E-GALLERY

Doncaster Rovers Team Photos Photo's

Roland Todd was born on 14 January 1900 in Marylebone, London, he was a seventh child but the first six died at birth, his father was Roland Crompton Todd and his mother was Elizabeth Todd, his great great grand father was John [Jack] Musters the Squire of Annesley and Colwick Halls, Nottingham and was a very prominent pugilist in the Nottinghamshire district in the early eighteenth century.

Roland Todd fought Tommy Loughran in 1923 at Madison Square Garden. In the Boxing Blade printed in Minneapolis December 1922-1923 it states that the decision handed down by the judges was one of the worst ever given at the garden. Todd in the writers opinion won five rounds Loughran won two with three even. This fight was a decider for Roland Todd because if he had been given the decision he would then have been given a world title fight with Harry Greb.

When Roland did finally get a fight with Harry Greb it was wrote in the contract that the referee was not allowed to give a decision and also that Roland had to weigh in at two pounds over the middle weight limit making it impossible for roland to claim the title no matter what.

Roland Todd died in Donaster Royal Infirmary on the 22nd of May 1969 from injuries sustained on the 18th of May 1969 when he was knocked down by a motor car two hundred yards from his home in Bentley, he never regained consciousness, the surgeon who conducted the post mortem stated that his internal organs and his physical condition was like a young mans.

Roland had five sons.

More Doncastrian Boxers»

We're looking for new features, articles, and news stories written by budding Doncastrians - send to us here.