By Sean Davies

Eighty years ago there was a day of mourning in Manhattan for one of Wales' greatest sporting heroes.

Welsh was a household name on both sides of the Atlantic

On 29 July, 1927, Frederick Hall Thomas - better known as Freddie Welsh, "The Welsh Wizard" - was found dead in his New York apartment at the age of 41, a man prematurely broken by violence, high-living and lost fortune.

Born an auctioneer's son on 5 March, 1886, his grandfather had been a renowned mountain fighter and Freddie found plenty of opportunity to practice his own fighting skills during his upbringing in Pontypridd.

At the age of 16 he travelled to North America seeking work and adventure, the first of many jaunts across the Atlantic.

On his second spell in America, Freddie spent six months riding the rails as a hobo, before landing a job with the Macfadden Institute in New York.

Teaching physical fitness and new age health treatments, Freddie met his wife Brahna Weinstein (who became known as Fanny Weston) and soon began a professional fighting career.

606: DEBATE RIP the original 'Welsh Wizard!' jonnyboy151

His talent was quickly apparent and, as his fame grew and he moved rapidly up the lightweight rankings, he took the fighting name Freddie Welsh.

Following a successful series of bouts in Britain, Welsh headed back to the States in 1906 to begin a long pursuit of the lightweight title.

His skill in the ring was matched by a flair for publicity that saw him play on his vegetarianism, plan to take part in a trans-Atlantic balloon race, and concoct a story to the press that he had been kidnapped in Mexico!

On his return to Britain in 1909 he was greeted by enormous crowds in Cardiff and the valleys.

Welsh v Driscoll is one of Wales' biggest sporting events

With Wales in the grip of a boxing golden age, in December 1910 he faced Jim Driscoll in Cardiff in one of the biggest sporting events ever staged in the country, Welsh winning a dirty, scrappy bout when his opponent was disqualified for butting in the 11th.

In 1911 Welsh was finally lined up for a title shot against Ad Wolgast, but on the eve of the showdown the champion was rushed to hospital with acute appendicitis.

It took three years for Welsh to get another chance, a protracted chase and huge purse guarantee finally tempting new champion Willie Ritchie into the ring in London's Olympia Theatre, where Welsh claimed a comprehensive points win over 20 rounds.

Welsh returned to the States and embarked on an astonishing, exhausting schedule of fights against all the leading contenders.

Having been forced to wait so long for his chance, Welsh was determined to make as much money as possible from the belt and so controversially exploited the 'no-decision' rule that meant he had to be stopped in one of the 10-round bouts to lose his title.

Welsh outclassed most opponents in any case, but the punishing schedule - including 21 fights in his first year as champion - began to wear him down and injuries mounted.

The champion refused to slow down and he began to lose a number of newspaper decisions, notably to the fast-rising Benny Leonard.

But Welsh prepared himself well for a rematch with 20-year-old Leonard in Brooklyn, producing a glorious display to outclass the New Yorker over 10 rounds.

The time was right to quit, but Welsh's breathless schedule continued, and when he met Leonard for a third time - at the Manhattan Athletic Club in March 1917 - he was battered unconscious in the eighth round to finally lose his title.

He retired a wealthy man, but unfortunate business decisions cost him his hard-earned fortune and he made an undistinguished comeback three years later.

High living contributed to the break-up of his marriage, and, after a number of health problems and street fights, Welsh was found dead in his Manhattan home.

Over 5,000 people visited Boyertown Chapel behind Times Square where he was laid to rest, Welsh awarded a military funeral before being cremated in the uniform of a captain of the US army.