Pay back time for ring king Henry Wharton (From York Press)

Pay back time for ring king Henry Wharton

10:47am Saturday 10th December 2011 in Boxing

Boxing legend Henry Wharton has a dream, as he tells deputy sports editor TONY KELLY

HANDS of force that pounded their way to Europe’s top boxing titles are grafting a new future for the sport in York.

Sporting son of York Henry Wharton blazed across a super-middleweight division which was arguably at its most potent.

In his heyday Wharton came within mere points of being crowned king of the world, his only defeats suffered in a trio of world title collisions to Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank in 1994 and then three years later against Robin Reid.

Besides those three world champions, the then 12 stone division was peopled by no less than the likes of another world champion Steve Collins, European title-holders Mauro Galvano and Vincenzo Nardiello, whom Wharton both deposed, upcoming prospect Joe Calzaghe and gutsy Commonwealth warriors like Rod Carr and Sipho Moyo, the latter two also both falling victim to the hammer blows of ‘Our Henry’.

Now York’s most illustrious boxer is standing in the corner of an even bigger ring in what amounts to a colossal challenge.

He has tasked himself with converting the upper floor of the former Regent Cinema in Acomb into a new boxing club and community complex – the Eastside Boxing Club and Fitness Centre.

Less than a fortnight in of removing a roof enveloped in years of cloying dust and laying down a new floor, at more than 10,000 sq ft of space it is a challenge that would KO a gallery of pugilists.

But Wharton, his partner Amanda, who is chipping in with her labour, and York Boxing Club chairman Robbie Hustwick can see the shining potential that lies beneath the rubble, brickwork and glass-less windows.

With near-evangelical brio, Wharton declared: “Look at it. It’s fantastic. It’s a brilliant space.

“I can see two rings in here, loads of punch bags and work bags, exercise areas, changing rooms, an area for other fitness activities such as zumba exercise, treatment rooms – it’s all here.

“Robbie and me have spent almost a year looking for the right place and we believe this is it.”

Wharton’s zeal for the sport, which he graced as an amateur and then power-punching professional for more than 15 years, has been re-fired by his return to the ring as a trainer and also by the project which he insists will enable him to pay back a debt to York boxing.

And he is convinced that when the Eastside Boxing and Fitness Centre is up and running, he will be able to pass on ringcraft knowledge gained at the highest level to try to produce a future generation of York champions.

“All the stuff I have learned from my days in the sport as an amateur and then a professional is stored here in my head. I have that knowledge and want to pass that on.

“It’s like a crossword. When you drag the answer from somewhere to fill in the spaces then you have to have that knowledge. That is what I have from my years in boxing and I want to pay that back to the youngsters of York.”

Wharton and Hustwick are aiming for an opening towards the end of next month and they have been stunned by the response they have had from a host of companies who have provided building materials and products.

“People have been amazing and we would just like to thank them all because this is a project that will help the community of York,” said Wharton.

“We still need more help, especially from plumbers and electricians, anything at all. We want this centre to be open to all, to be a home, a proper home to its boxers,” said Wharton.

Added Hustwick: “We would also like other clubs to come here if they want to, for other activities if they want to hire the place and its facilities.

“We think it’s just what York needs.”