Elky Clark

{{Short description|Scottish boxer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}} {{Use British English|date=December 2016}} {{Infobox boxer |name=Elky Clark |image= |realname= |nickname= William Clark (alias) |weight= {{plainlist| *Flyweight *Bantamweight }} |height={{height|ft=5|in=3}} |reach={{convert|65+1/2|in|cm|0|abbr=on}} |nationality=Scottish |birth_date=4 January 1898 |birth_place=Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland |death_date=22 September 1956 (aged 58) |death_place= Glasgow, Scotland |style= |total=47 |wins=30 |KO=20 |losses=12 |draws=5 |no contests= |medaltemplates= }} '''Elky Clark''' (4 January 1898 – 22 September 1956) was a Scottish professional boxer who competed from 1921 to 1927. He held the British and inaugural Commonwealth flyweight titles from 1924 to 1926, the EBU European flyweight title from 1925 to 1926 and previously, the Scottish Area bantamweight title from 1923 to 1924.

==Career== Born in Bridgeton, Glasgow Clark made his professional debut in November 1921, losing to Alec Boyes.

In May 1923, he unsuccessfully challenged for the Scottish flyweight title against Willie Woods (later a Canada flyweight title challenger). He won the title in November that year, Harry McConnell retiring in the thirteenth round. He later also won the Scottish bantamweight title.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bantam Championship of Scotland: Jim Higgins Beaten by Elky Clark |work=The Scotsman |date=20 May 1924 |accessdate=25 December 2017 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19240520/106/0011| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

In March 1924 he faced Kid Kelly for the British flyweight title that became vacant when Jimmy Wilde retired; He stopped Kelly in the twentieth and final round to become British champion. In September that year he beat Jim Hanna to take the British Empire title.<ref>{{cite news |title=Elky Clark on his Victory |work=Dundee Courier |date=8 September 1924 |accessdate=25 December 2017 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19240908/053/0003| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

In November 1924 he unsuccessfully challenged for Michel Montreuil's European title, but two months later beat the Belgian to become champion of Europe.<ref>{{cite news |title=Boxing: European Fly-Weight Championship: Elky Clark Wins |work=The Scotsman |date=2 February 1925 |accessdate=25 December 2017 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19250202/342/0008| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Over the next two years he made four successful defences of the European title, against Young Johnny Brown, Antoine Merlo, Kid Socks (with the British and Empire titles also at stake),<ref>{{cite news |title=Elky Clark Wins Easily |work=Dundee Courier |date=20 April 1926 |accessdate=25 December 2017 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19260420/053/0004| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> and Montreuil.

In January 1927 he challenged for ''The Ring'' world flyweight title against Fidel LaBarba at Madison Square Garden, losing a unanimous decision.<ref>{{cite news |title=British Champion Loses Big Fight in America |work=Leeds Mercury |date=22 January 1927 |accessdate=25 December 2017 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000748/19270122/006/0001| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Clark received lengthy hospital treatment for an eye injury sustained in the LaBarba fight, and having failed to defend in time was stripped of the British title on 7 April.<ref>{{cite news |title=Elky Clark Deprived of Title |work=Portsmouth Evening News |date=7 April 1927 |accessdate=25 December 2017 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000290/19270407/191/0010| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> After being pronounced fit to resume fighting at the end of October,<ref>{{cite news |title=Elky Clark Fit: Free to Meet Johnny Hill |work=The Scotsman |date=1 November 1927 |accessdate=25 December 2017 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19271101/078/0011| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> he was due to challenge Johnny Hill, who had won the British title while Clark was indisposed, but after his eye problems returned after sparring, he announced his retirement in November 1927.<ref>{{cite news |title=Elky Clark Retires |work=The Scotsman |date=12 November 1927 |accessdate=25 December 2017 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19271112/297/0017| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Clark was a riveter by trade, and also played a dulcimer and accordion for a living.<ref name="Biography at boxrec.com">{{cite web|url=http://boxrec.com/media/index.php?title=Human:41687|title=Biography at boxrec.com|publisher=boxrec.com|date=31 December 2013|accessdate=1 January 2013}}</ref> In the late 1930s and 1940s he was boxing correspondent for the ''Daily Record''.

Clark died at his home in Glasgow on 22 September 1956 at the age of 58.<ref>{{cite news |title=Scot Flyweight, Elky Clark, Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-spokesman-review/135176131/ |access-date=14 November 2023 |work=The Spokesman-Review |date=23 September 1956}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Boxrec|id=41687}} *[http://static.boxrec.com/9/90/ClarkEl25.jpg Image - Elky Clark] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402115607/http://static.boxrec.com/9/90/ClarkEl25.jpg |date=2 April 2015 }} *[http://static.boxrec.com/3/37/Clark.Elky.jpg Image - Elky Clark] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402120622/http://static.boxrec.com/3/37/Clark.Elky.jpg |date=2 April 2015 }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Elky}} Category:1898 births Category:1956 deaths Category:Bantamweight boxers Category:Flyweight boxers Category:People from Bridgeton, Glasgow Category:Scottish male boxers Category:Boxers from Glasgow Category:20th-century Scottish sportsmen