Frederick Mossley

Mossley, known as Clockwork, was an effective close-range boxer who treated the interval as working time. His corner prepared water, towel and instructions in an order that never varied. Friends said this was also how he packed for a journey. He favoured a short path to the body and an equally short return to guard. His difficulty was reaching that position against men who could move him around a larger room. The corner’s routine offered a stable point between rounds, allowing him to adjust the approach without changing everything about the work. The routine gave a difficult evening a few dependable points of reference.

Recorded style: Body puncher.