Club that’s a home of boxing champions deserves backing

Published: 15 October, 2010

• IT is outrageous that a private company can have the audacity to think it can override all the hard work and effort that Ron Hagland, Lenny Hagland and the voluntary staff/committee at Islington Boxing Club have put in over the years (Who’ll land a knockout blow in the fight over boxing club? October 8).

The club has always strived to make the sport accessible to the more needy in the community and has endeavoured to keep fees as low as possible while trying to maintain a workable and safe environment.

People were attracted to the club because of its tradition and history of developing champions but when they got to the door they have been directed to Boxing London/Left Hook Ltd, which has been happy to take their money to maximise its profit while paying a meagre rent.

This has left the club to maintain and purchase all the equipment and fittings, which are getting hammered seven days a week.

In fact, such was the company’s profit that it opened a new gym in the City last year, which proves that business was booming while the ‘real’ membership at Islington Boxing Club was suffering.

When Oner Avara came to this country 10 years ago he had nothing but the friendship with Enzo Giordano and the trust and goodwill of Ron Hagland.

Mr Avara was shrewd enough to see a business opportunity and with the help and kindness of Mr Hagland he was able to remain in this country to develop his own company in design and build.

He also saw a lucrative business in the boxing club, thus teaming up with Mr Giordano to run fitness classes very profitably.

I can see why Mr Avara is angry and I think it’s because he realises that the rich pickings are coming to an end.

As for helping to raise £110,000, does he want people to believe he raised this amount himself? It’s a bit far-fetched really because that money would have come in with or without his help.

I would urge all Friends of Islington Boxing Club to back the Haglands in their fight to reclaim what is rightfully theirs.

PAUL HAMMICK
Boxing coach, Islington Boxing Club

• AS Islington Boys’ Club committee we thought it was important to respond to last week’s article.

The roots of this conflict have nothing to do with Lenny and Ron Hagland as individuals, and started a long time before Lenny returned to the club.

Minutes from a committee meeting as far back as 2008 show that long-standing coaches such as Bevis Allen and Andy Roe were unhappy with the way Boxercise sessions were beginning to compromise the work the club does with disadvantaged youth.

Oner Avar claims to have raised £110,000 for the club. Before he came to the club we had around £79,000 in net assets.

Over the period he claims to have helped us, these assets themselves generated about £25,000 in interest.

The £110,000 in our reserve fund for development was in fact £105,000 without him even lifting a finger.
Each week, Boxing London runs 12 sessions of two hours each at the club. 

It charges £8 per person for each class with up to 40 people attending at any one time.

Is it fair as a charity that it pays us only £8 an hour for the use of this facility.

This is an increase in the amount it used to pay, having averaged an annual hire fee to the club of only £3,400 over the past decade.

The market rate for a fully-equipped boxing gymnasium of 7,000sq ft is well in excess of the £40 an hour we are proposing as a starting point for negotiation.

The increase may seem large but then the company is generating huge profits; we are just asking for a fair return that is likely to average out at about only £1 per client during busy periods.

We would have been prepared to negotiate on this figure and have been trying to do so since July, but all attempts to do so have been rejected by Mr Avara’s solicitor.

Mr Avara came to the club as a homeless refugee in 2000.

He boxed for us and acted as a caretaker in return for living in the gym for a period of time rent free, as we felt sorry for him.

Members of this committee helped him set up a business, find clients, wrote references for his immigration appeal and supported him through a difficult time in his life.

He boxed for us up until 2004 and started acting in an admin role after this. We feel that this club helped put him on his feet, provided support and friendship.

This club (along with many of the committee members) was here 26 years before Mr Avara and will be here a long time after.

This club is a beacon of social justice and charity in an area of considerable disadvantage. We are proud boxing people who are very much part of this community.

We will not let the excellent work this club does be compromised.

ISLINGTON BOXING CLUB MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE