BruceWoodcockBoxer.co.uk

One of the remarkable things about Bruce’s career, apart from his astonishing record, was the speed of his rise and of his individual bouts. However, his success was built on long hours of training and dedication.

Tom Hurst gave Bruce an introduction to the Belle Vue gym where he trained with very good boxers. The first was Paddy Lyons, who was to win the Northern area middle-weight title in 1945, under Tom Hurst’s management. Paddy gave Bruce his first sparring session, making him realise very fast that he really was just an amateur, but Bruce suddenly galvanised into a different gear and produced a punch which sent Paddy down. It also caught Tom Hurst’s attention and led him to suggest that Bruce turn professional. He went back to Doncaster to discuss it with Sam and Hilda, and the next day signed up with Tom Hurst as his manager.

A sprained ankle caused by a fall from a ladder at the shell-making plant delayed Bruce’s debut, but when arranged it turned out to be the site of his amateur triumph - the Royal Albert Hall. He was up against ex-stoker Fred Clark, a tough young boxer about Bruce’s age, also making his professional debut.

At the weigh-in Bruce was 12st 8lb and Clark was 14st 6lb. The weight difference set a pattern that was to be repeated throughout Bruce’s career: he was often up against men significantly heavier than himself, but he used his speed and technical skill to more than compensate.

Along with the weight, two other patterns were set in this first fight - the speed of the finish and the swift return home for a ‘cuppa’, avoiding all the after-the-show celebrations.

The fight with Clark earned Bruce more than a cheque: it earned him recognition in the Bible of professional boxing, Boxing News, which commended him by saying ‘Although Woodcock was giving up two stone in weight, he dispatched ex-stoker Clarke in impressive style on his professional debut’. The journal praised his ‘workmanlike manner’ and for fighting ‘calmly and as cooly as though engaged in a practice spar.’

For his next fight, Bruce found himself a bit further up the schedule and, for the second time, on the same bill as the boxer he would later defeat in two renowned fights near the end of his career - Freddie Mills.

For his third professional bout, Bruce faced Tommy Moran, an eight round fight, the longest of his career so far, but it didn’t take him that long to clinch it. 

The next fight was at White Hart Lane, the Spurs football ground.

Bruce was on the same bill as Freddie Mills again, the night Mills took the British Empire and British light heavyweight titles by knocking out the renowned Len Harvey, ending Harvey’s career.

Bruce’s fight was another that ended a career. He was booked to meet Londoner Ernie Woodman, who was injured in training, so the promoter brought in Western Area champion Len Munden. It was an open-air contest and Bruce took to it with gusto, leading the referee to stop the fight in the second round, ending Munden’s career.

The pace was beginning to hot up, with the next fight scheduled a mere ten days later.

His fifth fight was on home ground in the North of England, in Oldham, and scheduled against Gunner Joe Marsh from Canada, but Marsh had to cancel and his replacement was Lancastrian Don Burton.

Burton was also a relative newcomer to the professional game and no match for Bruce in the fired up state he was in. It only lasted until the second round and Burton retired with a badly cut eye.

The speed and impact of this early career is remarkable, and it was to continue in that vein for the rest of the year. But there were also some potential problems. Inequalities of weight was one of them, but apart from Bundy, the fights were also almost too quickly dispatched, giving Bruce little time to develop his ring experience. But it seemed to be the way he liked it if the next two fights are anything to go by.

With George Davis, Bruce faced his biggest challenge to date - quite literally! Davis was 6ft 6 in., and weighed in at 19 st. Bruce was just over 6 ft and 12st. 4lb. The programme records that Bruce was scheduled to meet Irishman Dom Lydon who, at 6 ft. 1 in. and some 12 st. 10 lb. would at least have been more of an even match.

Described in one press preview as ‘a titbit on the programme’, Bruce’s fight against Jack Robinson was a dazzling display: two rounds of classically careful boxing followed by an explosion in the third. Bruce put Robinson down for counts of six, eight and nine, before the clincher came - another right to the jaw, and with it, Bruce gained his first professional title - British Northern Area Light Heavyweight. 

He was a champion, less than eight months after turning professional.

Seven fights in eight months and a total of 21 rounds in the ring - about 40 minutes of fighting.

To consolidate and to repay some local dues, Tom Hurst organised a charity exhibition bout at the Doncaster Corn Exchange, Bruce’s first return. And to keep things ticking over, there was an unofficial contest: Bruce would take on any man who’d challenge him for half the takings

The bout with George Hinchcliffe was a non-regulation contest with two-minute rounds rather than the orthodox three, and it was in an out-of-the-way venue at Heckmondwike in West Yorkshire. Hinchcliffe was a pro with many years experience. It showed in that he lasted six rounds, but he was down and out in the seventh.

It was the last fight of a remarkable first year as a professional, and it added up to a lordly £300 and 10 shillings, which was a lot in one way but nothing like what was to come. But then what was to come, no one could have foreseen, both the highs and the lows.