Dave Sands
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Dave Sands, born David Ritchie, (4 February 1926 – 11 August 1952) was an Australian Aborigine boxer. He was born into the Dunghutti tribe. He was a middleweight, but held the Australian Light-Heavyweight and Heavyweight Championship titles at the same time. He was also a Commonwealth Middleweight champion, winning the title from Randy Turpin's brother Dick.
Dave Sands and Les Darcy are considered the two outstanding boxers in Australian history. Both were middleweights and both held the heavyweight title as well. They also both died at tragically early ages. Sands died in a truck accident near Dungog, New South Wales, at age 26 and was rated the # 3 Middleweight contender in the World behind Champion Sugar Ray Robinson.
Dave came from a large family of boxers, who all took the name Sands as their boxing name. There were six brothers of which Dave was fourth. He also had a nephew who became a welterweight champion.
At the time of his death Sands record stood at 97 wins (62 by KO), 10 losses, a draw and 2 no-contests from 110 fights.
There are two memorials for Dave Sands in his home town of Stockton, near Newcastle, New South Wales; another memorial situates at Glebe in Sydney. There is also a memorial rest park near Dungog where the fatal truck crash took place.
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Pictures held and digitised as part of the Arnold Thomas boxing collection by the National Library of Australia
- Dave Sands, Empire and Australian Middleweight Champion and Tom Maguire, trainer
- British Empire title bout, Dave Sands, 11 st. 5 lb., K.O. Dick Turpin, 11 st. 3 3/4 lb., in the first round at Harringay Arena, England, September 6th 1949
- Dave Sands (left), 11 st. 7 3/4 lb. v. Henry Brimm, 11 st. 5 1/2 lb., at Rushcutter's Bay Stadium, 8 August 1950
