Brian Hughes, the legendary 'Godfather of Manchester boxing', has died
manchestereveningnews.co.ukTributes are flooding in for legendary boxing trainer Brian Hughes following his death aged 82. Known as the 'Godfather of Manchester boxing', Hughes dedicated his life to the sport.
Born and raised in Collyhurst, he formed Collyhurst Lads Club in 1964 at a community centre on Willert Street using Army kit bags stuffed with old clothing as punch bags.
Scores of youngsters joined and football teams and a boxing squad were set up. READ MORE: Pupils excluded from Manchester schools do GCSEs at a boxing club - while champions train and keep watch Within a couple of years the club had won the first of dozens of national schoolboy and national junior ABA titles and began producing a long line of national and international fighters In the 1970s, when the old club was demolished, Hughes kept the boxing section going and he opened up a gym above the Co-op on Lightbowne Road in Moston.
There, Hughes went on to achieve even greater success, producing several British, European and World boxing champions, working with the likes of Tyson Fury, Scott Quigg and Robin Reid.
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