MICKEY ALLEN ON BLACK BOXERS & RACISM!

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We recently checked out the Black Punch boxing exhibition at Central Library in Liverpool. The exhibition was in honour of the many black boxers from Merseyside who have made a name in the sport — sometimes against the odds and with racism rife in society. In fact, black boxers were banned from being British Champions until the 1940s!

We attended the exhibition with Mickey Allen — a key figure and top coach in the Merseyside boxing scene who himself comes from a mixed race background. His grandfather, Joe Bygraves aka ‘Jamaican Joe’, was heavily featured in the exhibition as he came to Wirral during the wind rush and once knocked out Henry Cooper — he was a true Merseyside great and was one fight away from fighting Muhammed Ali!

Check out Mickey’s boxing gyms, Twelve Quays & Rocky’s, on FACEBOOK!

The exhibition was fascinating, with boxing gloves, shorts, medals, programmes and all sorts of memorabilia on display. As we checked out the abundance of original boxing items and people being showcased, Mickey talked me through who was who and what was what, whilst feeling nostalgic about his grandfather’s achievements.

Check out Mickey’s boxing gyms, Twelve Quays & Rocky’s, on FACEBOOK!

Following the exhibition, we spoke with Mickey about his background, his roots and his grandfather. He told us: “My grandad, ‘Jamaican Joe’, came to Wirral during the wind rush to work in Birkenhead painting ships. He was my grandad on my Mum’s side and met my Nan here. I never really met him as he ended up working and living away in places like Portugal and back in Jamaica.”

Check out Mickey’s boxing gyms, Twelve Quays & Rocky’s, on FACEBOOK!

He continued: “I didn’t really know him, was just told that he was a top boxer. I wasn’t told much more as coming from a black background was a bit of a taboo subject back then — not something to shout about. It was only when I was 17 that I found out who he really was. He was THE Joe Bygraves who knocked out Henry Cooper and was a Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion!”

Check out Mickey’s boxing gyms, Twelve Quays & Rocky’s, on FACEBOOK!

“I started boxing at 15 years old but my love for the sport increased knowing who I was related to. It seems strange that nobody told me who he was but we never talked about the roots on my Mum’s side. Back then in the 80s my Mum was one of the only black women in Wirral. When my Dad walked into pubs with her people would sometimes look at them funny.”

Check out Mickey’s boxing gyms, Twelve Quays & Rocky’s, on FACEBOOK!

Mickey explained: “I can’t tell you how many fights I’ve had defending racism. I’m not saying I condone fighting — only in the ring — but for me as a kid with a black Mum it caused a lot of problems. Back then the N word was common but if I ever heard people come out with it I’d confront them. This often caused fights for me as a kid.”

Check out Mickey’s boxing gyms, Twelve Quays & Rocky’s, on FACEBOOK!

“There was this one time when all us kids from Birkenhead North were taken to Wales on a bus for a few days camping. There were older kids looking after us and when we were there I witnessed an older kid bullying a younger black kid — kicking him and calling him a n*gger. Let’s put it this way — I was sent home for bad behaviour and he was sent home with a couple of black eyes.”

Check out Mickey’s boxing gyms, Twelve Quays & Rocky’s, on FACEBOOK!

He summarised: “It’s crazy to think that black boxers were not allowed to be named British Champions until the 1940s. It’s crazy to think that my grandad wasn’t talked about and that racism was so rife back in the day. I’m not proud of all the fights I had, getting suspended from school etc, but I’m proud that I stood up to racism and bullying and I’d do it again.”

Check out Mickey’s boxing gyms, Twelve Quays & Rocky’s, on FACEBOOK!

It was a real education checking out the exhibition and discovering the great number of black boxers who came from Merseyside. Today, Mickey is training Desire Adami — a black boxer from Nigeria and Italy who came to Wirral — and with Mickey’s guidance and experience we could see another black Merseyside Champion like his grandad, Jamaican Joe.

Check out Mickey’s boxing gyms, Twelve Quays & Rocky’s, on FACEBOOK!

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