Credit: F4WOnline.com
Tony Charles, one of the greatest wrestles ever to come from Wales, passed away yesterday after a long battle with Alzheimer’s, according to the British Wrestling Reunion.
He was 74.
Charles wrestled from 1959 to 1984, with him working under the name The Checkmate as part of Devastation Inc. during the last few years of his career.
Charles was one of the best technical wrestlers in North America, an underrated talent who first made his name on the European scene. His international break was a tour of Japan in 1968 with the IWE, and he started in North America in 1972 as the tag team partner of Len Rossi.
He first came to Florida in 1973, and Eddie Graham loved to book him in technical matches against Les Thornton, that would tear down the house. With all the talent in Florida at the time, which was probably pro wrestling’s best territory when it came to match quality at the time, the 20 minute Thornton vs. Charles matches were often among the best matches on the show. The two worked a completely different technical style from everyone else on the shows.
The two later became tag team partners. Because of his size, Charles was mainly used as a mid-card wrestler working around the world.
He was also a regular opponent of Billy Robinson, in similar matches to those with Thornton years later.
Charles was a top level amateur wrestler before he turned pro, competing at the international level when he was only 18 years old, but turned pro at 19 so missed his prime in that sport.
Charles had retired to Gulf Breeze, FL after his wrestling career ended.
