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'The free strip poker gameforgotten champion' - Gardner's boxing legacyTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedMedia caption, The Forgotten ChampionPublished27 August 2025ByMatthew Cresswell, BBC Sport England and Chance Litchfield, BBC Radio LeicesterOn 17 July 1950, heavyweight boxer Jack Gardner defeated Johnny Williams in a Commonwealth title eliminator fight labelled "the bloodbath of the Midlands."Both contenders had to stay overnight in hospital following one of the most gruelling bouts ever staged in Britain.But the fight helped propel Gardner's rapid rise, giving him a shot at the British heavyweight title.Over 75 years on, Gardner's daughter, Jackalyn, has been reflecting on her late father's remarkable life in a special programme for BBC Radio Leicester."He was a fantastic father and he was a very gentle man," she said. "His nickname was 'The Gentle Giant', he had time for everyone - he would always reply to people who wrote to him."Nowadays, when you see boxers before a fight, they are very aggressive and in each other's faces."Dad, and his opponent, would be shaking hands, smiling and just getting on very well."Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jack Gardner fought Johnny Williams three times during his professional career, including "the bloodbath of the Midlands".After defeating Yorkshire's Bruce Woodcock in November 1950, Gardner was crowned British heavyweight champion, a title he held for two years, and later added the European title.In 1952, Gardner lost his belt in a rematch with Welshman Williams and shortly afterwards he retired from the sport at the age of 25.A year later, Gardner made a triumphant return to the sport with five consecutive victories and beat Williams in their third and final battle in 1955 to set up a shot at regaining the British heavyweight crown.Unfortunately, Gardner suffered a knee injury in training, meaning the fight with Don Cockell was cancelled. Gardner never got another crack at the title.Following his second retirement from boxing in 1956, with a record of 28 wins - 23 by knockout - and six losses from 34 fights, Gardner turned his hand to farming at his Leicestershire smallholding and poultry farm."When he won the [British heavyweight] title, it gave him the money to buy the farm," Jackalyn said."Neither of my parents had any experience of farming so they must have woken up the next morning and thought 'what have we done?'"But the farmers around him were incredibly helpful. A farmer lent dad his bull - that was so generous."He did have chickens but his main occupation was a dairy farmer. He was a very grounded man, he didn't have high aspirations."What he was doing on the farm was exactly what he wanted to do."Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jack Gardner's shot at regaining the British heavyweight title was cut short after his fight with Don Cockell (next to him, in centre) was cancelled due to injuryGardner died from a brain tumour five days after his 52nd birthday on 11 November 1978."He was very ill, he couldn't see very well, so he had to have his food cut up and his knives and forks pointing the right way because he couldn't see," Jackalyn said."His head had swollen incredibly. He was ill before his death for about three, four years."A trumpeter from the Grenadier Guards played The Last Post at his funeral. There were many, many mourners."In 2021, 43 years after Gardner's death, a green plaque was unveiled in his hometown of Market Harborough in honour of his life.Related topicsBoxingMore boxing from the BBCNotifications, social media and more with BBC SportPublished16 August
