British Boxing Trainers

[TopGun]

Who would you vote as the Best British Boxing Trainer from this list above or one you would like to work with if you had a choice?

I suspect I forgot some obvious ones, but I was limited to 10 names and wanted to include more recent trainers, some been around a long time others are new to the top level.

All of the names are excellent trainers in their own right but who would you choose and why????

[mickey1975]

It has to be Tibbs at the moment.

[Coco]

Enzo Calzaghe has the best track record by a mile

[bripez]

Difficult one - half of the names are well known for training 1 very sucessful boxer.

This then is the old chestnut - does the trainer make the boxer or the other way round (if it was the trainer then surely the trainer would have a stable of successful boxers and not just one ?).

[TopGun]

Have to admit I like Adam Booth's approach, seems to know what he is talking about and is a little less old school in his training methods.

[mickey1975]

Enzo Calzaghe has the best track record by a mile

Tibbs must run him close?

[jessi]

Due to how recent success in the amateurs over the past couple of years and Carl froch I've chosen Mcracken

[dbf]

Such a subjective topic. It's so hard to tell if someone is a good trainer because there are too many variables.

Some trainers at good at pads but shocking in the corner, some at average at pads but very confident in the corner, some get tactics spot on but their fighters lack fitness others are drill sergeants who have boxers who only fight one way.

Every trainer mentioned has been flavour of the month at one point. Its as much about how much you click and get on with someone as it is about the trainers skills.

I'm quite skeptical about how good pro trainers are, as there is no rigid coaching structure for the pro's. People won't believe but the amateur coach education programme in England is light years ahead of the BBBC's and ask any amateur coach how hard it is to pass level 3/4. Admittedly levels 1/2 are very straightforward.

What were Adam Booths coaching credentials before he worked with Haye? As far as I can see he was a PT/Masseuse and an ex amateur who allegedly had 40 odd bouts, he started helping out at Fitzroy Lodge and I don't believe did many corners for any amateurs.

He basically clicked with Haye. Sounds far fetched now but it seems like he was a big boxing fan who managed to create a relationship with a young Haye and they clicked and Booth learnt a lot along the way.

[expe]

Enzo Calzaghe has the best track record by a mile

Tibbs must run him close?

Has Tibbs ever had a world champion?

[mickey1975]

Enzo Calzaghe has the best track record by a mile

Tibbs must run him close?

Has Tibbs ever had a world champion?

Well he's worked with a few before, during or after their reigns. Nigel Benn was some of his best work. I suppose Enzo beats everyone hands down if you mean the lads taken from scratch.

[expe]

Has to be Enzo Calzaghe, I doubt any other British trainer has had 3 world champions in his stable at once.

Of the active trainers, it would be Billy Nelson, for the improvement he's brought out of Ricky Burns.

Adam Booth has done well with Haye and Groves, but it was mentioned above that he's a bit less 'old school' in his methods and that's what goes against him for me, stick with the tried and tested for me, don't mess about trying to be unique and innovative.

I don't know what it is, but I don't rate the Tibbs' as trainers, they couldn't keep Kevin Mitchell in check and Billy Joe Saunders conditioning is poor, he always gasses towards the end of fights.

McCracken has done well with Froch, but his padwork is awful and any amateur success doesn't matter to me, the pros is a different game. I think Froch has made McCracken, rather than the other way round, Froch is tough and has a great chin, plus he's very fit, but how much effect has McCracken had on those? A better trainer would have ironed out Froch's technical flaws and rounded him off as a fighter.

The Ingle style won't work for every fighter and for it to work the fighter has to be with them from the start, because I would guess it's hard to adapt to, since Brendan took a step backward the quality of the fighters in the gym has dropped, there's no Naz, no Herol Graham or even a Johnny Nelson in the gym. Whether that's down to Dom, or the fighters that walk into the gym is hard to tell.

Joe Gallagher has had a lot of success and he's definitely improving, but he's yet to take a fighter to the highest level and too many of his fighters seem to simply get their hands up, chin down and march forward in straight lines throwing punches.

Peter Fury has a major effect on Tyson, mainly because he listens to him, but I'm yet to see any major technical improvements in him. Hughie is being brought along well, while he hasn't been tested, there's definitely talent there.

Gary Lockett has done a good job of bringing Gavin Rees back, but he was a former world champion, I'd be interested to see how he does when he takes a fighter on before he turns pro.

I have never seen Dereck Chisora in what I would consider good condition and responsibility for that has to go to Don Charles, if he won't train properly, then throw him out of the gym and tell him to come back when he can be arsed to train properly.

[expe]

Tibbs must run him close?

Has Tibbs ever had a world champion?

Well he's worked with a few before, during or after their reigns. Nigel Benn was some of his best work. I suppose Enzo beats everyone hands down if you mean the lads taken from scratch.

It depends, Billy Nelson didn't have Ricky Burns from the start, but he definitely brought out the best in him. Smoothing off the rough edges in a fighter and taking him to the next level is difficult, especially when you've only just started to train the fighter.

[tear up]

Mcracken easy ..

[mickey1975]

McCracken-Froch and Nelson-Burns have a lot in common in they seem to have a great bond with the fighter, The Calzaghe's and Fury's too, obviously. So I think it is a combination of a few things that make the full package.

[Wales]

Did booth have haye or mcraken have froch from scratch like enzo did with all (or almost all) of his stable?

Hes quite unfashionable, and in a way an underated trainer is enzo, in my opinion. hes maybe not as "tv friendly" as some of the others, which maybe has resulted in him not getting the kudos he sometimes deserves. but a 20 odd title fight run says he must know his winstons from his enochs.

I could be bias though

[leprechaun]

Watch out for the young Colin Wilson.
Fantastic in fighting technique and great fitness training.

He is looking after Charlie rice, a good good fighter and one for the future..

[brian13]

I find it hard to pick one. Mc Cracken has done some serious work with Froch and turned him into a serious fighter. He is also very good tactically and that showed against Abraham and Bute. He is helped though by Froch being a very good student of the game.

Booth has produced Haye and Groves to exceptional levels. If he get Andy Lee to a World champion then he is the best trainer in British boxing today.

Billy Nelson should have more votes, he has produced Harrison and Burns. Not many thought Burns would even be a World champion but to make him a two weight World champion is an extremely impressive achievement.

[mickey1975]

Billy helped out with Harrison, his father Peter was always the top man.

[Wales]

Not many thought Burns would even be a World champion but to make him a two weight World champion is an extremely impressive achievement.

Very true. Always at the back of my mind "but he beat earl, nah, mustve been a good night for him and bad one for graham" , however he has proven himself again and again. Even more impressive as he doesnt pack a big punch.

Also, couldnt train two fighters with such different styles. The swarming pressure of harrison compared to Burns tight defence and attack built behind stiff jab. Although didnt Harrisons dad take him most of the way?

[dbf]

Did booth have haye or mcraken have froch from scratch like enzo did with all (or almost all) of his stable?

Hes quite unfashionable, and in a way an underated trainer is enzo, in my opinion. hes maybe not as "tv friendly" as some of the others, which maybe has resulted in him not getting the kudos he sometimes deserves. but a 20 odd title fight run says he must know his winstons from his enochs.

I could be bias though

Booth had Haye from his first pro fight and was 'training' him for his last few am bouts.

McCracken has been Carls only pro coach.

With Enzo lets face it, Joe was an exceptional talent and Rees and Maccarinelli were perhaps lucky to become world champions. Enzo wasn't a technical or tactical coach but a very good conditioner who got through to his stable.

Best trainer in Britain right now? Mickey Driscoll.

[Wales]

If joe was an exceptional talent, what could you say about froch and haye when they arrived at their respective trainers.

[matko]

I bin lucky in boxing t train and work with the Harrison brothers and I think definatly Oliver should of made the list, yes slightly biased but he didn't get a ready made really expierienced fighter in Jamie Moore yes Jamie had great basics from his amateur days but Oliver took him to the next level.

Martin Murray yes he was an ABA champion but had time out and did anyone hand on heart watch him think he could be amongst world class pros in them days?

Rocky fielding who is becoming a big hitter 14 win 8 KOs, won prizefighter after entering with 3 bouts won it all by KO?

All of them improved under Oliver now I'm not here saying he the best ouch in the country blah blah but he is a very underrated coach who is great with tactics and improving fighters and think he should make the list

[Wales]

Amir couldve done worse as to continue with Oliver too, he just wasnt "yes sir" and "wow you were amazing" enough for certain people, allegedly.

[matko]

Some great names thou for example Billy nelson has changed Ricky burns completely around I feel and ingles do a great job too!! Always bin a big fan of tibbs gr8 list hard for anyone to pic a favourite I bet

[manno]

Like Harrison and nobody in the game seems to have a bad word about his ability. TBH think Jimmy Tibbs achievments as a trainer are been overlooked re. his canning town days, although not on his own he was critical imo in the development of that crop of fighters under Terry Lawless and George Francis. After that he was somewhat a gun for hire eg Benn, but no different to Freddie Roach. Agree with earlier post, it depends who the flavour of the month is and different trainers bring different things. One of my managers/trainers was like listening to a record in the corner but he got me in good nick, the other coach i would have walked thru walls if he'd have asked me and he could really read a fight but weren't that bothered in the gym. Mcracken for me, a good all rounder