John H. Stracey (right) who is to defend his European welterweight title against Max Hebeisen of Switzerland, training at the Royal Oak Gymnasium, Canning Town, April 28, 1975
THE East End of London has just claim to being considered the beating heart of British boxing. This redoubtable and proud working-class part of the world has been immersed in all kinds of folklore throughout its history, involving gangsters, footballers, performers — and also fighters.
The notorious and overly romanticised Kray twins both had short careers as professional fighters in the early 1950s. From Bethnal Green, they began their respective boxing journeys at the Mile End Arena — an open-air arena located in its day just behind Mile End Tube station. Regarded as a “bear pit” at the time, from there they worked their way up to fighting at the iconic Royal Albert Hall.
Of the two, Reggie established the more impressive record, winning all seven of his professional fights. Ronnie won four and lost two of his six outings before both moved were called up for national service in 1952. The rest where both are concerned is of course history.
From Manchester pubs to global arenas, Ricky Hatton embodied working-class pride in and out of the ring, but his last round was fought in solitude, writes JOHN WIGHT
Vilified by the public after defeating Henry Cooper, Joe Bugner’s remarkable career and tragic decline reflected the era’s attitudes as much as the man himself, says JOHN WIGHT
Amid riots, strikes and Thatcher’s Britain, Frank Bruno fought not just for boxing glory, but for a nation desperate for heroes, writes JOHN WIGHT
In recently published book Baddest Man, Mark Kriegel revisits the Faustian pact at the heart of Mike Tyson’s rise and the emotional fallout that followed, writes JOHN WIGHT
