David Pearce

David "Bomber" Pearce (8 May 1959 – 20 May 2000) was a Welsh heavyweight boxing champion.

Pearce was born in Newport, Monmouthshire on 8 May 1959.

He was one of nine children: seven brothers, six of whom boxed professionally and one who was a professional dancer, and two sisters.

His mother was a relative of Bob Fitzsimmons.

He boxed out of St Josephs ABC in Newport and coached junior and senior boxers at Alway ABC in Newport before his death.

Also known as the Welsh Rocky, Pearce held both the Welsh and the British heavyweight titles and held the number one WBC cruiserweight ranking from September 1983 to September 1985.

In all he won 19 (15 KO) of his 24 bouts, losing four, with one drawn.

He won two of his unlicensed bouts, losing one.

Soon after his final unsanctioned boxing fight in 1994, in California, Pearce became seriously ill, in later years developing epilepsy.

There was no specific evidence that this had been brought on by repeated blows to the head, but he immediately retired from boxing on medical advice.

He died 7 years later, at the age of 41, due to SADS (sudden adult death syndrome).

The South Wales Argus described him as "Newport's most famous boxer."

Around 2,500 people attended his funeral in Newport at Stow Hill Cemetery.

Pearce won two (both knockouts) of his three unlicensed bouts.

Pearce took a fight with Percell Davis of Detroit at two days' notice but was stopped in the eighth round.

Pearce later had a second wind after sparring against Lennox Lewis who was in preparation for the Lewis–Glenn McCrory fight and decided to train once more for his final comeback in California, USA.

Pearce wanted to go out on a high after his unprepared previous trip to the states and trained diligently with his brother Gary Pearce.

In 1994 Pearce fought in two unsanctioned bouts that took place in Bakersfield, California.

In his first bout he knocked out Mary Konate in the first round and in his second he defeated the former heavyweight world champion John Tate in three rounds.

The South Wales Argus and the Californian press likened Pearce to the fighter Philo Beddoe, who was portrayed in the films Every Which Way but Loose and Any Which Way You Can.

Pearce took the fight on 2 days' notice

Rodriguez took standing 8 count in round 3, and dropped heavily twice in round 8.

BBBofC British Heavyweight Title.

Referee stopped the bout at 2:57 of round 9.

98-98

Referee stopped the bout at 2:48 of the second round.

58½-59½, Allen was down in the fourth.

time 0:15 of Rd 1.

time: 0:38 of Rd 1.