Wally Carr (11 August 1954 – 13 April 2019) was an Australian professional boxer. Carr held twelve titles across six different divisions across his 15-year career as a boxer. He was nicknamed "Wait-awhile-Wal".
Early life Wally Carr was born on 11 August 1954, two months after his father died by suicide by gunshot to the head.Wally Carr & Gaele Sobott, My Longest Round He was a Wiradjuri man who was born and raised in Wellington, New South Wales.
Career Carr held twelve titles across six different divisions across his 15-year career as a boxer, and was nicknamed "Wait-awhile-Wal".
Described by Boxing 1970–1980 as having "boxing ability to burn" and "outstanding skills", Wally Carr had 100 professional fights. His first fight was in South Sydney Leagues Club in 1971 at the age of 17 and his last fight was in 1986 at the age of 32 when he announced his retirement after fighting Doug Sam at the Bruce Stadium in Canberra.
With over twelve fights overseas in countries including, Zambia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji, Carr got his first crack at a world champion, his 96th fight, when he fought Korean Super-Middleweight, Chong-Pal Park, the then current IBF's world Super-Middleweight champion, in Seoul in 1984. Carr lost on points. Despite Pal Park being a world champion, this fight was not a world title bout but a ten-round non-title fight. Had Carr won, he may have received a rematch with the world title at stake then.
Wally's fighting career spanned Super-Bantamweight to Heavyweight. He fought in 13 divisions, starting out at 8 stone 10 lbs and finishing up at 14 stone 10 lbs. His titles include NSW Welterweight Champion, Australasian Light Middleweight Champion, Australian Junior Middleweight Champion, Australian Middleweight Champion, Commonwealth (British Empire) Middleweight Champion, Australian Super-Middleweight Champion, Australian Light-Heavyweight Champion and Oriental Middleweight Champion.
Recognition Carr was selected as the inductee into the 2010 Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame Moderns category in recognition of his achievements.
Death and legacy Wally Carr died on 13 April 2019 due to stomach cancer.
During the indigenous round of the 2020 NRL Season, Carr's name was included on the inside of the collar on the player jersey for the Melbourne Storm, for whom Carr's grandson, Josh Addo-Carr plays.
Personal life Carr had four children (three daughters and one son) and two grandchildren. He was the grandfather of NRL player Josh Addo-Carr.
In 2010 Gaele Sobott published the biography of Wally Carr titled My Longest Round, which details his life from his earliest memories in Wellington, his boxing career, his battle with alcoholism, drug abuse, homelessness, and his final transition to sobriety and happiness. The book was written in close collaboration with Carr over the course of six years.
Professional boxing titles Australia – New South Wales State welterweight title (146 Ibs) Australasian Super Welterweight Title (154 Ibs) Australian super welterweight title (154 Ibs) Australian middleweight title (160 Ibs) Australian light heavyweight title (172 Ibs)
Professional boxing record
ResultRecordOpponentTypeDateLocationNotes100Loss53–38–9Doug SamKO18 April 198699Loss53–37–9Gary HubbleDQ22 March 198698Loss53–36–9Dave RussellPTS26 April 198597Win53–35–9Alan BlackKO11 December 198496Loss52–35–9Chong Pal ParkPTS7 October 198495Loss52–34–9Pat HailwoodPTS31 August 198494Loss52–33–9Kevin WagstaffUD1 June 198493Win52–32–9Tommy WestPTS27 April 198492Draw51–32–9Tommy WestPTS24 February 198491Win51–32–8Gary HubbleTKO2 December 198390Win50–32–8Peter HewittKO14 October 198389Loss49–32–8Terry ArcherDQ16 September 198388Draw49–31–8Young StonePTS5 August 198387Loss49–31–7Young HaumonaPTS28 April 198386Loss49–30–7Stephane FerraraPTS10 October 198185Loss49–29–7Alex SuaKO27 May 198184Win49–28–7Ken EldridgeKO20 November 198083Loss48–28–7Phil KatingPTS2 August 198082Win48–27–7Terry FoxTKO29 June 198081Win47–27–7Fossie SchmidtTKO12 April 198080Win46–27–7Terry FoxPTS16 June 197979Win45–27–7John KrishnaKO18 February 197978Loss44–27–7Monty BethamPTS11 February 197977Win44–26–7Torkano MarcosKO16 December 197876Win43–26–7Benny HoltTKO7 December 197875Win42–26–7Al KorovouTKO26 July 197874Loss41–26–7Neil PattellPTS30 June 197873Loss41–25–7Al KorovouPTS14 December 197772Win41–24–7Johnny LaytonPTS12 October 197771Win40–24–7Rudy SiregarPTS11 September 197770Draw39–24–7Johnny LaytonPTS27 October 197669Loss39–24–6Monty BethamKO23 September 197668Loss39–23–6Neil PattellPTS8 September 197667Win39–22–6Eric KingKO4 August 197666Win38–22–6Monty BethamKO12 July 197665Loss37–22–6Julius LuipaTKO1 July 197664Win37–21–6Eric KingPTS9 June 197663Win36–21–6Joe KeresiKO2 October 197562Win35–21–6Benny HoltTKO10 July 197561Win34–21–6Bernie AlexanderTKO5 June 197560Loss33–21–6Benny HoltPTS22 May 197559Loss33–20–6Martin BeniTKO19 April 197558Win33–19–6Billy O'DonnellKO3 April 197557Draw32–19–6Martin BeniPTS13 March 197556Win32–19–5Alan AldenhovenTKO27 February 197555Loss31–19–5Dennis EnrightPTS18 August 197454Loss31–18–5Colin CassidyPTS14 August 197453Loss31–17–5Andy BroomeTKO13 June 197452Win31–16–5Billy O'ConnorKO17 May 197451Win30–16–5Wayne CullenKO8 May 197450Win29–16–5Matt RopisPTS4 April 197449Win28–16–5Barry FacerTKO28 March 197448Win27–16–5Fred Rolando PastorPTS15 March 197447Win26–16–5Martin RossKO14 February 197446Win25–16–5Elley DennisPTS1 December 197345Loss24–16–5Antonio OkePTS10 November 197344Loss24–15–5Bobby CotterillPTS13 September 197343Loss24–14–5Colin CassidyTKO15 August 197342Win24–13–5Les KnoxPTS19 June 197341Loss23–13–5David HillPTS14 June 197340Draw23–12–5Jim MetcalfePTS17 May 197339Win23–12–4Mick MaherPTS8 May 197338Win22–12–4Binky RominskiPTS2 May 197337Win21–12–4Eric KingPTS19 April 197336Loss20–12–4Rod ConnorsPTS28 February 197335Loss20–11–4Alan ManderDQ7 February 197334Win20–10–4Ceddy McGradyPTS18 January 197333Win19–10–4Ceddy McGradyPTS30 November 197232Win18–10–4Binky RominskiKO15 November 197231Win17–10–4Matt DavisPTS31 October 197230Win16–10–4Cousin Bob WestPTS18 October 197229Loss15–10–4Jim MetcalfePTS10 October 197228Loss15–9–4Rod ConnorsPTS26 September 197227Draw15–8–4Jeff MalcolmPTS20 September 197226Loss15–8–3Ross ArmstrongPTS17 August 197225Win15–7–3Ross ArmstrongPTS10 August 197224Win14–7–3Binky RominskiPTS11 July 197223Loss13–7–3Jim MetcalfePTS22 June 197222Win13–6–3Eric LarchePTS15 June 197221Loss12–6–3Neville WilliamsKO7 June 197220Win12–5–3Les KnoxPTS1 June 197219Win11–5–3Les KnoxPTS25 May 197218Loss10–5–3Lance McConnellPTS2 March 197217Loss10–4–3Lance McConnellPTS8 February 197216Draw10–3–3Frank GeebungPTS3 February 197215Loss10–3–2Jim MetcalfePTS27 January 197214Win10–2–2Alan ScottKO11 January 197213Win9–2–2Ern McNeillKO16 December 197112Win8–2–2Frank GeebungPTS9 December 197111Win7–2–2Wayne OldhamKO7 December 197110Win6–2–2Elley DennisPTS1 December 19719Win5–2–2Cousin Bob WestKO15 November 19718Win4–2–2Laurie JohnsonTKO4 November 19717Win3–2–2Graham MurrayPTS18 October 19716Draw2–2–2Dennis CutmorePTS13 October 19715Loss2–2–1Frank GeebungPTS30 September 19714Win2–1–1Graham MurrayPTS15 September 19713Loss1–1–1Laurie JohnsonPTS9 September 19712Win1–0–1Graham MurrayPTS2 September 19711Draw0–0–1Graham MurrayPTS26 August 1971
References