Johnny Ryan

By the time the 1948 Olympics came around, Johnny Ryan was one of the best amateur welterweight boxers in Europe. One of seven children of an Irish father and Welsh mother, none of his three brothers took to boxing, but Johnny made up for it. He first represented Wales in 1938, as a lightweight, and after joining the Army in 1939 he went on to fight as a welterweight. Between 1939-48, Ryan fought in every Army tournament and competition, and was undefeated. Not only did he win the Army championship on several occasions, he also won the European title at Dublin in 1947. It was at the ABA Championships, however, that he reigned supreme.

Ryan won consecutive ABA welterweight titles in 1946-47, and was the clear favourite to make it three wins until Max Shacklady, coach to the 1956 Olympic wrestling team, sprang the surprise of the 1948 ABAs, by beating Ryan on points. During his time in the Army, Ryan served in the Army Physical Training Corps, and became a qualified parachutist. He was demobilised out of the Army in August 1948, and took up a post as the boxing coach at Oundle School in Northamptonshire.