Eddie Thomas MBE (27 July 1926 – 2 June 1997), was a Welsh boxing champion and boxing manager.
Thomas was born in Merthyr Tydfil. After a highly successful amateur boxing career, he turned professional in 1946. He won the Welsh welterweight title in 1948, the British welterweight title in 1949, and the European welterweight title in 1951, retaining it for only four months. He held the British Empire title for a period in the same year.
Retiring in 1954, he became the manager of two of Britain's most successful boxing champions, Howard Winstone and Ken Buchanan.
Thomas had a successful business career for a time, but in 1994 he was forced to resign as Mayor of Merthyr Tydfil.
A BBC TV programme, Champ from Colliers Row, was made about him in 1997, shortly after his death.
Famous quotes containing the words eddie and/or thomas:
“Yeah, percentage players die broke too, don’t they, Bert?”
—Sydney Carroll, U.S. screenwriter, and Robert Rossen. Eddie Felson (Paul Newman)
“True Thomas lay on Huntlie bank;
A ferlie he spied wi’ his e’e;
And there he saw a lady bright,
Come riding down by the Eildon Tree.”
—Unknown. Thomas the Rhymer (l. 1–4)