Alex Ireland “Posthumous Award”
Had fate been kinder and the 1920 Olympic judges fairer, at the games in Antwerp, Belgium, then Leith-born Alex Ireland could and should have been the first Scottish amateur boxer to win an Olympic boxing Gold medal.
Contemporary newspaper reports concur that Ireland, boxing as Great Britain’s welterweight representative, seemed to merit a points verdict over Tommy Scheider but the ringside judges opted for the Canadian. Still, not even that dodgy points verdict could rob long-armed, left jab merchant Ireland from becoming the first ever Scot to win an Olympic silver boxing medal.
Born in Leith in 1901, Alex Ireland was originally a protégée of famed Edinburgh coaching duo, Charlie Cotter and Tancy Lee whom Ireland joined once his Tolbooth club merged with the newly founded Leith Victoria club in 1919. Indeed, Scotland’s first outright Lonsdale belt winner, Lee was in Ireland’s corner in Antwerp in 1920 and again in 1921 when Ireland won the British A.B.A. welterweight title.
Ireland made his pro debut on Friday 10 March 1920 on a show for the Scottish Limbless ex-Servicemen, promoted by Leith promoter Nat Dresner. Ireland outpointed Irishman Pat McAllister over 15 rounds and followed this up by winning the Scottish welterweight crown by outpointing Bob Lowrie in March 1923. However, most boxers have a bogey opponent, against whom they always toil, and in Ireland’s case that proved to be “Hamilton” Johnny Brown (John Fleming). Brown twice outpointed rising star Ireland despite the fact that Alex beat Brown’s eventual conqueror, British lightweight champion Seaman Nobby Hall from Peebles, in a non-title joust in Edinburgh in 1923. Ireland could never solve “Hamilton” Johnny’s style, losing two other bouts to him.
In truth Ireland was like Glasgow’s John “Cowboy” McCormack in two important respects. Firstly, like the Maryhill Cowboy in 1959, Ireland won the British middleweight title clutching his groin on the canvas. In 1928, in Edinburgh’s Waverley Market before 12,000 fans, Ireland won the British middleweight crown from the great Tommy Milligan, of Craigneuk, Lanarkshire, on a controversial foul – avenging a 1924 defeat by Milligan.
Another likeness between Ireland and “Cowboy” McCormack was that he lost bouts he was expected to win and won bouts he was expected to lose. In the Leith man’s case the most spectacular example of this was when he beat teak tough Welshman, and prohibitive pre-fight favourite, Glenn Moody. The same Glen Moody who would end Scottish ring great Tommy Milligan’s career by knocking out the Lanarkshire man inside a round at Carntyne, Glasgow. This was the same Welsh tiger who had traded leather with the fearsome American Harry Greb and Theodore “Tiger” Flowers. Ireland used his hallmark speed in the ring and skilful left jabbing skills to compensate for his lack of a knockout punch to beat Moody. That win layed low the oft-quoted slander that he lacked punch resistance and durability. The Edinburgh Evening News reporter covering the Ireland v Moody bout observed “It was a marvel how Ireland stood up to the piston-like punch deliveries of Moody, despite having to take two counts of five in the second round…”
Of course, Ireland’s lack of a crushing KO punch became more problematic when age and ring-wear began to erode his speed and durability. This was demonstrated when he lost his Scottish middleweight title to Aberdonian Steve McCall at Edinburgh in April 1930. Also, when he ultimately lost his British crown to England’s Len Harvey by seventh round knockout in May 1929 in London.
However, to those who ask “Does Alex Ireland deserve his place in the Scots Hall of Boxing Fame simply because he won Scotland’s first ever Olympic Silver medal, or beat Frank Moody?” The answer is “No!” – but Leither Alex Ireland has other Scottish and world boxing achievements to his credit that make him worthy of inclusion. Firstly, Ireland holds the best overall record of any Scottish boxer fighting in South Africa, being unbeaten in all his four contests there. Also, even when he was well past his best, while losing his Scottish title to Aberdonian Steve McCall in April 1930, 3,000 people paid to watch him at Edinburgh’s Waverley Market. Alex Ireland, even a faded, past his best Alex Ireland, could still attract boxing fans due to his reputation as an accomplished ring technician.
Alex Ireland died at his Leith home aged just 60 in 1961.
Text by Brian Donald
