Contribution to Boxing
Jon Pegg
Jon Pegg had a short career as a professional boxer but has done so much for boxing in the Midlands as a trainer, coach and manager. The film producer/writer managers multiple boxers up and down the country with his main stable of fighters training at Eastside gym Birmingham. Jon and his Eastside team have got some of the best fighters in the country coming out of there gym with the likes of Sam Eggington, Craig Cunningham and Marcus Ffrench already winning titles. He also has some very hot prospects coming through the ranks like Ryan Kelly, Indi Sangha, Kaisee Benjamin and Shakan Pitters to name just a few. Jon Pegg is one of the trainers pushing Birmingham boxing back into the limelight.
Kristian Laight
Nuneaton
Super Lightweight
12 Wins 269 Defeats 9 Draws
Debut 2003 – 2018
“Mr Reliable” Kristian Laight is one of Britain’s great journeymen of boxing, Laight who has now hit 300 professional fights had made a business out of the sport. He has lost most of his fights but he is a fundamental part of boxing as he gives young prospects the fights they need to learn the game. I have watch Laight several times and I can say this man can box. It is an art to be able to do what he does, he is a credit to boxing and has earned a place in the Bbcolumn’s Hall of Fame.
Howard Clarke
Born London - Lives Warley
Middleweight
27 wins 79 defeats 2 Draws
Debut 1991 – 2007
Clarke nominated by fellow “Hall of Famer” Pat Cowdell was a British journeyman who fought out of Nobby Nobbs' stable of fighters with losing records. His most memorable moment was on March 13, 1999 when he challenged then 15-0 Fernando Vargas for the IBF Light Middleweight Title. Vargas stopped Clarke in the fourth round. Since that defeat, he has gone 1-69 (with one no contest), but has had two bright moments during that streak: his sole win came on cuts against prospect Ross Minter and he knocked down contender Wayne Alexander in the first round of their fight before getting stopped in round two
Paddy & Tommy Lynch
Paddy and Tommy Lynch were in the boxing game for over 50 years. Paddy fought as an amateur for a while tricking the doctors as he could only see out of his right eye. Tommy also represented Ireland after putting on the vest of the Irish guard.
The Lynch Brothers have provided their own indelible story of success, blood, failure, toil and enthusiasm inside and outside the ring.
Their never-ending labors and insatiable appetite produced an incredible nine British champions. No other manager has ever done that.
They were: Gordon Ferris (heavyweight), Wayne Elcock (middleweight), Costas Petrou (welterweight), Pat Cowdell (featherweight and super-featherweight), Roy Rutherford (featherweight), Lloyd Christie (middleweight), Robert McCracken (middleweight), Tony Willis (lightweight) and Hugh Ford (featherweight)
Spencer McCracken
Frank O’Sullivan
MBE
Frank O’Sullivan set up his first boxing club in 1956 after failing a medical to become a professional fighter and has been a stalwart of the fight game ever since.
Frank has trained boxers at every level from schoolboys to Olympians including Paddy and Tommy Lynch, Robert McCracken and Frankie Gavin.
Frank has also been credited with helping the recent resurgence in boxing in Birmingham which has seen a new crop of young fighters who are making waves nationally and internationally.
Frank was awarded an MBE by the Queen in 2011
Peter Buckley
Birmingham
Welterweight
32 Wins 256 Defeats 12 Draws
Debut – 1989 – 2008
Buckley turned pro in October 1989, when he fought Alan Baldwin from Brixham at the Colosseum, Stafford, West Midlands, England, it was a close fight which ended in a draw.
Buckley lost 256 of his 300 contests, which is the second most in boxing history behind Reggie Strickland. Throughout his career, he fought a number of quality world champions and British champions including Duke McKenzie, Naseem Hamed, Acelino Freitas, Jason Cook, Paul Ingle, Patrick Mullings, Dean Pithie, Jason Booth, Michael Brodie, Scott Harrison, Michael Gomez, Johnny Bredahl, Gavin Rees, John Murray, Bradley Pryce, Derry Mathews, Lee Meager, Dave Stewart, Gary Woolcombe, Lee Selby and Kell Brook.
Buckley, who never fought for a major title, was honored with a special ring walk and presentation before his 200th fight in April 2003 at the MEN Arena in Manchester. He then proceeded to lose a decision to Baz Carey.[2][3]
Buckley finished his professional career with his 300th and last fight on 31 October 2008 where he scored a 4-round points decision victory over Matin Mohammed (0-1-1) in Birmingham.[4] After the fight, Peter was awarded a small trophy and a special belt to mark his achievement.
Peter had won a few regional titles, the vacant BBBofC Midlands area Super featherweight and Super Bantamweight titles when his record was at 16-9-4 (2KO) against Mark Bates(super featherweight) and 20-44-5 (5KO) respectively. Perhaps his career peak was at 17-10-4 (3KO) before losing to future CBC, EBUand WBU champion Johnny Armour
Nobby Nobbs
Norman (Nobby) Nobbs, (born 1948 or 1949), is a boxing manager and trainer in Aston, Birmingham, England. Nobbs's stable contains many of the most prolific journeymen in England, and is referred to and by Nobbs himself as "Losers Unlimited."
Nobbs briefly tried to box as a kid, before finding out that he was not any good. By his early 20s, he began training boxers. One of the most notable fighters he has worked with is British journeyman Peter Buckley.
In his stable, he had Howard Clarke, Brian Coleman, Jason Nesbitt, and Arv Mittoo, as anyone in boxing knows “The Journey Men” are the backbone of boxing and are a fundamental part of the business with Nobby providing some of the best
Len Woodall
Len Woodall originally came from Birmingham before moving to Telford where he was a coach in boxing for over 40 years. Len was a laborer by profession, but his love of boxing became ingrained in his son. Len’s finest hour came at Telford ice ring March 1998 when he was in the corner for his sons Richie as he won the WBC super-middleweight title against Sugar Boy Malinga. Richie only lost three times in 29 fights, and his father was by his side forever one.
Len also coached 65 other champions from schoolboy to world level. Woodall senor passed away at the age of 75 in July 2015 of cancer, the old Telford & Wrekin Boxing Club changed the clubs name to the Len Woodhall Community Club in honor of him. He has also been honored at Eastside gym Birmingham with a wall devoted to the great man.
Len Woodall is a welcome addition to the Birmingham Boxing Columns “Hall of Fame” contribution to boxing
Paul Mann
The Black Country Boxing’s head coach Paul Mann is a well-respected trainer who works to ensure all of the BcB boxers are in the best possible condition come fight night. Paul has been involved in boxing for more than a decade and has trained European, British, English and area champions. Most recently there has been Jason Welborn and Zak Parker both winning British titles. Mr Mann is a much-welcomed addition to the ‘Hall of Fame'.
Craig Cunningham
Birmingham
Super welterweight/ Middleweight
19 wins 3 defeats
Debut 2011 - 2018
The Birmingham Boxing Column welcomes Craig Cunningham to the Birmingham Boxing Column's Hall of Fame for his contribution to boxing in Birmingham and the Midlands. Craig was one of the most avoided boxers in the game. He made his mark in boxing in 2016 defending and winning 2 Midlands area titles and then beating the odds taking the WBC international Middleweight title against Olympic silver medalist Anthony Ogogo. Craig was awarded by the BBBoC the Midlands boxer of the year 2016 and also was awarded Bbcolumn's Boxer of the Year.
Errol Johnson
Erroll is one of the Midlands main men when it comes to boxing, he was a decent amateur during his school years and has held licenses as a trainer, manager matchmaker, and promoter. This makes him one of the most qualified to comment on boxing in Britain. Errol works with boxers and promoters up and down the country week in week out and has more than earned his place in the ‘Hall of Fame’.
Max McCracken
Max is part of one of the most famous boxing Family’s to come out of Birmingham with his brother Robert (MBE) a former British, Commonwealth champ and also WBC world title challenger, Spencer a former British and World title challenger and Max as well fighting as a pro. They are all well-respected trainers now and have all delivered champions, Max who trained Frankie Gavin from 2015 – 2017 also trains 2 boxers from another famous boxing family in Gamal and WBC world featherweight champ Kal Yafia. Max has truly earned a place in the bbcolumn ‘Hall of Fame'.
Shaun Messer
Age 62
Ref/Judge 1999 to 2022
Amateur record 92 fights 60 wins
Fights as a Judge 162
Fights Reffed 1282
Shaun Messer made his debut as a ref on the 30th of November 1999 in a 6 round contest at the Park Hall hotel Wolverhampton with leeroy Williamson taking on marc Smith in a lightweight contest with Williamson winning on points. Asa a judge Shaun debuted on the 20th of July 2007 in a 10 round contest for the IBF and the WBC youth middleweight titles. The fight between Grzegorz Proksa and Vitalie mMirza att the Civic hall Wolverhampton with Proksa winning by TKO in the $th round.
Shaun has served the professional boxing Community especially in the Midlands well and id a worthy addition the the Hall Of Fame
Tommy Owens
Tommy Owens is a former professional boxer who now runs one of the biggest boxing Promotions in the Midlands. His company Tommy Owens Promotions have organized over 50 boxing events in Birmingham and Coventry and has had Midlands area, English and even IBO titles contested on them. Tommy’s shows get bigger and bigger with each event with there main home being the Holte Suite at Villa Park where TOP boxing indented to stage a show on the pitch in May of 2020.
Paddy Martin
Paddy Martin was raised in Digbeth Birmingham where he attended St Michael's RC School and was part of the boxing team as a kid where he had multiple amateur fights for the club. He moved to Canada in the 50's where he turned over to the professional ranks with most of his fights fought in Canada and upstate New York. He returned to Birmingham in the sixties where he joined Aston Villa ABC at the Holte pub where he soon became head coach.
Paddy trained multiple English, regional and area champs until the gym was closed down in 1988. Paddy then formed his own gym at the Britannia pub Aston with them staying there for a year before moving the gym up the road to the Rose and Crown pub Erdington. For the last 34 years Paddy with the help of his son Dean have shaped and mentored thousands of young lads and lassies from around the area teaching them the noble art of boxing and character building for the future.
It is an honour and a privilege to enter Paddy into the Bbcolumn ‘Hall of Fame’ for his contribution to boxing over the last 5 decades moulding and shaping young and old lads and ladies into confident respectful young men and women. This award is well deserved and a long time coming.
Tom Chaney
Tom Chaney is the head coach at Hall Green ABC, and has brought many an amateur over to the played ranks. He has managed and trained the likes of British and Commonwealth champ Frankie Gavin and is currently guiding former British Middleweight champion Tommy Langford back to his best. Tom is a very well respected trainer and is a welcome addition to the ‘Hall of Fame'.
Paul ‘Soggy' Counihan
‘Soggy' is one of the main trainers at Eastside gym and has trained many a boxer to become champions in the Amateurs before he turned over to train the pros. He is the main trainer for Kaisee Benjamin and British Light Heavyweight Champion Shakan Pitters and has been in the corner of many Eastside boxers like Sam Eggington, Craig Cunningham and Max Maxwell in some of there biggest fights with fellow ‘Hall of Famer' Jon Pegg. After staring Shakan Pitters to the British title Soggy has been added to the contribution to boxing part of the Bbcolumn’s Hall of Fame.