Wally_Carr

Wally Carr

Wally Carr

Australian boxer


Wally Carr (11 August 1954 – 13 April 2019) was an Australian professional boxer. Carr held twelve titles across six different divisions across his 15-year career as a boxer. He was nicknamed "Wait-awhile-Wal".

Quick Facts Born, Died ...

Early life

Wally Carr was born on 11 August 1954,[1] two months after his father died by suicide by gunshot to the head.[2] He was a Wiradjuri man who was born and raised in Wellington, New South Wales.[3]

Career

Carr held twelve titles across six different divisions across his 15-year career as a boxer, and was nicknamed "Wait-awhile-Wal".[3][why?]

Described by Boxing 1970–1980 as having "boxing ability to burn" and "outstanding skills", Wally Carr had 100 professional fights.[4] His first fight was in South Sydney Leagues Club in 1971 at the age of 17 and his last fight was in 1986 at the age of 32 when he announced his retirement after fighting Doug Sam at the Bruce Stadium in Canberra.

With over twelve fights overseas in countries including, Zambia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji, Carr got his first crack at a world champion, his 96th fight, when he fought Korean Super-Middleweight, Chong-Pal Park, the then current IBF's world Super-Middleweight champion, in Seoul in 1984. Carr lost on points. Despite Pal Park being a world champion, this fight was not a world title bout but a ten-round non-title fight.[5] Had Carr won, he may have received a rematch with the world title at stake then.

Wally's fighting career spanned Super-Bantamweight to Heavyweight. He fought in 13 divisions, starting out at 8 stone 10 lbs and finishing up at 14 stone 10 lbs. His titles include NSW Welterweight Champion, Australasian Light Middleweight Champion, Australian Junior Middleweight Champion, Australian Middleweight Champion, Commonwealth (British Empire) Middleweight Champion, Australian Super-Middleweight Champion, Australian Light-Heavyweight Champion and Oriental Middleweight Champion.

Recognition

Carr was selected as the inductee into the 2010 Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame Moderns category in recognition of his achievements.[3]

Death and legacy

Wally Carr died on 13 April 2019 due to stomach cancer.[1][6][7]

During the indigenous round of the 2020 NRL Season, Carr's name was included on the inside of the collar on the player jersey for the Melbourne Storm, for whom Carr's grandson, Josh Addo-Carr plays.[8]

Personal life

Carr had four children (three daughters and one son) and two grandchildren. He was the grandfather of NRL player Josh Addo-Carr.[6]

In 2010 Gaele Sobott published the biography of Wally Carr titled My Longest Round, which details his life from his earliest memories in Wellington, his boxing career, his battle with alcoholism, drug abuse, homelessness, and his final transition to sobriety and happiness.[9] The book was written in close collaboration with Carr over the course of six years.[citation needed]

Professional boxing titles

  • Australia – New South Wales State welterweight title (14614 Ibs)
  • Australasian Super Welterweight Title (154 Ibs)
  • Australian super welterweight title (15414 Ibs)
  • Australian middleweight title (160 Ibs)
  • Australian light heavyweight title (172 Ibs)

Professional boxing record

More information 100 fights, 53 wins ...
More information No., Result ...

References

  1. "Boxing legend fights to the very end". NITV. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  2. Wally Carr & Gaele Sobott, My Longest Round
  3. Shirkie, Daniel (16 April 2019). "'One of the best': Wellington boxing royalty Wally Carr passes away". Wellington Times. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  4. Clarke, Michael J. (1990). Boxing. Marrickville, N.S.W.: Topmill. ISBN 9781876270926.
  5. Ward, Roy (4 April 2019). "Josh Addo-Carr pays try tribute to his ailing grandpa". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  6. "THE DAILY TELEGRAPH TRIBUTES". tributes.dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  7. "'Pop would be proud as punch': Wally Carr's fighting spirit inspires Storm". National Rugby League. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  8. Sobott, Gaele (2010). My longest round : the life story of Wally Carr. [Sunnybank South, Qld.]: BookPal. ISBN 978-1921791215.

Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Wally_Carr, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.