Billy Schwer inducted to Ex-Boxers Hall of Fame
Billy Schwer Snr, originally from Kilcullen, was yesterday inducted into the British Ex-Boxers Association Hall of Fame, writes Brian Byrne.
Born in Old Kilcullen, Billy was a Juvenile Irish Champion for three years running during the mid-1950s when he fought with Kilcullen Boxing Club. His family emigrated to Luton in the UK subsequent to Billy having gone at the age of 14 to train as a jockey, which he later gave up to join them and settle in Luton himself, working initially for Vauxhall Motors where he fought with the company's boxing club. On the initiative of Kilcullen Boxing Club's Paddy Aspell he came home on weekends in 1961 to train for and win the Senior Irish Featherweight Championship. He later fought for Ireland and for England on the amateur circuit on the two islands.
After retiring from competitive boxing, he trained the local Luton Irish club, the membership of which included own son Billy who went on to professional and won Commonwealth, European and World Lightweight titles.
Billy Snr was home recently for the Old Kilcullen Picnic on the Green, and took time out to talk to the Diary for a podcast, which can be heard on the link below.
Billy's induction to the BEBA Hall of Fame, in The Thistle Hotel at London Heathrow, was for his services as an amateurs trainer — 'a lifetime trainer of champions from schoolboy to world champions'. He is pictured above with his wife Wendy and their son Billy Jnr.
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