Whatever Happened To Pat Barrett

[columbo man]

WHAT DID BECOME OF THE BLACK FLASH?

I REMEMBER THAT GUY COULD PUNCH:thumbsup

[columbo man]

I'm interviewing him next week funnily enough. It will be on BBN.


what a coincidence!!!!:thumbsup

[D-MAC]

I'm doing a Michael Watson thing this weekend also and there is a Watson strand up. Have I stumbled into a nest of psychic people?

Yes, you have:deal

[smiffy]

don't know what he does now but 10 years ago when i was involved in some of the darker areas of manchester life he was a gangster and heroin dealer. don't tell him i said that though please .:yep

[smiffy]

I'll mostly stick to boxing, then see how we get on from there. Anyone with any boxing related burning questions PM them to me and I'll try and get them answered also.

Alternatively send them using ESP powers :good


can you not slip a quick one in about selling heroin to kids ?

[aliboomaye]

can you not slip a quick one in about selling heroin to kids ?

:lol:

[dan-b]

can you not slip a quick one in about selling heroin to kids ?

Why don't you shut up you trolling n00b? Or at least fuck off to the general forum with all the other kids.

[smiffy]

Why don't you shut up you trolling n00b? Or at least fuck off to the general forum with all the other kids.


i'm alright here thanks ..........

the threads about pat barrett, someone who i have personal experiance of. so fuck you .


and what the fuck is trolling ?

[Claypole]

and what the fuck is trolling ?

FYI: [Only registered and activated users can see links]

[smiffy]

FYI: [Only registered and activated users can see links]


just read it, and think i'm contributing to the thread by sharing personal experiences of the man like pat barrett. whether thats " trolling " i don't know and frankly don't give a fuck .

[hitman_hatton1]

I'll mostly stick to boxing, then see how we get on from there. Anyone with any boxing related burning questions PM them to me and I'll try and get them answered also.

Alternatively send them using ESP powers :good

ask him about when he dropped ricky hatton with a body shot in sparring when rick was 15.

and ask him what he thought of ricky hatton even back in those days. :thumbsup

why have u got a pic of mark breland on ya avatar as well? :yep

[hitman_hatton1]

Because he was fooking awesome, and you know I love deeply flawed fighters :good

Will ask those questions for you.

yeah mark was a classy fighter.

got a load of his fights about 18 months ago. :bbb

still gotta watch the 2nd fight with marlon starling actually. :hey

[Vantage_West]

ESB Exclusive Interview With Pat Barrett, Former British and European Light welterweight Champ
24.07.06 - By James Slater: Pat Barrett is one of Britain’s most talented boxers never to have won a world title. He was fast, skilful and had a hurtful punch. He turned pro in 1987 and, after only two years in the professional ranks, won the British light welterweight title. The following year he went one better and annexed the European title. This win was achieved, very impressively, by way of a fourth round KO over Efrem Calamati, in the defending champion’s home country of Italy.. The KO Pat inflicted on him marked the very first time Calamati was stopped in his career. Naturally, a world title fight was next for Barrett. Unfortunately, boxing up at welterweight, his chance came against one of boxing’s worst spoilers. Manning Galloway, who was actually nicknamed “The Spoiler”, was a vastly experienced fighter, with over fifty bouts on his record going into the match with Pat. He won a close decision and retained his WBO welterweight belt. And despite winning plenty more fights - in Countries such as Belgium, America and, once again, Italy - Pat was, unfortunately, destined to be remembered as one of Britain’s finest never to have managed to win a world title. As with Herol Graham, Pat Barrett was a talented boxer who was extremely unfortunate not to have ascended to the very top. He retired, on a two fight winning streak, in 1994. His overall record is a more than respectable 37 - 4 - 1 (28).

At a recent fight card, held in his hometown of Manchester, England, Pat very kindly gave me the telephone number of his gym so that I could conduct an interview with him at a later date. The following text recounts this interview.

James Slater. How old were you when you put boxing gloves on for the very first time?

Pat Barrett. I was seventeen years old.

J.S. What amateur experience did you have?

P.B. Not too much actually. I only had twenty-six amateur fights. I won about twenty-three or twenty-four of them.

J.S. You made your pro debut in 1987, with a stoppage win over Gary Barron. Any memories?

P.B. Yeah, I fought in Peterborough, I think it was. Believe it or not, when I first started boxing I wasn’t set on becoming a champion at all. If I’d started earlier it would have been a different story. But I was taking chances boxing, I’d let openings develop and then knock the guy out. Back then, you only earned about £200 per fight - about £200 to £600, that’s all. I needed the money. Thankfully, Brian, my manager, was really good with me. He let me keep almost all of what I earned. He’s passed away now, God rest his soul, but Tommy Miller also handled me. All the big names worked withhim when they had up and coming fighters.

J.S. Then you realised you were good, of course. But you were beaten on points later that year by Paul Burke. What are you recollections of that fight?

P.B. I was devastated. But it made me a better fighter. I lost on points, I was never KO’d in my entire career. I was basically a lightweight when I fought Burke, at light welterweight.

J.S. You then went unbeaten in your next thirty-one bouts. And one of your finest moments came when you won the European Light welter title by KO’ing Efrem Calamati in Italy. Do you agree with those who call this one of your best performances?

P.B. Yeah, I think that was my best ever display. I’d also won the British title, less than a year before. There was talk of a fight with Julio Cesar Chavez at this time. I was at my absolute peak. I was knocking guys out in sparring. But it never happened. He fought someone else instead. I was fed up with defending my European title by now. I wanted a world title.

J.S. You fought in quite a lot of different countries. How did it feel boxing so far from home so often?

P.B. It was great experience. That’s what Brian did with us as amateurs. He took us to America to fight, to get experience. I didn’t care where I fought. It seemed natural being abroad. If you can fight, you can fight anywhere.

J.S. Then came your world title fight. Unfortunately, you had to fight Manning Galloway - a guy who was known as “The Spoiler”. How do you remember the fight?

P.B. I was demoralised before that fight. It was off, then on, then off again. It kept getting postponed. My belief in the fight happening was going. One time, it was postponed right at the press conference. I had another fight instead - it should have been a world title fight but it wasn’t. It was a ten rounder instead. I was fed up.

J.S. As for the Galloway fight. Two judges had it close. Do you think you actually won it?

P.B. Yeah, I won. But I deserved to lose as well. They all told me after that I should have won. But I deserved to lose. I didn’t box as good as I could have.

J.S. Then you moved up to light middleweight, were you comfortable at the new weight?

P.B. Well, you know what? I fought for another world title (the WBF belt) in Belgium, against a guy called Patrick Vungbo. I was definitely robbed in that fight. But at the weigh-in, no-one knew, but I weighed in with weights in the pockets of my tracksuit. I was only about ten stone five pounds really. But it was a definite home town decision. No doubt. And in my fight with Del Bryan, for the British welterweight title, I should’ve won that fight as well. I had him KO’d in the eleventh round, but I didn’t jump on him. I let him off the hook.

J.S. You then won your last two fights, but retired. You were only twenty-seven. Why so young?

P.B. Yeah, I made a comeback. I was training with Lennox Lewis’ trainer John Davenport. But then I had some problems and went to prison. I wanted to make
a comeback after, but my manager told me not to. He said he could tell when a fighter doesn’t have it anymore. The timing goes. I wanted to fight again, but didn’t.

J.S. You are a trainer now, when did you start?

P.B. Since I retired from boxing. Brian asked me to become a trainer. I refused at first, but then I started helping him in the gym. I am a knowledgeable trainer. You have to give one hundred and fifty percent. My fighters don’t realise the stuff I can do with them. Like pull-ups and other things. I keep in shape, and I’m sharp. I get them ready.

J.S. Are there any name fighters you are working with?

P.B. Yeah, we’ve got Robin Reid in the gym, now that he’s coming back. And Michael Jennings. He’s fighting Takaloo soon. Any time you want to come down to the gym and interview any of the fighters or anything, it’s not a problem. (at this point, being delighted to have been given such an invite, I was absolutely thrilled. I certainly plan to take Pat up on his generous offer).

J.S. Thank you very much, Pat. That would be great. Can I ask you about Ricky Hatton? What do you think of him?

P.B. I think Ricky Hatton is a remarkable fighter. The only thing I would say about him, is he has no head movement. If I were training him, I’d work on his defence. His offence is no problem, but for a fast fighter, he has nowhere near enough head movement.

J.S. Do you think he should be fighting at welterweight, or should he go back down to light welter?

P.B. He should definitely go back down. I told him so when I spoke to him. He doesn’t have the advantages he had against the light welterweights. The guy he struggled with at welter, he would have destroyed at light welter.

J.S. I agree, Pat. He should move back down. But if he fought Floyd Mayweather, would he have a good chance?

P.B. You can never write Hatton off. He always has a chance with any fighter.

J.S. Would he have been the type of opponent you’d have liked to have fought? He’s in your weight class.

P.B. It’s styles. Me and Hatton are actually quite similar. Both boxer-punchers. Actually, he said he learnt his body punching from me. We sparred together, just before he turned pro. I wanted to train him, before he went with Billy Graham. When I say he learnt from me, I mean it complimentary. It’s a compliment to me. I have the clipping of the article where he said he learnt his body punching from me. I’m not being arrogant., or judgmental. But yes, he needs to learn defence. If you look at me, I haven’t got a mark on my face. None of my fighters have a mark on their face. That’s why, it’s all about defence. I could do it defensively, and with my fists.

J.S. You certainly could, Pat. You knew how to handle yourself, as your more than respectable record shows. And of course, you were never knocked out.

P.B. Not once.

J.S. Pat, I want to thank you for your time. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege talking to you. Thanks a lot.

P.B. It hasn’t been a problem, same to you.

[Vantage_West]

Barrett jailed after gun found in hotel room

23/ 3/2004


FORMER boxing champion Pat Barrett has been jailed after being found with a loaded pistol in a hotel room.

Father-of-two Barrett, 36, who trained fighters at the Collyhurst Boxing Club, was caught by police at the Holiday Inn Express, in Chingford, Essex, after a tip-off.

Armed officers raided his room on February 7 last year and found 1.55 grams of heroin, .293 grams of cannabis and a modified revolver with five live rounds. They also discovered three kilos of a white powder which later turned out to be harmless food substance.

Barrett, of Firwood Park, Chadderton, is a former British and European light-welterweight champion who once trained with fight legend Sugar Ray Leonard in the US. He had been staying at the hotel before attending a funeral the next day.

The boxer denied all knowledge of the gun, ammunition and drugs and told police he had been set up. But he was convicted after a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

He was jailed for three years for possessing a firearm without a licence and given a consecutive three-month term for having ammunition. Charges relating to the drugs were ordered to remain on file.

Brian Hughes, chief coach at the Collyhurst club, told a judge: "Patrick was good enough to be world champion. It was just bad luck that stopped him. He was the undefeated British and European champion. He was a leading light in the sport and he is a wonderful man.

"This is totally out of character for him. He has been doing a great job training our young boxers at the club, including one who is already a world champion."

No explanation was given in court why Barrett had the gun.

Recorder Jo Boothby said: "I'm sure you have many good qualities but you were caught in a hotel room with a gun and a quantity of heroin. Gun and drug culture have become totally unacceptable and possession of a loaded gun attracts a serious prison sentence. You put forward a very foolish defence at trial and you were convicted."

Barrett gave a thumbs up to friends and young boxing protegees as he was led away to begin his sentence.

[Vantage_West]

[Only registered and activated users can see links]$plit/C_71_article_465918_Body_Web_ArticleBlock_0_Image.jpg?23%

[Vantage_West]

ieIQ0WCc10w



PFvg4Td887M

[Vantage_West]

Jamie Slater:what about your first British or European champ, because you've had a few haven't you?

Brian Hughes: Yeah. First one was Patrick (Barrett). He won it against Tony Willis - a bronze medallist from the Olympic games, who had only lost once as a pro, I think. He was the champion at light-welter and Pat knocked him out sensationally. Then after that he became the undefeated European Champion. Those are the sort of things that stick in your memory. Don't get me wrong, I never forget the other lads, everybody's important (to me) even the lads who were never champions. I don't just teach my fighters how to box, I also teach them how to live proper lives and become proper citizens. I'd never want them to become like these kids you see now, where they all hang about on streets, you know.

[Strike]

don't know what he does now but 10 years ago when i was involved in some of the darker areas of manchester life he was a gangster and heroin dealer. don't tell him i said that though please .:yep

Very true. He still is heavily connected with the Hillbillies. Years back he was offered out by some loon, can't remember his name, a bodybuilder and drugs man, who used to do people with a hammer...big white guy with blonde hair...total headcase and hard as fuck.

Even Barrett didn't want it. That geezer is dead now anyway...my mate saw Pat spark some big skinhead with one uppercut in a club a few years back. He hits very hard, good boxer but obviously making his money with serious crime these days, and has been for a long time.

[hitman_hatton1]

Breland-Davis is a torrid fight :bbb

that's one of the best fights ever ain't it. :yep

under rated classic.

breland beats the holy cow out of davis don't he. :lol:

so unlucky. :patsch

[hitman_hatton1]

I've got his Golden Gloves winning fights and Breland looked superb in those. Fighting like a pro when still an amateur.

i'm insanely jealous.

i've always wanted to check out breland's amateur fights.

a lot of people say he is the best amateur boxer of all time. :bbb

[smiffy]

he was bang on with what he said about hatton wasn't he, great interview .
i feel i should make it clear about the comments i made earlier that i respected pat barrett as a boxer , top fighter and should have gone further .

[biglads]

I remember at one point he was being talked up in the British press as a challenger for Chavez. Could have got to him before Frankie Randall........

[Dunky McCafferty]

Man, back in the days when I were but a young'un like most of you posters here, I was actually a 'brit' & loved Chris Eubank & Pat Barrett!

I used to watch all Barrets fights & thought he was a special talent. He was my second favourite fighter behind Eubank.

How times change though I suppose. Very sad.

[martin0792]

Pat Barrett who won the British Title against Tony Willis. Barrett was behind on points and came back to knockout Willis in the 9th round with a devastating left hook. Barrett made his first defense of the British Title against Scottish Champion Robert Harkin. Black Flash Barrett was on a 7 fight ko streak going into the fight with Harkin but Pat Barrett strugled with Harkin and could not get by Harkins superb defense. Barrett won a very close points decision and was disapointed with his performance he later rejected a rematch with Harkin.

[trotter]

Man, back in the days when I were but a young'un like most of you posters here, I was actually a 'brit' & loved Chris Eubank & Pat Barrett!

I used to watch all Barrets fights & thought he was a special talent. He was my second favourite fighter behind Eubank.

How times change though I suppose. Very sad.

That's interesting. I too was a 'Brit' when I was younger. Me and my mates sat around cheering Scotland on many a time, Sweden in 1990 world cup for one. We were gutted when you lost to Brazil.

Once I moved to London though and met some Scots, that was the end of it for me. The hatred and deep seated insecurity about the English disgusted me. Same goes for the French, they have been the same in my experience. In the English capital constantly whinging about the English.

I'd always banged on about 'southerners' but I have jacked that in. To be honest it embarasses me that I could have been so small minded and pathetic to generalise about a whole group of people, especially while living amongst them. End of the day it's insecurity.

[brown bomber]

First of what may well be a few interviews with Pat here. He asked me to put his name out on the Internet and pleased to find out it already was out there. Mostly looking at his boxing career, we might do another one in a few weeks time. This is one of two:

[Only registered and activated users can see links] Awesome read.... Don't you think Pat is huse for a light welter.... How he ever made the weight I don't know... Heard lots about him never seen him fight though... Anyone give us an idea of what he was like... Apparently a big hitter- one shotter?

[GazOC]

Great read!!!

[GazOC]

Jeff, a very lazy description of Barrets style would be a poor mans Thomas Hearns (and mean that as a complement).

[Dunky McCafferty]

That's interesting. I too was a 'Brit' when I was younger. Me and my mates sat around cheering Scotland on many a time, Sweden in 1990 world cup for one. We were gutted when you lost to Brazil.

Once I moved to London though and met some Scots, that was the end of it for me. The hatred and deep seated insecurity about the English disgusted me. Same goes for the French, they have been the same in my experience. In the English capital constantly whinging about the English.

I'd always banged on about 'southerners' but I have jacked that in. To be honest it embarasses me that I could have been so small minded and pathetic to generalise about a whole group of people, especially while living amongst them. End of the day it's insecurity.

hmm. seems like we shared the same experiences, albeit on a different level.

me? back in the 80's & early 90's I was a true brit, I always looked at scots, english welsh & irish fighters as all equals, fighting for the UK. I also voted labour.
Man, I was sucha Eubank nuthugger that I rushed home from my job early twice when I was working my arse off & exhausted, to make it to the SECC on time TWICE to see my hero Chris Eubank in his public training sessions, & it cost me money too as Eubank charged, but in fairness to the man all the proceeds went to charity.
Second time I went, I even took my wee sister with me, as I loved Eubank so much, even she caught the bug!

man, when Collins beat Eubank it was the worst boxing moment of my life, I was so sickened I actually left the pub I was watching it in early, went home & straight to bed in one gigantic huff!!!
Man, its crazy days thinking back to when I used to be a brit.

I supported all the brits, but I never had SKY & as they stole all the mainstream fighters from terrestrial TV, I kinda fell away from the sport for a while.
Then I met a good friend a few years later who had SKY, & once again I was able to watch boxing all the time!

& guess what, a certain Scott Harrison appeared on the scene. Now as he was a boy from my neck of the woods, I took to him immediately when I seen he had something special about him, & i was so proud to see a scotsman that had real potential, & then Arthur appeared also, Scotland had two brits that could make a mark on the world stage, these two guys were special scottish talent & both came along at the same time!
I felt spoiled as a UK fight fan, we always had Eubank & Benn to support then it was Naz, & then we had two scottish guys to cheer on too as part of the UK invasion!!!

Then the wheels dropped off my UK bandwagon...

I always read the BBC boxing forum, & the amount of nasty shit aimed at Scott Harrison & Alex Arthur from englanders shocked me at first, & as the hatred of the two mounted my shock turned into dismay, then anger followed by a complete rejection of britishness.

What had these two guys done to earn such stick? I often asked myself that question, & then the penny dropped. My fellow 'brits' from down south didnt want to see scottish fighters douing well. In fact, they wanted to mock them & see them hurt badly in the ring. & when I checked other forums, the same feeling was there. It seemed that UK boxing was all about english glory, but fuck cheering the scots on.

I changed from that moment of realization onwards. Like you, I couldnt understand why we were at odds. Then we came to our own conclusions.

& here we are, July 11th 2008 & open rivals. Funny how time changes a man.