Anniversary boy Glenn McCrory is to return to the town where he launched his North East career searching for the next local boxing star. McCrory, who became Tyneside's only ever world champion, will be ringside in Gateshead on Saturday night taking up his usual Fightzone TV seat when four area hopefuls embark on early tentative steps to what they hope will be a road to fame.
Gateshead was where Glenn pulled on gloves for his first fight upon returning to the North East from London in 1984, the year he had turned pro. It was at the Federation Breweries across town from Saturday's venue at the Hilton Hotel and McCrory racked up an eight-round points victory over Andrew Gerrard on a bill which also featured another future North East great Billy Hardy.
The quartet taking similar early steps in the pro ranks this time are headed by Tommy Hodgson and Anth Ornsby with the backing of debutants Ryszard Lewicki and Kai Richmond. "Every kid has a right to dream and I was no different to Tommy or Anth," McCrory told me. "Few if any would have suggested I was a future world champion when I endured a bad run of results after a great start to my career.
"However no one knew what was going on behind the scenes. I was a blown up heavyweight when I ought to have been a slimmed down cruiser and once I dropped a division everything changed. I was still the kid from up north effectively training myself but I got there in the end. The lads on this bill ought never to lose hope or faith."
'Hitman' Hodgson will be boxing for the first time on his native Tyneside. An outstanding amateur talent with Birtley and GB Boxing, the 25-year-old has had all four of his paid bouts in either Sheffield or Rotherham beating Naeem Ali, Matar Sambou, Petar Aleksandrov and Lee Connelly.
This time the North Shields light-welterweight will confront a durable Rustem Fatkhulin, a recent opponent for both Calum French and Adam Cope. "Tommy will be anxious to put on show upon coming home and win by a stoppage," said McCrory. "He has good credentials and I know that promoter Dennis Hobson has big hopes for him."
Ornsby will be having his second fight since signing with Hobson. The Wallsend boxer has won five from six, his most recent success being an entertaining four-rounder with Fonz Alexander at Rainton Arena in December.
"I know Anth and his family very well," revealed Glenn. "I was in his corner for his first two paid fights. He's a smashing lad and an excellent prospect." Lewicki is a Polish-born boxer who has represented the country of his birth on numerous occasions but now fights out of Middlesbrough where he is trained by Craig Carney, the coach of British light-middleweight champ Troy Williamson.
"I am a British fighter with Polish heritage," Ryszard has said. "I am flying both flags." Richmond, from Spennymoor, has yet to box under the Marquess of Queensberry rules but knows a lot about fighting having had 16 MMA contests and been in boxing gyms since the age of 12.
The 21-year-old will be boxing out of the Twins Academy in Trimdon, the gym of unbeaten NE heavyweight Daryll Hall. Experienced Doncaster heavyweight Dave Allen will be topping the bill as part of his comeback.
The popular Allen was a two-time Commonwealth heavyweight title challenger whose most notable victory was a third-round knockout win over former WBA 'Regular' champion Lucas Browne in 2019. Allen quit boxing aged only 28 but came back under Hobson's banner after only five months of retirement.
McCrory had a love affair with Gateshead during his boxing career. "My next two fights after I beat Gerrard were also in the town. I defeated Tony Velasco when Joe Frazier Jnr was on the bill and then outpointed Mike Perkins who was Smokin' Joe's nephew. The great man was in his corner. And of course when I defended my world cruiser title against Jeff Lampkin at the Gateshead Leisure Centre Lennox Lewis of all people was on my undercard."
