When asked of the biggest ‘what if’ in boxing, most British fight fans would tell you the talents of Frankie Gavin – Great Britain’s only world amateur champion and arguably the most talented fighter that the country has ever produced.
However, although Gavin admits that his professional career should have gone in a different direction, he also believes there was only one man who was a better boxer on his day.
How Frankie Gavin was destined for the top
Gavin’s lightweight success at the 2007 World Championships in Chicago remains as one of the United Kingdom’s greatest achievements in amateur boxing, and the feat was followed up by the European Championship the following year, despite moving up to super-lightweight for the tournament.
Unfortunately for the Brummie, he would not get the chance to showcase his skills at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing after failing to make weight, in what was at the time a grave disappointment for Team GB but looking back, a sign of things to come.
That heartbreak prompted a move into the professional ranks and with over 100 amateur wins to his name, the bar was set extremely high for the man dubbed as the ‘Wayne Rooney of boxing’ at the time. Yet, things seemed to be on track for ‘Funtime’, who won his first eleven contests, including a split-decision victory over Curtis Woodhouse, until his career took a drastic turn.
The stumbling block
A lengthy battle with problems outside of the ring derailed the progress of the natural technician and effected his performances inside of it, but still Gavin’s god-given abilities were such that he was able to defeat former world champion, Junior Witter, to claim the British title in 2012.
The impact of Gavin’s personal issues clearly stunted his professional development, with the win over Witter being considered dull yet impressive nonetheless, considering Gavin’s struggles. The coveted Lonsdale Belt appeared to be the ceiling for this version of Gavin however, who would pick up a first career defeat when he lost out to Leonard Bundu two years later in a bid for the European title two years later, but there are no doubts that Gavin deserved so much more from the sport.
When Frankie Gavin met Kell Brook
Irrespective of this decline, Gavin was still considered worthy enough to force an all-British world title clash against Kell Brook in 2015, where he challenged for the undefeated Yorkshireman’s IBF welterweight crown. Although, overmatched and out-skilled, Gavin came up short with a second loss of his career and the first by way of knockout.
Gavin would go be defeated on two more occasions before retiring in 2018, against Sam Eggington and Kerman Lejarraga respectively, but speaking to ‘The Padcast’, he revealed that the loss to Kell Brook was the only one he could truly take.
“It weren’t really his power [that troubled me], he was just accurate. When I punch someone, I just think that I want to punch them in the face, in the neck or in the belly, he would want to punch you in your eye, he was that accurate he just knew where he was hitting you.”
“I’ve never been someone who got hit with right-hands for fun – he was hitting me for fun. He is the only pro who I can say was better than me.”
“After the fight I could accept the defeat, whereas with Eggington, I was better than him, I just didn’t train for it.”
Gavin hung up the gloves after defeat to Lejarraga in Spain, but to this day he is still respected as one of the country’s most outstanding talents and credited for achieving what many would deem a successful career despite his mental struggles, even if for him it was undeniably an underachieving one.