Sheffield Boxing Centre

An article about Glyn Rhodes and the Sheffield Boxing Centre, which was done for Boxing News

“Before I began boxing at 16, I weren’t a very nice person. I lived with my grandparents and lacked a strong male role model. It was more exciting being in trouble than not. My final school report says ‘His attitude can only lead to disaster!’ I were heading for prison.

I was sort of in a gang. We all thought we could fight so went to Brendan Ingle’s gym. The others drifted off but gradually I spent more time at the gym than with me mates. The close friends I had before went down the drugs and prison route.

In Brendan, I finally found a man I could respect. He was always giving his mad sermons but he was good for me, taught me right-from wrong, manners, basic hygiene. It’s only now it makes sense. I teach the same to my (gym) lads today.

I only boxed amateur for about a season and a half, won about half of 30 bouts. I just enjoyed having a fight. I’d never been off our council estate before and suddenly I’m going to places like London and stopping in big hotels. I’d no aspirations of boxing professional. Boxing was just something to do until something better came along.

I turned pro solely because I liked the money and didn’t want to work for a living. I was never fit.

It still surprises me and others that I became a trainer. From age 16 to 33 all my friends and social life were at the St Thomas gym, it had been my sanctuary. When I retired it suddenly stopped.

I got a job building a fitness gym and the boss asked if I could teach boxing there to kids. I enjoyed it so thought ‘Why not get your own gym?’ In 1994, I moved into a derelict school in Burton St. We had to beg, steal and borrow equipment –mainly steal(!) and I borrowed a few quid to get it up and running. That was the start of the Sheffield Boxing Centre.

I owe a big thank you to Herol (Graham). He brought Richie Wenton and himself to me and that established me as a serious trainer, enabled me to get involved in title fights as a young trainer. Right place, right time.

Richie was a gym rat, always changing trainers but I was with him longest. I had him for British, European and world title fights. I worked his corner the night his opponent Bradley Stone died (April 1994) and I really struggled with that. As a young trainer it should’ve been my greatest night but I couldn’t celebrate. I did contemplate packing it in and walking away.

Richie and me are still good friends today but our relationship was volatile. When he challenged (Marco Antonio) Barrera for the world title, I wanted him to box the way Junior Jones had twice beaten Barrera but Richie insisted on his own thing (Wenton was retired after three).

Herol had been out for four years when I began training him. We are the same age and, since our late teens, went through the same system at Wincobank. I certainly weren’t going to change him. He was only 70 to 80% of what he was in his prime but he still did quite well. People highlight his elusiveness could really bang on the pads.

I actually advocated he retired again after our first fight together (wpts8, Terry Ford). I’m the first to say now I was wrong. Herol taught me how to be a trainer.

I ran his corner the night he challenged (IBF super middle boss Charles) Brewer for the title. If we’d known at the time Brewer had hurt his ankle when Herol put him over we’d have approached it differently. Unfortunately when ‘Bomber’ got tagged he went back to what he knew; hands by his sides. He’d never been taught how to tuck up and hold.

I was also involved, if not the main man, in (WBO light-middle king Paul) ‘Silky’ Jones career. He was one of the first to leave Brendan and do well. A bit later, Naz used to come to me for the early weeks of his prep before (Us trainer) Oscar Suarez came over. Unfortunately, Naz always wanted to work in private away from the kids which I thought was terrible. However, he hit harder on the pads than anyone, regardless of weight, and I worked with (heavyweight contender) Clifton Mitchell . Phenomenal.

I don’t train mine like Brendan trained me. If you don’t grow up in Brendan’s circle, it’s hard to fit in. With Bomber and Silky I spent a lot of time in US gyms, spoke with guys like Sandy Saddler, and none of them did it like Brendan. I began to adopt a different outlook. I can work well with both elusive and aggressive types. Unlike at Wincobank, all my fighters keep their hands up and chins tucked in, even the exceptionally good ones like Naz and Bomber only get away with it for so long.

I’m pretty old school, everything off the jab. I stress that they must do their roadwork, watch their diet and need competitive sparring. You have to be a little scared. I remember sparring a prime Barry McGuigan at Eastwood’s (gym in Belfast) with a casual outlook and he dropped me with his very first shot, to the body. I thought my ribs had caved in.

At the gym, I’m a mother, father, psychologist and psychiatrist! It helps that I boxed because I know how it feels in a crisis. I’m good at motivating, can read personalities. I know who to plead with, who to shout at. I also know all the excuses. I gave them all to Brendan in my time!

Initially I was training fighters for others but felt they weren’t taking the right matches, undermining my hard work, so in 1994 I took out a manager’s licence. Then I found I was always waiting for the phone to ring. Noone wanted my kids as opponents because they were dangerous so I started also promoting to bring them through. Often I lose money –close to four grand when a Billy Boyle opponent pulled out and I had to fly in a late sub from Latvia – but it gets four or five of my kids fights and hopefully moves them on a bit further. I’ve co-promoted with others but generally like to steer my own ship. I’ve also done some celebrity dinners with legends like Leonard, Duran, Hagler, Lamotta....They can be lucrative.

Last season I had a rough time in title fights, with John Fewkes, Ross Burkinshaw and Billy Boyle all getting beat. Billy’s an overachiever, not the most polished. But he’s an honest pro who sells tickets and wanted to earn money. It would have been different if he was 23 not 33, but boxing’s about taking chances, during fights and also with who you fight. I got stick for pulling Billy out so early (round two) but we were in the same changing rooms at the same venue, I’d been when Bradley Stone died, and it did play on my mind. I really rate (conqueror Nathan) Cleverly.

I’ve had Ross and ‘Fewksey’ since they were babies. It really upset me that Fewksey lost to Martin Gethin (stopped in four for the English lightweight title). But John’s his own worst enemy, likes his food too much! His future’s at light-welter and I still expect him to get to British title level. He’s not big at the weight or a big hitter but he’s got a great boxing brain.

Ross couldn’t find anyone to fight at superbantam - his natural weight – and had had a lot of problems with his shoulder. We took a chance (losing in four to Lee Haskins for the British superfly crown). The tactics were for Ross to do nothing for the first three or four rounds but he took it too literally!

Now I’m focussing on Clinton’s (IBF) world title challenge with Tavoris Cloud. I previously trained Clinton 12 years ago when he won the Commonwealth supermiddle title. We never fell out but he was due to defend in Hull the night I took Bomber fought Brewer in Atlantic City Brewer. Clintfound another trainer and didn’t come back.

When he lost his title to Tarver (pts 12) its no secret he fell out with Richard Poxon in the build up and couldn’t get any sparring. He just wanted to go home. Now’s he’s happy in his work again. He’s been on fire sparring Ovill McKenzie. He’s very imposing in the ring, hard as nails and he’s got experience which Cloud ain’t.

I’ve watched the kid (Cloud) on video and the Julio Gonzales he stopped was completely shot. Clinton’s had hard fights but not wars. He’s never been bashed up. We know we’re up against it over there but we’re really looking forward to it. Cloud ain’t been in with anything like Clinton Woods.

I’m absolutely addicted to boxing. Apart from my kids, boxing’s the only thing in my life. I’m in the gym seven days a week and when I’m not I’m on the internet or reading about it, I’m on the phone discussing it.

Today I live in a nice detached bungalow in the Sheffield countryside and I’ve friends who are pro footballers, film and pop stars. I’m a grafter but none of that would have been possible if I’d not got involved in boxing at 16. I’ve had a right time!”

Rhodes on his own pro career

“To be honest, I learned with Brendan, on the wings of (Herol) ‘Bomber’ Graham.

Sparring the likes of ‘Bomber’, Brian Anderson, Fidel Castro, Walter Clayton was a real challenge but apart from that, I never used to train. I’d fall asleep hitting the bags and I never put on weight so saw no point getting up early to run in the morning. I was a bit ignorant.

I suppose my two assets were that I could always punch a bit and I was a good runner, had to be from being chased around the estate! My way was definitely to hit and not get hit. I always enjoyed the Alis and Robinsons more than the Marcianos and Benns. It’s great watching your Hattons but, ten years down the line it catches up with them.

I had 65 fights in good class. I was better than a mere journeyman. I was a good ticket seller but, back then, no one was promoting in Sheffield. I got paid more than average cos I’d always be the underdog against a local kid, or boxing abroad. To last as long as I did and leave with all your marbles, you can’t get hit. Thankfully I can still remember it all.

I was known as ‘Showboat’. For me, getting a reaction from the crowd, whether cheers or boos, was more important winning. Now everybody at Wincobank does it but I was one of the first. Back then, Brendan screamed blue at me to keep me hands up and I was also one of the first to switch...by necessity! Me left hand would be knackered so I’d jab with me right. I’d certainly have won more than I did if I’d knuckled down but I’d not have enjoyed it as much so I’ve certainly no regrets.

The highlights were boxing at Liverpool Stadium where Sugar Ray Robinson once fought and losing on points to (future WBO welter champ) Eamonn Loughran at White Hart Lane the night Michael Watson got hurt. (Ex British and Commonwealth light-welter kings) Tony Ekubia and Andy Holligan were probably the best I fought. Holligan definitely hit me hardest. I’d no idea he’d knocked me down till I watched it later on video!

My favourite fight was against Liverpool’s Jimmy Brown (Wpts8, Mayfair 1981) because I really had to dig in, go in the trenches, and that proved to myself I had heart when it mattered. You can’t teach heart.”

Glyn Rhodes on the social initiatives at the Sheffield Boxing Centre and a threat to its future

“When we moved in at Burton St, the school were derelict and local thugs were smashing up. Me and my boxers moved in as ‘unofficial caretakers’. Today it’s a thriving community.

If I had to run it purely from the income from the boxers, I’d not be able to do it. It’s not Fitness First but it’s a little social club. Kids can come and rub shoulders with a world champion (Clinton Woods). We have women only classes, kids on a Saturday morning similar to what Brendan does at Wincobank. I’ve also got my circuit classes, the notorious ‘Vomit Session’ where we have to put bins around the gym! It’s for fitness freaks who train far harder than I ever did – as soon as I started sweating, I stopped (!) - yet the harder I push ‘em, the more they come back.

We also promote ‘alternative education’ for the kids. We’ve got some classroom space with computers we’ve been donated, and the GMB union are going to provide instructors. We’ll encourage the kids to arrive an hour before training to do a bit of learning.

Our Motto is ‘Racism Divides, Boxing Unites.’ We run anti racism and anti bullying initiatives and, let me tell ya, if the world could function the same way as my gym does, it’d be a far healthier place. We’ve got all ages, sizes, genders, races and religions, gang members from all areas, training harmoniously whether they’re just keeping fit or boxing competitively. And I’d not have it any other way.

We’ve taken the ‘anti bullying thing’ into the local schools and prisons where, unfortunately, we find a few old pros. I don’t like to see anybody being put down by someone else, whether physically or mentally. Whereas most bullies are cowards who front people who wont front ‘em back, boxers are gladiators. We just talk to people and hopefully some get the message.

Recently, we’ve come under threat. We paid rent to the Education department but never anything in writing, something I now regret. Over the years the council have reduced our space while simultaneously increasing our rent to a level that we’re struggling to manage; the same as commercial firms are paying. We’ve been made to feel uncomfortable.

I run my amateur set up out of a gym behind the Ball Inn but that’s not really big enough for the pros and there’s parking restrictions between 4-6pm. Because of what we do with the kids, lots are sympathetic to our cause and we’ve had a lot of positive publicity. I’ve a meeting with the council when I come back from the States and hopefully we’re going to reach a compromise.”

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