Billy Graham
New Zealand boxer
- Born
- 1940s, Naenae
- Citizenship
- New Zealand
- Sport
- boxing
- Occupation
- boxer
William Neil Graham (born 1947 or 1948) is a New Zealand boxing trainer and former amateur boxer. He won four New Zealand titles at light welterweight, plus an Australasian title and the Jamieson Belt.
Born in Naenae, and trained by the legendary Dick Dunn, Graham's amateur career was outstanding. He did not turn pro, but in the late 1960s Bob Jones wrote the following about young Graham:
Wellington boxing fans should mark down young Billy Graham in the back of their minds as a future professional champion who will fill their Town Hall, for the Hutt Valley boxer is showing all the signs of following in the footsteps of two post-war greats in Barry Brown and Manuel Santos. At 18, Billy Graham who in the nick of time for the W.B.A, who currently sadly lacking a local hero, is an amateur prospect with all the necessary qualifications to make the grade in the professional ring after perhaps another year in the amateurs.
Awards and honours
- Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit 2020
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q4912624 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.