Jack aims to continue in footsteps of Boxing Champion

Jack aims to continue in footsteps of Boxing Champion

Jack aims to continue in footsteps of Boxing Champion

PUBLISHED 05 November 2020

Extract from Gazette report - 1st November 2020:

Brian London's grandson hopes to keep the family tradition going

The grandson of Brian London is training hard to follow in the footsteps of the Blackpool boxing great.  Jack is a dedicated student of the sport at Brian Rose’s Blackpool gym, where he is tipped as a potential champion. The 11-year-old has not only inherited his grandfather’s talent, he also has London’s medals as well as one of his headguards to wear in sparring.

 

London, 86, was crowned British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion in 1958 and twice fought for the world title. He has lived in Blackpool for the past 70 years. Rose, a British champion and world title challenger himself, told The Gazette: “Jack will hopefully be a champ like his grandad. I was Blackpool’s first British champion after Brian, and it would be a great story for Blackpool if Jack could become a champion too.”

Jack, who lives close to Stanley Park and started secondary school at AKS in September, began training at Rose’s BR Boxing and Fitness gym on Talbot Road before lockdown in March.  

Jack told The Gazette: “I like boxing and it’s going well. I’d like to become a professional boxer like my grandad.  I started training properly when I was about seven and I started training with Bobby Rimmer at the Brian Rose gym about seven months ago.  I’m training three days a week during school term-time and every day over the holidays.  I’m in the top weight division for my age and I think I could go on to be a professional boxer.”

As for his legendary grandfather, Jack added: “I’ve always lived in Blackpool and I visit grandad regularly.  I’ve seen some of his fights and I think he was unlucky when he fought Floyd Patterson for the world title.”

 

Those mementoes of London’s career are added inspiration for the young boxer, including the headguard his grandad wore more than half a century ago.

“I was given the headguard by my auntie and I will use it in sparring,” Jack said. “It’s a bit big but I can tie it back, so it fits okay. I’m proud to have his medals too.”

Jack Harper shares the name of his great grandfather, who was himself a British and Commonwealth champion fighter during the 1940s.  Jack and his son Brian both changed their name from Harper to London on becoming boxers.

AUTHOR: AKS Lytham
CATEGORIES: Sport
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