Master of the Maritime: Canada’s devout Christian with anvil fists

Eric Armit profiles a heavy-handed Canadian middleweight who was ready to embark on a new life after surprisingly hanging up the gloves aged 30. Then…tragedy struck.

BLAIR RICHARDSON

Born: 29 January 1941 South Bar, Canada

Died: 6 March 1971, aged 30.

Record: 52 fights, 45 wins (36 by KO/TKO) Lost 5 (3 by KO/TKO), Drew 2.

Career: 1956 to 1966.

Division: Super-welterweight, middleweight, super-middleweight.

Titles: Canadian, Commonwealth and Maritime middleweight champion.

Major Contests

Scored wins over: Burke Emery (twice), Wilf Greaves (twice), Del Flanagan, Joe DeNucci (twice), Gomeo Brennan.

Lost to: Burke Emery, Wilf Greaves, Joey Archer, Gomeo Brennan.

Drew with: Isaac Logart.

Blair Richardson’s Story

Richardson was a multi-talented, multi-faceted man. He took up boxing in high school and showed such aptitude that he turned professional in July 1956 at the age of 15 without having any amateur experience. 

He learned the trade as he went along, going 4-1-1 in his first six fights. His four wins had all come inside the distance, giving an indication of the power that would make him a huge idol with fans in the Canadian Maritime Provinces. 

Blair proceeded to cut a swathe through local and imported opponents, winning the Maritime middleweight title in June 1959. By August 1961, he had put together a run of 24 consecutive victories, 21 by KO/TKO, including at one time a run of 16 inside-the-distance wins in a row.  

That came to an end in August 1961 when he was kayoed in the ninth round by the more experienced Canadian light-heavyweight champion Burke Emery. Richardson gained revenge with a points win over Emery in November and another in June 1962. 

There was another setback in July 1962, when he was floored four times and stopped in the 10th round by Wilf Greaves in a fight for the Canadian middleweight belt. Once again, Richardson rebounded, dropping Greaves three times in September on the way to an eighth-round victory that saw him crowned Canadian champion.

It was time for Richardson to move up a level, but he was too ambitious and was outpointed by top contender 33-1 Joey Archer in Madison Square Garden in February 1963. Richardson then put together a run of seven wins, including victories over Greaves in a Canadian title defence, outpointing experienced Glen Flanagan and twice beating Joe De Nucci. 

Richardson went after his first international title when he challenged Gomeo Brennan for the Commonwealth title in September 1965. The fight was close going into the eleventh round, but Richardson was caught cold by a wicked right that put him down and out after just 15 seconds of the round. 

Like a rubber ball, Richardson bounced right back, outpointing Brennan in March 1966 and winning the Commonwealth title in a bout scheduled strangely for thirteen rounds.

Richardson had fought only three times in 1964 and twice in 1965, but it was still a surprise when, after a win over Pail Christie in June 1966 and a draw with 110-fight Isaac Logart in July 1966, Richardson announced his retirement. 

Richardson stated that he had “lost his viciousness”, but he had paid the price for the power that had brought him 36 wins by KO/TKO in the shape of numerous bone fractures. That electrifying punching power made him an idol and the biggest sporting draw in the Maritimes.

It was always likely that the highly intelligent, very religious Richardson would want to do something else with his life. He was a graduate of Emerson College in Boston, where he gained bachelor and master of science degrees as well as minors in sociology and theology. 

After his retirement, he graduated from North Eastern University in Boston with a degree in communications and taught speech there. He was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and was about to take up a post in the church when he died in March 1971 at the age of thirty following an operation for a brain tumour. Richardson was inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame in 1980.