Paul Sykes... where is he now?...

[orbtastic]

An old boss of mine was from Hull and went to Oxford. He was the least “hull” (or ul) person I’ve ever met abs would always play the I’m from Yorkshire card but he fcking played croquet and lived in tring. I got him to admit he was bullied/ripped mercilessly at Oxford. He was like a six foot three version of that precocious antiques dealer off wogan, complete with massive Curley wig and slightly camp affectations. He used to walk sideways, bizarrely. Head always on one side.

[orbtastic]

Yeah I think he was one of those out performers at his grammar school. Deffo didn’t come from a council estate or comp. Not that comps existed then I think.

I remember him interviewing me and him setting some traps for me but when I didn’t fall for them wouldn’t let on. Sly fcker, he was like a Columbo villain.

[Boxerbeetle]

I initially wanted to apply for Oxbridge, I was always a straight A student in school. Even though I was predicted 4 A’s at A-Level as well, my college basically told me not bother applying as I’d hate it there. In hindsight, they were definitely correct, I’m really not one for pomp and ceremony or any sort of ‘tradition’. I didn’t even bother going to my own graduation ceremony.

[Boxerbeetle]

Anyway, back on topic, we should arrange a Boxrec watchalong of Paul Sykes at Large and all comment as we go, could be hilarious.

[mickey1975]

I think we can agree that Tony's son did well. Tonyevs doesn't like me so will insist it's common for a prisoners son from Orchard Park estate to go to Durham. Ok, evs.

[mickey1975]

I sparred a guy called Alex Mehta who was captain for oxford. I was 14 him about 20. He ended up captain of the blues team. I don't even remember why he was up here. We had a law school and he went on to be a well known barrister.

[mickey1975]

Boxing was also big amongst horse racing people. Strong little twats those jockeys.

[jimmystone]

Boxing was also big amongst horse racing people. Strong little twats those jockeys.

Reminds me of Colin Dunne. He was an apprentice jockey.

[maverick23]

I think we can agree that Tony's son did well. Tonyevs doesn't like me so will insist it's common for a prisoners son from Orchard Park estate to go to Durham. Ok, evs.

BTW, there used to be a bit of a boxing tradition at some of these posh universities. You could get a boxing 'blue' at Oxford and Cambridge. I think Colin Moynihan, a former Tory MP, was a boxing blue. As was Rob Wainwright who played rugby for Scotland.

There was a boxing tradition at the old public schools as well. I don't know if it still exists though. All part of being a gentleman: chess, fencing, cricket, public debating - and a bit of fisticuffs.

I went to Bristol and was on the boxing team. We used to have annual/biannual tournaments against UWE. Always good fun although UWE usually had more strength in depth.

You’re bang on about Bristol/Durham etc. I was amazed in my first year the sheer amount of people from private schools and international students. I didn’t know anyone there who came from a council estate. That’s not to say there weren’t but I’d imagine they are few and far between.

[rubberneck]

Boxing was also big amongst horse racing people. Strong little twats those jockeys.

Reminds me of Colin Dunne. He was an apprentice jockey.

There used to be an annual amateur boxing championship exclusively for jockeys (and stable hands, I think)up until about 15/20 years ago. Don’t know why it was stopped.

[jimmystone]

Boxing was also big amongst horse racing people. Strong little twats those jockeys.

Reminds me of Colin Dunne. He was an apprentice jockey.

There used to be an annual amateur boxing championship exclusively for jockeys (and stable hands, I think)up until about 15/20 years ago. Don’t know why it was stopped.

Bet that was a good night. Fit, brave lads and lasses are jockeys. Ideal material for fighters.

[johnty1888]

Former commonwealth Cruiser champion Stu lithgo was a jump jockey.

[margaret thatcher]

cruiser?

that's a massive jockey isn't it, must've killed poor horseys back

[mickey1975]

Not many groups of lads can get from Paul Sykes to horse racing via a university debate. Well done guys.

[mickey1975]

cruiser?

that's a massive jockey isn't it, must've killed poor horseys back

A jump jockey weighs a lot more and they boil down every day. And cruiserweight was 13st 8 in those days.

[Fray Bentos]

cruiser?

that's a massive jockey isn't it, must've killed poor horseys back

A jump jockey weighs a lot more and they boil down every day. And cruiserweight was 13st 8 in those days.

Lithgo was 6ft 4ins though (that is what it listed in Bruno's autobiography...)

Not a bad fighter by all accounts!

[tonyevs]

I think we can agree that Tony's son did well. Tonyevs doesn't like me so will insist it's common for a prisoners son from Orchard Park estate to go to Durham. Ok, evs.

Again you state something that's simply not true; I don't dislike you .. I just have a difference of opinion with you about some things.

Of course it's difficult to get into the prestigious universities, but certainly not unheard of as Tony Booths son proved.
A quick Google identifies that in Durham university 25 new students in 2020/2021 came from ‘low university participation’ neighbourhoods' .. that's council estates. And as various studies have found the biggest barrier to those kids off council estates applying is their own reluctance to apply there.

Yes Tony Booths son did very well getting in. No doubt a clever kid who had good family and school support in getting there. Hopefully it will encourage others off his old council estate to unblinker themselves.

[bennie]

cruiser?

that's a massive jockey isn't it, must've killed poor horseys back

A jump jockey weighs a lot more and they boil down every day. And cruiserweight was 13st 8 in those days.

Lithgo was 6ft 4ins though (that is what it listed in Bruno's autobiography...)

Not a bad fighter by all accounts!

Lithgo was a skinny fella and only raced a few times before coming off and breaking his leg. He then turned to boxing, filled out and gave Bruno a pretty good fight back in 1983 until his corner pulled him out at the end of the fourth round due to a cut. Lithgo protested.

[Counter-puncher]

Reminds me of Colin Dunne. He was an apprentice jockey.

There used to be an annual amateur boxing championship exclusively for jockeys (and stable hands, I think)up until about 15/20 years ago. Don’t know why it was stopped.

Bet that was a good night. Fit, brave lads and lasses are jockeys. Ideal material for fighters.

[mickey1975]

I don't know Tony's son, but if he's anything like his dad he will have adapted. Tony is comfortable in any scenario. Just a funny guy who doesn't give a sh!t.

[mickey1975]

I sparred a guy called Alex Mehta who was captain for oxford. I was 14 him about 20. He ended up captain of the blues team. I don't even remember why he was up here. We had a law school and he went on to be a well known barrister.

Was he any good, Mick?

Nothing special. Nice man and very committed. Never missed a session.

[Polidori]

Manny Goodall, who promoted Sykes, banned Boxing News when he read the preview of Paul's nothing fight with an African fella by the name of Lisimo Obutobe in Blackpool in October 1978. Obutobe was based in Europe but the meagre number of wins on his record came against men who, to this day, remain a complete mystery so BN listed the recognisable names, such as Lucien Rodriguez, Jean Pierre Coopman, Rudi Gauwe and Alfredo Evangelista - all of whom had stopped Obutobe. This enraged Goodall, who also accused Boxing News of southern bias because on the same night as Sykes-Obutobe, John L. Gardner took on Billy Aird for the vacant British heavyweight title at the Albert Hall and BN previewed the 15-rounder in the length it deserved. Harry Mullan wrote the preview himself. (Harry had a soft spot for Aird but overdid it when he tipped him to beat the rapidly improving Gardner, who pummelled Aird and forced him to retire at the end of the fifth round, cut over both eyes.)
How Goodall could compare the Sykes-Obutobe eight-rounder to a British title encounter is beyond me. Sykes stopped Obutobe in six rounds but the ban did him a favour next time out when, by all accounts, he looked lucky to take a 10-round decision over American Conrad Tooker in Wakefield. Then Sykes was mauled in six rounds by Gardner at Wembley and it was all over for his title aspirations and all over for Goodall, who went back to promoting dinner shows in Bradford.

Cracking post Bennie, I'd forgotten about Goodall's strop with BN, apparently he suggested that BN run Southern and Northern editions of the paper in future (that was plausible)

It was a really depressing night all round in Blackpool, it was very poorly attended (why would the populace of Blackpool be interested in a fight between a bloke from Wakefield and one from the Congo?) it was p*ssing down with rain, Sykes although in decent shape seemed completely bored with proceedings and no disrespect intended Obutobe was a big flabby bloke (with a massive head and spectacular sideburns) who couldn't fight for toffee.

In the changing room before hand all the other fighters were warming up but Obutobe who just had one second with him was sat gazing at the ground looking like he was going to the gallows, after the fight back in the changing room he was crying like a baby while his second attempted to console him. Incidentally the second was pretty useless, Obutobe boxed without handwraps and during the fight he suffered a badly cut lip and the second who seemed to lack adrenaline solution attempted to stem the wound with just vaseline, when this didn't worked he stuffed a piece of cotton wool into the wound (promptly removed by the ref)

On the undercard was an absolutely superb contest for the Central Area Lightheavy title between Alex Penarski and Francis Hands, both non punchers but Penarski was in superb shape and forced the fight for the entire ten rounds, while the more skilled Hands boxed brilliantly to gain the verdict.

Regarding the Gardner v Aird fight, Sykes correctly predicted a Gardner victory.

The Tooker fight back in Sykes home venue the once prestigious Wakefield Theatre Club, was a mean spirited affair all round, Sykes had gone missing for a week, he was late for the weigh in (showing up with one of his teenage harem) he was in a foul mood because of a terrible haircut he'd had earlier that day and Les Stevens losing to Tommy Kiely the night before (more on that later) and in the fight he ran out of steam after a couple of rounds and resorted to repeated head butts and low blows to beat the diminutive Tooker. I thought Sykes had lost as did most of the crowd who loudly booed the decision, Sykes who'd already left the ring got back in, took the mic from the MC only to be drowned out by the boos, he then petulantly threw down the mic, gave two fingers with both hands and he was rewarded with a shower of beer mats.

As for his annoyance at the Stevens v Keily result, if successful against Tooker he was down to fight Stevens in a final eliminator for the winner of Gardner v Aird, but it actually worked in his favour as due to already having a victory over Keily he received a direct shot at Gardner (after mooted fights in the States with Scott Ledoux and Jody Ballard came to nothing)

[mickey1975]

Sykes spent a lot of time in Blackpool and the Wakefield crowd love a day out there. I agree with Goodall on BN, even to this day. I've just watched 3 days of youth and cadet championships and the north is very much in a par, if not in front of the south. I can almost guarantee Conor Mitchell will make headlines, because his dad is Kev and he's from West Ham yet everyone in the amateurs knew Thomas Varey would beat him. Great fight none the less.

[Polidori]

I seem to recall there was also an attempt to get Sykes a fight with Leroy Jones.

Which would have been a disaster for Sykes as Jones was a very good fighter, big, skilled and fast hands. Only ever suffered one loss, to Larry Holmes.

Yes they were talking about that before the second fight with Malpass, but after only managing a draw in that encounter the plan was (sensibly) shelved.

Just had a look at Jones record, he had one more fight after the loss to Holmes (I thought he retired due to a detached retina) and he died in 2010 at the relatively young age of sixty.

[Polidori]

Sykes spent a lot of time in Blackpool and the Wakefield crowd love a day out there.

Yes selling cheap jewellery from a suitcase on the prom, I don't think the majority of Blackpool's population were even aware he was a boxer (hence the miserable attendance at the fight)

As for the 'Wakefield crowd loving a day out' in Blackpool (doesn't everyone?) I would imagine their idea of 'day out' in Blackpool was a balmy Saturday in high season, not a freezing, drizzly night in February.

I agree with Goodall on BN, even to this day. I've just watched 3 days of youth and cadet championships and the north is very much in a par, if not in front of the south. I can almost guarantee Conor Mitchell will make headlines, because his dad is Kev and he's from West Ham yet everyone in the amateurs knew Thomas Varey would beat him. Great fight none the less.

Amateur boxing barely gets any coverage in BN wherever it takes place, it's not really comparable (or relevant) to Goodall's grievance.