Boxing Champions

At just 10 years old, Matthew Macklin first walked through the doors of Small Heath ABC. Exactly 18 years to the day after his first fight on St.Patricks Day 1994, Macklin fought for the World Middleweight Championship against Sergio Martinez at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This was Macklin’s second of three attempts to become World Champion, the other two being against Gennady Golovkin and Felix Sturm – the Sturm fight being regarded as one of the worst decisions of the modern era.

As an amateur, Macklin won the NABC’s twice, the Junior and Senior ABA’s in his first year. He also boxed for England at Schoolboy, Young England and Senior levels and in 2000 was named young boxer of the year. As a professional, Macklin would also go on to win the European Middleweight title twice alongside the British and Irish titles too.

Rowan Anthony Williams, competed in the flyweight division at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. This is an incredible achievement for the club, for the boxer and for our founder, Pat Benson. Pat is one of only two coaches in Birmingham to train an Olympian, in addition to Senior National Elite Champions. Rowan started well in the tournament, beating Stephen Ahialey, of Ghana, 11 points to 3, where he reached the Quarter Finals. He was just one victory away from a Bronze medal, before he was defeated in the Quarter Finals by Roel Velasco of the Philippines, by 17 points to 6.