Staggering collection of 15 amateur titles including three consecutive
national AAU championships(Golden Gloves 1937 (flyweight)
Gloden Gloves 1938, 1939 ((Bantam title) makes Billy Speary the most celebrated amateur in Philly history.
Ranked #1 as pro.
National Amateur Bantam title in 1938 & 1939 (London)
Wyoming Valley Sports Hall of Fame: 1971
Wyoming Valley Hall of Fame, Wilkes-Barre 1985
Boxing Hall of Fame: May 9, 1976
Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame Aug 22, 2010
He fought in London before the Prince of Wales, where he won the National Amateur Bantom title in 1938 & 1939. By 1940 he had fought more times in Madison Square Garden and held more gold belts and prizes for boxing than any other fighter. As an amateur boxer Billy fought 198 times, winning 90 by knock outs, only losing 15 fights. He waited to turn pro because his dream was to fight in the Olympics.
Billy was to fight in the 1940 Olympic games in Finland. When the Olympics was cancelled due to WWII, Billy turned pro and on February 7, 1940 he made his pro featherweight debut in Scraton, PA, scoring another K.O. He remained undefeated in 16 pro bouts until his 2nd fight with Harry Jeffra in 1941. Billy continued to box and win until his retirement in 1944.
When he died in 1967, he was living with his family in Bethlehem, where he was employed as a welder for Bethlehem fabricating, Inc
national AAU championships(Golden Gloves 1937 (flyweight)
Gloden Gloves 1938, 1939 ((Bantam title) makes Billy Speary the most celebrated amateur in Philly history.
Ranked #1 as pro.
National Amateur Bantam title in 1938 & 1939 (London)
Wyoming Valley Sports Hall of Fame: 1971
Wyoming Valley Hall of Fame, Wilkes-Barre 1985
Boxing Hall of Fame: May 9, 1976
Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame Aug 22, 2010
He fought in London before the Prince of Wales, where he won the National Amateur Bantom title in 1938 & 1939. By 1940 he had fought more times in Madison Square Garden and held more gold belts and prizes for boxing than any other fighter. As an amateur boxer Billy fought 198 times, winning 90 by knock outs, only losing 15 fights. He waited to turn pro because his dream was to fight in the Olympics.
Billy was to fight in the 1940 Olympic games in Finland. When the Olympics was cancelled due to WWII, Billy turned pro and on February 7, 1940 he made his pro featherweight debut in Scraton, PA, scoring another K.O. He remained undefeated in 16 pro bouts until his 2nd fight with Harry Jeffra in 1941. Billy continued to box and win until his retirement in 1944.
When he died in 1967, he was living with his family in Bethlehem, where he was employed as a welder for Bethlehem fabricating, Inc
Staggering collection of 15 amateur titles including three consecutive
national AAU championships(Golden Gloves 1937 (flyweight)
Gloden Gloves 1938, 1939 ((Bantam title) makes Billy Speary the most celebrated amateur in Philly history.
Ranked #1 as pro.
National Amateur Bantam title in 1938 & 1939 (London)
Wyoming Valley Sports Hall of Fame: 1971
Wyoming Valley Hall of Fame, Wilkes-Barre 1985
Boxing Hall of Fame: May 9, 1976
Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame Aug 22, 2010
He fought in London before the Prince of Wales, where he won the National Amateur Bantom title in 1938 & 1939. By 1940 he had fought more times in Madison Square Garden and held more gold belts and prizes for boxing than any other fighter. As an amateur boxer Billy fought 198 times, winning 90 by knock outs, only losing 15 fights. He waited to turn pro because his dream was to fight in the Olympics.
Billy was to fight in the 1940 Olympic games in Finland. When the Olympics was cancelled due to WWII, Billy turned pro and on February 7, 1940 he made his pro featherweight debut in Scraton, PA, scoring another K.O. He remained undefeated in 16 pro bouts until his 2nd fight with Harry Jeffra in 1941. Billy continued to box and win until his retirement in 1944.
When he died in 1967, he was living with his family in Bethlehem, where he was employed as a welder for Bethlehem fabricating, Inc
national AAU championships(Golden Gloves 1937 (flyweight)
Gloden Gloves 1938, 1939 ((Bantam title) makes Billy Speary the most celebrated amateur in Philly history.
Ranked #1 as pro.
National Amateur Bantam title in 1938 & 1939 (London)
Wyoming Valley Sports Hall of Fame: 1971
Wyoming Valley Hall of Fame, Wilkes-Barre 1985
Boxing Hall of Fame: May 9, 1976
Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame Aug 22, 2010
He fought in London before the Prince of Wales, where he won the National Amateur Bantom title in 1938 & 1939. By 1940 he had fought more times in Madison Square Garden and held more gold belts and prizes for boxing than any other fighter. As an amateur boxer Billy fought 198 times, winning 90 by knock outs, only losing 15 fights. He waited to turn pro because his dream was to fight in the Olympics.
Billy was to fight in the 1940 Olympic games in Finland. When the Olympics was cancelled due to WWII, Billy turned pro and on February 7, 1940 he made his pro featherweight debut in Scraton, PA, scoring another K.O. He remained undefeated in 16 pro bouts until his 2nd fight with Harry Jeffra in 1941. Billy continued to box and win until his retirement in 1944.
When he died in 1967, he was living with his family in Bethlehem, where he was employed as a welder for Bethlehem fabricating, Inc
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