Frank Young

Name: Frank Young
Hometown: Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Birthplace: Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Died: 2020-03-19 (Age:73)
Pro Boxer: Record
Amateur Boxer: Record

Brother of Young Gabriel and Gerry Young.

Obituary

By: Denis O'Hara

BELFAST-born welterweight Frankie Young died aged 74 on March 19,2020, in the Lagan Valley Hospital, Lisburn,County Antrim, following a lengthy battle against vascular dementia.

One of the toughest fighters to emerge from west Belfast he chalked up 39 paid bouts from 1968 to 1976 - and took on the world's best welterweights.

Ironically, the former double Ulster amateur welterweight champion, in 1966 and 1967, and twice a national IABA finalist, the 1966 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist (when losing to England's Bobby Arthur in Jamaica), never displayed his relentless punching power and resilience as a professional in an Irish ring.

During that period no meaningful professional bills were staged in Northern Ireland.

Coached from juvenile level to an Irish title by the eccentric Liam 'Stack' McConnell in the old Dominic Savio gym, Andersonstown, Belfast, which McConnell helped to launch in 1955 - later the club name changed to St Agnes ABC, Young was then associated with the nearby Oliver Plunkett Club in Hannahstown.

From a fighting family of eleven children (two girls) southpaw light-middle Gerry Young and welterweight Gabriel were also in the paid ranks, while Terry and Jody became Irish internationals. Gabriel was first to join the professional ranks,also in London under Jack Burns, and used the ring name of Young Gabriel.

Terry Young said: "My brother Frank was an exceptional boxer, but the cards never fell in his favour. He had to travel all over the globe to take on some of the world's best welterweights.After his amateur days ended he was never again able to box in front of his Belfast fans."

A painter and decorator to trade, Frankie moved to London where ex-fighter Bobby Neill set up many quality contest for him. Young trained in the Butchers Arms pub gym in St Pancras. He lost to his Commonwealth Games nemesis Bobby Arthur in a British championship eliminator in Solihull.

His ring record of 19-17-3 reveals bouts staged in Australia (two memorable wins over Brendan Jackson in Melbourne), South Africa (a narrow points loss to future world light-heavyweight champion Pierre Fourie in Johannesburg), France, New Zealand, Spain, Germany, Denmark and at local level colliding with Kevin Finnegan, Alan Minter, Des Rea, Gus Farrell, Barry Calderwood (x 4) and Mickey Laud (x 2).