Boxing legend Tommy Gilmour looks back on his knockout career

It’s the end of the Rocky road for top boxer Tommy Gilmour.

A cardboard cutout of Rocky Balboa casts a shadow over Tommy Gilmour as he stands in the ring of a Paisley boxing gym. Just like the fictional fighter, boxing has been good to the Glaswegian and his family.

So it came as a surprise when Tommy announced last week that he had sold the renowned St Andrew’s Sporting Club, widely regarded as the cornerstone of Scottish boxing.

Plenty of world champions have spilled blood and sweat in the club’s ring and Tommy’s involvement in the organisation dates back to its first night in 1973.

He’s been the owner for the past 24 years, though, when he took a loan to bankroll the takeover. It paid off and Tommy’s never looked back.

But with the announcement of Iain Wilson and Colin Bellshaw as the club’s new owners, Tommy has decided to do just that and recount some of the heavyweight moments in his life and career.

According to the amenable 62-year-old, he’s been involved in the business for 44 years, but truth be told he was born into it.

His grandfather fought for Britain in the 1920 Olympics and later became a trainer, while Tommy’s dad was a manager and promoter. It made for an interesting childhood.

“I met all the famous people who are part of boxing history,” recalled Tommy, who has been named as the club’s first president.

“James J Braddock, Sonny Liston, Sugar Ray Robinson I’ve met them all. My dad, Tommy senior, was the agent for Cassius Clay in Scotland.

“He came over here to do a training exhibition at Paisley Ice Rink and I had the chance to meet him. I would only be about 10 at the time.

“I can’t remember a word he said to me but I do recall quite clearly that he was a bundle of nerves, even though it was just a training run-through.”

Tommy speaks very fondly of his mum, who taught him valuable lessons about money.

“I used to hold up the numbers between rounds at matches and was paid three guineas,” he continued.

“I’m lucky I’ve never known what it’s like to be poor, but my mum came from a very working-class background.

“My dad did too. He was an aluminium machine operator and my grandfather worked in the shipyards.”

Despite having a way into the boxing profession thanks to his dad, Tommy learned every aspect of the business from the bottom up. He’s done everything apart from contest a fight.

He even carried the spit buckets in the famous opening night of the club, when Scottish greats Jim Watt and Ken Buchanan faced off.

“It was imperative to be in and about the gym, so that it was a natural progression when I became boss. My dad always stressed how important it was to do things right, because you’re dealing with a man’s life.”

Tommy left his job and borrowed money to buy the club in 1987. He thought it would take five years to pay back, but he did it in three. Five years later, he took an even bigger risk to achieve his dream.

“I was the first Scot in 46 years to promote a world title fight in Scotland. The show was going to cost £100,000. I didn’t have that sort of cash, but I had the assets. So if it didn’t work out, we were moving!

“It was a decision made by the family, not me, and we ended up putting on the fight as a family. My wife Veronica, son Chris, who was 15, and 10-year-old Stephanie all mucked in.

“When Pat Clinton won the title from Isidro Perez, I think people in the crowd were happier for me than the guy who’d been getting his face punched in! I only made £5000 from the show, but it was all worth it.”

But the high of the fight was followed by the come-down.

“It had a great effect on me afterwards, quite how big I probably didn’t realise at the time. I had fits of depression and was close to a breakdown.

“But if I could swap it for a Euromillions win, I wouldn’t, because not many people get to fulfil their dream. I went on to promote lots of world title fights and champions, but none was like the first.”

If that was the pinnacle, the low was undoubtedly when James Murray died during a fight with one of his boxers in 1995.

“I seriously considered chucking it in at that point,” Tommy added, “but my boxers talked me out of it and we all got through it together.

“But I always make sure to point out to aspiring boxers that it’s a very dangerous sport. We have a duty to send them to the ring with the best possible care.

“I don’t forget the low times, just like I don’t forget the high times. And I’m happy to say the amount of low times is overshadowed by the high points.”

While Tommy has handed in his promoter’s licence, he still holds a manager’s licence and will continue to look after a stable containing more than 30 boxers.

“I’m going to sign three or four fighters by the end of the summer, and that’ll be it. I’ll manage them until the end of their careers and I’ll stop then, too.

“I get a buzz from helping others who come to me for advice and that’s what I’m looking at now. I’ve led a very charmed life, even with all of the headaches, but nothing goes on forever and this is a bright new day.”

That may be the case, but Tommy Gilmour is ready to show he still has a few rounds left in him.

Tommy explains why he decided to sell up now.

“The time was right. I’ve been thinking about it for seven years and a lot of young promoters are coming through. Some of the trainers asked what would happen to the club if something happened to me, and that made me think.

“Veronica and I like holidays, so we’ll have more time to do that. With that said, the club’s new owners have just told me their first night will be in October, so I’ve had to cancel a holiday we already had booked to China to make sure I can be there!”

1. Pat Clinton vs Isidro Perez for the WBO Flyweight title March 18, 1992

Tommy put everything on the line to stage his first world title contest and the fighter from Croy came through in a gruelling split decision victory.

2. Paul Weir vs Lindi Memani for the WBO Mini-flyweight title October 26, 1993

The first and only time a world title has been fought in a private sporting club. Weir took a unanimous points decision.

3. Stevie Boyle vs Armando Gutierezz for the WBC International Lightweight title January 30, 1989

The biggest audience the club ever had turned up to see Boyle win the belt. “We had to take the 16ft doors off to make more space,” recalled Tommy.

4. Robert Harkins vs Sugar Gibiliru November 16, 1987

The eight-round contest ended in a draw but was remarkable for the crowd reaction. “It was the record for nobbins, money thrown into the ring by an appreciate crowd. It was unheard of in black tie events, but such was the contest they had, the boxers actually made more in nobbins than from the purse.”

5. Ken Buchanan vs Jim Watt, British Lightweight title January 29, 1973

The fight that kicked the club off was won by Buchanan in an exhausting 15-round encounter. “Watt was coughing up blood and I was there in the corner, collecting it in the spit bucket,” said Tommy.