GUEST COLUMN
But Vernon Vanriel still needs our help
The plight of Vernon Vanriel
LAST week Amelia Gentleman, writing in The Guardian, highlighted the plight of ex-boxer Vernon Vanriel. For those of you unfamiliar with this fighter, Vernon boxed out of Tottenham between 1976 and 1985, and his nickname was “The Entertainer”. And from what I remember of him, he was all of that.
Vernon came to the UK in 1962 as a six-year-old. His father had come to Britain some time earlier, answering a call made to the Commonwealth from the British government for people to come to help rebuild the country after World War Two. Vernon and his family became part of the Windrush generation, a generation often treated unfairly.
“He now lives in an abandoned roadside grocery shack in western Jamaica, ill, penniless and desperate to return to his family in the UK,” wrote Gentleman. “After visiting Jamaica in 2005, he was refused a visa when he tried to go back home to the country where he had lived for 43 years. He has spent the last 13 years stuck, destitute and homesick.”
Thanks to ex-pro Marc Smith of Swansea, I spoke with Vernon this week. He told me that he has been fortunate. The British high commission in Kingston, Jamaica, have provided him with the necessary papers to allow him to finally return home and Vernon will land at Gatwick Airport on Thursday [September 6]. In the short-term he will be supported by his sisters but, longer-term, Vernon admits that he is desperately in need of support and assistance.
He first came to the attention of the boxing world in 1975 when he was beaten in the light-welterweight final of the North East London Divisionals by Graham Moughton. A member of Poplar ABC, Vernon was well known on London’s then thriving amateur circuit. He turned pro in 1976 under manager Terry Lawless and he was trained by a succession of London’s finest including Ernie Fossey, Lawless, George Francis and Joe Devitt. He told me that he will be remembered uniquely for two things. Firstly, Vernon said that he was the first black fighter to sell a large amount of tickets to the black community and I am sure that this is true. Vernon always had a large and vociferous following whenever he fought in London. He also thinks that he was the first man to enter a British ring to music, when the reggae beats of Gunman by Michael Prophet accompanied him.
He made slow progress in his first four years as a professional, winning nine of his first 15, and climbing to number 18 in the UK rankings. Vernon then put together an 11-bout unbeaten run, which made him a firmly embedded topten UK fighter, and a very exciting one at that. In a 1982 Boxing News profile, Vernon propounded some very strong views on the fight game and he showed himself to be a man of strongly held beliefs. He is the same today.
A regular at the Royal Albert Hall, he was selected to meet the up-and-coming Basildon star, Terry Marsh, in a match for the vacant Southern Area 140lbs title in 1983 on a York Hall show which also included current Board secretary Robert Smith and future star Jim Mcdonnell. Marsh won a hardfought verdict and went on to great things. Vernon fought on for three more years.
Throughout his career Vernon fought under the handicap of severe back problems. These had been brought about by an injury he had received as a 16-year-old apprentice electrician. For him to have achieved as much as he did was a testament to the man’s determination and courage. He will need these qualities in abundance if he is to pick up the pieces of his life following his return home, and all at BN wish him well in rising to this challenge. A Justgiving page (https://www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/getvernonhome) has been set up to help him find his feet again.
I implore anyone who remembers Vernon, or who is touched by his story, to help him now.