Keith Saunders (boxer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Keith Saunders |
|
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Keith B. Saunders |
| Rated at | Welterweight |
| Height | 5 ft 11.5 in (1.82 m) |
| Nationality | Indigenous Australian |
| Born | 16 February 1934 South Cardiff, Australia |
| Died | 18 November 2003 (aged 69) Australia |
| Stance | orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 38 |
| Wins | 12 |
| Wins by KO | 10 |
| Losses | 25 |
| Draws | 0 |
Keith B. Saunders (born February 16, 1934 – died November 18, 2003) was an Indigenous Australian. He was a professional boxer and also wrote two books.
About Keith Saunders
His Early Life
Keith Saunders was born in South Cardiff, New South Wales. His birthday was February 16, 1934. His parents were Mary and Sidney Saunders. When Keith was ten, his family moved. They went to Redfern in Sydney.
Boxing Career
Keith Saunders was a teenager when he was noticed. Billy McConnell, who owned a gym, saw his talent. Keith had his first amateur boxing match at age 13. Three years later, he reached the finals. This was for the New South Wales State Amateur Boxing.
He became a welterweight boxer. He started fighting professionally in 1952. During his training, Keith helped other boxers. He was a sparring partner for some top fighters. Keith faced unfair treatment because he was Indigenous. This happened throughout his boxing career. In 1959, he traveled to New Zealand. There he fought against Tuna Scanlan.
Keith stopped boxing in 1966. But he came back twice to fight again. He fought in 1968 when he was 32. He also fought again in 1970. After that, he retired from boxing for good.
Becoming an Author
In 1987, Keith Saunders received a special grant. It was for $2,273 to write his life story. He wanted to share his boxing journey. He also wanted to show what life was like then. This included the social and economic conditions.
At first, he planned for someone else to write it. But after three tries, he wrote the book himself. It was published by Aboriginal Studies Press. His first book was called Learning the Ropes. It was an autobiography, meaning he wrote about his own life. In the book, he talked about unfair treatment. He described how Indigenous Australians were treated. He also wrote about the Aborigines Protection Act 1909. This law controlled many parts of Indigenous people's lives.
His second book was named Myall Road. This book focused on life in Sydney. It described what Sydney was like in the 1950s and 1960s.
