Ensley Bingham

[Jeff Thomas]

Ensley Bingham
Manchester, England
Age: 50 (!!)
Status: Former two time Undefeated British Light-Middleweight Champion, Former WBO world light middle title challenger

Record: 20-8 (16KO's)

Best Wins: W Rsf 12, W Rsf 8 Nicky Thurbin, W KO 7 Jim Rock, W Rsf 3 Gilbert Jackson, W KO 5 Kevin Adamson, W Rsf 2 Mark McCreath, W KO 2 Antony Ivory

Notable losses: L Pts 12 Ronald Wright, L Rsf 10 Robert McCraken

Strengths: Incredible Left Hook, Timing, good boxing skills, eye for the knockout, heart, fitness

Weaknesses: defence, chin

One of my favourite fighters Bingham was on the fringes of world class for what seemed a life time. His frightening dismantaling of durable fighters such as Antony Ivory actually led to him being boxing news' favourite going into his WBO title shot. Sadly it wasn't to be but he certainly provided incredible drama every time he was in the ring. His title fight with Robbie Mac was probably the pick of his career in terms of excitement he almost stopped McCracken before coming undone late on. The turning point in his career probably came the night he KO'd mark McCreath it earned him a shot at the British title Vs Gilbert Jackson then 15-1 (13KO's).

It was a great journey... Any bingham memories?

[Giancarlo]

Ensley Bingham vs Kostas Petrou:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFRGBzlKUCU

[TerribleTerry]

Probably not one Ensley would care to remember but he had a cracking fight with Wally Swift Jnr, which the Silhillian won late with a shot that saw Ensley's knees dip and left him staring out into the crowd, before the ref stepped into stop it. Swift wasn't known as a puncher so it made the ending all that more memorable.

Ensley could KO anyone he caught clean with that left hook though - it was a truly monstrous punch.

[Superheavy]

Excellent post - I've not seen anything of Ensley but sounds like a great journey. With boxing, there are so many stories like this, ones that might never be told. Someimes you just want to say "thanks for the memories".

[Jeff Thomas]

Excellent post - I've not seen anything of Ensley but sounds like a great journey. With boxing, there are so many stories like this, ones that might never be told. Someimes you just want to say "thanks for the memories".

My new forum thing....

Thanks for the vid above will watch tomorrow

[pyenest77]

Saw him on quite a few of the champs camps shows. Hell of a banger!

[manno]

yeh the Petrou fight where the greek tank eventually rolled over him after a terriffic battle of wills and then the swift fight, two losses i know but great fights. Oh by the way, Swift was a great little domestic boxer too!

[addi]

a really nice fella as well. he had a great left hook.

[addi]

and i saw him fight against john gascull, gasgone not sure of the last name ( he boxed out of haughton green a.b.c) anyway in the amatures i saw these two fight a couple of times and each fight was toe to toe cracker.

[Jeff Thomas]

I'll do another one soon... hope people like the idea

[clunkclik]

Saw him recently at a show at york hall, still looked in great shape, tho it looked like he was wearing a support belt,

[orbtastic]

Exciting fighter in his day, he had some serious power in that left hook, although he was left chasing Winky Wright for 12 rounds.

The KO over Ivory, who was normally quite durable was a bit of a surprise - no-one expected it, least of all Ivory. The brace of fights with Jackson & Logan were highly entertaining, from memory Jackson came into that fight off the back of a thriller with erratic but dangerous Paul Wesley (? someone say yes or no). The first fight with Thurbin I remember him being behind on pts until the last gasp stoppage and the rematch saw him stopped more emphatically with Thurbin face first on the canvas.

[stujones]

I remember Sky universally picked Bingham to catch Wright..... wasn't he nursing an injury or something in that fight.

I wouldn't necessarily say his weakness was his chin, he lost every minute of every round against Wright (albeit not the biggest puncher, but a truely elite fighter) but didn't look close to being stopped.

I would say Workrate and handspeed would be his weakness. Too often he would be looking for the Bingo and would struggle against fighters he probably had the capability of outboxing if he wanted to... instead he would often need a KO to win.

Handspeed was a weakness also, cause too often he would couldn't catch his opponents clean with his power shots until they tired. However, I would have liked to have seen Bingo box more.

[Jeff Thomas]

Exciting fighter in his day, he had some serious power in that left hook, although he was left chasing Winky Wright for 12 rounds.

The KO over Ivory, who was normally quite durable was a bit of a surprise - no-one expected it, least of all Ivory. The brace of fights with Jackson & Logan were highly entertaining, from memory Jackson came into that fight off the back of a thriller with erratic but dangerous Paul Wesley (? someone say yes or no). The first fight with Thurbin I remember him being behind on pts until the last gasp stoppage and the rematch saw him stopped more emphatically with Thurbin face first on the canvas.

Was Wesley yes - Wesley is my next one I think

[jBacca]

One a day Jeff, keep it up! :)

[liamlion]

Ensley Bingham
Manchester, England
Age: 50 (!!)
Status: Former two time Undefeated British Light-Middleweight Champion, Former WBO world light middle title challenger

Record: 20-8 (16KO's)

Best Wins: W Rsf 12, W Rsf 8 Nicky Thurbin, W KO 7 Jim Rock, W Rsf 3 Gilbert Jackson, W KO 5 Kevin Adamson, W Rsf 2 Mark McCreath, W KO 2 Antony Ivory

Notable losses: L Pts 12 Ronald Wright, L Rsf 10 Robert McCraken

Strengths: Incredible Left Hook, Timing, good boxing skills, eye for the knockout, heart, fitness

Weaknesses: defence, chin

One of my favourite fighters Bingham was on the fringes of world class for what seemed a life time. His frightening dismantaling of durable fighters such as Antony Ivory actually led to him being boxing news' favourite going into his WBO title shot. Sadly it wasn't to be but he certainly provided incredible drama every time he was in the ring. His title fight with Robbie Mac was probably the pick of his career in terms of excitement he almost stopped McCracken before coming undone late on. The turning point in his career probably came the night he KO'd mark McCreath it earned him a shot at the British title Vs Gilbert Jackson then 15-1 (13KO's).

It was a great journey... Any bingham memories?

Yeah, McCracken ate Bingo's trademark left hook and somehow managed to climb himself off the deck and recover. Massive punch.

[hurlock]

i think he had two decent fights with gary logan the mc aswell.

[matko]

I remember the Logan fight if i remember rightly, im sure Logan he was in front??It was in Manchester im sure??
Also remember when he laid Jim Rock out as well with a big shot on sk, remember the Pink Panther well always in great shape
Shame that he had to meet a young legend in Winky Wright, even thou he had home advantage it was just a step to far and you could see why Winky was avoided so long, Ensley couldn't land that big left hook as Winky was always 1 step ahead but all the lads who i know who sparred him say that he hit very hard I think that maybe why my mate Mark "Fantasy Boy" Haslam" is so disfigured or it may not of been Ensley??
What would of happened had he met Paul "Silky" Jones who was world champion around that time? Could of been a big fight up North??

[dhb-raging bull]

one of blokes from my local boxed ensley it was mark kelly he said ensley was a top fighter

[RJP]

I remember the Logan fight if i remember rightly, im sure Logan he was in front??It was in Manchester im sure??
Also remember when he laid Jim Rock out as well with a big shot on sk, remember the Pink Panther well always in great shape
Shame that he had to meet a young legend in Winky Wright, even thou he had home advantage it was just a step to far and you could see why Winky was avoided so long, Ensley couldn't land that big left hook as Winky was always 1 step ahead but all the lads who i know who sparred him say that he hit very hard I think that maybe why my mate Mark "Fantasy Boy" Haslam" is so disfigured or it may not of been Ensley??
What would of happened had he met Paul "Silky" Jones who was world champion around that time? Could of been a big fight up North??

Ha. I remember Mark Haslam from Steve Woods' dinner shows at The Willows. Wasnt his nickname something to do with a Manchester establishment of a similar name?

[rollernads]

Im sure his name was "Fantasy boy" but should of been "Fantasising about little boys!!"

[T.M.K]

I remember Sky universally picked Bingham to catch Wright..... wasn't he nursing an injury or something in that fight.

It seems trange to think back - but just about every media outlet was picking Bingham to win. It was as though all he had to do was show up - and it was even the same when Dodson got a shot at Wright. I remember doing a sweep of the journos at ringside and actually, seriously, wondering if there was a "let's all wind the youngetsre up - all say we think Wright will get beaten" kind of joke going on.... I don't know if people were unaware of Wright, under-rated him, hadn't seen him - but it seems barmy that people actually picked Foster, Bingham and Dodson against him THEN - let alone what he went onto acheive afterwards.

Bingham was a very decent National-level operator who got a gift world title shot but was a way short of world class, yet hyped-up to be so.

(Still remember the way he almost took Nicky Thurbin's head off, what a shot! He did have a great left hook and at domestic level it could have beaten almost anyone on the right day).

"T.M.K"/Col

[orbtastic]

I think the be fair, he wasn't entirely an unknown quantity back then, he had been with the Acaries brothers and boxed a fair bit in France and his first title shot had ended poorly for him, with him being up and down so many times some people lost count. He'd boxed well, but lost, ultimately. He hadn't been overly impressive in winning the WBO title either and if you looked at their respective performances against Ivory, I think that's what a few people went along with. I didn't give Bingham much of a chance and certainly gave Foster & Dodson less of one.

[Manchester Massive]

Wayne Barker told me that him and Ensley both went over to the US together to get some quality sparring and ended up for a while training at the Kronk. I know Wayne sparred with Hearns there and I'm guessing Ensley might have. Wayne told me he had an absolute gym war with Caveman Lee and had him backed up on the ropes unloading on him - next think he can remember was being pulled out of the ring by his feet having been sparked out cold by Lee.

[T.M.K]

I think the be fair, he wasn't entirely an unknown quantity back then, he had been with the Acaries brothers and boxed a fair bit in France and his first title shot had ended poorly for him, with him being up and down so many times some people lost count. He'd boxed well, but lost, ultimately.

Agreed, which is why I gave the pundits more credit..... especially as JC Vasquez was a tough SOB and Wright had mentioned a very slippery canvas/boots problem (plus he was relatively inexperienced in the rough-house tactics up to that point).

I just thought that the "hype-overload" about Bingham's hook went into overdrive and he went from being a decent Brit-level operator to a sudden world-beater.....great PR work but ultimately he should never have been picked as favourite by so many (if any) but we should have just appluaded him going for a world title (like if Jon Thaxton had gone in against a Joel Casamayor or Diego Corrales).

"T.M.K"