Funso Banjo must be proud...........

[knockout]

Just been on BBC news and saw the headline about Britains got Talent....

Saw the name Banjo mentioned and then had a look at the pics and saw that is is Funso's two sons in tonights winning act.

I remember them as polite school boys who used to come down to the Peacock Gym several years ago with their dad.

Nice to see them doing well.

[funso banjo baby]

'whatchootalkinaboutwillis ?'

[bennie]

Funso is also a gent and was once desperately close to a fight with Bruno, but the ultra-cautious, money-orientated Cartel opted for a body bag, as usual.
I once watched Funso break the jaw and stop Noel Quarless, round the same time Quarless was destroying Stan McDermott (John's dad), John L. Gardner and Anders Eklund.
Sadly, Funso is best remembered for two awful fights with Hughroy Currie - but even Currie likes him.

[chris s]

Funso and his wife own the dance studio where Ashley and Jordan learnt to dance

[1southpaw]

Funso and his wife own the dance studio where Ashley and Jordan learnt to dance

i heard he.s got a macanic company in essex aswell

[m1kee50]

Funso and his wife own the dance studio where Ashley and Jordan learnt to dance

i heard he.s got a macanic company in essex aswell

yeah, rainham, near me, thats where the little troupe is from. One of them (no names) used to bully my sister in school. he's a pussy though

[1southpaw]

Funso and his wife own the dance studio where Ashley and Jordan learnt to dance

i heard he.s got a macanic company in essex aswell

yeah, rainham, near me, thats where the little troupe is from. One of them (no names) used to bully my sister in school. he's a pussy though

ive heard of some going on.s over there hyahahahahahaha

[Bomber 1]

Funso is also a gent and was once desperately close to a fight with Bruno, but the ultra-cautious, money-orientated Cartel opted for a body bag, as usual.
I once watched Funso break the jaw and stop Noel Quarless, round the same time Quarless was destroying Stan McDermott (John's dad), John L. Gardner and Anders Eklund.
Sadly, Funso is best remembered for two awful fights with Hughroy Currie - but even Currie likes him.

Noel tells me that his jaw was in a bad way for a long time and that Funso in his day was a very good fighter and very well avoided!! Obviously before my time but for Noel to say such things is a great credit to the guy!!

[dazzler]

Funso is also a gent and was once desperately close to a fight with Bruno, but the ultra-cautious, money-orientated Cartel opted for a body bag, as usual.
I once watched Funso break the jaw and stop Noel Quarless, round the same time Quarless was destroying Stan McDermott (John's dad), John L. Gardner and Anders Eklund.
Sadly, Funso is best remembered for two awful fights with Hughroy Currie - but even Currie likes him.

Noel tells me that his jaw was in a bad way for a long time and that Funso in his day was a very good fighter and very well avoided!! Obviously before my time but for Noel to say such things is a great credit to the guy!!

The Daily Mirror used to call him Britain's Other Heavyweight Hope (Heavyweight Hope #1 being Bruno). I remember watching him in an absolute stinker with Marvis Frazier. Looked like he would rather be somewhere else. Am I right in thinking he had a lot of talent but maybe was not the most assiduous(sp?) trainer?

[bennie]

Funso is also a gent and was once desperately close to a fight with Bruno, but the ultra-cautious, money-orientated Cartel opted for a body bag, as usual.
I once watched Funso break the jaw and stop Noel Quarless, round the same time Quarless was destroying Stan McDermott (John's dad), John L. Gardner and Anders Eklund.
Sadly, Funso is best remembered for two awful fights with Hughroy Currie - but even Currie likes him.

Noel tells me that his jaw was in a bad way for a long time and that Funso in his day was a very good fighter and very well avoided!! Obviously before my time but for Noel to say such things is a great credit to the guy!!

Banjo was definitely avoided by Bruno (well, Lawless). In the end Funso was forced to fight the likes of Marvis Frazier and Greg Page. Those were the guys Bruno should have been fighting prior to Witherspoon, instead of slobs like Larry Frazier and Gerrie Coetzee.

[mahatma]

Funso is a nice guy very down to earth and easy to get on with.He trains the occasional late night at the peacock gym.He must be 6ft 4 and probably 19 stone, hes very laid back.One night he was asked to spar by a bodybuilder of the same proportions possibly bigger a real mr universe type who for nights had been hitting the heavy bag mercilessly, flexing his muscles and was personally trained by an ex pro.
One night he thought it only natural that as funso was the biggest guy around and could box a bit, that they should spar.He asked funso who refused saying those days were long behind him, the ex-pro who trained hulk boy was trying to explain who funso was but hulk boy would not listen.Hulk boy looked fully attired from the lonsdale shop whilst funso was in a t-shirt, sweatpants and no trainers at all, he often only trained in his feet.
After persistance from hulk boy, funso reluctantly and i mean reluctantly agreed to 3 rounds, i immediately positioned myself on one of the exercise bikes opposite the ring to watch the fun.Hulk boy came out throwing windmill bombs as expected funso kept stepping back to miss the shots, looking uncomfortable funso threw his first punch a jab which landed smack in the face of hulk boy,who subsequently crashed like a felled tree into the middle of the canvas,it was one of the funniest moments ever that id witnessed in a ring, funso helped him up, it had lasted 20 seconds, still see funso now and again , have never seen hulk boy since!

[bennie]

He had a brother who also boxed at heavy. I watched him in the amateurs a few times but he never turned pro.

[ERIC GUY]

Funso is a nice guy very down to earth and easy to get on with.He trains the occasional late night at the peacock gym.He must be 6ft 4 and probably 19 stone, hes very laid back.One night he was asked to spar by a bodybuilder of the same proportions possibly bigger a real mr universe type who for nights had been hitting the heavy bag mercilessly, flexing his muscles and was personally trained by an ex pro.
One night he thought it only natural that as funso was the biggest guy around and could box a bit, that they should spar.He asked funso who refused saying those days were long behind him, the ex-pro who trained hulk boy was trying to explain who funso was but hulk boy would not listen.Hulk boy looked fully attired from the lonsdale shop whilst funso was in a t-shirt, sweatpants and no trainers at all, he often only trained in his feet.
After persistance from hulk boy, funso reluctantly and i mean reluctantly agreed to 3 rounds, i immediately positioned myself on one of the exercise bikes opposite the ring to watch the fun.Hulk boy came out throwing windmill bombs as expected funso kept stepping back to miss the shots, looking uncomfortable funso threw his first punch a jab which landed smack in the face of hulk boy,who subsequently crashed like a felled tree into the middle of the canvas,it was one of the funniest moments ever that id witnessed in a ring, funso helped him up, it had lasted 20 seconds, still see funso now and again , have never seen hulk boy since!

had to laugh at that, seen it soo many times, people who think they can box and get in with an ex pro,
another one was Eugene Maloney sparring with Duran, it was painful to watch!!

[chris s]

Funso is a nice guy very down to earth and easy to get on with.He trains the occasional late night at the peacock gym.He must be 6ft 4 and probably 19 stone, hes very laid back.One night he was asked to spar by a bodybuilder of the same proportions possibly bigger a real mr universe type who for nights had been hitting the heavy bag mercilessly, flexing his muscles and was personally trained by an ex pro.
One night he thought it only natural that as funso was the biggest guy around and could box a bit, that they should spar.He asked funso who refused saying those days were long behind him, the ex-pro who trained hulk boy was trying to explain who funso was but hulk boy would not listen.Hulk boy looked fully attired from the lonsdale shop whilst funso was in a t-shirt, sweatpants and no trainers at all, he often only trained in his feet.
After persistance from hulk boy, funso reluctantly and i mean reluctantly agreed to 3 rounds, i immediately positioned myself on one of the exercise bikes opposite the ring to watch the fun.Hulk boy came out throwing windmill bombs as expected funso kept stepping back to miss the shots, looking uncomfortable funso threw his first punch a jab which landed smack in the face of hulk boy,who subsequently crashed like a felled tree into the middle of the canvas,it was one of the funniest moments ever that id witnessed in a ring, funso helped him up, it had lasted 20 seconds, still see funso now and again , have never seen hulk boy since!

Superb anecdote. I have been to several unlicensed where ex-pros have floated and made mugs of doormen

[Counter-puncher]

Funso is a nice guy very down to earth and easy to get on with.He trains the occasional late night at the peacock gym.He must be 6ft 4 and probably 19 stone, hes very laid back.One night he was asked to spar by a bodybuilder of the same proportions possibly bigger a real mr universe type who for nights had been hitting the heavy bag mercilessly, flexing his muscles and was personally trained by an ex pro.
One night he thought it only natural that as funso was the biggest guy around and could box a bit, that they should spar.He asked funso who refused saying those days were long behind him, the ex-pro who trained hulk boy was trying to explain who funso was but hulk boy would not listen.Hulk boy looked fully attired from the lonsdale shop whilst funso was in a t-shirt, sweatpants and no trainers at all, he often only trained in his feet.
After persistance from hulk boy, funso reluctantly and i mean reluctantly agreed to 3 rounds, i immediately positioned myself on one of the exercise bikes opposite the ring to watch the fun.Hulk boy came out throwing windmill bombs as expected funso kept stepping back to miss the shots, looking uncomfortable funso threw his first punch a jab which landed smack in the face of hulk boy,who subsequently crashed like a felled tree into the middle of the canvas,it was one of the funniest moments ever that id witnessed in a ring, funso helped him up, it had lasted 20 seconds, still see funso now and again , have never seen hulk boy since!

great story

[mahatma]

eric got any footage of eugene sparring duran ?would of loved to see that, if no footage please describe further

[bennie]

eric got any footage of eugene sparring duran ?would of loved to see that, if no footage please describe further

The game ain't the same without gutsy Eugene. I rememeber one punter labelled him The Michelin Man as Eugene made his way to the ring with a fighter. It was hilarious, especially as Eugene wanted to kill the guy. Then Eugene stepped into the ring during Amir Khan's pro debut to try and get referee Phil Edwards to rescue David Bailey. Edwards didn't even notice Eugene, who stood there for a good minute. I was busting a gut.

[J]

agreed and well said Bennie, met Eugene a few times funny guy, in fact Frank and Eugne were almost like a double act, one deadpan the other overtly animated....but Eugene was always good for a joke or two!

[1southpaw]

eric got any footage of eugene sparring duran ?would of loved to see that, if no footage please describe further

he wouldnt show you even if he did have any footage

[teddy007]

Funso you must be immensly proud of your boys. Truly class.