Johnny Famechon

Johnny Famechon
Statistics
Real name Jean-Pierre Famechon
Rated at Featherweight
Height 5' 5"
Nationality Australian
Born (1945-03-28) 28 March 1945
Paris, France
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 67
Wins 56
Wins by KO 20
Losses 5
Draws 6

Johnny Famechon (born Jean-Pierre Famechon 28 March 1945 in Paris, France) is a former Australian featherweight boxer.

Early life and boxing career

Famechon moved to Australia in 1950 at the age of five. Over his twenty-year career he developed a reputation for being a skilled boxer whose strength was his defence. His career record of 56 wins (20 by KO), 6 draws and 5 losses.

His first major win was over Les Dunn to become Victorian Featherweight champion in 1964, then he was Commonwealth featherweight champion in 1967 after defeating the Scot John O'Brien. He became Lineal and WBC featherweight champion on 21 January 1969 after he defeated the Cuban Jose Legra on points at the Albert Hall in London.

He defended his WBC featherweight title against Fighting Harada of Japan and won in a controversial points decision. In the rematch for the world title, against Harada in Japan six months later, Famechon decisively won by knocking Harada out in the fourteenth round.

He defended his WBC title on 9 May 1970 in Rome to Mexican Vicente Saldivar and after losing the fight in a close points decision, he retired soon afterwards.

He was trained by Ambrose Palmer throughout his professional career and never fought as an amateur.

Later life

Famechon was the first Melburnian to become King of Moomba in 1970 when appointed by the Moomba festival committee.[1]

In 1971, he wrote his autobiography, Fammo.

Famechon was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985.[2] He was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in Los Angeles in 1997.

In 1991 he was badly injured when hit by a car whilst jogging outside Sydney's Warwick Farm racecourse, which resulted in horrific injuries.

Famechon became engaged to Glenys Bussey and married her in June 1997.

He lives in Frankston, Australia - part of the time in the suburb of Aspendale.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Craig Bellamy, Gordon Chisholm, Hilary Eriksen, (17 February 2006) Moomba: A festival for the people.: http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/rsrc/PDFs/Moomba/History%20of%20Moomba.pdf PDF p 22
  2. ↑ "Johnny Famechon". Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
Achievements
Preceded by
Jose Legra		 WBC Featherweight Champion
January 2, 1925 – March 1926 		Succeeded by
Vicente Saldivar
Vacant
Title last held by
Vicente Saldivar		 Lineal Featherweight Champion
January 2, 1925 – March 1926 		Succeeded by
Vicente Saldivar
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