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St Pancras boys – class of 1975-6 with Jimmy MacDonald
who beat Barry McGuigan in 1989 (circled left) and trainer
Roy Callaghan (circled right)
Alex Springer, 16 from Highgate training at St Pancras
ABC |
It's good to be back say pugilists at
historic club
Boxing club returns home after
winning two-year legal battle
ST PANCRAS Boys Boxing Club returned to its home gym
on Monday after running out winners in a legal battle that kept
them away from their home turf for over two years.
The club in Talacre Road, Kentish Town, has bred a host of prize
fighters including Jimmy McDonald who ended Barry McGuigan’s
career with a fourth round knockout in 1989 and more recently
current British Bantamweight Champion Martin Power.
The club’s successes – producing 53 national champions
and Olympians since it was founded in 1880 – appeared to
have attracted international attention of global boxing giant
Kronk, formed by the legendary Detroit trainer Manny Steward,
who formed a partnership with the St Pancras Boys Boxing Club
in 2001.
Kronk alumni include championship fighters Lennox Lewis, Oscar
de la Hoya, Thomas Hearns, Evander Holyfield and Hilmer Kenty.
Boxers and trainers at the club welcomed the partnership, believing
the Kronk name would bring further glory to Kentish Town.
But the club – thought to be the only Kronk gym in England
– lost members under the new management. Regulars say they
steadily sidelined Camden’s young prospects by charging
£30-50 an hour prices which attracted professionals and
“white collar boxers” rather than breed new fighters.
It was later discovered that the new management were not affiliated
to Kronk and are currently facing legal action from Kronk’s
founder Manny Steward.
Club secretary Steve Hoier said: “All I’m prepared
to say is the partnership didn’t work. We felt they hadn’t
fulfilled their part of the deal. We withdrew and have won a
legal settlement.”
Formed in 1880 at the German Gym, now a Grade II listed building
in Kings Cross Railway lands, the club has had national champions
in each decade since Walter Webb won the bronze medal in the
London Olympic Games in 1908. St Pancras fighters also represented
Great Britain in the 1908, 1920, 1984 and 1992 Olympics, while
Frank Bruno’s legendary trainer George Francis worked at
the club in the 1960s.
Trainer John Leggett said the keys to the gym were handed back
at a midnight meeting last week.
Trainer Roy Callaghan, who has been at the club as a boxer and
now a trainer since 1972, said: “It’s good to be back.
The Boys Club is happy and St Pancras will survive.”
Trainer John Leggett said they had suffered from the imposed
exile – which had seen his stars of the future forced to
train in parks, churches and boys’ clubs in Islington –
but could now concentrate on the London 2012 Olympic Games.
He said: “We have lost two years training, money and titles,
but it’s not unrealistic for our young boxers to think
big.”
Solicitor Laurie Avadis, from Avadis & Co – based in
Malden Road, Queen’s Crescent - are instructing the previous
management. Mr Avadis said their client could not comment on
the legal action or the split from the gym. |
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