Barrett’s pride at continuing work of Brian
PAT Barrett has paid tribute to legendary boxing trainer Brian Hughes and revealed he wouldn’t have achieved what he has done in his life without him.
Hughes previously ran the Collyhurst and Moston gym, but after 50 years in the boxing business, he handed the reins over to his former fighters Barrett and Thomas McDonagh several years ago.
Hughes was awarded an MBE during the Millennium honours list for to his services to boxing, but has sadly spent the last few years suffering with dementia.
In his absence, Barrett and McDonagh have gone on to have lots of success at the gym, with a number of promising young fighters coming through the ranks, including Lyndon Arthur and Pat’s nephew Zelfa Barrett.
Pat insists that all of the success is down to Hughes, and says he will be eternally grateful for what he has been taught from his mentor.
“I first met Brian over 35 years ago, but it wasn’t until recently when I realised the impact he’s had on my life,” Barrett told M.E.N. Sport.
“When my mum passed away I was 16, and Brian sent me to America to find myself as I wasn’t a confident fighter.
“It gave me that self-belief as I went over there and was doing well in sparring because I was doing all of the things that Brian taught me.
“Now that I’m a trainer, I’m always copying everything Brian taught me in the gym. All of these things have been instilled in my mind and it’s like a tattoo that never leaves me.
“One of the saddest moments in my life was when Brian stepped away from the gym, and I didn’t think that Collyhurst and Moston would carry on.
“A lot of people left the gym and it seemed like it was a sinking ship. We didn’t have any big name fighters and there was only Zelfa and Lyndon there at that time.
“To pull it back up to the way it used to be when Brian was in charge makes me proud, and I go and see him every day and talk to him to tell him how we’re doing.
“His wife is proud of the job that we’re doing, and we’ll certainly never forget what Brian did getting the gym how it is.
“That’s the beauty of it now, we’re carrying on the great job that Brian did.”
Collyhurst and Moston recently celebrated their 100-year anniversary during a star-studded event in Manchester, and the gym also has a number of their boxers competing on an upcoming show at Bowlers on November 4.
The likes of Lyndon Arthur, Sean Ben Mulligan and Chris Monaghan are in action, with tickets available from www.iboxingtickets.com