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By TOM FOOT
 

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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