This made him the first boxer ever to win both the junior and senior ABA titles in the same year, and only the second black fighter to win an ABA championship, following Cuthbert Taylor in 1928.
Known by the nickname `Licker` at this time, Turpin joined the Royal Navy shortly after his amateur triumphs, serving as a Ship`s Cook. His boxing prowess continued, earning him the Navy middleweight title and subsequently the Inter-Services title in April 1945. When he returned to the Royal Albert Hall ring on May 1, 1946, he was still just 17.
Few champions have won two ABA titles by the age of 18, and none have claimed them both so young. Turpin defended his middleweight crown in 1946 with ease, stopping his semi-final opponent Ian Mitchell in two rounds after five knockdowns, and then defeating Glaswegian Ian Watson inside the distance in the final.
Representing the ABA internationally, he had a less decisive outing against France in Paris, resulting in a draw – a common outcome in European amateur boxing then, unlike in the UK where a winner was required. His final amateur contest took place on May 29, 1946, at the Empire Pool, Wembley, where he again represented the ABA, this time against a team from the USA.
The ABA squad emerged victorious with a 5-3 scoreline, including wins from Skeets Gallacher, Charlie Squires, Eddie Thomas, Johnny Ryan, and Turpin himself. A BN report on Turpin`s win against American opponent Anspach highlighted his explosive power: “Anspach, cautioned for holding almost immediately, turned to the referee and asked ‘Who, me?’ A minute later, the US Marine was incapable of asking anybody anything. Turpin, swiftly on his feet after a slip, crashed his opponent down with a right to the chin and repeated the dose as the bemused American scrambled up. This time Anspach stayed put.”
Oliver Croft