Boxing Manager, Trainer. He guided the careers of around 50 British fighters, shepherding four of them to world championships. Raised in London, he did some minor level boxing and obtained a manager's license in 1957. Running his entire career out of the Royal Oak Gym, Canning Town, London, he steered his charges with a firm yet considerate hand. (For many years he also ran a soft-goods shop as a fall-back option if the boxing business failed). Lawless was to see four of his men achieve world titles: featherweight Charlie Magri, lightweight Jim Watt, welterweight John H. Stacey, and light middleweight Maurice Hope. Among his other notable successes was heavyweight Frank Bruno who became a fan favourite for his tenacity after being knocked out by Mike Tyson in 1989. (Bruno was later to become a champion under a different manager). He was eventually to retire to Marbella, Spain, where he died of complications from gall bladder surgery. The only professional criticism ever directed at Lawless was that he was too solicitous of his fighters, eager to protect them from danger by avoiding aggressive opponents. Perhaps reflecting on this, he said: "I've never ever experienced anything approaching what my boxers go thru, so how could I be anything but totally responsible for them when I'm in their corner?"
Boxing Manager, Trainer. He guided the careers of around 50 British fighters, shepherding four of them to world championships. Raised in London, he did some minor level boxing and obtained a manager's license in 1957. Running his entire career out of the Royal Oak Gym, Canning Town, London, he steered his charges with a firm yet considerate hand. (For many years he also ran a soft-goods shop as a fall-back option if the boxing business failed). Lawless was to see four of his men achieve world titles: featherweight Charlie Magri, lightweight Jim Watt, welterweight John H. Stacey, and light middleweight Maurice Hope. Among his other notable successes was heavyweight Frank Bruno who became a fan favourite for his tenacity after being knocked out by Mike Tyson in 1989. (Bruno was later to become a champion under a different manager). He was eventually to retire to Marbella, Spain, where he died of complications from gall bladder surgery. The only professional criticism ever directed at Lawless was that he was too solicitous of his fighters, eager to protect them from danger by avoiding aggressive opponents. Perhaps reflecting on this, he said: "I've never ever experienced anything approaching what my boxers go thru, so how could I be anything but totally responsible for them when I'm in their corner?"
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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