On Saturday night, Carl Frampton has the chance to become Ireland's first ever three-weight world champion.

A friend of Maverick Stars Trust, Frampton takes on Jamel Herring in Dubai for the American's WBO world super featherweight crown.

Trained by our ambassadors Jamie Moore and Nigel Travis, the opportunity to make history is one 'The Jackal' can't wait for.

"This fight means the world to me," Frampton told www.ringtv.com on Monday. "I never dreamed that I would have the chance to become a three-weight world champion.

"I probably never dreamed that I had the ability to be a three-weight world champion at the very start," he said. "Now, to be one fight away from it, feeling as confident as I do, things have fallen into place and it’s gonna happen.”

Young people with high needs have been given a huge boost at weekly 'BoxAbility' classes in Liverpool.

Based at the Marybone gym headed up by former champ Derry Mathews, post-19 men and women from Flourish Further Education in Knowsley and Calder Breaks in Rainhill, have been put through their paces in separate groups at the boxing sessions.

Derry said: "It's fantastic working with them all. They really enjoy the sessions and it's very rewarding for all of us."

Supported by Maverick Stars Trust, the initiative has joined forces with Boxing Awards - an organisation that delivers beginners boxing qualifications.

The preliminary, standard and bronze awards are all being delivered by Derry and his coaches at the gym. The young people all receive booklets, certificates and medals at the completion of each eight-week cycle.

All COVID protocols have been employed with all those taking part, doing so in their own bubbles.

 

 

Each Friday we pay homage to a boxing ‘unsung hero’. The lifeblood of the sport - the men and women who have contributed so much and asked for so little, who have saved lives and transformed futures.

Ciaran McVarnock is still a professional fighter, but outside of the ring he has done incredible work in aid of Cystic Fibrosis.

Ciaran's partner, Nicole, suffers from the genetic disorder and was rushed into hospital in November 2019 in a serious condition.

Since then, she has made a miraculous recovery thanks to life-saving drug Trikafta and the couple now fundraise in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Ciaran organised a celebrity football match, which raised an incredible £9467 for the charity.

Stars including professional fighters Carl Frampton, Anthony Crolla, Ryan Burnett and Paddy Barnes took part in the match, alongside Northern Irish footballing legend Keith Gillespie.

Alongside this, he has taken part in a sky dive to raise more money, and with Nicole they have set up a new clothing brand '65 Roses', with £5 of every order going to Cystic Fibrosis charities.

Matthew McClarty got in touch with us to nominate Ciaran for the award, after meeting the fighter on Belfast Hospital's intensive care unit whilst visiting his Dad.

"He's a kind hearted man who is always wanting to help others whilst striving to be at the top of his game," Matthew said. "He's an inspirational figure who wants to keep pushing himself whilst supporting those around him."

Nominate your boxing unsung hero via the contact page at:

www.maverickstarstrust.co.uk

Or message us via:

@maverickstars1         maverickstarstrust

On Saturday, Maverick Stars Trust coach Danny Wright got the opportunity to show local families around the new Walkden ABC.

Working with Salford Youth Service, the gym has been ready for some time but is still unable to open its doors because of Coronavirus restrictions.

The Maverick Stars Trust project, in association with top trainer Jamie Moore, will provide a community hub for youngsters in the surrounding areas.

"We had about twenty kids in there throughout the day looking round," said former professional fighter Wright. "We went through what we're planning to offer to the community, and talked about our free taster days which will start next month."

The state-of-the-art gym includes several punch bags from VIP Boxing Equipment, a ring and floor space for exercises.

Each Friday we pay homage to a boxing ‘unsung hero’. The lifeblood of the sport - the men and women who have contributed so much and asked for so little, who have saved lives and transformed futures.

This week, we asked top trainer and Maverick Stars ambassador Jamie Moore to nominate his hero of the week. It may be a little leftfield, but according to Jamie, Matchroom’s Head of Logistics Darren Flewers, is a man who deserves all the plaudits.  

“Obviously, there are many people in boxing who’re unsung heroes – small hall promoters, people in grassroots boxing, but my unsung hero is someone who’s still fresh in my mind from being in the Matchroom bubbles," Jamie explained.

“Darren doesn’t realise the impact he has and the importance of what it is he does to make the shows run smoothly and go ahead as they do.

“He is one of the people that works behind the scenes. Eddie Hearn and Frank Smith are obviously the front men and the most important in terms of decision making and putting big fights together, but Darren arranges transfers, accommodation, he sets up a WhatsApp group to help all the fighters and their teams to settle in wherever they are, home or abroad.

“Darren’s not the only one that helps us all out on fight week, but he does so much for everyone, he’s a cog in the wheel to make it all work and he’s a really important one. If he didn’t orchestrate a lot of the stuff that goes on behind the scenes, none of the shows, on that massive platform, would run as smoothly as they do. He’s very much an unsung hero!”

 

Nominate your boxing unsung hero via the contact page at:

www.maverickstars.co.uk

Or message us via:

@maverickstars1        maverickstarstrust

Nobody has done more for women’s boxing in recent times than the incomparable Jane Couch MBE.

The ‘Fleetwood Assassin’ battled the authorities to win the right for women to box legally in the UK. She paved the way for the Olympians and current world champions to ply their trade.

Jane was crowned world champion five times and took on the very best – often fighting at short notice with little or no recompense - during a pro boxing career that stretched from the mid-90’s to 2008.

Following a competition across social media, Maverick Stars Trust is delighted to announce the following have won a signed copy of Jane's book 'The Final Round':

@becrichardson_

@emmacariad

@cjfg1985

@apinchofchoc

@noams82

If you are a winner, please get in touch with your details so we can get the book to you!

Maverick Stars Trust's ambassadors have been made into caricatures, in a bid to promote their work with the charity across social media.

Ellie Jack Illustrations has created seven images, starting with Team GB's Delicious Orie.

Born in Moscow to a Russian mother and Nigerian father, DJ was raised in Wolverhampton from the age of seven.

He only started boxing at 18 whilst at university, under the guidance of Mick Maguire at the Jewellery Quarter Boxing Club in Birmingham.

Since then, exciting amateur Conner Tudsbury and Wimborne ABC's Dave Rimmer have featured.

Conner spends most of his time with Team GB in Sheffield, but regularly visits his amateur club, Moss Side Fire Boxing Club, to help out with sessions for youngsters.

Dave has launched the 'Athlete Academy' in Dorset, allowing young fighters to continue their education alongside the sport.

Still to come are brilliant cartoons of Chantelle Cameron, Jamie Moore and Nigel Travis, completing the images of our ambassadors who do great work in the community.

Each week we pay homage to a boxing ‘unsung hero’. The lifeblood of the sport - the men and women who have contributed so much and asked for so little, who have saved lives and transformed futures.

This week our attention turns to a man that spends most of his time in a shed in Middleton, Greater Manchester.

A gym set up in his back garden has been the home to national and international champions, and before that thirty years at Boarshaw ABC saw success after success.

We spoke to one of those who benefitted from his tutelage, Maverick Stars Trust coach and former professional fighter Danny Wright.

“Over the last forty years, he’s had thirty odd national champions,” he said. “He’s been a great role model to hundreds of kids, and he’s a very funny guy as well!

“He took me from a nine-year-old to a senior national title and boxing for England numerous times.”

Ben's selfless guidance came outside the gym as well, working to keep young adults in the sport alongside their studies.

“He was a tutor at Hopwood Hall when they had a boxing college there,” he said. “Ben helped young people leaving school have a pathway so they could have a further education but stay involved in boxing.”

Nominate your boxing unsung hero via… twitter: @maverickstars1 / Instagram: maverickstarstrust or our website: www.maverickstars.co.uk