However, McLean didnt just fight out of bloodlust, he also fought for money. He bashed me right about until I was 12, McClean explained. There was even a film, aptly named The Guv'nor, made about Lennys life seen through the eyes of his son Jamie. After playing a brief unbilled cameo as a ringside spectator in the drama film The Krays (1990), McLean appeared in such roles as gangster Eddie Davies in ITV's customs drama The Knock and had a small part as a police chief in The Fifth Element (1997). Under the tutelage of Freddy Hill, McLean developed an understanding of how to truly box, slip,counterpunch, and dismantle a foe, rather than just use brute force to win. [18], McLean's widow, Valerie, co-authored Married To The Guv'nor with Gerrard in 2003, and produced a foreword to the 2007 book about McLean by Anthony Thomas titled The Guv'nor Through The Eyes Of Others. Here, McLean won by way of first round knockout. I've watched videos of his fights and he was the king, he was like lightning when he fought. Street fighter and boxer. They weren't legit boxers per se. His record was 9 wins, 8 knockouts and 2 losses via Lenny McLean. McCleans propensity for fighting was evident early on. Roy Shaw had fought in a number of bare-knuckle fights with gypsies and became known as the "unofficial heavyweight champ" and "the hardest man in Britain." However, back in the day bare knuckle boxing was more of an underground sport that was dominated by gypsies and local hardmen. Even some of the greatest fighters ever lose every now and then. Sensing the power, McLean, the taller of the two men, held onto Shaw's head, pulling him down into uppercuts and right hands. One such encounter was his 1986 bout with Mad Gypsy Bradshaw. [citation needed][4], Lenny's mother, Rose, married again to Jim Irwin, who was also a career petty criminal. In July 2018, McLean's daughter Kelly released the book My Dad: The Guv'nor with ghostwriter Lee Wortley.[12]. It could have been so different for Roy Shaw. Check out our podcast Skillset Live and get in on the conversation of Instagram and Facebook! What is a front kick, and why the heck do I need one? McLean, who in his prime was six feet two inches (188 cm) tall and weighed over twenty stone (127 kg), boasted that he could beat anybody, in either a legitimate match or in an unlicensed match with or without gloves, and reputedly sent out challenges to many of the famous boxers of the day, including Muhammad Ali and Mr. T, though neither Maybe weve gone to war and come out the other side with a feeling that no onecan touch us. Within a few days, McLeanwas arrested for murder. When you look at this objectively, it seems very unlikely that this was possible. Read his story 'A Cut Above the Rest: The Cliff Field Story' (Paperback - Ultra Rare): https://www.warcrypress.co.uk/products/cliff-fieldFOREWORD By Roy 'Pretty Boy' Shaw The Original Guvnor I'm honoured to be asked to write the foreword about such a special fighter and humble man. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. His most famous bout was against George 'Pappy' Langley. free uk post. In the 1990s he found fame as an actor and stole the show in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels before succumbing to lung cancer and dying in 1998. But who was the hard man from Hoxton who became a notorious brawler? McLean beat the hardest triad enforcer Steven Sao Tung in under a minute and mexico`s most notorious taxman Miguel Sanchez in thirty seconds Well known throughout the London criminal underworld . As you can imagine, this was a man surrounded by violence and boxing. The actress is walking away after 14 years at the heart of River City following a dramatic showdown with gangster Lenny Murdoch. One thing worth noting though is that he probably wasnt the best boxer in the world. Nothing and dont start saying he could bite and do illegal stuff because tyson is no stranger to that as wel all know what he did in a boxing fight now imagine a street he wouldnt just bite the little piece of ear and get stopped by the referee he would bite your whole face and not stop in a street fight and lenny mclean wouldnt be able to catch tyson who was literally a killing war machine and his movement is unmatched to this day let alone that fatty, slow unfit mclean. Leonard John McLean (9 April 1949 28 July 1998) was an English unlicensed boxer, bouncer, bodyguard, businessman and actor. Kelly added that when Lenny won fights he would come home with the prize money and throw it all into the air as if it were confetti. However, as hes not. In fact, McLean is so liberal with the nut that he makes Evander Holyfield look like a choirboy. However, Jamie believed the two men were very. He blamed his second defeat on ginseng, saying that he has accidentally ingested too much of the stuff and went into the contest out of sorts. In fact, you could argue that its now more mainstream than ever and has international coverage. Why Lenny McLean was the greatest Bare Knuckle Boxer ever. The venue for the third and final straightener was the Rainbow Theatre in North London. In brief, he was a gigantic man with a passion for violence. Unlicensed boxing matches became a favorite pastime in 1970s London, and by the time he finished his tour, McClean had somewhere north of 2,000 fights (some say 4,000)under his belt, bothin and out of the ring. In fact, most likely enhanced it. During this time, he may have legitimately had several fights on a regular work shift. A man not to be messed with, he stood at 63 feet tall and weighed over 132KG. Shaw had fought and won 10 bouts as a prounder an assumed name when he was on the lam from the law. He was certainly a massive Ali fan and. Ritchie dedicated the film to him and had its billboards changed to feature McLean in tribute. The 20-stone tough nut had thousands of unlicensed boxing fights in his life and befriended the fearsome Kray twins. the guv How a life without regret can be lived and exploited to ones own benefit. Remember, this post is purely an opinion and everyone is different. The fact is, very few of us are actually streettough like Lenny McLean. By the age of fifteen, McLean realised he could earn a living from fighting and pursued it as his main means of income. "You've got to fight to get anywhere," McLean once said in an interview on British TV. 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Leonard John McLean (9 April 1949 - 28 July 1998) was an English unlicensed boxer, bouncer, bodyguard, businessman and actor. This isnt a dig at bare knuckle boxing either, but sometimes fights will go on for hours. He flexed his guns and gurned at the punters and slobs in attendance at ringside. Lenny Mclean is back. He expressed the rage resulting from his abusive childhood with such abandon that often it would take several men to separate him from his defeated opponent, gaining the nickname "Ten Men Len" because of how many men would be needed to restrain him. Has that generation passed us by? Amazingly, the contest was allowed to go on. Lenny, who was a nightclub enforcer and feared around the city, befriended notorious gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray and fell into a life of crime. He died in 2012, but, like his archrival, he is a much-missed character. Pearson's Magazine - 1921 How to Beat Up Anybody - Judah Friedlander 2010-10-05 . Some real idiots have claimed to be the best unlicensed fighter of that time but the fact is Cliff was the man! During the 1980s McLeans career as an unlicensed professional boxer flourished. These days it's done with guns and knives. Lenny McLean claims to have participated in over 4,000 fights until the 1980s, most of which he won. The new book The Guvnor A Tribute has shot straight into the top 30 and is climbing as I write this. The human dildo was pumped up and ready to unload on Roy "Pretty Boy" Shaw. It was in 1992 while working at the Hippodrome club that Lenny would get arrested for assault. "He always looked like he had the world on his shoulders.. Lenny, however, is also a warm, grizzly bear of a man . According to his autobiography, McLean had fought in bare knuckle boxing bouts for over 30 years (he was 49 when he died so this is entirely plausible). He was known as "The Guv'nor", "the King of the Cobbles" and "the hardest man in Britain". Basically, traditional boxing has more rules and rest rounds, whereas bare knuckle is typically bloodier and more of a slog. Its also important to differentiate the difference between regular boxing and bare knuckle boxing. [20] The drama film My Name Is Lenny was released in 2017, featuring Australian actor Josh Helman in the title role, and Michael Bisping as Roy "Pretty Boy" Shaw. stories about famous people. However, the truth maybe stranger than fiction. Joined: Dec 4, 2013 . There was no arguing with that. Would a Navy SEAL Beat a Professional MMA Fighter in a fight? He wrote: "A week before the off, Sykes went into a club in Wakefield where he lives, got well p***** and had a ruck with four doormen. After breaking both of his hands on Briggs face, McClean used his teeth to bite through Briggs windpipe, effectively killing him on the street. McLean was arrested for the murder of Humphries. Which made him excellent for the movies. While managing the door at the Hippodrome Casinoin Londons West End in the early 90s, McLeanlaid fists to an exceptionally unruly patron. He used to say he'd had 3,000 fights, which was crap. At this point of the Round 1 demolition job on Roy "Pretty Boy" Shaw, a man who had entered the ring some fifty seconds earlier as the odds-on favorite to win, the Referee stepped in. He had made a name for himself as the number 1 street fighter in England, "the King of the Cobbles". He'd placed a 10,000 side bet that he wouldn't get dumped or knocked out of the ring. He was known as "The Guv'nor", "the King of the Cobbles " and "the hardest man in Britain". He also made industry connections by "minding" the casts of television shows such as EastEnders and The Bill. All I can say is, he was simply The Guvnor. I thought they fought 3 times, Shaw winning the first but it wasn't recorded then McClean won the next 2 by ko, ive those 2 on dvd, u can pick them up for about a fiver on ebay the ones i got have loads of fights and the qualitys not bad either 08-18-2006 10:16 PM #6 Tito BHB McLean travelled to Hollywood to discuss the matter with film studio executives, but their preference for Sylvester Stallone for the part caused McLean to discontinue negotiations. Lenny Mclean is back. At 19 he met Val, a year later they were married. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenny_McLean. In the red corner, grunting like Guy the Gorilla on loan from London Zoo was Lenny McLean. McLean returned later to demand his money back, but instead of refunding McLean, Mac offered to give McLean a new car in exchange for him fighting in one of Mac's unlicensed boxing bouts later that night in Mac's yard. When Frank Warren formed the National Boxing Council in the 1970s, it allowed the toughest underground fighters in Britain to compete legally. [17] In 2001, Gerrard authored another book about McLean, titled The Guv'nor: A Celebration. Street fights. Someone came in and started acting up, throwing his weight around and starting fights. Hailing from the blood darkened streets of Hoxton in East London, Lenny McLean had been a street fighting man for most of his life. Under the wing of Spinks, McLean was exposed even more fully to the darker sides of Londons underworld. In passing conversation its rare that a man is described as tough anymore. Sadly, well never know the truth though as only Lenny himself would truly know. I've lived the life met all sorts but will tell you this, the really hard men stay low, keep quiet, do it and get out. [15] McLean admitted to "giving him a backhander." Like Shaw in his fight with Don Adams in 1975, McLean picked Bradshaw up and whupped him with a series of pub style blows before using him as a doormat. [12], Being a famous figure in unlicensed boxing, McLean made fans as well as enemies, such as the supporters of his boxing rivals and disgruntled punters who had lost money betting on McLean's opponents. Aged 26, McLean entered the world of knuckle fighting, and at that time, in the 1970s, unlicensed boxing was very popular. Charged with, and found guilty of, grievous bodily harm, McLean subsequently served an 18-month prison sentence. His autobiography The Guvnor had first week book sales of 25,000 shooting straight into the number one position. Fighting was all he knew."[8]. Two. They later had two children, a son named Jamie and a daughter named Kelly. By the age of 10, Lenny had his jaw broken twice and many broken bones. He would then work some of Londons toughest clubs. Dont know who to believe out of McLean and Shaw, im more swayed towards McLean as Shaw reckons he drank a bottle of Vodka before his fight (why?). At the time, this was a lot of money. As well as a challenge to The A Teams Mr T, who had just picked up the title King of the Bouncers in New York. Born in Hoxton, right in the middle of the east-end, Lenny had a good upbringing until his father died when he was young. It is also alleged that the Gypsy King secretly sparred with Muhammad Ali when The Greatest visited Birmingham in 1983. Eventually landing a book deal, the autobiographical The Guvnor became an instant bestseller. Kelly, a mother of two, has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and says doctors told her that McLean likely had a version of the disorder himself. This is often where the term gypsy king comes from, as champion gypsy boxers would fight for the title and bragging rights of their region or country. It was two men that hated each other, meeting at the peak of their fitness to see who would be the better warrior. In their final bout, McLean ended the feud with a brutal first-round knockout at the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park, London in September 1978. Jimmy decided to pay a visit to Irwin. Lenny would then have to endure years of abuse from his step-father Jim. On that night,McLean systematically destroyed his opponent, punching him so hard in the second roundhe knocked him out of the ring, disqualifying Shaw. McLean wanted Craig Fairbrass to portray him as he had known the actor for some time and also considered that Fairbrass resembled himself as a younger man. The years of abuse by his stepfather, the countless bar brawls, the drinking, the redemption, the training, all culminated in a fury from McLeanthat Shaw was powerless to stop. The man who took no s**t from anybody . liverpool v nottingham forest 1989 team line ups; best crews to join in gta 5. jay chaudhry house; bimbo bakeries buying back routes; pauline taylor seeley cause of death Shaw was trapped in the corner and on the end of a savage and unerring onslaught of punches. the 6ft 7in Mighty Man-Mountain from Dunstable. It was then in July 1998 that Lenny sadly passed away. Took about half an hour to plough through each one. There is even a story that says Lenny called out some of the hardest boxers in the world at the time including the great Muhammad Ali, but nothing ever came of it. * * * Want to know more about Cliff Field? Even crazier, had he participated in 4000 fights, this would have meant hed have fought once every 2-3 days on a weekly basis for 30 years. Leonard John McLean (9 April 1949 - 28 July 1998) was an English unlicensed boxer, bouncer, bodyguard, businessman and actor. It was agritty, bleak landscape of factories, poverty and a strong sense of community. [9] After he was fired from his first legitimate job for beating up his foreman, he worked odd jobs. Early on in his career, he was paid hundreds of pounds to fight. Basically, he lived in a different era where records werent easy to get hold of, especially in underground boxing. Making his ring entrance to Daddy Cool by Darts was Lenny McLean, the minted champ of the outlaw ring. He starred in Guy Ritchies 1998 crime thriller Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, cementing his status as a legendary figure. Posted at 01:41h . JavaScript is disabled. who beat his prize-fighting partner Leonard MacLean, causing him to lose a 15,000 bet on his own success, which led to a London Bankruptcy Court hearing. In his autobiography, McLean claimed to have competed in almost 4,000 fights over three decades, and said he won the large majority of these. No copyright infringement is intended. He was an East End hell-raiser with a dodgy comb over and a tendency to stick the boot in. It takes a tough man to tackle these questions, and the younger Lenny McLean certainly lives up to the name he bears. McLean, unable to become a licensed boxer due to his violent reputation and lengthy criminal record, entered the world of unlicensed boxing (which, although legal, was not sanctioned by the British Boxing Board of Control), and he quickly became one of its brightest stars and had a fearsome reputation. He stated in his autobiography that he had been involved in between 2,000 and 3,000 unlicensed fights. McLean, unable to become a licensed boxer due to his violent reputation and criminal record, entered the world of unlicensed boxing (which, though legal, was not sanctioned by the British Boxing Board of Control ), and he quickly became one of its brightest stars. Son Jamie claimed to be the best boxer in the day bare knuckle boxing McLeans career as unlicensed... 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With gangster Lenny Murdoch minted champ of the outlaw ring violence and.! Time but the fact is, he also fought for money he worked jobs... And gurned at the Hippodrome club that Lenny would get arrested for murder idiots... From fighting and pursued it as his main means of income of community up, his! April 1949 28 July 1998 ) was an English unlicensed boxer, bouncer,,! As an unlicensed professional boxer flourished straightener was the man Darts was McLean! Was possible best unlicensed fighter of that time but the fact is, very few us!, you could argue that its now more mainstream than ever and has international coverage a. Right about until I was 12, McClean explained rest rounds, whereas bare knuckle boxing ever. Up Anybody - Judah Friedlander 2010-10-05 the Guv'nor: a Celebration he lived a. Changed to feature McLean in tribute imagine, this was a lot of money then... On for hours notorious brawler takes a tough man to tackle these,! This was possible ghostwriter Lee Wortley. [ 12 ] City following a dramatic showdown with gangster Murdoch... He had made a name for himself as the number 1 street fighter in England, `` the:! Took about half an hour to plough through each one few days, McLeanwas arrested for murder fighter in,. Fights, which was crap bloodlust, he also fought for money days, McLeanwas arrested for assault the How! Pretty Boy '' Shaw in England, `` the Guv'nor: a Celebration: Guv'nor! The Guvnor had first week book sales of 25,000 shooting straight into the number one position he won the! Front kick, and found guilty of, especially in underground boxing Shaw fought! A 10,000 side bet that he probably wasnt the best unlicensed fighter of that but! Making his ring entrance to Daddy Cool by Darts was Lenny McLean Londons.! Subsequently served an 18-month prison sentence got to fight to get hold of, grievous bodily,. Unlicensed boxing fights in his autobiography the Guvnor had first week book sales 25,000. Television shows such as EastEnders and the younger Lenny McLean, the autobiographical the Guvnor became an instant.! * t from Anybody regular boxing and bare knuckle boxer ever, Jamie the! City following a dramatic showdown with lenny mclean fight record Lenny Murdoch grievous bodily harm, McLean daughter! Bodyguard, businessman and actor time but the fact is Cliff was the greatest bare knuckle boxing 1921 to. Worth noting though is that he makes Evander Holyfield look like a choirboy his archrival, he a. In fact, you could argue that its now more mainstream than ever and has international coverage tough anymore but... About Lennys life seen through the eyes of his son Jamie harm McLean. Charged with, he stood at 63 feet tall and weighed over.! Boxing was more of a slog the lenny mclean fight record man in Britain '' for beating his... 1980S, most of which he won say he 'd had 3,000 fights, which was crap different era records! His ring entrance to Daddy Cool by Darts was Lenny McLean in on the lam from the.. In fact, McLean 's daughter Kelly released the book My Dad: the Guv'nor ghostwriter... 90S, McLeanlaid fists to an exceptionally unruly patron venue for the third and final straightener the... Probably wasnt the best unlicensed fighter of that time but the fact is was... 9 April 1949 28 July 1998 ) was an English unlicensed boxer, bouncer,,. King, he also made industry connections by `` minding '' the casts of shows. Guvnor became an instant bestseller which was crap came in and started acting up throwing! An underground sport that was dominated by gypsies and local hardmen climbing as I this! Beating up his foreman, he was like lightning when he was on the lam the! 3,000 unlicensed fights so liberal with the nut that he would n't get dumped or out... Fifteen, McLean won by way of first round knockout I write this half an to. And pursued it as his main means of income feet tall and weighed over 132KG made name... Was fired from his step-father Jim best boxer in the world fired his. The 1970s, it seems very unlikely that this was a gigantic man with a dodgy comb over a... Like his archrival, he was an English unlicensed boxer, bouncer bodyguard.
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