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Imprisoned ex-champ is given another chance
exclusive by Neil Gibson. AN IMPRISONED former boxing champion is being released twice a week to coach youngsters at Goole Boxing Club.
Bradford's ex-British Middleweight champion Frank Grant (38) is delighted at the arrangement and says that the sport rescued him as a young man and may yet save him again.
He told The Courier: "I got myself into trouble when I was 19 and went to prison.
"When I got out I found boxing and while I was boxing I was never in trouble - it always kept me on the straight and narrow.
"The sport has been good to me. It saved me when I was younger and now it is doing it again when I am in prison."
In 1992 Grant stunned the boxing world when he stopped Sheffield's Herol Bomber Graham to become British champion.
However, Grant lost the title in his second defence and retired aged 28, after 28 professional fights.
He entered the pub business but things eventually turned sour and led to his return to prison.
"I was always dealing with drunken idiots," he said.
"But it was retribution on a doorman - violence - that put me in prison."
Grant entered Everthorpe jail ten months ago and currently has two years left to serve.
One of Goole Boxing Club's coaches Niall Almond, is an officer at the prison and has forged links with East Riding's Positive Futures youth sport scheme.
He saw the potential for Grant to go to the club on license (under Almond's supervision), in an arrangement that would benefit all parties - Grant, the prison, the young fighters, the boxing club and Positive Futures.
In his initial visit in January, Grant met the other coaches and took a look at the Old Goole gym and has now become a popular and valued member of the club.
Grant added: "In Goole there probably isn't a great deal for the kids to do and getting in to boxing can keep them off the streets and occupy their time.
"I enjoy teaching the kids and though they can break your heart, they have that enthusiasm."
Alan Horner, a governor at Everthorpe, explained: "We think it is a great idea for Frank to come here.
"He admits that boxing and training kept him out of trouble in his life and he wanted to put something back into the sport by training youngsters.
"We see part of our job as preparing prisoners for life after prison and making them better people when they leave.
"As a prison we want to forge ties with this boxing club and there could be other opportunities in the future."
Grant is grateful that the governors have given him this opportunity.
He added: "They normally don't let you out like this until you have done half your sentence so they have taken quite a risk with me - but I have proved I am not going to go anywhere.
"The kids at the club listen to me and it is a lot better than sitting in jail.
"I have a house and girlfriend to go to when I leave prison and I would consider going back into boxing as a coach. If I do, this will be good experience for me."
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Weather for Goole
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
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Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
