Guildford boxer's success George Rawkins, of Guildford, who played football for the Pinks, is doing well as a professional boxer. It will be recalled he made his debut at Reading a month ago. He demonstrated the power of his right hand at Swindon Baths, on Tuesday, when he knocked out Col. Nixon, one of the best middle-weights in the West Country, in the third round. Nixon was saved by the bell in the first round, when Rawkins floored him with a perfect right cross.

Rawkins will challenge Monty Brown for the middle-weight championship of Hampshire, and he is also challenging Dick Jarvis for the middle-weight championship of Berks, Bucks and Oxon.

Simpson and Rawkins get Brilliant Knock-out victories The tournament held at the Swindon Baths on Tuesday resulted in a brilliant success for the two Basingstoke lads, Freddie Simpson knocking out Jackie Clarke, of Cambridge, in the second round of the main bout, and George Rawkins knocking out Cal Nixon, of Cirencester, in the third round after having his man down and out in the first, when only the bell saved Nixon. Rawkins punched with great force with his right hand, and it was amazing how Nixon recovered after taking the terrific punch in the first. He, however fought back very gamely in the second, but early in the third Rawkins again caught him with a beautiful straight right. Nixon dropped as if poleaxed, and was counted out.

....    That is three bouts in as many months !

George Rawkins fought splendidly to stop Tom Davey, of Stratford, London, in the fourth round of their contest. Rawkins was always forcing the fight and using his right with good judgment he punched Davy all over the ring, and dropped him for several counts before the finish Rawkins has made rapid improvement since becoming a member of the Simpson stable. He will appear at Reading in opposition to Jack Daly, of Reading, in a 10-round cruiser-weight battle. These lads fought a draw in their only previous meeting at Swindon.

Note

Press cutting 1 prior to 13 Feb 1939          Strong Bill For Next Bamford Show. Bamford Promotions are putting on a strong bill and expecting a packed house for their next boxing show at the New Corn Exchange, Reading, on Monday February 13. ................Simpson's undefeated stable companion, George Rawkins of Guildford, is matched with Jack Daly, the local Cruiserweight; ............

Press cutting 2 prior to 13 Feb 1939          On Monday next, at the New Corn Exchange, Reading. Freddie Simpson will have to face another very tough and experienced fighter in Jim Anderson, of Waltham Cross. and he will also have to give away at least half a stone in weight. George Rawkins will fight Jack Daly, of Reading, in a cruiserweight contest for the right to challenge Jarvis for his titles. Coach arrangements are as usual, details and tickets of admittance to show from Mr. John Simonson, 25. Westfield Road. Basingstoke, and Punter's stores, Wote street.

Press cutting 3 18 Feb 1939          George Rawkins, the Guildford (Pinks) footballer, and professional boxer, beat Jack Daly, Reading, on points last week in a return eight-rounds contest. Their first meeting resulted in a draw, and on that occasion Rawkins was fighting with an injured hand. Rawkins wants to meet Dick Jarvis, the Reading middle-weight, who holds several championships, and his latest success should bring this nearer.

Press cutting 4 18 Feb 1939          George Rawkins, another member of the Simpson stable, brought off a splendid victory by outpointing Jack Daly, a much heavier man with a very dangerous punch. Rawkins, however, showed Daly that he could punch also, and he dropped the Reading cruiser-weight four times with right hand smashes to the chin. Rawkins looked likely to stop Daly any moment, but it was learned afterwards that he had severely injured his right hand in the third round. He really showed tremendous courage in continuing the fight, which he won handsomely. Rawkins is now anxious to get Dick Jarvis into the ring so that he can prove he is the best man at the middle or lightheavy-weight poundage in Berks, Bucks and Oxon.

Press cutting 5 18 Feb 1939          Daly Beaten The eight-rounds middleweight fight between the old rivals, George Rawkins (Guildford) and Jack Daly, the Reading man, produced plenty of action, before Rawkins gained the verdict on points. Rawkins possessed a very hard right which shook Daly many times. Twice Daly was down in the second round, and again in the fifth round, when a perfectly-timed punch to the jaw as he came in put him down for eight. Daly showed improvement on his punching compared with his previous display at the Corn Exchange, for he was not so wild with swings, but the fault of being short with his punches was still there. Rawkins often made him miss through trying to connect with his right from too far out, and this naturally brought Daly into trouble. Daly sustained a cut over the eye in the second round, but he would not let it bother him.

Press cutting 6 18 Feb 1939          Rawkins Impresses George Rawkins, the Guildford middleweight, who also comes from the Basingstoke stable, and has been challenging Dick Jarvis through the “Reading Gazette" for a side stake of £50, clearly outpointed Jack Daly, Reading, over eight two-minute rounds Rawkins was a much brisker fighter than he has been on his previous appearances at Reading, and gave Daly some heavy punishment. The Reading man, early on, was troubled by an epidemic of slipping; when he overcome that difficulty he was still far from being the Daly he used to be, and was out generalled by a much more competent man in nearly every round. Down for counts of six and eight in the first three rounds, his punching got wilder and wilder. Rawkins made him miss all over the place during this period, and the end seemed very near in the fifth, when Daly went down again for a count of eight. Game as ever, though, he threw everything into a desperate effort to score a knock-out in the last two rounds and once in the eighth he was not far of success. Rawkins' superior ringcraft, however, enabled him to survive the onslaught, and he was a clear winner on points at the end.

A career roundup - press cutting 3 March 1939
……. England against Ireland and was a reserve against Germany. He conceded a stone when he lost on points to Aircraftsman Pring, light-heavy-weight champion of the Imperial Services, who was killed a few months afterwards when the plane, in which a British R.A.F. boxing team was touring Africa, crashed in the jungle.

One of his trophies he received from the Duke of Kent, when he was runner-up in the final of a novices’ competition at West Ham. Rawkins has won numerous amateur contests in the South of England. Last season he became a professional under the direction of Johnny Simpson, of Basingstoke. In the same camp is Freddy Simpson, who has challenged any light-weight in the country.

Rawkins made his professional debut at Reading, where he drew on points with Alf Bishop, of Bath, middle-weight champion of the West Country. At Swindon he knocked out Col. Nixon, one of the best West Country middle-weights, in the third round of an eight rounds contest. Despite the handicap of an injured right hand, he fought eight rounds and drew with Jack Daly at Reading.

He knocked out Tom Davey (Stratford) at Luton in the fourth round. Rawkins has challenged Dick Jarvis. of Reading, to a £50 a side fight for the middle-weight championship of Berks, Bucks and Oxon. If the challenge is accepted the fight with probably take place in the open air at Reading.

Next Monday he goes to Bristol for a return fight with Alf Bishop. This will be his first ten-round contest. Even now, Rawkins' right hand is still slightly damaged, but he's not worrying. “I’ve never regretted taking up professional boxing, George told me, because you get better fights and fairer decisions. At the moment. I have no definite plans for the future, and my immediate ambition is to meet Jarvis in the ring. I’m just jogging along.

Notes

• The bout with Aircraftsman Pring was on 2-Nov-1937 in Battersea
• 10.5.38. Crashed nr Limpopo River 6.6.38 on Rhodesian/Transvaal border in cloud; en route Salisbury to Roberts Heights pilots Capt AC Koch, Sgt MP Leroux & 4 members of RAF Boxing Team, P/O Rodney Moseby killed.
• His professional debut at Reading was on 4-Oct-1938 in Reading
• The Swindon bout was on 8-Nov 1938
• The bout against Tom Davey was on 31-Jan-1939
• Did he win or draw against Jack Daly?
• The return bout with Alf Bishop was on 6-Mar-1939 and was “next Monday” so if a Friday paper this article was published 3-Mar-1939

Or should have been.

In a newspaper cutting dated 7 March 1939, Simpson did indeed fight Greenaway but Alf Bishop fought Ted Barter (Kingston)

He is a well knit, liberally muscled lad of the middleweight class. Rawkins is game and plucky. In one of his first professional fights he had a damaged right hand, but drew. He packs a devastating punch in his right hand and uses it often.

He has yet to cultivate a good style, which at the moment, according to ringside critics, is a little close and bereft of free hitting. From all accounts, however, he is of the right material to be moulded into a top-class fighter. Rawkins, whose trade is carpentering, was born in Battersea and came to Guildford about six years ago. His two younger brothers, Jack (18) and Geoff (14) are both | promising exponents of the science. Rawkins will be best known to some for his connection with the Guildford (Pinks) Football Club, whom he has assisted during several seasons.

STARTED AT 15
He fell for the fascination of boxing at the age of 15, when he joined the Sunninghill Boxing Club. While there he made an appearance in a tournament at Guildford, and beat George Buck, well known locally, by a technical knock-out in the last round.

When he came to Guildford he joined the local Amateur Boxing Club, and later became a member of the Battersea Boxing Club. Two years ago he lost by a casting vote to P.C. Bell, Metropolitan Police open middle-weight champion. At Guildford he beat on points Guardsman Bicknell, Aldershot Command champion and middle-weight champion of the Brigade of Guards.

At St. Pancras he lost on points to S. Shackel, who represented …...

After a fairly even fight Taffy Davis (Wales) beat George Rawkins (Guildford) on points in an eight round welterweight contest. It was not an exciting fight there being too many clinches. After a dull two opening rounds Davis sailed into his man and there were some lively exchanges. Rawkins was the heavier puncher when he connected , but Davis was the neater fighter and faster on his feet. Davis was landing the crisper blows, but he was doing most of the attacking and having to work hard to get them home. Meting out some terrible punishment Rawkins got at close quarters in the first few seconds of the sixth round, when Davis was careless with his guard, and two lefts and two rights to the head in quick succession soon had him in trouble. Davis did a great deal of kidney punching, and eventually this began to tell upon Rawkins. Davis gradually gained the mastery in the seventh and eighth rounds, and just about deserved to have the verdict, although the referee’s decision was not altogether popular with Rawkins supporters.

Boxing - Wheeler and Rawkins Shine          At the Corn Exchange, Reading, on Wednesday of last week, the local boys, Fred Wheeler and George Rawkins, both put up very fine performances in defeating their respective opponents. Wheeler, opposed to Eddie Walters, of Battersea, was always too good for his man and punched with such good effect that he split Walter's ear in the second round. Walters, however, fought back well, but Wheeler's hard hooks to the body soon weakened him, and in the sixth round. Wheeler split the Battersea boy's eye. Walters was in such a sorry plight after taking heavy punishment that it came as no surprise when he elect to retire, leaving Wheeler a good winner.

George Rawkins met a very tough customer in Paddy Hayes from Ireland, who was some six or seven pounds heavier than Rawkins. Hayes also carries a real wallop in each hand, as he soon demonstrated when he put the Basingstoke lad on the floor for a count in the first round. Rawkins was badly shaken, but he came back to fight like a demon and handed out such terrific punishment that he soon had the Irishman in serious trouble. Heavy punches were handed out and three times Rawkins dropped his man, but the Irishman rose gamely each time. At the final gong Rawkins was returned a good winner. The punishment the Irishman had taken had caused his face to swell to almost twice its size.

Press cutting 1          The best contest of the evening was that between Taffy Davies (Isle of Wight) and George Rawkins (Basingstoke), Davies used his left throughout with considerable effect, and had Rawkins very much on the defensive. Rawkins was the better boxer, however, and in the seventh round carried the fight to Davies. There was a well deserved draw after a hard hitting final round.

Press cutting 2          George Rawkins did exceptionally well to force a draw with Taffy Davis, the middleweight champion of Hampshire. It was a gruelling fight from start to finish. Both lads scored with very hard punches to the chin, and both were shaken badly on several occasions, but they are game and tough lads who just love a fight. Davis, a very strong fellow, was splendidly fit and was a little in front at the half-way stage, but Rawkins, using a nice left and right follow to the head, shook him badly on several occasions in the last three rounds. It was a clean fight, and the referee's verdict of a draw met with general approval. These two will fight a return contest for side stakes at the next promotion the 30th.

It was said that at their wedding on 9 Sept 1939 there should have been a Guard of Honour of crossed boxing gloves.
But as war was declared a week earlier none of the young men were there, they had all been called up!