{"id":662631,"date":"2026-06-28T11:11:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T11:11:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/662631\/"},"modified":"2026-06-28T11:11:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T11:11:24","slug":"id-be-a-millionaire-if-i-was-boxing-today-but-i-wouldnt-swap-my-life-on-merseyside","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/662631\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I’d be a millionaire if I was boxing today, but I wouldn’t swap my life on Merseyside’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Behind the doors of a humble semi-detached house in Wirral lies a treasure trove of British sporting history. Not many figures in boxing command a legacy quite like John H. Stracey’s.<\/p>\n

The 75-year-old is the oldest surviving British world boxing<\/a> champion and is still the only fighter from this country to have walked into the lion’s den of a title fight in Mexico and returned home with the gold. If someone of John’s stature was fighting in the modern era, there’s no doubt he’d be a multi-millionaire, but he rose to the top during a different time in the 70s when prize purses and sponsorship deals<\/a> were nowhere near the levels they reach today.<\/p>\n

However, the boxing great harbours no resentment as he wouldn’t trade his happy family life in Merseyside for anything. He told the ECHO in an exclusive interview<\/a>: “If I was boxing today, without doubt, I’d be a multimillionaire. They’re earning millions now, but we didn’t have that.<\/p>\n

“The one thing I will never be jealous of is a boxer getting money because it takes one punch and that could be the end of your life. This is what I say to people. You can play football, you can play cricket, you can play tennis. But you don’t play boxing, you get hit and you get hurt. That’s what boxing is all about. It’s a sport where you either do it or you don’t.”<\/p>\n

John’s wife Kathy is originally from Moreton<\/a> and the fighter, from London, moved up North after they found love in the 80s. The ECHO interviewed him in his Wallasey<\/a> home, where he has become a pillar in his community. The former boxer has been awarded an MBE for his charity work helping those with Parkinson’s and he couldn’t be prouder of the way he has been embraced by his community.<\/p>\n

He said: “I really love it up here and I’d never move back down South. I just think the people here are wonderful. We live right by the sea and I go down there running every now and then. It’s fantastic.”<\/p>\n

\"At<\/p>\n

At home with the champ: The ECHO sat down for an in depth interview with John H. Stracey(Image: Liverpool Echo)<\/p>\n

Despite Merseyside being home for the past 38 years, John still speaks with a Cockney twang as his story started in London’s East End when his dad took him to a boxing gym to keep him out of trouble. His mum had always hoped her son would become a singer, but a young John found his calling with the sweet science when he set foot inside the famous Repton boxing gym.<\/p>\n

He said: “I was hooked and it was something I knew I wanted to do. Singing went out the window. My mum never got her way. My dad said, ‘Look, where we live in Bethnal Green. He can’t be a singer. He’s got to be a boxer<\/a>.’ I enjoyed it and it was the greatest thing I ever did.”<\/p>\n

Stracey was a natural in the ring and won everything as an amateur before he made the decision to turn pro days before his 19th birthday. His professional life was just as successful as he claimed the British and European welterweight titles, before his crowning moment, on December 6, 1975, when he defeated Jose Napoles in Mexico<\/a> to become the WBC and Ring Welterweight Championship of the world.<\/p>\n

As you’d expect for such an achievement, Stracey remembers the cauldron-like atmosphere in Plaza de Toros’ fabled bullring like it was yesterday. He said: “Everyone was saying to me, ‘You’ve got no chance ‘.<\/p>\n

“But I just felt so comfortable that [my title win] would be in Mexico. I didn’t want it to be anywhere else. I’d boxed there in the Olympics<\/a> [in 1968] and already had the experience. I didn’t care what happens. I was going to go there that night and win.”<\/p>\n

\"John<\/p>\n

John H. Stracey was branded “King of the World” by the press after his historic win in Mexico. Here he is pictured posing for a photoshoot weeks after the triumph(Image: Mirrorpix)<\/p>\n

Competing at the Olympics introduced John to the harsh climate in Mexico and he knew he had to arrive weeks earlier so he could acclimatise to the higher altitude. He also had an unexpected advantage as he’d already sparred against his opponent a few years earlier and worked out his kryptonite.<\/p>\n

Although left handed away from the ring, Stracey boxed orthodox and his manager, Terry Lawless, instructed him during sparring to concentrate on striking from his stronger side. He added: “I was catching him all the time.<\/p>\n

“When we got in the car<\/a> to go back home, I asked him, ‘Why did you only want me to use my left?’ He said, ‘You’re left handed and, the way you were catching him with your left hand, if you do fight him, which is possible in the next couple of years, I think that’s what will beat him.'”<\/p>\n

Lawless’ prediction came true three years later as Napoles couldn’t contain Stracey’s jab and he eventually won by TKO in the final round to become the first, and only, UK fighter to win a world title in Mexico. Although this is the pinnacle of his career, a walk down the corridors of John’s home tells you this is far from his only achievement.<\/p>\n

In addition to his many championships, he is one of only five men to have been awarded a special ring by the WBC in recognition of his contributions to the sport. Muhammad Ali<\/a> is another to have received the accolade – and John was proud to call the late cultural icon his friend, as they even boxed on the same card as part of a special exhibition of the best of British vs American fighters.<\/p>\n

\"John<\/p>\n

John H. Stracey was one of five men to be awarded a ring from the WBC in recognition of their contribution to the sport(Image: Liverpool Echo)<\/p>\n

Joe Bugner and Scouse legend John Conteh<\/a> were the other British representatives on the card and the three flew out to Las Vegas for the event in 1973. Ali was taking on Bugner and Stracey’s first introduction to ‘The Greatest’ gave him a front row seat to his razor sharp wit.<\/p>\n

He said: “It was two days before the fight and I was shadow boxing in this ring. Ali is laying on the ropes talking to the press and he’s having a little nobble at Bugner. [After he finished] I tapped Ali on the side to shake his hand, but he didn’t turn around.<\/p>\n

“I looked away and he’s jumped back to turn but he stood on my foot. As he stood on my foot, he’s grabbed hold of me and held me up under my arms.<\/p>\n

“I was milking [the pain from having his foot stood on] like you wouldn’t believe. And that’s how we became friends. After that, he came to see me fight when I defended the world title against Hedgemon Lewis. I’m just so lucky to have fought on that bill. You won’t get boxing like that again.”<\/p>\n

\"Muhammad<\/p>\n

Muhammad Ali and John H. Stracey became friends. Here is the late icon at Stracey’s training camp of World Welterweight in London’s West End on March 10 1976(Image: Mirrorpix)<\/p>\n

It was during this same card when Stracey crossed paths with another of the 20th century’s icons in Elvis Presley<\/a>. However, he laughed he didn’t recognise ‘The King of Rock and Roll’ when he wished him good luck ahead of the fight against Danny McAloon. He said: “The dressing room we were sharing [in the Las Vegas Convention Centre] was Elvis Presley’s. We didn’t know at the time that he was in there. Apparently he loved his boxing.<\/p>\n

“When they said you’re going to be on in a little while, I wandered out. My manager has got the pads and I’m hitting the pads. At that time, Elvis Presley comes along, but I didn’t have a clue it was him.<\/p>\n

“He had a pair of old jeans on and a top. He didn’t look nothing like Elvis in the [trademark] suit. I’m hitting the pads to get nice and loose and he happened to walk over and said, ‘Good luck for tonight, I hope you do well.’ I just looked over and said, ‘Thanks mate’. As you would, I didn’t know it was Elvis Presley.”<\/p>\n

Stracey couldn’t believe it when he was later told he’d just interacted with ‘The King’ – and put it to the back of his mind to defeat McAloon via a decision. Conteh also won his fight and the Brits beat America 2 – 1, as Stracey still has the trophy to commemorate the victory.<\/p>\n

For a boxer in his mid 70s, who fought when health and safety regulations in the sport were a far cry from today, Stracey’s mind and memory remain remarkably sharp. The fighter puts this down to his impressive knockout record (37 of his 51 fights didn’t go the distance) – as well as staying true to a promise he made to his mum when he first started out.<\/p>\n

He said: “My mum never wanted me to box. She wanted me to be a singer. Obviously I didn’t do that, but she came up to me and said, ‘Will you do me a big favour? Would you retire when you’re about 27?”<\/p>\n

\"John<\/p>\n

John H. Stracey with his WBC Welterweight Championship belt(Image: Liverpool Echo)<\/p>\n

Many fighters struggle to walk away from boxing, but Stracey was true to his word and remembers feeling content with what he had achieved after his last win against Georges Warusfel on May 23, 1978. He said: “One day, I woke up and my dad said, ‘Come on, get training.’ I said, ‘No I’m finished.’ I don’t want to fight anymore. And my mum came in and said, ‘Well done’ and she give me a big kiss.’<\/p>\n

“In the end, that was it and you’ve got to do other things.” Stracey’s mum may have not got her way when John pursued a career in boxing, but the “other things” he turned to after he hung up his gloves saw her wish fulfilled.<\/p>\n

John has spent years singing in social clubs on the cabaret circuit – and he has now gone one further this summer by recording his own World Cup<\/a> song titled ’66 All Over Again’. Stracey first wrote the song in support of the England national team 16 years ago, but decided to record it this year after a conversation with businessman Michael Knighton, who almost bought Manchester United in a high profile takeover bid in 1990.<\/p>\n

Speaking about the song, Stracey said: “If you listen to the words, it says everything about the World Cup. I’m really pleased with how it came out.”<\/p>\n

Stracey is just as at peace now as he was 48 years ago when he walked away from boxing. He is enjoying each day as it comes of his life in Merseyside as he shared his only hope now is that he is remembered for what he was: an honest fighter who won the lot.<\/p>\n

He said: “I enjoyed every moment of [my career]. Most people like to be recognised. I hope for people to say I was an honest fighter, who was good at what I done. I won everything I ever went in for as amateur and professional. [It’s just about] that respect really.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Behind the doors of a humble semi-detached house in Wirral lies a treasure trove of British sporting history.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":662632,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[2560,101,56,54,55,41421],"class_list":["post-662631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-boxing","tag-boxing","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom","tag-wallasey"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/662631","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=662631"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/662631\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/662632"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=662631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=662631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=662631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}