PZ: What’s your first memory of boxing?
MT: My uncle Dennis Doherty took me to Repton Boxing Club at the age of six years old in Hackney, in the East End of London. I never forget walking down some old grey steps and holding onto the banisters and then walking through some doors into the gym. A guy called Darkie Smith took me under his wing, as well as Tony Burns and George Bowers, who were very very helpful to me in terms of direction and support.
In fact, I won gold in Norway at the Multi Nations with Repton and a Silver the following year, Nabc’s for A to C Class.
PZ: How much of an influence was your dad in your boxing career?
MT: When I first started with boxing I was about six and my dad was in prison at the time. During that time, Mickey May brought me round some boxing gloves and then I ended up in Repton. In fact, I’m not even sure if my dad was aware of me going boxing at that point!
When he came out of jail he was a big influence. I was about thirteen at the time, and he took me out of Repton and took me to West Ham Amateur Boxing Club (ABC), which is where he also used to box himself. He was very heavily involved with me there as an amateur. Not so much with boxing training specifically, but supporting me at ringside and always cheering me on at every fight. He also was a big influence on my fitness regime, ensuring I was running and doing weights. He was with me all the way.
I then went on as a senior to the new Repton site, and he let the guys there teach me and he took more of a back seat role.
PZ: Any other people in your family who boxed?
MT: My dad’s oldest brother Johnny Tibbs was a schoolboy champion. He was a southpaw and also boxed for West Ham ABC. He had a bit of a take it or leave it attitude to boxing, and that said still won the schoolboy’s title. He never boxed professionally though.
My mum’s cousin was 1956 Gold Medalist Terry Spinks.
When my dad was in jail I used to stay with my nan down by the A13 in Canning Town, and had boxing around me there also, due to Terry coming in and out of the house.
Overall I seemed to grow up with boxing people all around me Paul.
PZ: Tell us about your amateur career.
MT: I had a fantastic amateur career. I have some great memories.
I was about eight years old when I had my first ‘Gym Show’, and you weren’t allowed to take part in a Gym Show until you were ten but they let me do it! I remember wearing my leather boots and you had to wipe your feet in a tray of sawdust. I felt really important at that moment as I used to see the pros do it on TV!
I won my first schoolboy title at 33KG’s, when I was boxing for West Ham boxing club. I had to fight a few of my club mates such as Robin White. We had a couple of very close battles, but I beat him. I also boxed another lad called Rockland Goody and beat him. Never forget that name!
I had 86 amateur fights and lost 6. Amongst those fights was Billy Schwer. We fought five times and I won either three or four of our encounters. Out of all the people I boxed as an amateur, the only one who sticks in my mind is Billy. I remember boxing him in a quarter final competition in Portsmouth and he hit me with a punch, which I can’t even remember what it was, but it was solid. As a young lad all I remember was how tough he was.
I also travelled abroad, fighting for Repton in Denmark. I was the only junior who travelled amongst the seniors and was also club captain, so was very proud of that.
I won a junior ABA at Wembley. That was a great experience, but there’s also a funny story from that night. They had started to bring in dope testing at that point, and after having a fantastic fight, including putting my opponent Steve Gander down in the final round of our encounter, I was asked to produce a urine sample in the dressing room. I was dehydrated and couldn’t pee for hours and consequently was not able to see all my mates fight! But I was over the moon about my win, so that compensated.
PZ: Tell us about your pro career.
MT: I turned pro in 1988 when I was 19 years old. I was working in the building game at the time doing floor laying when for some reason the work dried up and went slack. So I wandered into West Ham boxing club and my dad was training a few pros who I had actually boxed against in the amateurs, and he asked me if I was up to anything and if I fancied moving around. I said ‘yes’, and sparred with a guy called Paul Day from Hitchin and another guy called Jimmy Clark, both of whom I’d shared a ring with as an amateur.
My dad then asked me if I wanted to turn pro and I said – ‘yeah – why not’.
I only lost two fights in 25. One defeat was against a guy called Chris Saunders, and I never forget that evening. I weighed in at 9 stone 12 lb and he came in at 10 stone 2lb. Mickey Duff turned around to me, and said ‘do you want it’. I said ‘of course I do’ as I’m a fighter. Fact is I was well under weight, or he was well over depending on how you look at it (!), and although I could have picked up my wages without even fighting, I took the risk. Cutting a long story short, I boxed beautifully that night and around the third or fourth round I got caught flush on my nose and couldn’t breath after that. I was under fire in the last round and the referee jumped in and stopped it, and rightly so. However, if I was able to have been able to hold on a few more seconds, I would have got the decision. Chris went on to do win the British Title, so he certainly wasn’t a mug.
PZ: Did you ever have a boxing nickname?
MT: I probably had loads, but nobody ever said them to my face Paul! On a serious note though, I was never really one for nicknames.
PZ: Did you intend to become a boxing trainer after finishing as a pro, as was it something that grew on you as the years went by?
MT: After that stoppage I had a few more wins, but then decided I wanted a year out of boxing. I told my dad and Dean Powell who were looking after me at the time that I had enough of boxing and wanted a year for myself to think for myself and find my way.
Soon after I handed in my boxing licence when I was 24 and I got my Trainers license. Although I used to pay the renewal fee ever year, I never really used it. I went out with my dad a few times but never really put it to use.
I then decided to do a bit of travelling, but no matter where I was I would always find a gym, and get in some boxing training. Although I enjoyed a social life, I always kept myself in good shape and was exposed to different fighting styles and techniques during my travels.
A defining moment came when I was about 35 years old and training in the Peacock Gym in Canning Town, when I decided I wanted to fight again. I had a couple of sparring sessions, and although I had more ring craft and cunning, the younger lads were getting the better of me. I had up to that point in my life never ever felt a sense of loss like this. I realise at that point it was no longer there. Although I was at my mentally and physically toughest, I realised that the window of opportunity had gone.
Soon after my dad was hired to train Billy Joe Saunders, and I used to hang around with my dad at the Peacock Gym and was up to date with the conditioning required for boxing training and the groundwork and really enjoyed that side of things. I realised I had knowledge which Billy Joe could benefit from and during that time used to watch my dad go through technique drills with Billy Joe, and was constantly picking up pieces of valuable knowledge. I then started to look at some of the other fighters in the gym and started to teach myself some of the fundaments of good boxing training. It kind of went from there really.
PZ: Tell us about the fighters you currently train and who’s fighting soon.
MT: Billy Morgan fights on the 21st March. He’s a smart guy with great ability. Lately he’s been sparring and he’s been rocking more of his sparring partners, so we need to concentrate on getting him to follow up after rocking his opponent.
2010 Commonwealth Gold medallist Simon Vallily also fights in March and it’s been a pleasure training him as he punches well with both hands, and has a fantastic fighting brain. However, he still needs to get the rounds under his belt as this will be his debut.
Tom Baker is coming along very well. He needs a little more coaching on the inside, but he’s improving all the time. He’s also fighting on the 21st March.
Frank Buglioni fights on the 20th April at Wembley. He’s coming on extremely well. A talented lad with 100% commitment. I took him out to spar George Groves last week and although I can’t say how it went, everybody was delighted with the performance. Adam Booth called me soon after and asked if he can spar with Frank again.
Gary Corcoran is also also fighting on the 20th April. He’s a light welter and is a fantastic fighter with serious power.
PZ: How does the relationship work between you and your father when co-training a fighter?
MT: With Billy Joe for example, dad is his trainer and I work from the outside. He does the same for me when I’m in charge. We trust each others judgement and in training fighters. My mind is always open, and I take in a certain things and others, not so much! However – when it comes to come dad, very little what he says does not make sense. He’s a great trainer.
PZ: Tell us one thing about yourself not many people know.
MT: That would be telling wouldn’t it! On a serious note. I love nature and the outdoors. The sound of the wind, birds singing and the sound of a running stream. Love it. Another fact not many people know – I’m not a bad surfer!
PZ: If you could spar three rounds with any past boxing legend, who would it be?
MT: Sugar Ray Leonard.
Follow Mark Tibbs on Twitter @MarkTibbs