Max Maxwell Birmingham Warrior
Max Maxwell is now 37 and was a light middleweight orthodox boxer from Birmingham. Max, 5 foot 10 fighter had a decent amateur career winning 25 out of 35 bouts.
He had over 69 professional fights winning 19 of them and drawing 3, Max won the Midlands and British masters and also fought for the English and British titles but was unsuccessful.
Max fought out of Eastside and was trained by Jon Pegg and has been boxing for 15 years on and off.
Max told me his favourite boxers Were Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn as he grew up watching them on TV, he then mentioned that he also loved watching Prince Naseem Hamed. When asked what the best fight he had seen was? Max informed "its Trinidad v Vargas and Benn v McClenna because they were true warriors.
I then asked Max what his hardest fight to date has been? He told me “My hardest fight to date is with corrupt refs and selling tickets but as a boxing match Jez Wilson it was a war”
We then talked about what inspired him to boxes? He told me, “I had never put on a boxing glove until I was 19 when I joined the Royal Navy my then amateur coach Q Shillingford ordered me to the boxing gym because I was being cocky obviously I’m in the navy so you do what you're told I loved it plus it got me out of cleaning duties...bonus”
Max added at the end of the interview “I now co own a gym in Stoke with Lee Jones I also train him and I also do person training. I do Sam Eggington, Karly Gee, Marcus Ffrench and Dan Breeze strength and conditioning and anyone else Jon Pegg thinks needs my help”.
Dexter’s Thoughts
Max is one those boxers you just have to admire he has fought for British and English titles and has gave and continues to give his all for boxing. He took on everyone they put in front of him and has had a massive 69 fights, yes he lost more than he won but in 69 fights he was only stopped twice. Boxers like Max are the back bone of boxing and should be commended for taking fights with no notice and giving up and coming fighters there first tasted of the noble art. Max was given a stand ovation as he entered the ring for his last fight in 2014 this showed the level of respect he has in the boxing industry, Max won his last fight 8 x 3 on points.
I remember the first time I met Max, I had a young boxer having his first fight on a unlicensed show in a community centre in Smethick I think. My lad was nervous as it was his first fight and we were told that his opponent had pulled out, but they had a replacement. His new opponent was pointed out to me, there was Max sitting there, now I knew I knew him from somewhere but couldn't place his face but knew he was a boxer. I went up and had a chat with him and he introduced himself as Max, I asked him how many fights he had, had he replied “I've had a few” he then said to me “look I'm not here to take the piss I will just take your boxer around and give him a workout”. I then walked away but was still thinking I knew this geezer from somewhere. My lad and Max had a nice tidy 3 x 2 rounder, I didn't tell my lad that Max was going to take it easy and my lad really tried hard. Max controlled the fight and like he said gave my lad a good workout even chatting word of encouragement to him during the fight. The ref gave it as a draw, but everyone knew it had just been a heavy spar.
After the fight I was talking to some of my lads family and kept saying to them I swear I know that boxer I just can’t think where. Imagine my surprise when I was watching Sky Sports a few months later and I saw Max Maxwell fighting.
When I told the lad I'd trained he was chuffed that he had got a draw with a pro boxer, I did have the heart to tell him at best it was a heavy spar.
Max is now a personal trainer and owns his own gym and is a great mentor to for the next generation of boxers, the Birmingham boxing column wishes all the best.
Max Maxwell's last fight