Tibor Szakacs

Tibor Szakacs (?, 1928 - ?, 1981) was a Hungarian Army Officer and Wrestler best known for his career in British Wrestling.

A refugee from Hungary from the 1956 uprisings Szakacs, an amatuer wrestler of some note, joined up with Joint Promotions and had a life long connection to them. In his first professional contest he battled Billy Joyce in Ramsgate and gained an instant reputation as a no nonesene wrestler. Noted for being dour and never smiling during his matches, in fact grimacing most of the time, he quickly became a favorite for his classically trained abilities, his skillful holds and counterholds and suplexes. He was also noted as a specialist in suplexes, back hand chops and flying tackles.

He held the record for winning the prestigious Royal Albert Hall Tournament Trophy. He on the Tournament five times and was at least once awarded the Trophy by HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He was prevented from winning it for the sixth time by Bruno Elrington.

While being a very skilled heavyweight and singles competitor he was more noted for his tag team work. He often partnered Steve Veidor or his brother Peter but his most notable Tag Team appearence was with Henri Peirlot against Count Bartelli and Kendo Nagasaki in 1966. Later that year he had a solo bout against Nagasaki during which he sustained an injury to one of his eyes that left him blind in it and his career never recovered.

Towards the end of his career he was used further and further down the card and in matches against such characters as the "Belly Butt Brigade" because he lacked the exposure of the like of McManus, Nagasaki, etc and promoters didn't know how to use his skills effectively. He died in 1981, his star tarnished but still shining in the eye of those who knew his in his glory days.

Championships and Accomplishments

 * Royal Albert Hall Tournament Trophy Winner - 5 times.