Men like Lenny Mclean. However, finding a publisher proved to be tougher than any fight in the previous 30 years. The second bout in April 1978 was held once again at "Cinatra's Nightclub" (with a C not an S) a classless and gaudy venue in Croydon, South London with a 2000 seat capacity. McLean had a famous trilogy of unlicensed matches with arch-rival Roy "Pretty Boy" Shaw. However, it was determined that McLean was responsible for Humphries' broken jaw. At the time Ronnie and Reggie Kray were fearsome gangsters well known for their role in organised crime in London. Lenny Mclean was a legendary bouncer and bare knuckle fighter who also starred in Guy Ritchies classic film Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Whatever he was known as he was truly The Guvnor. If this was any other fight, McLean would have been DQ'd and possibly banned for life. Johnny Waldron (born East Grinstead, Sussex, on 11 January 1954), also known as "Big Bad" Johnny Waldron, was a Light Heavyweight professional boxer based in Great Britain and Germany during the 1970s and early 1980s. [citation needed][4], Lenny's mother, Rose, married again to Jim Irwin, who was also a career petty criminal. The new book The Guvnor A Tribute has shot straight into the top 30 and is climbing as I write this. In it she recalls her volatile relationship with her dad and says doctors believe he likely suffered from bipolar disorder. Despite expert testimony that Lenny McLeans intervention was not the cause of death, but was instead caused by police brutality,he was still sentenced to 18 months in prison for grievous bodily harm. Shaw fought periodically until bowing out of the unlicensed game aged 45 in 1981. But when Frank Warren's National Boxing Council formed in 1970 it offered underground fighters in Britain the chance to step foot inside the rink. While most of us immediately think of the Guy Ritchie film "Snatch," where Brad Pitt as the Pikey flourishes as a calculating, bare-knuckle boxing champion, McClean lived it. Briggs would survive after surgery, and McClean narrowlyavoided prison. Training in a makeshift neighborhood camp that would make Rocky Balboas early days look posh, McLean made sure thatin late 1978 the two would meet again in front ofseveral thousand East Enders. He had 15 fights and lost 5.". Hard man. Because of concerns over glove tampering, and McLean's complaints of being duped in the first encounter, both men were not laced up until they were in the ring. They were two of London's hardest nightclub bouncers. weighing 19.1/2 stone, knocked out MacLean by the end of the fifth round. In fact, most likely enhanced it. Time and again he would prevail. The things that one has to experience in order to gain a widereputation of being tough are vast, almost unattainable these days. If something's wrong, please, report it. Lenny eventually fell into acting after being asked to mind the cast of EastEnders. At the time, this was a lot of money. McLean returned later to demand his money back, but instead of refunding McLean, Mac offered to give McLean a new car in exchange for him fighting in one of Mac's unlicensed boxing bouts later that night in Mac's yard. . His autobiography The Guvnor had first week book sales of 25,000 shooting straight into the number one position. I thought they fought 3 times, Shaw winning the first but it wasn't recorded then McClean won the next 2 by ko, ive those 2 on dvd, u can pick them up for about a fiver on ebay the ones i got have loads of fights and the qualitys not bad either 08-18-2006 10:16 PM #6 Tito BHB Even some of the greatest fighters ever lose every now and then. Under the tutelage of Freddy Hill, McLean developed an understanding of how to truly box, slip,counterpunch, and dismantle a foe, rather than just use brute force to win. This time we look at his infamous 3 fights against legendary hardman Roy Shaw. Lenny The Guvnor Mclean v Roy Pretty Boy Shaw, This div height required for enabling the sticky sidebar, Copyright at 2023. He was uneducated and a product of his upbringing, traumatised by what hed been through, and probably had mental health problems as a result of all that. As Lenny McLean grew older, he began using his considerable reputation to guard doors at nightclubs across London, including Camden Palace and the Hippodrome in Leicester Square, becoming a de. The bell clanged and Shaw came storming came out of the trenches with left hooks galore. McLean described his family as his "rock," whose existence helped him to reject a life solely devoted to crime, and for whom he maintained some self-control during his fights. Basically, traditional boxing has more rules and rest rounds, whereas bare knuckle is typically bloodier and more of a slog. This is often where the term gypsy king comes from, as champion gypsy boxers would fight for the title and bragging rights of their region or country. Despite toxic levels of personal animosity between the two thugs, their life stories were almost identical. [7] McLean's son Jamie later said, "My dad wasn't a born fighter. "If you don't fight, you're just one of the crowd and one of the crowd don't get nuffink.". So, its known that Lenny McLean did lose bare knuckle boxing matches but this wasnt very often. Like Shaw in his fight with Don Adams in 1975, McLean picked Bradshaw up and whupped him with a series of pub style blows before using him as a doormat. After starting bare-knuckle fighting, Lenny realised he could make a living out of it. Sometimes losing, sometimes winning, but always fighting. Roy Shaw, the self-anointed Guvnor of Londonwas a pro fighter thatspent his adultyears in prison. During his teenage years, McLean mixed with various local criminals. It was upon filming this that Lenny was struck ill. What he thought was a dose of the flu, would turn out to be Cancer of the brain. McLean lost to Shaw once via verbal submission, which McLean justified by claiming his gloves had been tampered with, thus reducing their maneuverability. Lenny couldnt escape the law forever and as a teenager he was caught and arrested for petty crimes, serving 18 months inside. And that's doubtful. Lenny Mclean wouldn't come into it because he was knocked spark out by Cliff twice! It is also alleged that the Gypsy King secretly sparred with Muhammad Ali when The Greatest visited Birmingham in 1983. What was his motivation for fighting on the cobbles? Cancer finally defeated Leonard John Frederick McLean in 1998 at the age of 49; this was only weeks before the release of Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels.. It was during the filming of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels that Lenny fell ill in what was later diagnosed as lung cancer. This book is a must-read if you have any interest in the criminal underworld or criminal activity. But who was the hard man from Hoxton who became a notorious brawler? Born in Hoxton, right in the middle of the east-end, Lenny had a good upbringing until his father died when he was young. It takes a tough man to tackle these questions, and the younger Lenny McLean certainly lives up to the name he bears. Lenny Mclean, the greatest bare-knuckle street fighter of them all. Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 Next > MMAlover123 Orange Belt. Joined: Dec 4, 2013 . Spinks immediately became the father figure to Lennyduring the 50s and 60s. Hi. The arse over elbows finale cost Shaw a bit more than his rep. Lenny McLean was born in London in 1949. would look great framed / displayed. McLean was also described as a "fixer" and a "minder", meaning a bodyguard, for criminals and celebrities including Mike Reid, Boy George, and the casts of television shows such as EastEnders and The Bill. McLean, who in his prime was sixfeet threeinches (191cm) tall and weighed over 20 stone (280lb; 130kg), boasted that he could beat anybody, in either a legitimate match or in an unlicensed match with or without gloves, and reputedly sent out challenges to many of the famous boxers of the day, including Muhammad Ali and Mr. T, though neither contest materialised. His most famous bout was against George 'Pappy' Langley. He picked up a nice little wage and two broken hands as well. As soon as he fights anyone who doesnt fear him and has even decent skills he probably loses. the guv nor facebook. McLean was arrested for the murder of Humphries. He couldnt become a licenced boxer due to his violent past and criminal record. free uk post. Also his book sounds like shit, the usual "I was the small one getting bullied then one day i chinned them all" shit. What is a front kick, and why the heck do I need one? Two. Early on in his career, he was paid hundreds of pounds to fight. In unlicensed matches, he was twice stopped by Cliff Field, who himself had been beaten by Pearce's brother 'Bimbo Pearce' and twice beaten by Johnny "Big Bad" Waldron. In the red corner, grunting like Guy the Gorilla on loan from London Zoo was Lenny McLean. The noisy nightclub doorman from Hell was still the "unofficial heavyweight champion of Great Britain," still "the Guv'nor." McLeans particular talents led him to moonlight as a debt collector for organized crime families like the Kray Twins. Lenny McLean was known as the hardest man in Britain, Lenny became a cult figure during his life and known as Britain's hardest man, Lenny was not allowed to be a licenced boxer due to his violent past but Frank Warren's National Boxing Council offered him the chance to fight, Lenny's violent childhood led to him rubbing shoulders with organised crime, 'Britain's hardest man' was 20st, had '3,000' boxing fights and worked with the Krays, 'Lady in the lake' killer jailed for gagging and murdering woman 35 years ago, Tory police minister slaps down chief's plea for cops to spare shoplifters stealing to eat. Both of them were "Borstal boys", juvenile offenders, who had served custodial sentences and missed the opportunity to box proper in the ring as amateurs or professionals. Dream fight:Lenny McLean vs Kimbo Slice. [19] In October 2017, The Guv'nor Revealed The Untold Story of Lenny McLean by Thomas and Lee Wortley was released. This time the veteran thug in the blue corner was going to show McLean who was mustard, and who was not. As a respected and feared figure, he often associated with infamous criminals such as the Kray twins, Ronnie Biggs and Charles Bronson. lets have a look#lennymclean#royshaw#boxingIf you would like to buy me a coffee it really would mean the world .https://www.patreon.com/propaboxingThankyou so much .Buy yourself some PROPA MERCHANDISE You'll love it - quality hoodies / t-shirts / mugs / presents for the wife: propa-2.creator-spring.comFollow me on Insta for some nutty posts: https://www.instagram.com/this_is_propa/All materials in these videos are used for entertainment purposes and fall within the guidelines of fair use. Maybe weve gone to war and come out the other side with a feeling that no onecan touch us. When exposed as a crook on the run, the British Board of Boxing Control failed to renew Shaw's license, and banned him from performing in any of their contests thereafter. Manchester Evening News Sport: All the latest news on Manchester City, Manchester United, Greater Manchester non-league football, rugby union, boxing, cricket, ice hockey, basketball, speedway and . Leonard John "Lenny" McLean (9 April 1949 - 28 July 1998), also known as "The Guv'nor," was an English bare-knuckle fighter, bouncer, criminal and Lenny McLean Net Worth WebLenny McLean Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Lenny McLean was born in London in 1949. A feeling that were invincible. Lenny, who was a nightclub enforcer and feared around the city, befriended notorious gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray and fell into a life of crime. roy shaw vs lenny mclean fight poster with the krays. Reportedly, the police had forcefully restrained him with a stranglehold. I will happily fulfill your needs if there are any issues.Disclaimer: Only having a laugh here, don't take anything seriously, lifes too short :) Like and Subscribe for a giggle In his head, he was the "Guv'nor," and the hardest man in Britain, not Roy "Pretty Boy" Shaw. how tall was roy pretty boy'' shaw how tall was roy pretty boy'' shaw He's reduced to being a pusillanimous figure, unable to stop the flow of backhands, rabbit punches, headbutts and Don King head stomps. With his fame as an unlicensed boxer, McLean became known as "The King of Bouncers" around many of the clubs and pubs in London. He used to say he'd had 3,000 fights, which was crap. The effects of the incident changed the fearsome man. Lenny would then have to endure years of abuse from his step-father Jim. Shaw had fought and won 10 bouts as a prounder an assumed name when he was on the lam from the law. In short, McLean did lose a few fights and theres been a few names documented too. Kelly, a mother of two, has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and says doctors told her that McLean likely had a version of the disorder himself. Two such geezers with major beef and no manners were Lenny McLean and Roy Shaw. One man he did lose to was Roy Shaw. He was subsequently diagnosed with pleurisy, although a further X-ray examination proved he was suffering from lung cancer which had metastasised to his brain. He also was offered a fight with professional boxer David "Bomber" Pearce, the hard-hitting British heavyweight champion from Newport. When two of London's hardest mob enforcers went to war in the brutal and dirty world of unlicensed boxing. McLean was declared the winner and he shouted out into the crowd of cockney punters, "I'm the Guv'nor!" Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. By searching the title, publisher, or authors of guide you essentially want, you can discover . However, the truth maybe stranger than fiction. As for the street fighting bit, was he King of the Cobbles or King of the Cobblers? Family man. Under the wing of Spinks, McLean was exposed even more fully to the darker sides of Londons underworld. However, other sources have claimed that he had closer to 2000. For instance, had he fought someone like Muhammad Ali, then he would have lost. McLean overwhelmed Shaw, one-two, one-two, one-two, ad infinitum. The next morning, he was informed that the customer had died. They weren't legit boxers per se. As you can imagine, this was a man surrounded by violence and boxing. He died in 2012, but, like his archrival, he is a much-missed character. There's a famous story, probably apocryphal, from when he was leading security at the Camden Palace in London. This time we look at his infamous 3 fights against legendary hardman Roy Shaw. McLean lost some face as he was challenged by the "King of the Gypsies" Bartley Gorman but did not accept the fight. Lenny became a nightclub enforcer and was feared around the city. Social Darwinism (survival of the fittest), and the cult of the personality (reputation). His reputation for being a psychopath apparently had no ill effect on his career. One such encounter was his 1986 bout with Mad Gypsy Bradshaw. Davem10 Banned Banned. Lenny grew up in the London neighbourhood in the 1950s when it was one of the most deprived areas of the city. [15] McLean admitted to "giving him a backhander." Both men were London hooligans who had learned to fight on the pavement arena. 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