[The Compendium] 4 February 1961 | Episode 5

Episode: 5
Original Broadcast Date: 1 February 1961 | Taped: 4 February 1961
Presented by: Joyce Pye Matchmakers on behalf of The Crown Collaborative
Assembly Halls, Tunbridge Wells, England
Attendance: 1,034

Commentator Harold William-Walker, MC Sylvester Rice, while the referee was Derek Whitehead.

[1] Maxwell Goods (225, Kingston, West Indies) beat Dusty McDougal (232, Inverness, Scotland) Two Falls, Subs. Or K.O., Six 5-Minute Rounds Heavyweight Match (Backbreaker 4:17 Rd 6, 12:41 shown)

We joined the match as McDougal landed a crushing shoulder tackle in Round 3, followed by a textbook suplex that rattled Goods. McDougal took the first fall early in Round 4, catching Goods with a surprise sunset flip for a quick pin.

Goods, visibly fired up, started Round 5 with a flurry of punches and a running clothesline that left McDougal reeling. At the 2:22 mark of Round 5, Goods levelled the score with a devastating Samoan drop that earned him the equalizing fall.

Round 6 began with both men showing signs of fatigue. McDougal attempted to slow the pace with a series of grinding holds, but Goods powered out and caught him off-guard with a sudden backbreaker. McDougal couldn’t recover, and Goods took the second fall decisively to win the match 2-1.

[2] Chalky O'Niell (372, Halifax, England) beat Tommy Williams (209, Portsmouth, England) Two Falls, Subs. Or K.O., Six 5-Minute Rounds Catchweight Match (Splash, 1:32 Rd 1, full match shown)

From the opening bell, O'Niell’s size and strength were evident as he dominated the smaller Williams. O’Niell quickly trapped Williams in the corner, raining down heavy blows and using his massive frame to crush Williams' defenses.

At just over a minute into Round 1, O'Niell delivered a colossal splash that left Williams flattened. The referee counted to ten as the crowd gasped at the sheer force, awarding the match to O'Niell via Knock Out in an astonishingly fast victory.

[3] Heavy-Middleweight Champion Mbaye Sarr (203, Federation of Mali) retained against Spencer Windsor (201, Buckingham, England) Two Falls, Subs. Or K.O., 12 5-Minute Rounds match for the World Heavy-Middleweight Championship (Sarr wins 2 falls to 1, Flying Knee in Rd 9, full match shown)

The highly anticipated championship bout between Mbaye Sarr and Spencer Windsor was a perfect contrast of styles—Sarr’s dynamic and explosive athleticism pitted against Windsor’s technical precision and wrestling IQ. From the opening bell, the tension was palpable as both men circled cautiously, feeling each other out before engaging.

In the early rounds, Windsor took control, relying on his impressive technical skills to frustrate the champion. He quickly maneuvered Sarr into a hammerlock in the first round, keeping the powerful Malian grounded and unable to unleash his trademark high-flying offense. Windsor’s methodical approach was clear as he chained holds seamlessly, transitioning from arm drags to a wristlock that had Sarr grimacing in discomfort. Windsor’s strategy was to wear down Sarr’s arms, weakening his ability to execute his strikes.

Rounds 2 through 4 continued in much the same way, with Windsor maintaining a laser-focused assault on Sarr’s upper body, looking to sap the strength from his opponent's attacks. Windsor capitalized in Round 5, countering a rare high-flying attempt by Sarr with a perfectly timed roll-up. This time, the referee’s hand hit the mat three times as Windsor secured the first fall to a thunderous ovation from the crowd. Sarr, realizing he was in trouble, wisely rolled to the ropes to regroup, shaking his head as he acknowledged the danger Windsor posed.

By Round 6, Sarr began to find his rhythm. With the fatigue of Windsor’s relentless technical assault beginning to show, Sarr shifted gears, employing his lightning-fast footwork and high-flying style that had brought him so much success. Sarr dazzled the crowd with a flurry of kicks and flying forearms, forcing Windsor onto the defensive for the first time in the match. A standing dropkick in Round 7 floored Windsor, sending the crowd into a frenzy as the momentum clearly shifted in the champion's favor.

In Round 8, Windsor, now struggling to keep up with Sarr’s speed, attempted to slow the pace by locking in a headlock. But Sarr powered out with sheer athleticism, stunning Windsor with a spinning wheel kick. The pace quickened as Sarr dominated the exchanges, mixing his aerial assaults with stiff grappling moves that kept Windsor guessing. A quick burst of offense culminated in Sarr catching Windsor in a roll-up in the dying seconds of the round, earning him the second fall and tying the match 1-1.

With the final fall now in play, Round 9 saw both men dig deep. Windsor went for broke, charging off the ropes in a desperate attempt to regain control of the match. But Sarr, ever the opportunist, saw it coming. With a split-second reaction, Sarr leapt into the air and connected with a devastating flying knee to Windsor’s jaw. The crowd erupted as Windsor crumpled to the mat, dazed and barely conscious. Sarr quickly covered Windsor, and despite Windsor’s valiant attempt to kick out, the referee counted to three, awarding the decisive fall to Sarr.

With a 2-1 victory secured, Sarr retained his World Heavy-Middleweight Championship after 9 hard-fought rounds. Following the contest, both men shook hands in a show of mutual respect, capping off an exhilarating contest.