Gerald Boustead: Torquay boxer who won behind the Iron Curtain

BOXING

GERALD Boustead, the Torquay boxer who once fought the great Howard Winstone at the Town Hall, has died at the age of 80.

He knocked out the East German champion in a bout behind the Iron Curtain and went on to train and support a new generation of local fighters.

At the age of 11, Gerald joined the Apollo Boxing Club in Torquay, where club trainers Percy Thomas and Sid Banks allowed ex-boxer George Pook to take the young fighter under his wing.

He had 36 contests as a junior and was so good it was becoming hard to get him matched.

Pook guided Gerald to reach the Junior Western Counties final in 1952 and 1953, and he won the title in 1954.

In 1956 Gerald won the Senior Lightweight title of Devon, Dorset & Cornwall.

In 1957 he was in the first team of West of England boxers to go behind the Iron Curtain into East Germany. He was the only Western Counties boxer to come home with a 100 per cent record by winning both his fights, knocking out the East German champion in his last fight. He also won the overall best boxing award, with the trophies from that visit taking pride of place in Gerald’s collection.

In 1959 he married Ann Pook, the elder daughter of the late Francis Pook, George’s brother. She would remain by Gerald’s side for nearly 60 years until her death in 2016.

In 1961 Gerald won the Western Counties title, and in the same year defeated the West German champion in an international contest.

By the age of 24 Gerald had fought some of the toughest people around at his weight.

He had more than 120 fights, not including booth fighting, with only 12 defeats. After retiring from competitive boxing due to an illness and an accident at work, he did not turn his back on boxing. He would go on to become a boxing coach and later a professional trainer and manager.

However in 1966, after a long break from the ring, Gerald came back to fight on a professional show at Torquay Town Hall. He had an exhibition bout with Howard Winstone, who was then British Champion. Gerald gave a sensational performance which many local people still remember. A few months later Winstone went on to win the World Featherweight title.

Over the years Gerald has run nine different gyms, welcoming all comers, professional and amateur, and of all abilities, several of them of a very high calibre.

Rarely charging people to train, Gerald self-funded virtually everything. His son Francis said: “It was literally his gift. He would not have it any other way!”

Following Gerald’s boxing

Gerard Boustead in his glory days career, his passion for boxing moved to coaching and involving youngsters. He always believed that the self-discipline that boxing training instilled was positive.

He would go on to form a couple of boxing clubs, and by this time had his own three boys who would always accompany him.

Audley Park school master Mr Chamberland offered Gerald the opportunity to hold regular boxing training sessions in the school sports hall, and a few years on Gerald with Chris Pook (George’s son) and Derrick Thompson would form the Riviera Boxing Club. A gym was created above the Palk Arms.

After a spell living in Milton Keynes, Gerald was approached to take over the running of Newton Abbot & Kingsteignton Boxing Club. He also had spells teaching boxing at Pitt House School and Forde House School.

His sons Julian and Simon both won regional schoolboy titles, Julian going on to compete in the national finals and going on to represent England as a junior.

Julian signed professional papers at the age of 17 with Gerald becoming a professional coach.

Over the next 30 years as a professional trainer he would go on to open several gyms around Torquay, coaching and mentoring hundreds of boxers.

Julian was rated in the British top 10 when he tragically broke his neck in a freak accident while taking part in a charity event that Gerald had organised leaving him permanently paralysed.

Francis said: “This naturally had a profound effect on Gerald and was something that he never really came to terms with.”

Although Gerald had several enforced breaks following Julian’s accident and due to an industrial injury and his long illness, he still managed to continue with his passion for training and coaching boxing.

A considerable number of professional boxers were coached and managed by Gerald including Gareth Hogg, Joff Pugh. Stacey Howell, Gavin Lane, Ben Wakeham, Peter Lawrence, Peter Worthington, Greg Upton, Nick Tooley, Toryn Pook, Ally Wyatt, John Depledge, Scott Wylde, Paul Jones, Ryan Bell, Peter Lygo, Paul Eveleigh, Ray Cunningham, Dave Hallett, Chris Cooper and many others.

Over the years, Gerald’s gym was used by fellow professionals from around the country.

He organised boxing exhibitions in Channing’s Wood Prison and Dartmoor Prison, something which would have doubly appealed to Gerald, who had also served as a prison officer.

Gerald balanced his time with other charitable works, and in particular helped underprivileged youngsters.

Francis added: “All of Gerald’s children feel indebted for what he gave to them, for his devotion to boxing and helping others was second only to the love and devotion he showed to all his children and many grandchildren.

“Nothing was more pleasing for Gerald to learn that his wonderful values and his boxing skills were being carried on, not just by his children and grand children but by the great many young people he had spent endless hours with over many years.”

Most recently, although Gerald becoming frail with his illness, he was proud to hear of two of his former boxers taking up coaching roles – Gareth Hogg in Torquay and Gavin Lane at the Barum club in North Devon.

Francis added: “Throughout Gerald’s time in the sport, although being called a professional, he never took anything from the boys in terms of fees.

“On occasions he would take something only to cover his expenses travelling, because the giving was what Gerald loved the most.

“This was his gift to so many.”

A funeral service will be held on November 26 at 12.30pm at St Mary the Virgin Church in St Marychurch. Gerald’s family have invited donations to Parkinsons UK.