When boxing was in its prime and race relations were at the fore, Dave Downey became a Halifax champion In the 1960s and 1970s, boxing was a popular sport in Halifax. It was driven by local men from all parts of town, and was woven into the social fabric of the city. Boxing fans were a social club. The local gyms were always on the lookout for new talent and several times a year, some big names would be invited to meet the local stars.
This book is both sports biography and social history, following the life and career of the enigmatic prize fighter Dave Downey. It also explores the bizarre world of professional boxing.
Downey’s boxing career coincided with one of the most dynamic period in Halifax’s history, a time of economic and cultural transition and the emergence of the city’s black population as a social and political force. Downey won the Canadian middleweight championship and defended his title five times before retiring.
Author Robert Ashe gives the issue of race fresh perspective with first-hand accounts from a diverse group of witnesses to the events of the 1960s and 1970s. Among these are Premier Gerald Regan, Mayor Walter Fitzgerald, well-known local journalists Pat Connolly, Harris Sullivan, Ace Foley, and civil rights activists Joan and Rocky Jones. Also included are the voices of the Downey brothers – Graham Downey, longtime city councillor and his brother Billy who owned the famous Arrows Club.