Vale victory kicks off Cleary’s celebrations

Vale’s latest victory, his 14th in 20 contests, proved a timely one, coming the day before the fifth anniversary of Leamington-based Cleary’s Boxing Gym.

Started by former pro Edwin Cleary, the gym has been affiliated to the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) for three of those years, in which time they have produced two national champions in Sean Greenfield and Nav Singh Manku.

Their inaugural year in the ABA also saw them boast the best record in the country, with 44 bouts and only four losses, but despite that, Cleary says it is only now that they are finding their feet.

“Brendan Ingle said it takes five years to get established and when Sean Greenfield came through I thought he didn’t know what he was talking about,” said Cleary, who trained alongside Prince Naseem Hamed at Ingle’s Sheffield-based gym.

“However, I now understand what Brendan meant.

“It’s taken that time to get a conveyor belt of talent, with seven, eight, nine and ten-year-olds coming through.

“The boxers are starting earlier and I don’t want to put too much pressure on them, but I think maybe two or three of them can go professional while some will have a crack at fighting at the Olympics.”

Cleary’s, which is based on Wise Terrace, runs classes every week night, with boxers rubbing shoulders with people who just want to use the sport as a means of getting fit.

Additional Monday and Wednesday night classes have been added to cope with the demand, but with potential new starters being turned away due to lack of space, Cleary says it is imperative that the gym finds new premises, with “three options being looked at”.

Cleary is also looking to expand boxing’s reach into schools, with young amateur Michael Jephcott’s transformation from 17 stone couch potato to lightweight providing the inspiration.

A sixth boxing show is also earmarked for the Assembly in October, with the 39-year-old hoping to unveil three of his latest proteges.

“I’ve got two Iraqis and an Afghan coming through and it’s great to see the mix in the gym,” said Cleary.

“I believe it’s the only place in the world where equality exists.

“When boxers get in the ring, they don’t care whether their opponent is black, white, Asian or whatever, they only worry about whether they are going to get hit.”