Pegg honoured with top ex-boxers award

Pegg receives the trophy from Schwer and Dennie Mancini’s daughter

BIRMINGHAM’S Jon Pegg has been honoured with London Ex-Boxers Association’s Dennie Mancini award for his contribution to the game as a trainer and manager.

The leading light at Eastside gym received the honour during a LEBA gathering in Holborn and it was presented primarily for his long career as a coach. The presentation was made by former British and European lightweight champ Billy Schwer and Mancini’s daughter, Gina.

It’s well deserved. He and Paul Counihan have produced champ after champ, the long list headed by world, European and British champ Sam Eggington and British light-heavyweight boss Shakan Pitters.

He has celebrated titleholders at area, British, European and world level.

Many have been unlikely champs. As Pegg, part of the boxing community for four decades, said: “We’ve probably turned more non-champs into champs than anyone else.”

For those who don’t know the name Dennie Mancini, he was a legendary manager, trainer and cutsman who helped the best. Bugner, Bruno, Woodhall, Eubank, Benn…they all worked with Dennie.

I had frequent contact with Mancini in the early 1980s during my stint with trade magazine Boxing News and always found him helpful and entertaining.

Once, while at ringside to cover a light-heavyweight he was handling, I dared to advice Dennie: “Your lad’s losing this.”

He rolled his eyes in fake surprise and sarcastically replied: “Really? Well I never.”

Dennie died in 2004 aged 71.

Of the honour, Pegg said: “I used to attend LEBA meetings as a fan and shake hands with people in my scrapbook. To go back there to receive an award was really nice.

“I think they like to acknowledge individuals who have done it the hard way.” Pegg has done it the hard way on small hall shows.

 “I have every respect for the big name trainers and what they’re achieving. But give me a top kid and I’d do a good job. Give them Sam Eggington at 18 and I’m not sure what they’d do.”

He refused to single out one moment as a career highlight, explaining: “I think if you define yourself by one fight then you can also be crushed by one fight. Obviously, I’m proud of what Sam (Eggington) has achieved throughout his career.

Patience – that’s the tip he recommends those looking to become trainers in the paid game.

He added: “It can be merciless and unforgiving, so learn the ropes as an assistant coach. You have to have a thick skin because there will be lows, like anything in life. There will be mistakes – anyone who says they haven’t made a mistake is lying.”