Tommy Donovan
‘THE FIGHTING FIREMAN’
Thomas ‘Tommy’ Charles Donovan was born in Waitara, Taranaki, June 13, 1902. He started boxing in the mid 1920’s under local trainer Angus McGregor. In 1926 at the NZABA Championships in Napier Tommy was beaten in the final of the featherweight division by Johnnie Leckie. The following year in Invercargill, Tommy reversed that result defeating Leckie in the final. Theirs was a rivalry that would continue in the pro game. Defending his title in 1928 Tommy was beaten by Glen Leslie in the final. He commenced his pro boxing career later that year, Dec 10th defeating Jim Cotterall in the third round of a scheduled 15 at the Opera House in New Plymouth. Over the next 5 ½ years Donovan went onto forge a career that established him as one of the greatest names in New Zealand boxing.
Tommy Donovan, along with his arch-rival Johnnie Leckie & visiting American Petey Sarron, a future world featherweight champion, did more, with the possible exception of Messrs, Heeney, Morgan, Strickland, Murray & Purdy to create New Zealand’s ‘Golden Age of Boxing’. Bear in mind, that the careers of the aforementioned were largely built on their exploits overseas. Whereas Donovan’s & to a lesser extent Leckie’s were built almost entirely on their achievements at home.
Today, Donovan is mainly remembered for those wonderful fistic rivalries against Leckie & Sarron. The six-bout series against Leckie commenced, May 24, 1930. Leckie drew first blood, winning by a knockout in the 12th round & in the process successfully defended his New Zealand Featherweight Title. A 15 round draw followed on September 6th. Two months later, November 29th Donovan finally got his name up in lights, defeating Leckie on points & relieving him of the featherweight title. Four weeks later, Dec 27th, their fourth meeting ended in another 15-round draw.
Prior to meeting Leckie a fifth time, Donovan was matched against rising star Harry Johns, for the latter’s NZ Lightweight Title. They met in the Auckland Town Hall, Mar 23, 1931, before a sold-out house, Donovan, won via decision. For a brief period, Donovan held both the NZ featherweight & lightweight titles*.
Leckie regained the featherweight crown defeating Donovan on points when they met for the fifth time, Oct 31, 1931. They weren’t finished with one another just yet though. These two gladiators had their final go at one another, Feb 5, 1932, at McLean Park in Napier. Both, then very much in the twilight of their careers fought out another 15-round draw. Their series ended 2 – 1 – 3 in Leckie’s favour.
Twenty-six months passed before Donovan fought again. He returned to the ring for a brief period April – July 1934, winning 3 from 3. Finally hanging up the gloves for good after taking out a 15-round decision over Young Jim Griffin, July 2, 1934, in Waipukurau.
Although Leckie nudged the series against Donovan he had done less well against Sarron. In their 5 fights Johnnie managed just one win, that, in their first meeting, June 22, 1929. Sarron took out the next four, 2 inside the distance & 2 via decision. The last three fought in New Zealand.
Donovan on the other hand had fought Sarron three times & won them all. These fights brought the best out in Donovan. They also gripped the public imagination like no other rivalry in NZ boxing has done, before or since. The second Donovan vs Sarron bout, Mar 29, 1930, at Kilbirnie Stadium in Wellington drew a crowd upwards of 17,000, establishing an attendance record at a boxing match in this country that has never been equalled to this day.
Only the very best of fighter’s managed to get the better of Tommy Donovan when he was in his prime. In addition to Johnnie Leckie, others who managed the feat included Bobby Blay (Donovan drew with Blay in a rematch), Joey Thomas (Donovan defeated Thomas in a rematch) & Archie Hughes x 2.
Donovan was usually at the top of his game against visiting fighters, of whom he fought 16. In a total of 24 bouts against overseas boxers he lost just 5 of. In addition to Sarron, victories against the likes of Tommy Crowle X 2, Billy Grime x 2, Lou Bloom, Bert Osborne, Sammy Shack, Jack Jones & Young Llew Edwards, attest to this. Tommy Donovan’s Ring record: 46 Fights, 35 – 7 – 4. Forty of his fights were scheduled for 15 rounds, 28 went to the final bell.
Great fighters, great fights, public interest at an all-time high, producing record attendances, marked ‘Boxings Golden Age’ in this country. Tommy Donovan took on the best fighters prepared to come out here. Like most boxers during the depression years, when money was scarce, they fought anybody put in front of them, Tommy was no different. He was also fortunate to have tough opposition, Leckie & Sarron were not his only top line opponents. Frequent, competitive bouts, hard fought, against difficult to beat opposition, honed his skills & turned Toomy into extremely accomplished fighter. One who thoroughly deserves his place in the NZBHOF.
After his retirement from boxing Tommy remained active in the sport. He trained fighters & occasionally acted as a referee. For many years he was employed as a fireman & engine driver by NZ Railways. Tommy Donovan died, June 10, 1969; 3 days short of his 67th birthday.
Tommy’s son Paddy, carried on in his father’s footsteps, winning five NZABA titles, featherweight 1954 & lightweight 1956, 57’. 1959 & 1962. He competed at two Olympic Games 1956 & 1964 & was a bronze medallist at both the 1958 & 1962 Empire & Commonwealth Games. He was awarded the Jameson Belt on 3 occasions, 1956, 1959 & 1962.
*BILLED: AS A NEW ZEALAND LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT. NZBA RULED AGAINST THIS & JOHNS REMAINED CHAMPION. NZ HERALD, MARCH 24, 1931.
MP 2023.
Boxer, Mr T Donovan. Crown Studios Ltd :Negatives and prints. Ref: 1/1-033141-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23108643