‘This area needs this gym’ – Meet the Sheffield boxing coach shaping young lives in tough city suburb

The 49-year-old, who has just been named an MBE in the New Year’s Honours list for services to boxing and the community, has worked at his Sharrow-based gym for the last 10 years.

The tough inner-city neighbourhood has seen more than its fair share of trouble in the last year, with shootings and gang violence seemingly ever present on the tight terraced streets.

But Brendan believes that the sport he has dedicated his life to - with its emphasis on discipline, focus and respect - is almost uniquely placed to provide a better alternative.

“This area needs this gym,” he says.

“There were seven or eight shootings during lockdown so there can be a lot of negativity around here.

“But by teaching kids to respect others and respect themselves we can provide them with an alternative to going down the wrong path.

“These are lessons in life not just in the gym.”

Brendan started in boxing as a 10-year-old who - in his words - ‘couldn't see straight’, first at Brendan Ingle’s legendary gym in Wincobank and then at Heeley Bank under Ronnie Tucker.

As he got older and began working he slowly drifted away from the sport, but got involved in coaching again in his late 20s at Woodseats Amateur Boxing Club.

After 10 years that club moved to Sharrow, renting a space from the council in the former Sharrow Junior School on South View Road.

The well-equipped gym is adequate for their purposes but no more, and they sometimes have to use the outside space as well to cope with the sheer number of people who come through their doors each week.

Brendan says they can see up to 400 people a week from local schools and the city’s two universities, as well as a group of professional and amateur fighters who train there.

Sparring at the gym on Friday morning was pro-boxer Callum Beardow and two amateurs.

Callum is from Gleadless, while the two amateurs hail originally from Romania and Nigeria, giving an insight into the diversity of both the city of Sheffield and the community Brendan works in.

Brendan’s long-term hope is to build on the success of Callum and another professional they have nurtured to create a world-beating gym in a city known around the globe for its boxing talent.

“We’re producing some really good boxers here now,” he says.

“To emulate the Ingle gym would be some achievement. But we’ve had lots of regional and national champions and we’ve now got two pros so things are going well.”

And while he admits he was ‘surprised’ to hear about his MBE, he says he hopes to use the unexpected personal accolade to fight even harder for the young lives it is his privilege to shape.

“I have always had an interest in helping people,” he says.

“I like to think we have been a bit of a lifeline for people whose lives have changed for the better by coming through these doors.

“But if those three letters I’m going to have after my name can help the gym then I’ll be very happy.”

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.