Remember, this post is purely an opinion and everyone is different. Mr Field. Mike tyson was a top level professional fighter who had a very developed skillset and on the other hand lenny mclean looks like a shitty boxer who was fat compared to mike tyson. Scots presenter Andrea McLean 'bedridden' and has been 'poorly . Even his own cousin, and sometime promoter, Frank Warren wrote him off as a big-mouthed monkey brawler. In 1992, McLean was working as the head doorman at the Hippodrome in London's Leicester Square, when he ejected a man named Gary Humphries, who suffered from serious mental health problems and was reportedly on drugs, streaking through the nightclub, urinating on the floor and harassing women. He was known to have lost several fights, although he always maintained that he had never lost a fight "on the cobbles" or outside the ring. [DOUBLEPOST=1384552783][/DOUBLEPOST], I am a handsome kind of dude but believe me compared to some of the village idiots on here, this fellow is pretty, Gangland Britain by tony Thompson was excellent - haven't read gangs but assume its similar. Aged twenty, McLean married Valerie. But headbutting, biting, gouging and kicking a man when he's down? It was during this time that he reportedly met and befriended the Kray twins. 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. The Guv'nor Lenny McLean 2013-01-15 THIS IS THE CLASSIC BOOK THAT STARTED AN ENTIRE GENRE - THE STORY OF THE MOST ICONIC HARDMAN OF THEM ALL. The 2016 documentary entitled The Guvnor: The Incredible True Story of Lenny McLean, profiles McLean as both warrior and guardian. He was also asked to be the fixer, or bodyguard, of the cast of EastEnders. This time the veteran thug in the blue corner was going to show McLean who was mustard, and who was not. With an improbable record of "4000 street fights" and "20,000 barroom brawls," was Lenny Mclean the hardest street fighting man in Britain? If you had thousands of fights then the chances are, you would lose a few. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Lenny McLean was one of the deadliest bare-knuckle fighters Britain has ever seen. Bartley Gorman, "the King of the Gypsies", head-butting on display in his encounter with Man Mountain York. Smelling blood, McLean swarmed on Shaw and let loose with a tantrum of fists. No copyright infringement is intended. East End hardman Lenny McLean was a notorious brawler and friend of gangsters - and he went on to became a cult figure in Britain and bagged roles in television series and films. So, its known that Lenny McLean did lose bare knuckle boxing matches but this wasnt very often. McLean had 2,000 fights and developed an opponent which saw him lose. A lot of us think that were tough. Lenny, however, is also a warm, grizzly bear of a man . Leonard John McLean (9 April 1949 - 28 July 1998) was an English unlicensed boxer, bouncer, bodyguard, businessman and actor. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. In the old days, barehanded or gloved up, working class Englishmen settled their differences with their fists. So, heres the best-ever bare knuckle boxer according to Budodragon. There are also noticeable boxers such as Jem Mace who fought hundreds of years ago into his 70s, or even Bobby Gunn who is a retired Canadian gypsy boxer. Discussion in 'UFC Discussion' started by MMAlover123, Jan 18, 2015. Time and again he would prevail. Whats interesting about the history of bare knuckle boxing is the mysterious culture that surrounds it. He achieved greater renown after this on the unlicensed circuit. This could be down to an off-day, bad luck, or just a style clash. Chuck Norris still trains well into his 80s, Entrepreneur Gary Vee gives advice to upcoming fighters. Married at 19, McClean had his world rocked when hismother died suddenly two years later. 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 Is Lenny McLean's record real? MacLean had gone bankrupt with debts of 8,530 and his bank manager, who encouraged the bets, has lost his job. During the 1980s McLeans career as an unlicensed professional boxer flourished. The end result of the abuse was a welling hate that grew inside the young lad. His autobiography The Guvnor had first week book sales of 25,000 shooting straight into the number one position. McLean was arrested for the murder of Humphries. I've lived the life met all sorts but will tell you this, the really hard men stay low, keep quiet, do it and get out. The actress is walking away after 14 years at the heart of River City following a dramatic showdown with gangster Lenny Murdoch. Lenny would then have to endure years of abuse from his step-father Jim. Later on that same year, Shaw met Paddy "Mad Dog" Mullins in another unlicensed bout. Aged 12 he was 4ft 2 and weighed 8 stone. He also held joint ownership of a public house in the East End of London named the "Guv'Nors" along with Charlie Kray, elder brother of the Kray twins, reputed to be the "most legitimate" of the three brothers. Lenny excelled in it and at one stage was said to weigh 20 stone and went on to win more than 3,000 fights. By the age of fifteen, McLean realised he could earn a living from fighting and pursued it as his main means of income. As a result of his fighting talents, McLean was awarded the title of The Guvnor, which says it all. After being refused a boxing license by the British Boxing Board of Control, on the grounds of his damaged eye, he turned to unlicensed boxing where he famously twice encountered . McLean, unable to become a licensed boxer due to his violent reputation and lengthy criminal record, entered the world of unlicensed boxing (which, although legal, was not sanctioned by the British Boxing Board of Control), and he quickly became one of its brightest stars and had a fearsome reputation. The man who took no s**t from anybody . According to his autobiography, McLean had fought in bare knuckle boxing bouts for over 30 years (he was 49 when he died so this is entirely plausible). Sometimes the abuse was mental, and sometimes it involved belts, but it always involved fists. The 20-stone tough nut had thousands of unlicensed boxing fights in his life and befriended the fearsome Kray. It is also alleged that the Gypsy King secretly sparred with Muhammad Ali when The Greatest visited Birmingham in 1983. One man he did lose to was Roy Shaw. He was arrested for petty crimes and served 18 months in prison. At one point, McCleans uncle Jimmy Spinks, the local tough guy and enforcer for the neighborhood bookies, had had enough. Roy Shaw - Yes, because I knew those two Mclean fights were freaks and not the real me, I carried on. Having said this for the most part, McLean was often victorious. The 20-stone tough nut had thousands of unlicensed boxing fights in his life and befriended the fearsome Kray twins. Street fights. He had 15 fights and lost 5.". Its also important to differentiate the difference between regular boxing and bare knuckle boxing. [21], Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Lenny McLean vs. Roy Shaw: Battle of the Guv'nors", "Berlin: Bare Knuckle Fight Tale 'The Guv'nor' in the Works (EXCLUSIVE)", "How Lenny McLean became the hardest man in Britain", "Lenny 'The Guv'nor' McClean 'treated kindness with kindness and violence with extreme violence', "Daughter of 'UK's toughest' reveals why he suffered violent rages", "Novel lifts the lid on secrets of gangland", "Bare-knuckle fighter enters bestseller lists", "The Guv'nor: Lenny McLean: 9781857824575", "The Guv'nor Through the Eyes of Others: Anthony Thomas: 9781844544752", "The Guv'nor review unsettling hardman documentary", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lenny_McLean&oldid=1132332422, This page was last edited on 8 January 2023, at 11:01. So was McLean: who thumped Shaw with a four-punch combo that snapped his head and sent him through the ropes and onto the first row. He wrote: "A week before the off, Sykes went into a club in Wakefield where he lives, got well p***** and had a ruck with four doormen. It's sure to be a winner." Translating his reputation into a money making venture as a bouncer, McClean effectively ran security at many of the East End pubs. Hailing from the blood darkened streets of Hoxton in East London, Lenny McLean had been a street fighting man for most of his life. However, McLean didnt just fight out of bloodlust, he also fought for money. In the old days, barehanded or gloved up, working. high quality print with printed signatures. At 19 he met Val, a year later they were married. Unable to parry or counter, Shaw collapsed under the rain of knuckle sandwiches and rabbit punches. He has not been in the best of health lately but I'm sure that warrior spirit will bring him through. Lenny along the way would take on Irish bare-knuckle Heavyweight Sean Mcafferty, stopping him in the first round. This time round, in September 1978, it was Shaw. By this point, Lenny McLean had established himself as one of the most known fighters after winning bouts against big names like Roy Shaw, but had been retired for about six years, while Bradshaw was undefeated in six fights. [6], McLean admired his great-uncle thereafter and when he became a street fighter he said that he considered every victory to be won on behalf of his vulnerable younger self. In August 1991 Duffy's life came to a violent end when he was stabbed during a brutal street brawl in Marton Road, Middlesbrough aged just 26. Unsportsmanlike conduct and riotous proceedings aside, the score was one a' piece and the good folks of London town wanted a best of three. Dalton had also made many other enemies, and was found dead with a bullet in his head in 1992,[13] a murder for which McLean asserted his innocence. He was certainly a massive Ali fan and. Liam Galvin 76K views 2. Or trust. He died shortly afterwards on July 28, 1998, a month before the films release. Challenges which were given out to boxers like ex pro Heavyweight Danny McCalinden and unlicensed fighter Harry Starbuck came unanswered. His most famous bout was against George 'Pappy' Langley. Rather than have a recce in the first round and give the punters their money's worth, Mclean broke off from holding (and hitting) to unload a meaty series of one-two shots that shook Shaw's head and sent him stumbling like a drunk at closing time. He was also known in the London nightclub scene as a bouncer, where he often managed security. He had dear, powerful friends, but he also had terrible enemies. By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from Vice Media Group, which may include marketing promotions, advertisements and sponsored content. Pearson's Magazine - 1921 How to Beat Up Anybody - Judah Friedlander 2010-10-05 . Lenny Mclean on the Richard Littlejohn show (Show 1) Lenny Mclean - The Guvnor 709K views 7 years ago John Fury v Micky Theo - The 'Guv'nor' Lew Yates has his Say! Probably not, but tough guys are becoming more rare by the minute. [3], Lenny McLean was born into a large, working-class Irish family in Hoxton in the East End of London. Theres no shame in this but the fact that McLean never went professional is quite telling. Many of the East End of London, working class Englishmen settled their differences with their fists the East pubs. Mclean who was mustard, and sometimes it involved belts, but it always involved fists Mullins in unlicensed... Often victorious of fights then the chances are, you would lose a.. Remember, this post is purely an opinion and everyone is different boxing is mysterious... But the fact that McLean never went professional is quite telling tough guys are becoming rare... 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