Ex pro's (bouncers)

[KOJOE90]

Lenny Mclean was always a bigger animal if you ask me though,aboslute brute, his book "the guvnor" is one of the best books ive ever read.

I didn't like the book to be honest, there was a lot of missing information in it. Such as Lenny getting KO'd twice by ex-pro Heavyweight Cliff Fields, getting KO'd by amatuer Light-Heavyweight Johnny Waldron and getting outpointed by former Light-Heavyweigh pro Kevin Paddock.

There are also many who claime that Lennys trip to the USA to fight 'The Mafias' top bareknuckle fighter never actually happened.

[KOJOE90]

Danny McAlinden worked the doors I heard.

[Controversial]

Lenny Mclean was always a bigger animal if you ask me though,aboslute brute, his book "the guvnor" is one of the best books ive ever read.

I didn't like the book to be honest, there was a lot of missing information in it. Such as Lenny getting KO'd twice by ex-pro Heavyweight Cliff Fields, getting KO'd by amatuer Light-Heavyweight Johnny Waldron and getting outpointed by former Light-Heavyweigh pro Kevin Paddock.

There are also many who claime that Lennys trip to the USA to fight 'The Mafias' top bareknuckle fighter never actually happened.

Wasn't Mclean related to allegedly? I'm sure Warren said he was and that a lot of the things Mclean said were not true.

[Mimmy]

im 19, how about you? oh right yea near nelson road and that

im nearly 40 but i might know youre parents my cousins family lived up near you (Wilkinson's)

[KOJOE90]

Wasn't Mclean related to allegedly allegedly? I'm sure Warren said he was and that a lot of the things Mclean said were not true.

I think they may have been second cousins, but I'm not sure. Warren promoted several of Lennys unlicenced fights and I seem to recall Warren saying he lost as many as he won on his bills.

From what I have read and seen McLean was an intimidading, powerfull man and I have no doubt was a terror on the cobbles, but in the ring, even an unlicenced one he was average.

He was way short of being the unbeatable fighter his book suggests, but I geuss he was just trying to sell plenty of copies.

[Mimmy]

Wasn't Mclean related to allegedly allegedly allegedly? I'm sure Warren said he was and that a lot of the things Mclean said were not true.

I think they may have been second cousins, but I'm not sure. Warren promoted several of Lennys unlicenced fights and I seem to recall Warren saying he lost as many as he won on his bills.

From what I have read and seen McLean was an intimidading, powerfull man and I have no doubt was a terror on the cobbles, but in the ring, even an unlicenced one he was average.

He was way short of being the unbeatable fighter his book suggests, but I geuss he was just trying to sell plenty of copies.

was there more money in unlicenced boxing, why didnt he try the pro ranks if he had a good promotor in Warren, he could have easily has easy fights for more money.

how much on average does a unlicenced boxer get per fight.

[Mukel]

From what ive heard, it was basically 2 fighters put say like 10k in a pot and winner takes all, The big fights would be for between 10k and 20k i thinks

[KOJOE90]

was there more money in unlicenced boxing, why didnt he try the pro ranks if he had a good promotor in Warren, he could have easily has easy fights for more money..

Warren promoted McLean on unlicenced bills before he got his BBBofC licence, I think the two fell out over money before Warren went legit.

Mcleans unlicenced record was very patchy at best and the fix was in on some of them I have been told. Amateur Light-Heavyweight Johnny Waldron was meant to take a dive against McLean but KO'd him accidently with a jab. Johnny and his cornermen then had to run for their lives as a riot errupted.

Ex-journeyman Heavyweight Cliff Fields who at the time had a terrible drinking problem and was out of shape KO'd McLean twice and from what I have been told he was out cold for a number of minutes.

I doubt McLean would have made much of an impact in the professional ramks, he was a big powerfull guy, but was a heavy smoker and lacked stamina and his chin wasn't too good. Also he relied a lot on intimidation and I doubt the likes of Gardner, Pearce, Meade etc would have been intimidayed by him.

[cannonball]

I DID QUITE A BIT OF DOOR WORK MYSELF A FEW YEARS BACK AND WORKED WITH GUS MENDES ,WHO FOUGHT,AND LOST TO HERBIE HIDE,NICKY PIPER,DEREK ANGOL,LOU GENT AMONGST OTHERS. GUS SAID PIPER WAS THE BEST HE FOUGHT,TECHNICALLY VERY GOOD. ALSO WORKED WITH JOURNEYMAN ADAM CALE,A CRUISERWEIGHT FROM WORCESTER AND WAYNE TIMMINS,A WELTERWEIGHT,I THINK. ALSO DID A FEW NITES WITH ROBERT WRIGHT,WHO CHALLENGED GARY JACOBS FOR THE BRITISH WELTERWEIGHT TITLE AND ALSO HAD A SHOT AT THE COMMONWEALTH TITLE AGAINST THE VERY SLICK DONOVAN BOUCHER,LOSING IN 11 ROUNDS ,IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY. GUS HAS A SECURITY FIRM AND I THINK ROBERT IS TRAINING BOXERS NOW. HAPPY DAYS

[Goodnight, Irene]

It seems to be a British phenomenon moreso than anywhere else. Lots of former fighters find their way onto the door.

Ex-Pug is right about strength being more important than fighting prowess. I was the worst in the ring you ever saw, but I have had to take out a few amateur boxers in the job. It ain't so much about how well you fight (though that plays a part), it's about how well you can physically control & contain someone.

In any case, there is a world of difference to a fight in the ring & a fight on the street. Be nice to have Shavers on my door

[BigJuicyHog]

Lenny McClean was a pretty legenday Bouncer for that matter. To mess with him you would have to be stupid. If you knew who he was it would be crazy, and if you didnt, just take one look at his mug and how big he was. The guy used to train by ripping car doors off at the junk yard.

[mylo]

Mickey Lerwill used to work the door of a bar I used to drink in when I was in my teens/early twentys.

http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=029903

yea he used to work as a door men at a few places. he is my dad i box to amatuer had 40 odd fights

[wsbuf]

Billy Irwin was working security at a Niagara Falls Casino

[enrique]

After Fidel Castro took over Nino Valdez' properties in Cuba, the affable heavyweight lived in exile in New York and was the head bouncer at a bar in Times Square, where he very seldom had to resort to any kind of muscle to get rid of rowdy patrons.

I knew him well at the time and Nino dressed in a sports coat and turtleneck and weighed then about 240, so even a drunk had more common sense than to tangle with him.

[palooka]

dave john (boxed as dave jules), pete gabbitus, phil ball, phil epton (RIP) have all been doormen in Doncaster. Malpass is still on the door at the Warehouse and is a nasty man when the 'mood' takes him. pete gabbitus was a very classy boxer and has done a lot of weight training and is security at events and for celebrities. dave john (moods, berlins, white bear) and phil epton (scruffy murphys) were among the best doormen in Doncaster; they would speak before they hit and weren't bullies.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Jack Dempsey --- is he the most famous fighter ever to work the door? Surely so, given his popularity.

[Jaywheel]

Robert Cleroux did it for a while in Montreal.

[palooka]

I saw Kev Burton the other day and he looked well. Pete Gabittus looked after Mike Tyson when he came over to Doncaster. (JonJo Irwin looked well as well a couple of weeks ago and I saw Mark Epton at Mexbrough a month or 2 ago and he was a really nice kid, no edge to him at all.

[jBacca]

Noel Quarless and Earnie Shavers have been on the doors in Liverpool.

[CNorkusJr]

Jake LaMotta worked the same place Nino Valdez worked (not sure if it was the same years though. It was a topless joint on 7th ave about 40th street.
Its not there anymore.
My father brought me there to meet Jake for the very first time (1970). I was 13 years old then. I know Nino worked there later on because Henry Wallitsch (former heavywt) told me and he worked a place around the corner from there and knew him well.

Today, if you ever find yourself in Times Square, please visit "Jimmy's Corner Bar". Located at 140 W 44th St.(between Broadway and 6th Ave, south side of street) . It is still owned and operated by Jimmy Glenn (famed mgr/trainer/cornerman and former owner of Times Sq. gym.
The place is festooned with many classic boxing pictures. Jimmy still trains boxers at Gramercy park gym, and can be found in his bar in the evenings (after 8 pm lets say).
He doesnt have any boxers at the door for him, but even in his 80's ,I wouldnt cross him. LOL.

[Brutu]

I did a quick search over at newspaper archives.
on Fighters who became bouncers at Dance Halls and gambling clubs after their boxing career
was over.

Joe Walcott was a doorman for a theatre in the 1930's.

Chuck Wiggens(whom Jack Dempsey once called the greatest street fighter who ever lived)
became a tavern bouncer in the 1930's.

George Godfrey back in the 1940's was a bouncer in Long Beach Ca.and Central ave.

Jack Sharkey in the 1940's was a nightclub doorman

Ceasar Brion back in the 1950's
Wille Besmanoff became a bouncer after his boxing career was over.

Tony Galento,Lee Savold,Joe Baski and Gus Lesnevich,Frankie DePaula and Chuck Wepner had been bouncers before they became well known.

Battling Siki was a bouncer in Paris before he became famous.


As fas as bouncers who later became boxers.

Stanely Ketchel knocked out a bouncer to become the bouncer,which is how he was discovered.

Henry Armsrong was the main bouncer at his dads saloon in the early days.


One of the last of the bare kucked fighters Billy Ray also became a bouncer
for a long time after his bare kuckled fighting days were over.

[Goodnight, Irene]

I did a quick search over at newspaper archives.
on Fighters who became bouncers at Dance Halls and gambling clubs after their boxing career
was over.

Joe Walcott was a doorman for a theatre in the 1930's.

Chuck Wiggens(whom Jack Dempsey once called the greatest street fighter who ever lived)
became a tavern bouncer in the 1930's.

George Godfrey back in the 1940's was a bouncer in Long Beach Ca.and Central ave.

Jack Sharkey in the 1940's was a nightclub doorman

Ceasar Brion back in the 1950's
Wille Besmanoff became a bouncer after his boxing career was over.

Tony Galento,Lee Savold,Joe Baski and Gus Lesnevich,Frankie DePaula and Chuck Wepner had been bouncers before they became well known.

Battling Siki was a bouncer in Paris before he became famous.


As fas as bouncers who later became boxers.

Stanely Ketchel knocked out a bouncer to become the bouncer,which is how he was discovered.

Henry Armsrong was the main bouncer at his dads saloon in the early days.


One of the last of the bare kucked fighters Billy Ray also became a bouncer
for a long time after his bare kuckled fighting days were over.

Fascinating reading. Great work. Having worked the doors extensively in the past myself, I'd love to hear some stories from these men. Hell, any men doing the job back then, really. Must've been another world.

[CNorkusJr]

Cesar Brion worked the doors just a few times. He went on to have a great career as a longshoreman on the West side of Manhattan for many years.

[Brutu]

Jess Willard reportly became a bouncer in 1932 after he became broke after the stock market crash.
But it was at a meat market he once owned.he was paid 15 dollars a week.
He said he had"very little trouble".

William Muldoon wasnt a boxer but he came a bouncer in later years.

[dberry]

Aussie boxer Dave Russell http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer used to work a rough pub in Croydon, Victoria. I had the pleasure of working security with him on boxing/kickboxing shows, an absolute gentleman, although many would disagree.
I also used to bump into Leo Young, http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer , working pubs from time to time, in the early nineties.
Tasis Petridis http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer used to run the security at The Viper Room in Melbourne.
Dale Westerman http://boxrec.com/search.php?status=all ... &submit=Go and I used to be two of fifty four guys working at an outer suburban beer and bourbon barn called Stylus in Fern Tree Gully.