Colin Lynes
Encyclopedia
Colin Lynes is a British professional boxer from Hornchurch
in London. He is a former IBO
World, British and European champion at light welterweight and is the reigning British champion at welterweight.
, London
. After compiling an unbeaten ledger of 20-0 he found himself in December 2002 competing for the IBO inter-continental light welterweight title, winning by 9th round tko against American
Richard Kiley. He lost the title however in his next fight, when at the York Hall
he was stopped in the 8th round by South African Samuel Malinga.
In October 2005 Lynes met fellow Brit Junior Witter
for the British, Commonwealth and European titles losing a 12 round decision. He followed this defeat by losing again, this time to Lenny Daws
still a 12-0 prospect for the English Southern Area title. The fight which ended with Lynes being stopped in the 9th round also doubled as an eliminator for the full British title with Daws going on to win the full crown.
for the full British title. The fight which took place at the Civic Center in Motherwell
ended with Lynes claiming victory after 12 rounds. He defended the title in his next fight which also saw Lynes compete for the vacant European title. The opponent was Wolverhampton's Young Mutley
, the former British Welterweight
champion, the fight ended with an 8th round win for Lynes who was now a double champion. The Finnish fighter Juho Tolppola was next in line for Lynes for his first defence of his European crown with the fight ending in another 12 round win for the Englishman.
An Italian job was next for Lynes as he met mandatory challenger Gianluca Branco in Italy
for his next defence. In order to defend against the Italian he had to give up his British belt which was subsequently won by Manchester
's David Barnes
. The fight itself ended in disappointment for Lynes as he lost a close split decision to the former World title challenger despite putting his opponent down in the 2nd round. Following the loss to Branco, Lynes was next in line to fight for his old British title against David Barnes
. With one week to go Barnes pulled out of the fight and was stripped of the title leaving Lynes to fight for the now vacant title against Northern Irishman Paul McCloskey
. McCloskey ended up winning the fight when Lynes retired in the 9th round.
The victory for McCloskey
over Lynes meant that he became the mandatory challenger for Lynes old European belt which was now vacant, only for a hand injury to rule the Irishman out only two weeks before the fight. McCloskeys
lost opportunity was Lynes gain as he was drafted in to fight for the title against Frenchman Souleymane M'Baye
, a former WBA
world champion in Paris
on 3 July 2009. The fight was another close one for the former champion as he lost via split decision.
knock out style tournament. The competition included a number of successful British light welterweight boxers from recent years with Lynes winning two contests to reach the final. The draw for the competition which had been made by Floyd Mayweather pitted Lynes against David Barnes
, the man who had succeeded Lynes as British champion in the quarter finals. A split decision win over Barnes moved Lynes into the semi's to meet former victim Young Mutley
and emerge victorius for the second time against the man from Wolverhampton
via another split decision. The final saw Lynes compete with Newbridge's
Gavin Rees
, a man who had briefly held the World WBA light welterweight championship
in 2007 and who was supported at ringside by former stablemate Joe Calzaghe
. Rees, who had knocked out former European champions Ted Bami
and Jason Cook
on the way the final, won with a unanimous decision over Lynes, himself a former European champion.
Lynes return to the ring following the Prizefighter tournament
saw him compete on the undercard of David Hayes
world heavyweight title defence against John Ruiz
at the MEN Arena in Manchester
. His opponent, Ajose Olusegun
, a Nigerian with British nationality was undefeated in 27 fights and was ranked at number 2 by the WBC
. The fight, on 3 April 2010, resulted in Olusegun retaining his title after a stomach problem caused by a series of bodyshots had Lynes gasping for breath and him been counted out in the 8th round. Following the fight Lynes blamed the problems recovering from the shots on problems he had making the weight for the fight and said he would consider moving up a weight.
, defeating the Welshman in an close 8 round contest in Liverpool with the referee handing victory to Lynes 78-77. On 7 June 2011 Lynes once again took part in the Prizefighter tournament
although this time it was the welterweight version at the York Hall in Bethnal Green. He reached the semi-finals beating his stablemate Bobby Gladman in the quarter finals but losing to eventual winner Yassine El Maachi with a controversial split decision in the semi's. On 9th November 2011 Lynes challenged Lee Purdy
for the British welterweight championship, winning after 12 thrilling rounds via majority decision. Following the win Lynes, who having previously won the light welterweight version of this title, became a two weight British champion and said "I'm right back on track now, that's what it was all about for me."
Hornchurch
Hornchurch is a large suburban town in England, and part of the London Borough of Havering. Hornchurch is in North-East London .It is located east-northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan. It comprises a number of shopping...
in London. He is a former IBO
International Boxing Organization
The International Boxing Organization is a for-profit organization that sanctions professional boxing matches and awards world and subordinate championships.- Origins :...
World, British and European champion at light welterweight and is the reigning British champion at welterweight.
Early Professional Career
Lynes begun his pro career in June 1998 with a 1st round knockout of Lee Frost at the Broadway Theatre in BarkingBarking
Barking is a suburban town in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, in East London, England. A retail and commercial centre situated in the west of the borough, it lies east of Charing Cross. Barking was in the historic county of Essex until it was absorbed by Greater London. The area is...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. After compiling an unbeaten ledger of 20-0 he found himself in December 2002 competing for the IBO inter-continental light welterweight title, winning by 9th round tko against American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Richard Kiley. He lost the title however in his next fight, when at the York Hall
York Hall
The York Hall is a health and leisure centre and one of Britain's best known boxing venues.The venue is situated on Old Ford Road in Bethnal Green, London, England. The hall, opened in 1929 with a capacity of 1,200, stages boxing as well as providing a gymnasium and swimming pool.The hall is owned...
he was stopped in the 8th round by South African Samuel Malinga.
Championship fights
Following the defeat Lynes regrouped by winning his next three fights setting himself up for a shot at the full IBO light welterweight champion Argentinian Pablo Daniel Sarmiento. The fight at the Goresbrook Leisure Center in Dagenham in May 2005 ended with a split decision victory for the Englishman. This time he made his first defence a successful one when in Brentwood, Essex he met American Juaquin Gallardo winning by majority decision.In October 2005 Lynes met fellow Brit Junior Witter
Junior Witter
Junior Witter is a professional boxer from Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. He is the former WBC, European, British, and Commonwealth light welterweight champion.-Early professional career:...
for the British, Commonwealth and European titles losing a 12 round decision. He followed this defeat by losing again, this time to Lenny Daws
Lenny Daws
Lenny Daws is a professional boxer, fighting out of Morden, England. He is a former two time British light welterweight champion and a former English light welterweight champion.-Early professional career:...
still a 12-0 prospect for the English Southern Area title. The fight which ended with Lynes being stopped in the 9th round also doubled as an eliminator for the full British title with Daws going on to win the full crown.
British & European Champion
Lynes regrouped from his back to back defeats with two wins before in June 2007 he met Scotsman Barry MorrisonBarry Morrison
Barry Morrison, is a Scottish professional boxer who fights in the light welterweight division.He is a former British light welterweight champion.-Professional career:...
for the full British title. The fight which took place at the Civic Center in Motherwell
Motherwell
Motherwell is a town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, south east of Glasgow. The name "Moderwelt" appears on a map of Lanarkshire made by Timothy Pont some time between 1583 and 1611 and printed in the Netherlands in around 1652, although the settlement was probably little more...
ended with Lynes claiming victory after 12 rounds. He defended the title in his next fight which also saw Lynes compete for the vacant European title. The opponent was Wolverhampton's Young Mutley
Lee Woodley
Lee Woodley , better known by his boxing alias Young Mutley, is a British boxer. He is a former British Welterweight champion. His professional record is 22 wins from 25 fights, 12 by knockout. He made his professional debut on 3 September 1999...
, the former British Welterweight
Welterweight
Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
champion, the fight ended with an 8th round win for Lynes who was now a double champion. The Finnish fighter Juho Tolppola was next in line for Lynes for his first defence of his European crown with the fight ending in another 12 round win for the Englishman.
An Italian job was next for Lynes as he met mandatory challenger Gianluca Branco in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
for his next defence. In order to defend against the Italian he had to give up his British belt which was subsequently won by Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
's David Barnes
David Barnes (boxer)
David Barnes is a British professional boxer from Manchester in England who competes in the light welterweight division. He is the former holder of both the British light welterweight and welterweight titles. -Early career:...
. The fight itself ended in disappointment for Lynes as he lost a close split decision to the former World title challenger despite putting his opponent down in the 2nd round. Following the loss to Branco, Lynes was next in line to fight for his old British title against David Barnes
David Barnes (boxer)
David Barnes is a British professional boxer from Manchester in England who competes in the light welterweight division. He is the former holder of both the British light welterweight and welterweight titles. -Early career:...
. With one week to go Barnes pulled out of the fight and was stripped of the title leaving Lynes to fight for the now vacant title against Northern Irishman Paul McCloskey
Paul McCloskey
Paul McCloskey is an Irish southpaw professional boxer who fights in the light welterweight division....
. McCloskey ended up winning the fight when Lynes retired in the 9th round.
The victory for McCloskey
Paul McCloskey
Paul McCloskey is an Irish southpaw professional boxer who fights in the light welterweight division....
over Lynes meant that he became the mandatory challenger for Lynes old European belt which was now vacant, only for a hand injury to rule the Irishman out only two weeks before the fight. McCloskeys
Paul McCloskey
Paul McCloskey is an Irish southpaw professional boxer who fights in the light welterweight division....
lost opportunity was Lynes gain as he was drafted in to fight for the title against Frenchman Souleymane M'Baye
Souleymane M'baye
Souleymane M'baye is a professional boxer and is the former WBA super-lightweight champion. He won the vacated title by a fourth technical knockout on September 2, 2006 against Raul Horacio Balbi. His current record is 37 wins, three losses and a draw, with 21 wins coming by way of knockout...
, a former WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
world champion in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on 3 July 2009. The fight was another close one for the former champion as he lost via split decision.
Prizefighter and Commonwealth title challenge
On 4 December 2009 Lynes competed in Sky's PrizefighterPrizefighter series
The Prizefighter series is a knock out boxing tournament created by boxing promoter Barry Hearn and aired on Sky Sports. The format has an initial eight fighters, who compete in four quarter-finals of 3 x 3 minute rounds followed by two semi-finals and one final all on the same night...
knock out style tournament. The competition included a number of successful British light welterweight boxers from recent years with Lynes winning two contests to reach the final. The draw for the competition which had been made by Floyd Mayweather pitted Lynes against David Barnes
David Barnes (boxer)
David Barnes is a British professional boxer from Manchester in England who competes in the light welterweight division. He is the former holder of both the British light welterweight and welterweight titles. -Early career:...
, the man who had succeeded Lynes as British champion in the quarter finals. A split decision win over Barnes moved Lynes into the semi's to meet former victim Young Mutley
Lee Woodley
Lee Woodley , better known by his boxing alias Young Mutley, is a British boxer. He is a former British Welterweight champion. His professional record is 22 wins from 25 fights, 12 by knockout. He made his professional debut on 3 September 1999...
and emerge victorius for the second time against the man from Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
via another split decision. The final saw Lynes compete with Newbridge's
Newbridge boxing club
The Newbridge Boxing Club is a boxing gym operated by Enzo Calzaghe and based in Newbridge, South Wales. The club has been one of the most successful of recent years, at one point in 2007 boasting three genuine world champions in Joe Calzaghe , Enzo Maccarinelli and Gavin Rees...
Gavin Rees
Gavin Rees
Gavin Rees is a Welsh professional boxer. Nicknamed "The Rock", Rees is the current EBU Lightweight Champion, and former WBA super-lightweight World Champion...
, a man who had briefly held the World WBA light welterweight championship
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
in 2007 and who was supported at ringside by former stablemate Joe Calzaghe
Joe Calzaghe
Joseph William Calzaghe, CBE, MBE is a Welsh former professional boxer. He is the former WBO, WBA, WBC, IBF, The Ring & British super middleweight champion and The Ring light heavyweight champion....
. Rees, who had knocked out former European champions Ted Bami
Ted Bami
Ted Bami Minsende is a light-welterweight boxer. Nicknamed "Dangerous", Bami is a former European light welterweight champion and British light welterweight title challenger....
and Jason Cook
Jason Cook (boxer)
Jason Cook is a professional boxer, who fights under the nickname "The Power". As an amateur, he won a silver medal for Wales at the 1994 Commonwealth Games. As a professional, he has fought as a lightweight, and has won both the European and IBO championships at the weight...
on the way the final, won with a unanimous decision over Lynes, himself a former European champion.
Lynes return to the ring following the Prizefighter tournament
Prizefighter series
The Prizefighter series is a knock out boxing tournament created by boxing promoter Barry Hearn and aired on Sky Sports. The format has an initial eight fighters, who compete in four quarter-finals of 3 x 3 minute rounds followed by two semi-finals and one final all on the same night...
saw him compete on the undercard of David Hayes
David Haye
David Deron Haye is a retired English professional boxer,Haye is the former WBA heavyweight champion. He is also the former unified world cruiserweight champion, holding the WBA, WBC, WBO, and The Ring cruiserweight titles, and also the former European cruiserweight champion.- Amateur :Haye...
world heavyweight title defence against John Ruiz
John Ruiz
John "The Quietman" Ruiz , is a former American professional boxer. Ruiz is the first Latino heavyweight champion and former two-time WBA heavyweight champion. After a professional career spanning over 18 years, Ruiz officially announced his retirement from the sport at a press conference on April...
at the MEN Arena in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. His opponent, Ajose Olusegun
Ajose Olusegun
Ajose Olusegun is a Nigerian-born British professional boxer. He competed for Nigeria at the 2000 Sydney Olympics Games reaching the 2nd round. As a professional he is unbeaten and is the former British and current Commonwealth light welterweight champion....
, a Nigerian with British nationality was undefeated in 27 fights and was ranked at number 2 by the WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
. The fight, on 3 April 2010, resulted in Olusegun retaining his title after a stomach problem caused by a series of bodyshots had Lynes gasping for breath and him been counted out in the 8th round. Following the fight Lynes blamed the problems recovering from the shots on problems he had making the weight for the fight and said he would consider moving up a weight.
Move to Welterweight
Lynes moved up a weight division in his next fight on 12 February 2012 against Bradley PryceBradley Pryce
Bradley Pryce is a Welsh professional boxer. He usually fights at light middleweight or the divisions either side, is a two time challenger for the British title and is a former Commonwealth champion....
, defeating the Welshman in an close 8 round contest in Liverpool with the referee handing victory to Lynes 78-77. On 7 June 2011 Lynes once again took part in the Prizefighter tournament
Prizefighter series
The Prizefighter series is a knock out boxing tournament created by boxing promoter Barry Hearn and aired on Sky Sports. The format has an initial eight fighters, who compete in four quarter-finals of 3 x 3 minute rounds followed by two semi-finals and one final all on the same night...
although this time it was the welterweight version at the York Hall in Bethnal Green. He reached the semi-finals beating his stablemate Bobby Gladman in the quarter finals but losing to eventual winner Yassine El Maachi with a controversial split decision in the semi's. On 9th November 2011 Lynes challenged Lee Purdy
Lee Purdy
Lee Purdy is an English boxer from Colchester who fights in the welterweight division. Despite having no amateur career he is a former British champion having won the British welterweight title on 16 April 2011 with a 5th round KO victory over Craig Watson...
for the British welterweight championship, winning after 12 thrilling rounds via majority decision. Following the win Lynes, who having previously won the light welterweight version of this title, became a two weight British champion and said "I'm right back on track now, that's what it was all about for me."