Here is a question to start off with. It’s not a quiz, just a genuine question.
Name a quality boxer from the North-East that you miss, perhaps someone who moved out of the limelight, rather than officially retired.
There are plenty of candidates, but punch-lines will throw one or you – Jonson McClumpha.
The Sunderland super-middleweight has been out of action for three and a half years now.
His last appearance came in November 2015, when he outclassed Curtis Gargano at Rainton Meadows Arena.
The 28-year-old has not been seen inside the ropes since but he has been witnessed back in the East Durham Gym.
Before your writer types one more word, punch-lines is NOT reporting a comeback but please don’t stop reading.
Coach Dave Binns is simply pleased to be helping Jonson brush up his fitness, but admits he’d love to see the 11-1-1 (3) Wearsider tape up the gloves again.
“He is undoubtedly one of the most talented kids I’ve worked with, amateur and pro,” said Binns.
“Jonson has come in to get a bit fitter and it’s just great to see him back in the gym.
“I know he’s been busy with work, but I’ve said to him ‘Jonson, you have all your life to work’.
“If he’s still got the dream inside him then he’s got the talent, he is real class.”
It would be fair to say that 2018 was the year of the comeback in the North-East with, in alphabetical order, Chris Burton, John Green, Anthony Nelson and Mohammed Waqas tape up their gloves again.
Sadly, Burton’s return lasted one fight, Nelson’s two (though he did fight the brilliant Charlie Edwards in his final appearance for a WBC belt) and Waqas, also two. Green is three straight wins into his comeback with a Northern Area title cracker mooted with Darren Reay later this year.
Binns is correct, McClumpha (pictured above in his third and final Summer Rumble appearance) is “real class”.
He was so unlucky to be cut early in an English title eliminator with Lewis Taylor in Sheffield at the end of 2014.
After struggling to see out of a cut eye, the exciting showdown of the unbeaten middleweights ended with a sixth-round stoppage, despite excellent work in the away corner from cutswoman Nicola Douglas.
Referee Michael Alexander had Taylor two points up at the time so the unfortunate away boxer missed out.
He tasted victory 11 times, but one of his most memorable battles ended in a draw in 2013 when he took on Andrew Buchanan in a Sunderland v Newcastle derby at the Summer Rumble, referee Graeme Williams, like most observers, could not separate them, marking it 58-58.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Tom Collins
