Charlie Magri

Charlie Magri (born 20 July 1956 in Tunis, Tunisia) is a former English flyweight boxer. He is from a Maltese family that settled in Stepney, London, where he grew up. During his professional career he held the WBC and lineal flyweight titles.

Amateur career

After a junior career with Millwall F.C., Magri as an amateur boxed for Arbour Youth Boxing Club in Stepney Green and was trained by Jimmy Graham. He gained the following ABA titles:

• ABA Youth Champion (Class A) - 1972
• ABA Youth Champion (Class B) - 1973
• ABA Light-flyweight Champion (48 kg) - 1974
• ABA Flyweight Champion (51 kg) - 1975
• ABA Flyweight Champion (51 kg) - 1976
• ABA Flyweight Champion (51 kg) - 1977

He also boxed for Great Britain in the 1976 Summer Olympics losing in the third round to Ian Clyde of Canada.

Professional career

Magri was 5 ft 3 in tall and had an exciting, aggressive style, being a two-handed puncher who did not care much for defence. He was managed by Terry Lawless.

He had his first professional fight in October 1977, at the age of twenty-one. He knocked out Neil McLaughlin in the second round at the Royal Albert Hall.

In only his third fight he gained the vacant British flyweight title after his fight with Dave Smith was stopped in the seventh round.

In his twelfth fight, in May 1979, having won the previous eleven, he won on points against Franco Udella to take the European flyweight title. He won on points over twelve rounds at Wembley Arena.

In December 1979, he defended his European title against Manuel Carrasco, of Spain, winning on points. In June 1980, he defended it again, this time against Giovanni Camputaro of Italy, winning on a technical knockout in the third.

In February 1981, he defended his European title against Spaniard, Enrique Rodríguez, knocking him out in the second round. In September he fought a re-match with Cal in Avilés, Spain, and again knocked him out in the second.

World title

In March 1983, he fought Eleoncio Mercedes, of the Dominican Republic, for the WBC and lineal flyweight titles.^[1] The fight was at Wembley Arena and Magri won the titles when the fight was stopped in the seventh on cuts.

In September 1983, he defended his world titles against Frank Cedeno, of the Philippines. The fight was at Wembley Arena, and Magri lost his titles when the referee stopped the fight in the sixth, after Magri had been put down three times.

Rest of career

In his next fight, in August 1984, Magri fought for the vacant European flyweight title that he had previously relinquished. He fought Italian Franco Cherchi in Cagliari, Italy. Magri won in the first round when a clash of heads left the Italian so badly cut that the referee had to stop the fight.

In his next fight, in February 1985, he fought for the WBC flyweight title again. Since Magri had lost it, it had changed hands several times and was now held by Sot Chitalada of Thailand. The fight was held at the Alexandra Palace, London and Chitalada won on a technical knockout at the start of the fifth, after Magri's corner retired him.

In October 1985, Magri fought a re-match against Franco Cherchi, in Alessandria, Italy, winning by a knockout in the second round.

In May 1986, Magri had his last fight, defending his European title against Duke McKenzie of Croydon. Magri had relinquished his British flyweight title in August 1981, and McKenzie was now the holder. The fight was stopped in the fifth round when Magri was knocked down and his manager, Lawless, threw in the towel when Magri beat the count.

After boxing

Magri was the manager for super-featherweight boxer, Dean Pithie. Magri later owned the Victoria pub in Bow, east London.^[2]

See also

• List of lineal boxing world champions
• List of flyweight boxing champions
• List of WBC world champions
• List of The Ring world champions
• Boxing at the 1976 Summer Olympics
• List of British flyweight boxing champions

References

External links

• Maurice Golesworthy, Encyclopaedia of Boxing (Eighth Edition) (1988), Robert Hale Limited, ISBN 0-7090-3323-0
• British Boxing website – Fight stats
• Boxrec.com – Fight stats
• "Champagne" Charlie Magri - CBZ Profile