Ben Foord

BEN FOORD d1942. South African boxer of the 1930-40s who won the South African Heavyweight title / British Board of Control British Heavyweight title (though he was South African) and the British Empire heavyweight title. His career record 59 fights / 40 wins / 15 losses and 4 draws. His professional fighting weight varied from Light Heavyweight (170lb / 77kg /12st 2lb) to Heavyweight (216lb / 98.0kg / 15st 6lb). After retiring from boxing, he joined the army and while at home on leave he was playing a practical joke by sneaking up on his wife Phyllis with a pistol and pretending to be a desperado. He then attempted gun-spinning in the American Frontier style and accidentally shot himself in the face, killing himself at the age of just 29.