Early Life and Career
Johnny Owen was born John Richard Owens, the fourth of a family of eight children to working class parents Dick and Edith Owens in Merthyr Tydfil on 7 January 1956. He began to box at the age of eight and enjoyed a lengthy amateur boxing career taking in some one hundred and twenty six fights. Highlights of his amateur exploits were the winning of several Welsh titles.
Owen was a quiet, reserved, friendly character outside the ring. Inside the ring Owen was a formidable opponent with determination and strength in contrast to his frail looking body and possessed an impressive stamina built by long hours running up the steep hills of the South Wales Valleys.
He finally turned professional in 1976, winning his debut match with a points victory over fellow Welshman George Sutton, in Pontypool, on 30 September; at the time, Sutton was ranked number three contender for the British title. In 1978 Johnny Owen was defeated by welshman Adam Jenkins, He never regained the Welsh Title.
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