RandyTurpin

RANDOLPH (RANDY) TURPIN d1966. English boxer who was considered by some to be Europe's best middleweight boxer of the 1940-1950s. His career record 75 fights with 66 wins and 8 losses. On July 10th 1951, he famously became world middleweight champion when he defeated Sugar Ray Robinson in London after winning a 15 round decision. However his days as the world champion did not last long. When he made his first trip outside his homeland to the Polo Grounds New York for the return fight, he lost his crown to Robinson by a tenth-round TKO (with eight seconds left in the round) on 12th September 1951. This began the start of his career decline and during the 1960s he even resorted to professional wrestling in order to pay the bills. According to articles, reports and a biography, he couldn't deal with the obscurity resulting from the loss of his fame. He bought a public house on the Great Orme in Wales (which still today retains several artefacts from his career) and he was the registered licensee from 1952-1961. After being declared bankrupt Randolph Turpin committed suicide by shooting himself. He was found dead in his home (Gwen's Transport Cafe) in Leamington Spa on 17th May 1966, where he had lived with his wife and four daughters. One of his daughters (Carmen aged four) was taken to hospital in Birmingham with two gun shot wounds and survived. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001.