Just watching Josh Warrington become Leeds (that city with the ‘massiveness ever’ football club ever) first ever World Champion and wondered if Burnley had anyone in the past of note.

I’m from Preston so know we had Carl Crook in the 90’s and Paul Burke.

Warren Stowe is the obvious one.

There was an earlier one than that...
Phil... somebody..?

Pretty sure he was from Brierfield.

Mathews? From the 70s?

hampsteadclaret wrote:There was an earlier one than that...
Phil... somebody..?

Pretty sure he was from Brierfield.

Matthews?

Phil Matthews. Fought Bunny Sterling for the British middleweight title live on the tv in 1972. . He lost easily and apologised to all the travelling fans afterwards. He still lives in Burnley.

He just hadn't trained hard enough and openly admitted as much. I don't think he fought as a pro again.

Didn't Stowe fight Calzaghe?

On Boxrec it says Stowe fought Calzaghe in 96 and retired in the 2nd.

Siddo wrote:Phil Matthews. Fought Bunny Sterling for the British middleweight title live on the tv in 1972. . He lost easily and apologised to all the travelling fans afterwards. He still lives in Burnley.

He just hadn't trained hard enough and openly admitted as much. I don't think he fought as a pro again.

Always remember the tom bethea fight prior to Bunny sterling ...he fought seven more times after sterling winning 4 losing 3 think he lives in colne now.

I regularly sparred with Wazza Stowe at the Circ boxing club never followed his progress though.

I used to drink with Mark Hargreaves who fought Duke McKenzie.

https://youtu.be/pNqsRREKYlA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Funkydrummer.. brilliant.

https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/bu ... -1-1700262" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I used to work with Darren Pilling when he was a young wannabee

http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/24892" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Watched Blue Butterworth a few times in the early 90s

Norman 'Knuckles' Jones

I beat Martin Murray (former middleweight champion) as an amateur

I also used to spar regularly with Darren Pilling at Sandygate. Happy days!

Caballo wrote:Warren Stowe is the obvious one.

Relative of Rocky I believe

Caballo wrote:Mathews? From the 70s?

From Bacup like Roach was

ClaretTony wrote:Relative of Rocky I believe

Balboa?

Caballo wrote:Mathews? From the 70s?

The Royal Dyche used to have a room dedicated to Phil Mathews. Described as the hardest hitter pound for pound at his best but sadly not dedicated enough in the end at the highest level,
The Tom Bethea fight was televised and I can recall the comments afterwards. Tom said that is the hardest I have ever been hit and I am now retired! Phil said everyone was expecting me to take him out with my right so I thought I would do it with my left!!

Dazzler wrote:I regularly sparred with Wazza Stowe at the Circ boxing club never followed his progress though.

I used to drink with Mark Hargreaves who fought Duke McKenzie.

https://youtu.be/pNqsRREKYlA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sadly, Mark doesn`t do much boxing these days.

chipbutty wrote:Sadly, Mark doesn`t do much boxing these days.

Yes I heard....loved his drink too much

[quote="lesxdp"]The Royal Dyche used to have a room dedicated to Phil Mathews. Described as the hardest hitter pound for pound at his best but sadly not dedicated enough in the end at the highest level,
The Tom Bethea fight was televised and I can recall the comments afterwards. Tom said that is the hardest I have ever been hit and I am now retired! Phil said everyone was expecting me to take him out with my right so I thought I would do it with my left!![/

that makes sense that that pub would do that.

I'm going to throw a very (and I mean very) tenuous link in here...

From 1926-1928, the world heavyweight champion was Gene Tunney, an American born to Irish immigrants from County Mayo. I believe he lost 1 professional fight in his 15 year career.

Half of the Tunney family emigrated to the USA and settled in Manhattan, following the Great Famine. The other half emigrated to Lancashire, and settled in Burnley.

I know all of this, not because I'm into boxing, but the Tunney's are my ancestors and this was only very recently discovered by an inquisitive cousin of mine.

Burnley or Manhattan? I'm glad I got Burnley.

Matthew Tunney ..rings a bell so to speak.

Tommy Marren held a full gold and silver Jem Mace belt
http://boxrec.com/media/index.php?title=Human:153666" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is going back a bit but in 1949 Burnley born Jim Barrett won the Nation Coal Board Heavyweight Championship title.
The following is a newspaper clipping following the fight and is headlined 'Burnley Boxer wins N.C.B. Title'.

Jim Barrett received the congratulations of his mining colleagues at Bank Hall Colliery on Monday when he turned in for work after achieving an ambition. He had brought the heavyweight boxing championship of the pits back to Lancashire.
In London's Wembley arena on Saturday evening, before a 10,000 audience which included the Duke of Edinburgh, Jim out pointed his Midlands rival, E. Glover, of Warwick, for the N.C.B. heavyweight title.
Although part of the programme was broadcast live of the radio, Barrett's workmates, who had agreed to listen, were disappointed to find that the Burnley boy's fight was not until after the period allotted for being on the air.

This win led Jim to turning professional and he boxed a couple of exhibition bouts with Freddie Mills at Preston & Blackburn in 1950. He retired from boxing in 1951 after winning several bouts, his last being at the old Empress ballroom.
How do I know all this? Well I married his daughter and his 1949 N.C.B. Heavyweight trophy sits proudly in our house.
Jim spent his entire working life down the pits at Bank Hall & Hapton Valley. He sadly passed away in 2011, one of the nicest blokes you could ever wish to meet.

chipbutty wrote:Sadly, Mark doesn`t do much boxing these days.

Picked him up from his mothers earlier today,he's not in a good position...sad really.

The smack head who recently robbed the club shop (Ian Nuttall) was a very promising boxer until he found drugs

colner wrote:Tommy Marren held a full gold and silver Jem Mace belt
http://boxrec.com/media/index.php?title=Human:153666" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They were tough back in those days. Just look at January 1934 - 5 bouts in that month including 3 against the same opponent.

I'll always remember Mark Hargreaves doing his head spin,bollock naked in front of Mark Hughes and the rest of the Blackburn bench.
What was that lad called who won the SAS programme?
My mate said he was the hardest lad he'd ever sparred with at Sandy Gate.

Unfortunately Phil sadly passed away this week,

Great character

RIP Phil

I read yesterday a lad from Colne has won a national belt.

I know an ex Marine, living locally, who won the All Forces Heavyweight Championship. He has the look of a Marine, but when anyone talks with him, he is a modest gentle person.

Quickenthetempo wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 17, 2024 1:01 pm

I read yesterday a lad from Colne has won a national belt.

That will be Josh Holmes from Earby

Andingle wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 17, 2024 4:05 pm

That will be Josh Holmes from Earby

Yes it is.

Local boxing is flourishing once more. Just weeks after Burnley’s Reece Farnhill collects the English crown, Pendle’s @JoshJHolmes_ becomes the King of England at 130 lbs. Always enjoyed covering his bouts whilst at the @BurnleyExpress. Such a classy, fun-to-watch fighter.

Dazzler wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:33 pm

Picked him up from his mothers earlier today,he's not in a good position...sad really.

Thankfully, Mark Hargreaves has been sober for a few years now. Looks much better, still crackers though

Charlie Shepherd was born in Burnley in 1970. Super Featherweight boxer. He was British Champion and won an I BO World Title, but he was living in Carlisle when he was boxing.

Longford Claret wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 17, 2024 8:19 pm

Charlie Shepherd was born in Burnley in 1970. Super Featherweight boxer. He was British Champion and won an I BO World Title, but he was living in Carlisle when he was boxing.

He grew up in Padiham.

Jock McAvoy, British Middleweight Champion 1933-39. Also British Light Heavyweight Champion.

For all those old enough to remember. When the Burnley Fair was held on Fulledge Rec, they had a boxing ring, inside a tent, where anybody could get into the ring and take on the Fairs boxer. From memory as a young lad, they'd a Burnley Colne and Nelson bus driver, who was slim and to me then, he didn't look anything like a boxer. When he fought though, he was fast and good and had no sympathy for those brave enough to take him on. Some fuelled by drink and egged on by their mates. There was a purse for anyone who beat him. He stayed in the ring and kept on fighting until there was no one else to fight.

Sam Larkin from Colne,

Burnley1989 wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 17, 2024 6:09 pm

Thankfully, Mark Hargreaves has been sober for a few years now. Looks much better, still crackers though

Used to work with Mark. Always had a laugh when he was around

Claretmutt wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 18, 2024 8:54 am

Sam Larkin from Colne,

Was Sam the Larkin that was forced to retire after his annual brain scans a few years ago? Shame

I remember watching Shane Singleton from Colne, he beat Curtis Woodhouse for the English title but got beaten badly by Sam Eggington (if memory serves me right)

My mates brother Charlie Shepherd Burnley born grew up in Padiham.
Moved to Carlise in his early teenage years.
Charlie was British, Commonwealth and World Champion.
Mark his brother is a massive Burnley fan still comes down to Burnley to watch the Clarets.

Burnley1989 wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 17, 2024 6:09 pm

Thankfully, Mark Hargreaves has been sober for a few years now. Looks much better, still crackers though

I've bumped into him a few times over the last year or so and each time, I've remarked how good it is to see him looking so well.