In 2006, Bert Gilroy, a Scottish boxer of legend, was 'unanimously' voted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame.  He was only the second Scot to feature and indeed only the 6th British fighter in history.

But his career is marred in controversy, cover ups and conspiracy.  Considered the greatest fighter of his generation, Gilroy never held, or even challenged for, a British or World title.  The theories behind why this happened give a revealing insight into the mysterious boxing politics of the time...

The history

Born on May 10th, 1918 in Airdrie, Robert Gilroy rose through the ranks to become a prolific professional boxer in the 1930s and 40.  In his career, fighting out of nearby Coatbridge, he fought 119 fights, winning 86 of them, 44 by knockout. He endured 25 losses and eight draws.

Gilroy reigned as the undefeated Scottish middleweight Champion from 1938-46, and undefeated Scottish light-heavyweight Champion, 1945-50 (which combined make him Scotland's longest lasting champion, 13 years).  From 1937 to 1943, he went on a 41 fight winning streak.

He is remembered, literally as it transpires, as ‘the most feared fighter in Britain’, during that time.

The mystery

For 10 years, Bert was the ‘official’ No.1 contender for the British middle and light-heavyweight belts, from 1939-48.  Yet he was never once given a title shot.

When we speak of Boxing in the 1930s and 40s, many great names that have graced the sport will crop up; fighters like Freddie Steele, Fred Apostili, Ceferino Garcia, Al Hostak, Tony Zale, Rocky Graziano, Marcel Cerdan and perhaps the greatest of them all, Sugar Ray Robinson.

Likewise here in Britain we had the ‘feared’ Rochdale ‘thunderbolt’ Jock McAvoy, Jack ‘cast iron’ Casey, Ginger Sadd and the tragic Randolph Turpin.
 
There seems however, a name missing, a name forgotten, but in truth it wasn't just a name that time and innocence tucked away. No, not at all, quite the opposite in fact is true.

Bert Gilroy’s name was conveniently and purposefully left out of boxing’s long and illustrious history. It took 60 years for his name to once again hit the limelight.  But why?
 
The reality of Bert Gilroy, Scotland's almost missing name, is that he was the most cheated fighter in British boxing history.  The Second World War, ongoing or simmering for most of his career, is generally blamed for his unfortunate circumstances.  Yet those that were there knew different.
 
Jock Block

Jock McAvoy, A British champion, was considered the most dangerous middleweight in the world in the late ‘30s.  He was afforded the hypocritical right to fight John Henry Lewis for the World light-heavyweight title.

McAvoy did just that, and he took Lewis to task for 15 rounds before, eventually, losing. Many leading experts still claim McAvoy to be Britain’s greatest middleweight, yet Gilroy, his nemesis from 1938-44, was favourite to beat him. The two would never be allowed to meet.

McAvoy's letter to the ill fated Henry Rose, who died with the Manchester United football team in the Munich Air Disaster, reveals that the powers that be were stopping the fight, not himself: “The British Boxing Board of Control won't let me defend my title and the bigger men won't have any part of me,” he said.

McAvoy continued by stating that Bert Gilroy was the most likely challenger if ever given the opportunity to fight for the title.

Ducking and Diving

Another fighter, Freddie Mills, the World Light Heavyweight Champion, fought the great Len Harvey in 1942 for the world title just four months after his victory over Jock McAvoy in an eliminator for the right to do so.  Mills held that title uncontested for eight years.

Bert Gilroy was again the official challenger and the No.1 contender for Mills' title, from 1945-48, yet Mills did not and would not defend his title against him.  At the same time, Tommy Gilmour Senior, Gilroy’s manager, claimed Mills' heavyweight eliminator with Scottish Heavyweight Ken Shaw should be brought into question, as “Mills hasn't yet defended his light-heavyweight title”, with Gilroy again the challenger.
 
Mills never did defend that title.  He held it for eight years with not one defence (other fighters’ titles were defended and competed for, war or no war).  The rule then was the title must be defended every six months, even allowing for the war years.

Ernie Roderick, the British welterweight king and successor to Jock McAvoy’s British middleweight title, was a beautiful boxer with a great record.  He was one of only four fighters to go the distance with all-time great Henry Armstrong for the world welterweight title during Armstrong’s peak run at three world titles

Roderick 'ducked' Gilroy like the plague from 1938-45 and was chosen over Bert in 1942 for a final eliminator for McAvoy’s middleweight title.

Tommy Gilmour Senior is on record as saying: "Looks like Bert Gilroy is the only middleweight Roderick refuses to fight.”

Why did this happen?  Reports and commentaries stated that the only two titles not competed for at that time were McAvoy's British title and Mills’ world crown, with Bert their principal challenger.

Ewan Wellwood, a prominent Scottish fight reporter, challenged the board to account for Gilroy's being ‘passed over’ for a title fight. He said: “Bert has done nothing to be dropped from title position of challenger!” 

So what happened?

Bert Gilroy was naturally disappointed at not getting the right to his British title fights, which in that era was held in the same esteem as a world title, and which of course would lead to shots at the American and world titles.
 
Gilroy did get a fight, though.  For example, Bruce Woodcock, a great Heavyweight champion, a destructive puncher, fought him twice.  But why a heavyweight?
 
Gilroy and his management team, Tommy Gilmour Senior and Ol' Jim Gilmour, were trying desperately to get Bert his rightful title shots at middleweight and then light heavyweight.

So Bert took on all three of Britain's top Heavyweights in five battles. Three of them ended with question or controversy, proving Bert’s superiority among his fellow British middleweights and light-heavyweights.  It was all right for Gilroy to fight the top heavyweights but not for title fights at his own weight.
 
These were hard and stoic times though, and Bert fought and maintained his dignity, but those who knew him closest knew a despondent and wounded man - 19 years of age and at the top of the world, waiting through ten years of anguish knowing he was the best, only to later end up "unheralded" and falling into near obscurity.

After retiring, Bert went onto coach and train Scottish, British and World champions, including Walter McGowan, Johnny Caldwell and John ‘Cowboy’ McCormack.
 
Was Bert Gilroy Britain’s greatest middleweight? He may well have been, but no-one will ever know.
 

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Thanks to Jim and Catherine Glen for this story