Remembering the incredible life of David Pearce.

David Pearce came up the hard way, raised in the rugged terrain on Newport, Wales, into a family of 9 kids.. Following the footsteps of his older brothers, Pearce walked into the St Josephs Amateur boxing club in Pillgwenlly, Newport, only to find the one pursuit in his life that would appear tailor made for him.. David was tough, a compact unit, comprised of lean dense muscle and a heart as big as a house.. 

Following a brief amateur career, Pearce would turn pro in 1978, embarking on a journey of storybook proportions.. By 1979, following a 7th round knockout of the very capable Denton Ruddock, David was 9-0 and steadily climbing the British heavyweight ranks..
In the January of 1980, David was matched with the more experienced Neville Meade, over eager and wet behind the ears, Pearce would face defeat for the first time, losing in 2 rounds to the tough campaigner in Caerphilly.. For a further setback, 12 months later David would be disqualified in the 3rd round of a fight with John Rafferty in Glasgow for hitting his opponent whilst he was on the floor from a knockdown..
At this point in his career, Pearce adopted a more professional attitude, his training became more structured and his approach seemed to be through tunnelled vision..
David would remain unbeaten for his next 9 fights, over a span of 3 years, including a stoppage of future light heavyweight world champion Dennis Andries in 7 rounds in 1981 before landing himself a shot at the British heavyweight title in 1983 and an opportunity to repay the new champion Neville Meade for the defeat 3 years earlier..
A completely rejuvenated Pearce would dominate Meade through 8 rounds in Cardiff, before knocking out the veteran to claim the title with a display of explosive punching in the 9th..
David wouldn’t get the chance to defend his title, but would beat tough American Michael Jack Johnson next in 5 rounds in Hanley in what would be his final career victory..
5 weeks after the Johnson fight Pearce would travel to Limoges France to challenge for the European title, boxing former world title challenger Lucien Rodriguez.. David dropped the Frenchman twice in the 8th round but would drop an outrageously one sided decision in what was possibly the final insult of the Welshmans career..
Tragically David was medically retired following the Rodriguez fight in 1984, discrepancies were found in brain scans and he was repeatedly denied a licence.. Pearce disputed the decision bitterly, even appearing on a morning tv show to explain his plight.. David claimed that he was given a clear bill of health from a Harley street Neurologist months later, stating that he was at no greater risk than any other professional boxer.. However, the board of control upheld their stance, forcing David to consider taking unlicensed fights to make financial ends meet..
6 years after the European title defeat and 13 pounds heavier the desperate heavyweight flew to the United States to launch an ill advised comeback, taking on the 270 pound Percell Davis in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit.. The huge Davis overwhelmed Pearce in 8 rounds, pushing the 31 year old into certain retirement..
Sadly the 200 pound Pearce had no business fighting these huge heavyweights, and after his 1984 victory over Michael Johnson, the WBC had David ranked at number 3 in the world cruiserweight ratings.. Unfortunately the cruiserweight division was in its infancy and the British board of control wouldn’t recognise it as a legitimate weight category until 1985, robbing the Newport man of a chance of boxing at a more suitable weight on a more level playing field.. David would spar with world ranked heavyweights consistently throughout his career, holding his own and earning a reputation amongst boxing’s elite.. WBA heavyweight champion Michael Dokes called Pearce the Welsh Jack Dempsey following sparring sessions in Florida..
Pearce was even offered the chance to sign a contract, through promoter Frank Warren to fight the winner of the Ossie Occasio v John Odihamibo bout for the WBA World Cruiserweight title..
Pearce, acting against all well meant advice returned twice more in 1994, beating former world heavyweight champion John Tate, and African champion Mary Konate in Bakersfield California, knocking out both men in 1 and 3 rounds respectively..
David’s health deteriorated in the next few years, he was diagnosed with epilepsy and struggled with life outside of boxing.. in May of 2000 David passed away from what is known as Sudden Adult Death Syndrom, a sad end to what could have been a terrific success story.. David Pearce’s complete boxing record was 17-4-1 (13 Ko’s)




In 2016 The David Pearce Statue Fund was given permission to erect a bronze sculpture to celebrate the career and spirit of the fighter in Newport City Centre and on June 9th 2018 a life-sized sculpture of Pearce by artist Laury Dizengremel, was unveiled at Newport riverfront.. In the same year a charitable organisation named #NewportsRocky was set up to support local community projects in the South Wales area in Pearce’s memory.. Tragically this year, David Powell Pearce, the son of the fighter was found dead at home aged 40 from a similar medical condition to that of his late fathers..