Johnny Famechon Death – We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Johnny Famechon, an Australian boxing legend Johnny who passed away at the age of 77.
Johnny Famechon was born on March 28, 1945 in Paris, France. He and his mother, father and younger brother moved from Paris to Ferntree Gully, Victoria, Australia a suburb of Melbourne, in 1950 when he was five. The family then moved to Middle Park another suburb of Melbourne. His mother Antoinette and younger brother Christian moved to Paris a couple of years later; John and his father Andre then moved to Richmond.
Famechon went to Essendon Technical School. He met his wife Elise (née Alves), and they married at St Brigid’s Church in Mordialloc in 1970. They moved to Frankston and had their first child Paul in 1972, and daughter Danielle in 1974.
Over his twenty-year career Famechon developed a reputation for being a skilled boxer whose strength was his defence. His career record was 56 wins (20 by KO), 6 draws and 5 losses.
His first major win was over Les Dunn to become Victorian Featherweight champion in 1964, then he was Commonwealth featherweight champion in 1967 after defeating the Scot John O’Brien. He became Lineal and WBC featherweight champion on 21 January 1969 after he defeated the Cuban José Legrá on points at the Albert Hall in London.
Famechon defended his WBC featherweight title against Fighting Harada of Japan and won in a controversial points decision. In the rematch for the world title, against Harada in Japan six months later, Famechon decisively won by knocking out Harada in the fourteenth round.
He defended his WBC title on 9 May 1970 in Rome to Mexican Vicente Saldivar and after losing the fight in a close points decision, he retired soon afterwards.
He was trained by Ambrose Palmer throughout his professional career and never fought as an amateur.