Bobby Kelsey

Bobby Kelsey started boxing seriously at the Monteagle Boxing Club, Barking, at the age of 19, and was the 1958 and 1959 North-East London ABA light-welterweight champion. In the second of those years he reached the ABA light-welterweight semi-final before losing to the eventual champion Robert Kane. Kelsey also made his international début in 1959 and represented England on ten occasions against Germany, France, Scotland, and Moscow, amongst others. He also represented London against the Army.

A printer’s compositor operator at the time, Kelsey took part in the 1960 Roma Olympics and lost in the light-welterweight quarter-final to the eventual American bronze medallist Quincey Daniels on points. After 143 amateur bouts, in which he won 123, Kelsey turned professional in November 1960 and in 20 bouts between 1961-63 had a 10-7-3 record.

Kelsey’s last contest was a gruelling scheduled 8-rounder at Shoreditch in April 1963 against Jimmy Mitchell. The referee Pat Floyd stopped the fight midway through the seventh round after Kelsey went down for the second time. The West Ham man subsequently ended up in hospital for observation, but was released the following day.