George Francis (trainer)
Encyclopedia
George Francis was a British
boxing
athletic trainer
who trained world champion boxers
such as Frank Bruno
, John Conteh
, John Mugabi
, and Cornelius Boza Edwards
. He was found hanged
at his home in London
, apparently having committed suicide
. He was 73.
George Francis was born in 1929 in Camden Town
north London. He was only eight when his father died, and by the age of 11 he had begun full-time to work to support his family. His earliest involvement with boxing was allegedly as a bare-knuckle street fighter but, after a local policemen persuaded him to quit pavement warfare, he turned to amateur boxing. Francis worked his way up the ranks at Covent Garden Market and eventually became a porter. He was a member of a local boxing club and it was there that he decided to switch from boxer to trainer. These early ventures into the fight game were to be the start of a career which saw him become involved with some of the greatest boxers in the world.
George committed suicide
in 2002 after the deaths of both his wife, Joan, and his son, Simon.
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...
boxing
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...
athletic trainer
Athletic trainer
An athletic trainer is a certified, health care professional who practices in the field of sports medicine. Athletic training has been recognized by the American Medical Association as an allied health care profession since 1990....
who trained world champion boxers
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...
such as Frank Bruno
Frank Bruno
Franklin Roy Bruno MBE is an English former boxer whose career highlight was winning the WBC Heavyweight championship in 1995. Altogether, he won 40 of his 45 contests...
, John Conteh
John Conteh
John Conteh is a British former boxer who was world light-heavyweight boxing champion.Conteh is one of Britain's most successful boxing champions. At his peak in the mid to late 1970s he was considered good enough that he was touted as a possible opponent of Muhammad Ali...
, John Mugabi
John Mugabi
John "The Beast" Mugabi is a former boxer and world Jr. Middleweight champion. A world traveller, Mugabi was a part of an early 1980s Jr...
, and Cornelius Boza Edwards
Cornelius Boza Edwards
Cornelius Boza Edwards was a Ugandan boxer in the Light Welterweight division and the former WBC Super Featherweight Champion. Edwards emigrated from Uganda to England, where he lived for a long period of time...
. He was found hanged
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
at his home in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, apparently having committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. He was 73.
George Francis was born in 1929 in Camden Town
Camden Town
-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...
north London. He was only eight when his father died, and by the age of 11 he had begun full-time to work to support his family. His earliest involvement with boxing was allegedly as a bare-knuckle street fighter but, after a local policemen persuaded him to quit pavement warfare, he turned to amateur boxing. Francis worked his way up the ranks at Covent Garden Market and eventually became a porter. He was a member of a local boxing club and it was there that he decided to switch from boxer to trainer. These early ventures into the fight game were to be the start of a career which saw him become involved with some of the greatest boxers in the world.
George committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
in 2002 after the deaths of both his wife, Joan, and his son, Simon.
External links
- "George Francis found dead" - BBC Sport article dated Tuesday, April 9, 2002