Merseyside boxing in mourning as legendary fighter Johnny Cooke dies aged 89

Merseyside boxing is in mourning following the passing of one of the city's most respected and influential figures. Johnny Cooke finally succumbed to the cruel illness of pneumonia on Saturday – but not without a typically fierce fight. He was 89.

Cooke was a man who was proud of his heritage, so much so that, according to his son, Dave, he’d quite often, if not always, write Bootle after his name when signing autographs. As a boxer, Cooke was quite simply in a league of his own. As an amateur, he boxed for the famous Maple Leaf in Bootle and went on to have 368 amateur fights, losing only 26.



He won Army titles from 1953 to 1955 and was also Northern Counties champion from 1957 to 1960. He was also an ABA lightweight finalist in 1958, losing to Dick McTaggart, who he would end up fighting on six separate occasions. Cooke made the decision in 1960 to turn professional after being overlooked for the in Rome that year following a controversial defeat to McTaggart.

“It was such a stinking decision that I decided to try my luck as a professional,” he later recalled. “Also, I had my heart set on going to Rome for the [1960] Olympic Games; I was bitterly disappointed as McTaggart went and not me.” Eyebrows were raised when Cooke made the call to go pro at the age of 25, but he went on to win the Central Area welterweight title in 1962 by beating his cousin, Dave Coventry.

Five years later, he became British and Empire champion and enjoyed one successful defence of each .