Robert McCracken
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  United Kingdom |
| Born | 31 May 1968 |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Boxing |
Robert McCracken MBE (born May 31, 1968[1]) is a British former middleweight boxer and world title challenger, and boxing coach, from Birmingham, England.
Boxing career
Amateur
McCracken worked as a wood machinist at Hoskins Cabinet Works, Bordesley, Birmingham before turning to boxing. He was affectionately known as "Boxing Bob". He represented England in the welterweight division, at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand, reaching the quarter finals.[2][3]
Boxing for Birmingham City ABC, he was runner-up of the prestigious ABA light-welterweight championship in 1989.[4]
Professional
McCracken turned pro in 1991 in the Light-Middleweight division. In February 1994 he won the British title by outpointing Andy Till, and defended it twice outpointing Steve "The Viking" Foster and Paul Wesley.
In November 1995, he officially moved into the Middleweight division, winning the vacant Commonwealth title by outpointing Canadian southpaw Fitzgerald Bruney. He would successfully retain the title twice by beating Paul Busby and Bruney again in a rematch, before relocating to the United States in 1997 and progressing up the world rankings.
In February 1998, he achieved a notable victory outpointing Lonnie Beasley, and over the course of four fights elevated himself to #1 contender status in the WBC rankings. McCracken has 3 girls; Madeleine, Martha and Matilda
In April 2000 McCracken challenged American southpaw Keith Holmes for the WBC World Middleweight title. The fight was the main event of the UK show that preceded Lennox Lewis's high-profile fight with Michael Grant in New York the same night. To preserve his ranking McCracken had been inactive for a year and his ring rust showed, as he fell behind early and stayed there. The referee stopped the fight in the 11th round.
McCracken was inactive for another year training other boxers, before returning in April 2001 to fight highly regarded Howard Eastman, who now held the British and Commonwealth titles and a 31-0 record. The vacant European title was also on the line, however McCracken's long layoffs once again hurt him, after a close, tough fight McCracken wilted in the 10th round to Eastman's power punching.
McCracken's record is 33-2 (19 knockouts)
Coaching
McCracken was the main and best head coach of the British boxing team at the 2012 Olympics.[5][6] McCracken has also trained retired Super-Middleweight champion Carl Froch. As of 2019, he is training Olympic gold medallist and former IBF, IBO, WBO and WBA (Super) Unified Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua, GB amateurs, and the upcoming fighter Abdulaziz "The Destroyer" Yaghi.[7]
Honours
McCracken was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to boxing and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.[8]
References
- ^ http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=008927&cat=boxer
- ^ "1990 Athletes". Team England.
- ^ "Athletes and results". Commonwealth Games Federation.
- ^ "Roll of Honour". England Boxing.
- ^ Ben Dirs (12 August 2012). "Chief Rob McCracken key to Team GB's Olympic boxing medal haul". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
- ^ Ben Dirs (13 October 2013). "Rob McCracken: Meet British boxing's Dave Brailsford". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
- ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/43569060
- ^ "No. 60367". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 2012. p. 25.