Benson: one of Brum boxing’s real legends

Paddy, far right, during a Small Heath squad tournament in Ireland

ONE of the true Godfathers of Birmingham boxing has died.

Paddy Benson, a man whose Small Heath gym produced some of the city’s greatest fighters, passed away at Heartlands Hospital on Thursday aged 91. Quiet simply, he was Rocky Balboa’s Mickey with a Brummie Irish accent.

Last night one of his many champs, Shaun Cogan, an Irish ABA champ and fine pro, was among the first to pay tribute to the legend.

“If not for him, hundreds of kids would’ve ended up in jail, me included,” a clearly emotional Cogan said. “He made Small Heath one of the best clubs in the country. Everyone in that gym still speaks about Paddy, no one had a bad word to say about him.

“He helped so many people over the years, literally thousands. Me and him won the same Irish title 32 years apart and it had his name on the cup. He took it round Birmingham to show all his friends. What an absolute legend.”

The great fighters spawned by Small Heath included Matt Macklin, the Ramsay brothers, Wayne Elcock, Rowan Williams and Frankie Gavin. Shakan Pitters, British light-heavyweight champ, is also a Small Heath old boy. So was former tough contender Willie Wright.

Their achievements speak volumes for Benson’s ability. Macklin was British and European middleweight champ and fought for the world title three times. Elcock was British middleweight champ. Paul and Mark Ramsay are looked on as amateur boxing royalty.

Both mopped up at schoolboy and junior level, gained senior ABA lightweight titles – Mark in 1989, Paul in 1990, represented their country on scores of occasions and gained medals in multi-nations tournaments around the world.

Cogan and Benson during Pat’s 89th birthday party at the Irish Centre

Gavin is considered one of the country’s best ever amateurs after becoming our first ever world championships gold medallist. Flyweight Williams fought in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

On Facebook, grandson Paddy Jnr, who is keeping the Benson boxing legacy burning, posted on Thursday: “My grandfather, Pat Benson, passed away this morning. Without him, our club would not exist. He created the legacy that we are now a part of. An incredible man, a community man and a great coach. A genuine boxing man. He changed the lives of thousands of people.”

He certainly did that.

Birmingham fight figures have flooded the internet with tributes.

Former English champ Sean Davis described Paddy as “one of the godfathers of Birmingham boxing.”

Mark Griffiths gave an insight into the man’s ruggedness: “My fondest memory of Pat was at a venue in Brum a number of years back and he was having a heated debate with a well-known boxing guy on the door. He just came out with a statement saying, ‘I’ll take you outside now and sort this’. I just smiled to myself and thought, wow for a small man he’s got big balls.”

Paddy Benson was old school and his methods worked. Many of today’s high-profile trainers inherit champs, he created them.