Arnold 'Boxer' Walker was born in Whitehaven, Cumberland, England, he earned the nickname 'Boxer' as a child after he received a pair of boxing gloves as a gift; in his own words, "I wore them everyday [sic?
He played professional rugby league for both Workington and Whitehaven and has the unusual honour of still being loved by both sets of fans, despite the fierce rivalry that exists between them.
[citation needed] He earned a reputation for being a hard man on the pitch due to his insatiable appetite for battle and fearless style of play no matter who the opposition.
[citation needed] Arnold 'Boxer' Walker played scrum-half in Workington Town's 11–16 defeat by Widnes in the 1976 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1976–77 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 30 October 1976, played scrum-half, scored 2-drop goals, and was man of the match in the 16–13 victory over Wigan in the 1977 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1977–78 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 29 October 1977, played scrum-half, and was man of the match in the 13–15 defeat by Widnes in the 1978 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1978–79 season at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 7 October 1978, and played scrum-half in the 0–11 defeat by Widnes in the 1979 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1979–80 season at The Willows, Salford on Saturday 8 December 1979.
[7] Arnold 'Boxer' Walker won cap(s) for Cumbria while at Workington Town, including the 9–3 victory over New Zealand at Recreation Ground, Whitehaven during October 1980.