World Champions
Notwithstanding its seemingly unglamorous reputation, the Newbridge Boxing Club has produced some of Britain's best boxers, most notably the former WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe whose victories over Jeff Lacy, Mikkel Kessler, Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones, Jr were all achieved by training in Newbridge. Joe's friend Enzo Maccarinelli won his WBO cruiserweight title whilst training there, and defended against challenger Wayne Braithwaite before being stopped by David Haye. Light-welterweight Gavin Rees shocked the world when he beat Frenchman Souleymane M'baye to win the WBA title before losing it to Andreas Kotelnik. Middleweight Gary Lockett held the lightly regarded WBU belt but achieved fame when he unsuccessfully challenged world number one Kelly Pavlik in Atlantic City for the undisputed middleweight crown. The Newbridge Boxing Club, considering its location in such a small town, has had a disproportionate influence on the global boxing scene.
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