Gary Sykes
Encyclopedia
Gary Sykes is a British
super featherweight
boxer
. Educated at Birkdale High School
he is based in Dewsbury
, Yorkshire
and is a former British super featherweight champion.
. During his time as an amateur Sykes also won titles in the junior ABA's as well as the full ABA title
in 2005 beating Mike Robinson in the 60kg category in the event held at the Excel Arena in London. Despite establishing himself as one of England's top amateurs, Sykes missed out on a chance to go to the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne after Stephen Smith
, another star amateur decided to move up and compete in the same weight division as Sykes. Speaking of the uncertainty at the time Sykes trainer Keith Tate said "everything is uncertain...because Smith's moved up to featherweight, and I know he's highly rated by Terry Edwards...I think Gary's earned his selection already but I have a feeling that this is going to come down to the next ABA Championships later this year....It seems like they're moving the goalposts and I'll feel sorry for Gary if he doesn't get the opportunity. He's had a great year." At the 2006 ABA championships, actually held on 2 December 2005 so as to allow preparation for the Commonwealth Games. Smith beat Akaash Bhatia in the final of the 57kg.
fighting journeyman Dave Hinds and running out a winner over six rounds. Sykes followed up the victory with on further win in 2006, defeating Dai Davies once again at the Town Hall with a 3rd round knockout. In 2007 Sykes defeated Kristian Laight, Eduards Krauklis, Deniss Sirjatovs, Dwayne Hill and Carl Allen fighting in venues across the north of England including Barnsley
, Wigan
, Doncaster
and Altrincham
. In 2008 Sykes continued his winning streak with wins over Peter Allen, Harry Ramogoadi and Jason Nesbitt before starting 2009 on a high with a win over journeyman Johnny Greaves.
in an eliminator for British super featherweight Title, winning over the 10 round distance. Two more victories followed against Ibrar Riyaz and Dean Mills before getting the chance to fight for the title on 5 March 2010. The fight, against Andy Morris
a former British featherweight champion, resulted in a close points win over 12 rounds at the Huddersfield Leisure Centre. Morris, who also won a Commonwealth games bronze medal as an amateur, had stepped in at last notice following the withdrawal of original opponent Ricky Burns
. On 28 May 2010 Sykes made a successful first defence of his belt beating Kevin O'Hara again over 12 rounds at the Huddersfield Leisure Centre.
promoted by Barry Hearn
and televised live by Sky Sports
. The competition, which would provide the winner with a prize of £32,000, pitched Sykes against former British and European title challenger Scott Lawton
in the quarter finals in a bout which he comfortably won. In the semi-final Sykes, who had wanted to enter the tournament in order to raise his profile, faced Welshman Gary Buckland
and suffered a surprise knockout defeat after just 45 seconds of the first round, the first defeat of his career. Luckily for Sykes, because of the format of the competition, his British title was not on the line. Buckland, himself a former European title challenger, went on to win the tournament beating Derry Mathews
in the final.
of Leeds, the mandatory challenger for the title. The fight, at the Huddersfield Sports Centre, resulted in a close points victory for Sykes after suffering a knockdown in the 9th round, eventually running out a 116-112, 115-112 and 115-113 winner. After the fight Sykes paid tribute to former champion Johanneson saying "To beat him means the world to me...when I first sparred with him I never thought I could last 12 rounds let alone beat him." For his third defence Sykes faced Gary Buckland
with the two meeting on 24 September 2011. In a close back and forth contest Sykes lost the title to Buckland with the Welshman being awarded the decision over 12 rounds resulting in a second career defeat for Sykes.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
super featherweight
Super Featherweight
Super featherweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 130 pounds or 59 kilograms....
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. Educated at Birkdale High School
Birkdale High School
Birkdale High School is a school in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England. The school is quite small, with just under 600 pupils at present 2006/7. The school's buildings are in two distinct phases; the older building, comprising mainly the former Wheelwright Grammar school and a newly built wing...
he is based in Dewsbury
Dewsbury
Dewsbury is a minster town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Huddersfield and south of Leeds...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and is a former British super featherweight champion.
Amateur career
Sykes boxing for Cleckheaton ABC enjoyed a 62 fight career as an amateur, a record which included at one stage a 32 fight winning streak as well as a victory over the current European champion at lightweight, John MurrayJohn Murray (boxer)
John Murray is an English lightweight boxer. He is a former Scottish and Irish lightweight champion...
. During his time as an amateur Sykes also won titles in the junior ABA's as well as the full ABA title
ABA Championships
The ABA Championships is the premier tournament hosted annually by the Amateur Boxing Association of England. The Championships are 'open' class: any boxer who is registered with a club of the ABA of England can enter....
in 2005 beating Mike Robinson in the 60kg category in the event held at the Excel Arena in London. Despite establishing himself as one of England's top amateurs, Sykes missed out on a chance to go to the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne after Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith (boxer)
Stephen Smith is a British professional boxer best known for being former British and Commonwealth Featherweight champion, and as an amateur won the featherweight division at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and a bronze medal at the 2006 European Amateur Boxing Championships...
, another star amateur decided to move up and compete in the same weight division as Sykes. Speaking of the uncertainty at the time Sykes trainer Keith Tate said "everything is uncertain...because Smith's moved up to featherweight, and I know he's highly rated by Terry Edwards...I think Gary's earned his selection already but I have a feeling that this is going to come down to the next ABA Championships later this year....It seems like they're moving the goalposts and I'll feel sorry for Gary if he doesn't get the opportunity. He's had a great year." At the 2006 ABA championships, actually held on 2 December 2005 so as to allow preparation for the Commonwealth Games. Smith beat Akaash Bhatia in the final of the 57kg.
Professional career
Sykes made his professional boxing debut on 23 February 2006 at the Town Hall in LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
fighting journeyman Dave Hinds and running out a winner over six rounds. Sykes followed up the victory with on further win in 2006, defeating Dai Davies once again at the Town Hall with a 3rd round knockout. In 2007 Sykes defeated Kristian Laight, Eduards Krauklis, Deniss Sirjatovs, Dwayne Hill and Carl Allen fighting in venues across the north of England including Barnsley
Barnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
, Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, Doncaster
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
and Altrincham
Altrincham
Altrincham is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground south of the River Mersey about southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Sale and east of Warrington...
. In 2008 Sykes continued his winning streak with wins over Peter Allen, Harry Ramogoadi and Jason Nesbitt before starting 2009 on a high with a win over journeyman Johnny Greaves.
British Champion
On 29 May 2009 Sykes faced his biggest challenge so far against Anthony CrollaAnthony Crolla
Anthony Crolla is an English boxer who has fought in the super featherweight and lightweight divisions. He won the English super featherweight title in October 2010 with a victory over Andy Morris and the British title at lightweight in February 2011 with a win against John Watson.-Early...
in an eliminator for British super featherweight Title, winning over the 10 round distance. Two more victories followed against Ibrar Riyaz and Dean Mills before getting the chance to fight for the title on 5 March 2010. The fight, against Andy Morris
Andy Morris (boxer)
Andy Morris is an English boxer who currently fights in the Featherweight division. He is a former holder of the English and British featherweight titles and has fought for the British super featherweight title...
a former British featherweight champion, resulted in a close points win over 12 rounds at the Huddersfield Leisure Centre. Morris, who also won a Commonwealth games bronze medal as an amateur, had stepped in at last notice following the withdrawal of original opponent Ricky Burns
Ricky Burns
Ricky Burns is a boxer from Coatbridge in Scotland who fights in the lightweight division and is currently the WBO interim lightweight champion of the world becoming only the 13th Scottish boxing world champion. He is also a former WBO Super-Featherweight champion, Commonwealth super featherweight...
. On 28 May 2010 Sykes made a successful first defence of his belt beating Kevin O'Hara again over 12 rounds at the Huddersfield Leisure Centre.
Prizefighter tournament
On 20 November 2010 Sykes chose to enter the knock out style Prizefighter seriesPrizefighter series
The Prizefighter series is a knock out boxing tournament created by boxing promoter Barry Hearn and aired on Sky Sports. The format has an initial eight fighters, who compete in four quarter-finals of 3 x 3 minute rounds followed by two semi-finals and one final all on the same night...
promoted by Barry Hearn
Barry Hearn
Barry Hearn is an English sporting events promoter, and the founder and chairman of promotions company Matchroom Sport. He is currently the chairman of Leyton Orient F.C., and the Professional Darts Corporation and was also until July 2010 chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker...
and televised live by Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
. The competition, which would provide the winner with a prize of £32,000, pitched Sykes against former British and European title challenger Scott Lawton
Scott Lawton (boxer)
Scott Lawton is an English professional boxer who has competed in the lightweight and super featherweight divisions. He comes from Stoke-on-Trent, is a two time English lightweight champion and has challenged for the full British and Commonwealth lightweight titles as well as the full European...
in the quarter finals in a bout which he comfortably won. In the semi-final Sykes, who had wanted to enter the tournament in order to raise his profile, faced Welshman Gary Buckland
Gary Buckland
Gary Buckland is a Welsh professional boxer fighting in the super featherweight and lightweight divisions. He is the reigning British super featherweight champion and has previously challenged for the full British and European lightweight boxing titles.-Professional career:Buckland's professional...
and suffered a surprise knockout defeat after just 45 seconds of the first round, the first defeat of his career. Luckily for Sykes, because of the format of the competition, his British title was not on the line. Buckland, himself a former European title challenger, went on to win the tournament beating Derry Mathews
Derry Mathews
Derry Mathews is an English lightweight boxer and former holder of the English and WBU Featherweight titles. As an amateur he won the 2002 ABA Bantamweight championship.-Professional career:...
in the final.
Title defences
On 5 March 2011 Sykes returned to the ring for the second defence of his British title against former champion Carl JohannesonCarl Johanneson
Carl Johanneson is super featherweight boxer. His nickname, "Ingemar" is a nod to the famous Swedish boxer Ingemar Johansson and is the nephew of former Leeds United player Albert Johanneson...
of Leeds, the mandatory challenger for the title. The fight, at the Huddersfield Sports Centre, resulted in a close points victory for Sykes after suffering a knockdown in the 9th round, eventually running out a 116-112, 115-112 and 115-113 winner. After the fight Sykes paid tribute to former champion Johanneson saying "To beat him means the world to me...when I first sparred with him I never thought I could last 12 rounds let alone beat him." For his third defence Sykes faced Gary Buckland
Gary Buckland
Gary Buckland is a Welsh professional boxer fighting in the super featherweight and lightweight divisions. He is the reigning British super featherweight champion and has previously challenged for the full British and European lightweight boxing titles.-Professional career:Buckland's professional...
with the two meeting on 24 September 2011. In a close back and forth contest Sykes lost the title to Buckland with the Welshman being awarded the decision over 12 rounds resulting in a second career defeat for Sykes.