It was Jacky Horseman, former Northern Area champion, enjoying a night at the fights.

Sunderland promoter Fred Charlton once said of Jacky, "He was a great fighter whether he was top, bottom, or nowhere. He was always happy to please the customers by giving a good show and his opponents a hard run for their money.

"He must have been the world's most noted stand-in. He would travel miles to any arena on the off chance of getting a substitute contest."

From 1938 until March 1956, a couple of weeks after his thirty-fifth birthday, Jacky Horseman punched his way through 124 professional fights. He didn't win many (37) with 11 draws against 75 losses and one no contest, but he enjoyed every sweat-filled minute, travelling by car, bus and train.

From Sunderland to Streatham, Newcastle to Nottingham, West Hartlepool to Wembley, Bury to Belfast, this little guy was ever-ready to answer a promoter's prayer.

He missed none of the good'uns and he gave them a fight, men like Jacky Turpin, Denny Dawson, Teddy Gardner, Johnny Miller, Freddie King, Sammy McCarthy, Billy Kelly and Teddy Peckham.

Jacky held Kid Tanner to a draw at West Hartlepool and beat Don Scott over twelve rounds for the vacant Northern Area featherweight title in May 1951. Jacky told me his biggest purse had been £75. But he earned enough to give his two daughters a good education.

Forty years ago, Jacky finished work at the docks where he was earning £14 a week, and checked his Littlewoods football pools coupon. Bingo! A Knockout! First dividend on the Treble Chance!

A few days later, Jacky, in his best bib-and-tucker with wife Trudy hanging on his arm, was in a swank London hotel receiving a cheque for £200,646 from comedian Tommy Cooper. Just like that!

Jacky had actually shared first prize with a lady from Liverpool. It was Trudy's birthday while they were in London so Jacky took her to the West End and bought her two diamond rings for fifty quid. Champion!

– JOHN JARRETT, Boxing News writer