Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Tom Coleman

Jacob Robinson's dad shook the sporting world in the 1990s and now there's a new chapter

There's a huge Welsh flag upstairs at St Joseph's Boxing Gym in Newport.

At the bottom, it proudly boasts that this humble building is 'The Home of Champions'.

The place probably needs a lick of paint here and there, but as the steel doors creak open it's by no means a hollow brag.

I'm not here to see him, but former British flyweight champion Andrew Selby is here being put through his paces, against a backdrop of posters and framed pictures of various glory days gone by.

It's impossible to hear anything over the sounds of gloves thudding against pads, the noise reverberating around the place with visceral intensity.

Downstairs, men (and it is mostly men) are discussing the ins and outs of everything from Covid to nightclub security - all of this against the background noise of uplifting reggae music.

When former WBO featherweight Stephen Robinson finally walks in, he's greeted with all the formalities of a regular walking into their local pub.

There's respect there. But such is the pedigree of this place, no one seems all that bothered by the idea of a world champion walking through the door.

Stephen Robinson has backed his son for big things (Rob Browne/WalesOnline)

The circumstances around Steve's successful bid to become Welsh boxing's first champion of the world in 25 years back in 1993 are unlikely to ever be repeated. It's a tale that's been told so many times.

But, while it's impossible not to mention that victory over John Davison all those years ago, I'm here to hear about a potentially new chapter in the Robinson story

Indeed, youngest son Jacob is already creating history, and is hoping for a big year with his dad by his side.

Towards the end of last year, 30 years on from when his dad last claimed the belt himself, Jake was crowned Welsh Featherweight champion, beating Angelo Dragone in Cardiff.

Father-son boxing dynasties are not unheard of, but for a fighter to win the same belt, in the same weight as their parent is exceptionally rare.

Jake admits boxing helped him calm down as a child (Stephen Robinson)

As he follows his dad into the gym to meet me, it doesn't take long for the conversation to drift towards the significance of that victory.

"To win the Welsh featherweight title, the same title my dad won about 30 years ago, it's a bit of history there," Jake says.

"It makes me quite proud," Steve adds. "I knew it was going to be a tough fight, but he was so relaxed when he went into the fight and I'm pretty happy with the way he performed."

It's difficult to know if Steve is speaking as Jake's coach rather than his father.

Indeed, there aren't many fighters out there who have a world champion for a dad, let alone one in their corner on fight night.

It creates an intriguing dynamic between the pair. The father-son bond intertwining with a highly professional relationship that's focused on glory.

"Sometimes, being his father, if he comes into the ring, he just tells me straight. Same with me too," Steve says.

Jake has a world champion for a father in his corner (Stephen Robinson)

"I sometimes have to tell him that I've been there. I've been a world champion!"

"I can't say anything to that!" Jake replies.

"We obviously have little bickers and stuff, but I know I've got to listen to him at the end of the day as he's seen it all. We're on the same wavelength."

One would be forgiven for thinking that a career in the ring was inevitable for the son of a world champion. Indeed, Jake's brother Luke has also pulled on a pair of gloves.

The reality was a little different.

Jake explains: "I didn't really want to be a boxer at first! I was doing other stuff. I was playing rugby for Newport Schools.

"I followed my dad and brother to the gym when I was about eight or nine and he was still training towards the end of his career.

"I just used to make a nuisance of myself down the gym when I was naughty and that. I was energetic, quite a naughty child, so he took me down to the gym to calm me down really.

"Boxing calmed me down"

"I had my first amateur fight at 14 and it started from there really. That first fight gave me a great feeling and I decided that this was for me."

Steve and Jacob Robinson are already busy plotting world domination (Rob Browne/WalesOnline)

Covid has perhaps slowed Jake's progress. In fact, his title-winning fight was actually his first contest in around 19 months.

But with a belt now in the bag, and restrictions opening up, there's plenty of enthusiasm to kick on.

"It's a Welsh title, but the aim is to go for bigger things now," Jake tells me. "A commonwealth title fight's been mentioned, or maybe an international title fight."

Talks are ongoing with promoters, but Jake could well make his next step within the next couple of months and, given he's already carrying a belt once held by his father, it's difficult not to feel like a world title has to be on the agenda at some point.

"It's got to be a big 12 months for me now. After being out of the ring for so long I've just got to stay busy. I'm injury free, my hands are much better. I picked up a few injuries from my last few fights. But it's all good now.

"Obviously every boxer that turns pro wants to aim for a world title, but I'm always thinking about one fight at a time.

"Hopefully I can get a commonwealth title or Celtic title next and then take things from there."

Jake vividly remembers watching his dad on the night he became a world champion, albeit on tapes years later.

Indeed, he wasn't even born when Steve earned the name 'Cinderella Man', which was bestowed on him after he took the title belt 48 hours after stacking shelves at Debenhams.

Robinson kept his world title for two years after beating John Davison (Getty Images)

It was a victory that rocked the world of boxing, and wrote Steve's name into the history books forever.

He would hold on to the title for another two years before losing to Prince Naseem Hamed at the Cardiff Arms Park in September 1995.

Living up to his father's legacy legacy feels like the elephant in the room as far as narratives are concerned, but Jake is clearly relishing the opportunity to write another chapter in the family history books.

"When people talk about me, they obviously talk about my dad," Jake says. "It's understandable, being in the same profession.

"There is pressure there. I used to feel it a little bit more than I do now. But now I just feel like going in and doing my own thing. We've got totally different styles to each other. My style's come from watching fighters over the years. Pernell Whittaker, Guillermo Rigondeaux. Fighters like that.

"In terms of my own career. I've got to thrive off pressure and embrace it."

Carrying the Robinson name grants Jake plenty of intrigue from those familiar with his father's career. But while Steve is obviously a source of huge inspiration, he is clearly keen for his son to forge his own identity in the ring, and even says Jake is better placed for stardom.

"I always say to him that there's no pressure," Steve says. "He has to go in there and do his own thing. He's got talent. He just has to box the way he wants to box.

"I had a tighter style in the ring. Totally different styles, but he's got to find his own way.

"Everyone always talks about that whirlwind 48 hours before my world title fight, and even when I fought Prince Naseem, I think I only had three weeks notice, but we always make sure we're prepared for each fight

"Things are a lot more stable for Jake."

There's a steadfast belief that a rise to the top is inevitable, although Jake's progress has perhaps gone a little under the radar.

"When Jake was preparing for his first Welsh title fight, he didn't get that many interviews, people didn't really want to know," Steve continues.

"I just told him that he needs to fight now and prove them wrong."

Steve himself feels that he doesn't get the recognition he believes his career deserves.

Indeed, it's perhaps true that the fairytale of 'Cinderella Man' overtook the seven title defences in defining Steve's time in the ring.

"Maybe it's because there was no social media around at that time!" he jokes. "I don't know why I don't get that little bit more credit. The way I won the world title, at short notice and everything. I defended it against ex-world champions.

"Sometimes I wonder if maybe if I was English and not Welsh it would be different.

"But I put Wales back on the map."

Jacob Robinson is aiming for a big year as he bids to follow in his father's footsteps (Rob Browne/WalesOnline)

Even Jake seems to believe that the 'Cinderella Man' tag might have hampered his father's chances of taking his place in the spotlight.

"They all thought it was a big fluke, didn't they?" he interjects. "There were seven defences over two-and-a-half years.

"Everyone remembers the title fight. But people forget the defences.

"But my father brought big-time boxing back to Wales."

If Jake can follow in his father's footsteps, the narrative will likely write itself, and the spotlight surely won't be too far behind him.

"It's about creating a legacy", Jake continues. "Going out there and creating history.

"That's the aim."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.