By Rob Petersen, Managing Director
The famous cricketer Dennis Compton, my father and I at an agency reception some years ago
On 2nd September a blue plaque is to be unveiled in St John’s Square, Cardiff by the Lord Mayor of Cardiff to honour the achievements of my father, Jack Petersen, the famous boxing champion.
It would be wrong of me not to mention this on our company blog as so many readers know of my father’s sporting exploits and his love of Cardiff where the Council is kindly honouring him in this way on the anniversary of his 100th birthday.
His record in the Boxing ring cannot be equaled – achieving 35 wins out of 38 professional fights and becoming British LightHeavyweight and Heavyweight champion before the age of 21! He brought hope and pride to the whole of Wales in the dark days of the depression of the 1930s and it is therefore no wonder that over 40,000 people turned up to watch one of his fights in the famous Ninian Park against the German Heine Muller, whom he beat in two rounds!
Unfortunately at the age of 25 due to injuries to his eye he was forced to retire. However he maintained his association with boxing and was elected the President of the British Boxing Board of Control, an honour no other fighter has achieved. He was awarded the OBE for services to sport after serving on the Sports Council for Wales.
Born in Cardiff on 2nd September 1911, he would have been 100 years old next Friday had cancer not cut short his wonderful life at the age of 79. An amazing man and quite the best father you could ever have. He is an inspiration to many generations of Welsh Sports men and women.
I hope you will join me in commemorating this Welsh Sporting Hero.
