A PAIR of vintage boxing gloves signed by superstars of the 1950s are to be sold at a Colwyn Bay auction after being discovered in a car boot sale.
Randolph Turpin, the legendary World Middleweight champion and Bruce Woodcock, the British Empire and European Heavyweight champion are connected to the items which will be sold by auctioneers Rogers Jones Co on Tuesday, June 30.
The lucky car booter, a keen collector of sporting memorabilia, paid just £50 for the tan leather gloves and a collection of photographs, newspaper cuttings and boxing programmes relating to the two stars of the ring in the 1940s and 50s.
The collection is expected to make up to £400, but international interest could push the selling price far higher.
North Wales has a strong link with world title boxing.
Up against the seemingly invincible Sugar Ray Robinson to take the World Middleweight title, Turpin chose Gwrych Castle near Abergele as his training camp for what proved to be the fight of his career.
Turpin out-boxed the champion in all 15 rounds at a packed Earls Court and his unanimous win on July 10, 1951 saw him attain national hero status.
The Turpin glove is dated 1951, while the Woodcock glove is dated 1950, the year after Woodcock knocked out Freddie Mills to take the vacant British and European and Empire heavyweight titles.
The gloves passed down through the man's family and were sold at the car boot sale by a relative.
Auctioneer David Rogers Jones said: "It's amazing how things like these boxing gloves can turn up at a car boot sale. It was a really lucky find."
His involvement with North Wales continued when he embarked on a series of business ventures; one of which was as owner of Llandudno's Summit Hotel at the top of the Great Orme, which he purchased in 1952.
Turpin was ultimately bought out by Llandudno Urban District Council in 1962 when he got into financial difficulties.
However, the Inland Revenue claimed back tax on his boxing earnings and Turpin was declared bankrupt. He shot himself on May 17 1966, aged just 37.