MIDDLEWEIGHT division
BILLY SPIDER KELLY
RetiredBorn WILLIAM KELLY
Born 1932-04-21, DERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND (died aged 78)· Died 2010-05-07, DERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND· GBR
Residence: DERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND
Debut: 1950-08-02· Career: 1950–1962 (13 years)
Wins
56
Losses
23
Draws
4
NC
0
Rated Fights
83
EARLY LIFE
Born William Kelly on Long Tower Street in Derry's Bogside district as the eldest of ten children to Jim "Spider" Kelly, a former boxer and taxi driver and Kathleen Bradley, he inherited his nickname for his distinctive drawing-in punching style and followed in his father's footsteps by replicating his achievements as a champion.
AMATEUR CAREER
Kelly began boxing at age 14 with local clubs like Ashfield Hall and City of Derry, compiling an amateur record with only four losses in 84 bouts and securing the Ulster juvenile bantamweight title from 1948 to 1950.
FAMILY LIFE
Kelly had married Pamela McGilloway in 1953 at St Columba's Church in Derry, and the couple settled at Eglinton Terrace, raising a family of two sons, Billy and Garry, and four daughters, Mary, Kathleen, Siobhán, and Clodagh.
LIFE AFTER BOXING
After retiring from professional boxing in 1962, Billy Kelly returned to his hometown of Derry, where he secured employment at the local DuPont chemical factory and worked there for many years.
DEATH
Billy "Spider" Kelly passed away on May 7, 2010, in his native Derry, Northern Ireland, at the age of 78, following a prolonged illness related to old age.
LEGACY
Derry City Council purchased the Lonsdale featherweight championship trophy awarded to Jimmy for £2,500 at auction in February 2013, and erected a memorial plinth to Billy and Jimmy Kelly on Fahan Street in August 2014.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Compare BILLY SPIDER KELLY's career against any other fighter on record — records, ratings, common opponents, and any direct bouts.
Title Reigns — 3
1955-01-22 → 1956-02-04 · 1y · 0 defences
Lost to CHARLIE HILL · W
1954-10-02 → 1955-11-19 · 1y 1m · 1 defence
Lost to HOGAN KID BASSEY · KO
1953-07-29 → present · 73y 2m · 0 defences
Still reigning
Complete Record — 83 Bouts
| Date | Result | Opponent | Rds | Div. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🔒 03 MAR 1962 | DRAW | JIM SPIKE MCCORMACK | 8 | LIGHT WELTERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 07 DEC 1961 | LOSS | DAVE COVENTRY | 2 | LIGHT WELTERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 24 FEB 1961 | LOSS | BRIAN JONES | 8 | MIDDLEWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 24 NOV 1960 | LOSS | DARKIE HUGHES | 12 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 28 OCT 1960 | DEC | SAMMY ETIOLOJA | 8 | LIGHT WELTERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 30 AUG 1960 | LOSS | PETER HEATH | 5 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 23 APR 1960 | LOSS | JOHNNY VAN RENSBURG | 10 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 18 FEB 1960 | LOSS | TEDDY BEST | 4 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 05 DEC 1959 | DEC | RON HINSON | 8 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 20 OCT 1959 | DEC | BARNEY BEALE | 10 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 17 JUN 1959 | LOSS | DAVE CHARNLEY | 6 | MIDDLEWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 18 APR 1959 | DRAW | GUY GRACIA | 10 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 29 NOV 1958 | LOSS | LOUIS VAN HOECK | 7 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 17 SEP 1958 | LOSS | GUY GRACIA | 9 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 19 APR 1958 | LOSS | RON HINSON | 12 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 08 MAR 1958 | DEC | GEORGE MARTIN | 12 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 23 NOV 1957 | DEC | JIMMY BROWN | 10 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 05 OCT 1957 | DRAW | FERNAND NOLLET | 10 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 06 SEP 1957 | LOSS | JOHNNY MANN | 8 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 15 AUG 1957 | LOSS | WILLIE TOWEEL | 10 | MIDDLEWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 16 MAR 1957 | LOSS | BOSWELL ST LOUIS | 7 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 15 DEC 1956 | DEC | SYD GREB | 8 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 23 OCT 1956 | LOSS | PERCY LEWIS | 8 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 21 APR 1956 | LOSS | CHARLIE TUCKER | 7 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 27 FEB 1956 | DEC | SALVATORE VANGI | 10 | MIDDLEWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 04 FEB 1956 | LOSS | CHARLIE HILL | 15 | FEATHERWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 27 DEC 1955 | DEC | LOUIS PONCY | 10 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 19 NOV 1955 | LOSS | HOGAN KID BASSEY | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 10 SEP 1955 | DEC | FLAVIANO CIANCARELLI | 10 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 27 MAY 1955 | LOSS | RAY FAMECHON | 15 | FEATHERWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 15 MAR 1955 | DEC | TEDDY PECKHAM | 10 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 22 JAN 1955 | DEC | SAMMY MCCARTHY | 15 | FEATHERWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 11 DEC 1954 | DEC | JUAN OSCAR ALVAREZ | 10 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 02 OCT 1954 | DEC | ROY ANKRAH | 15 | FEATHERWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 17 JUL 1954 | DQ | JUAN CARDENAS | 6 | MIDDLEWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 11 JUN 1954 | DEC | JACQUES LEGENDRE | 10 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 10 APR 1954 | LOSS | ROY ANKRAH | 10 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 16 FEB 1954 | TKO | ALTIDORO POLIDORI | 2 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 08 DEC 1953 | DEC | HOGAN KID BASSEY | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 21 NOV 1953 | DEC | EDDIE MCCORMICK | 10 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 03 OCT 1953 | LOSS | RONNIE CLAYTON | 9 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 29 AUG 1953 | DEC | AL YOUNG | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 29 JUL 1953 | DEC | JOHN JIM GRIFFEN | 12 | MIDDLEWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 16 MAY 1953 | DEC | HUGH MACKIE | 8 | MIDDLEWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 02 MAY 1953 | TKO | TOMMY HIGGINS | 6 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 11 APR 1953 | DEC | TOMMY MILLER | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 07 MAR 1953 | DEC | DENNY DAWSON | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 17 JAN 1953 | TKO | RUFUS COBSON | 5 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 27 DEC 1952 | DRAW | JIM TRAVERS | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 29 NOV 1952 | TKO | EDDIE MORAN | 5 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 11 OCT 1952 | LOSS | TOMMY MILLER | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 27 SEP 1952 | DEC | GEORGE LAMONT | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 19 JUL 1952 | DEC | TEDDY ODUS | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 28 JUN 1952 | DEC | JACKIE HORSEMAN | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 21 JUN 1952 | KO | JACK WALTON | 3 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 07 JUN 1952 | TKO | BERNARD FAIRBANKS | 4 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 26 APR 1952 | DEC | GENE CAFFREY | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 12 APR 1952 | DEC | BOBBY DODOO | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 22 MAR 1952 | DEC | DAN COLLIE | 8 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 23 FEB 1952 | TKO | BRIAN JELLEY | 4 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 16 FEB 1952 | DEC | HARRY CROKER | 8 | MIDDLEWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 19 JAN 1952 | DEC | CHARLIE SIMPKINS | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 05 JAN 1952 | DEC | ROY BENNETT | 8 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 22 DEC 1951 | TKO | JOE KING | 8 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 01 DEC 1951 | DEC | JOCK BONAS | 8 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 17 NOV 1951 | DEC | ARTHUR JARRETT | 8 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 31 OCT 1951 | DEC | PAT MCCOY | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 15 SEP 1951 | LOSS | HUGH MACKIE | 3 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 05 SEP 1951 | DEC | HARRY CROKER | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 28 JUL 1951 | DEC | BOBBY DODOO | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 14 JUL 1951 | DEC | LEN SHAW | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 30 JUN 1951 | KO | PEPPY SMITH | 3 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 23 JUN 1951 | TKO | JIM O'BRIEN | 8 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 26 MAY 1951 | TKO | JOHN JIM GRIFFEN | 4 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 30 APR 1951 | LOSS | DON MCTAGGART | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 21 APR 1951 | KO | JACKIE MOLLOY | 1 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 14 APR 1951 | DEC | NELSON BLACKBURN | 6 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 04 APR 1951 | TKO | JACKIE MOLLOY | 6 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 17 MAR 1951 | DEC | BOB O'HARA | 8 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 07 MAR 1951 | TKO | MAURICE GORDON | 3 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 21 FEB 1951 | KO | PAT MCCUSKER | 2 | FEATHERWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 16 AUG 1950 | DEC | PETER WALMSLEY | 4 | LIGHTWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 02 AUG 1950 | DEC | PETER WALMSLEY | 4 | LIGHTWEIGHT |
Some bouts are locked in the archive
Free members see fights from 1990 onwards; Pro unlocks the complete career record from 1881.
Unlock with Pro7-day free trial · £4.99/mo or £39.99/yr
Boxing Family
- Father
- Brother
Final Resting Place
DERRY CITY CEMETERY
LONE MOOR ROAD, DERRY, COUNTY DERRY, BT47 2LA
