Shropshire Star

Richie Woodhall's latest auction recalls Olympic title fight

It was the fight that would set Richie Woodhall on the way to stardom.

Published
Jeremy Lamond of Halls and Richie Woodhall with the canvas photograph of Richie's Olympic battle with Roy Jones Jnr

Now, thirty years on he is commemorating the anniversary with a special auction which he hopes will help his new fight – helping charities to knock-out cancer.

For his latest charity auction, Telford's former world boxing champion commemorates the fight which gave him his bronze medal in the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, where he took on American star Roy Jones Jnr.

Richie Woodhall's auctions have raised thousands for cancer charities

To mark the 30th anniversary next month, Richie is auctioning a large canvas print of the fight, signed by both himself and Jones, as well as a glove which has also been signed by the American.

He is hoping the items, which propelled both fighters on to glittering professional careers, will catch the attention of boxing fans who want a piece of sporting history. All funds generated from the sale will go to the Teenage Cancer Trust, which provides vital support for young people suffering from the disease.

Seven years after his clash with Jones, Richie was crowned world super-middleweight champion, while Jones went on to become one of the most decorated fighters in modern boxing history.

The items will go under the hammer at Halls auctioneers in Shrewsbury on September 5.

Richie is greeted by father Len on his return from the Seoul Olympics in 1988, where he took the bronze medal

Jones, who competed against Richie in the super-middleweight division, turned professional the following year and became a multiple world champion in four weight classes. He is the only boxer in history to start his professional career at light middleweight and go on to win a heavyweight title.

Jones beat Richie in a 5-0 points win to make the final, but was defeated 3-2 by South Korea's Park Si-Hun in a controversial points decision, despite landing 86 punches to Park's 32. The American finally hung up his gloves earlier this year at the age of 49.

Jones and Richie were reunited 20 years later in an event to mark the anniversary, and that was when they signed the picture which will go under the hammer.

A 20-year-old Richie preparing for the 1988 Olympics

"I gave him a big hug, and he said 'the hardest fight I had in the Olympics was against Richie Woodhall, the English guy', and that was really wonderful to listen to," he says.

Over the past three years, Richie has raised thousands of pounds for cancer charities from regular auctions of sporting memorabilia.

He holds the auctions in memory of his father, Len, who died from prostate cancer in July 2015. To mark the third anniversary of Len's death, he wrote a column for the Shropshire Star about the influence Len had on him as a youngster making his way in the world of boxing, and how his death had motivated him to raise funds for cancer charities.

The items will be available for viewing at Halls auction house in Bowmen Way, Battlefield, the day before the sale, or on the day itself. The sale starts at 10am, although those unable to make it in person can bid through the website the-saleroom.com/halls although you will need to register in advance.

Alternatively, your maximum bids can be phoned through to the auctioneer before the sale on 01743 450700.