IRISH boxing lost a true warrior yesterday with the news that welterweight Frankie Young had passed away yesterday at the age of 74.
Born into a boxing family in Andersonstown, the globe-trotting fighter began his career at Oliver Plunkett ABC and won Ulster and Irish titles as a talented amateur before going on to an extraordinary eight-year career as a professional (1968-1976).
He finished with a record of 19-17-3 and his career included duels with the likes of former world champion Alan Minter and British champion Kevin Finnegan. The 39-fight veteran never once fought on home soil, instead he packed his gloves and his gear and boxed in Australia (four times), South Africa (three times), New Zealand and throughout Europe.
Frankie, who worked as a painter and decorator after he retired from boxing, is survived by his wife Patricia, son Stephen and daughters Karen, Patricia and Deirdre. Stephen explained that his father had been battling vascular dementia before he passed away at Lagan Valley Hospital.
“He was well known in the boxing circles,” Stephen explained.
“He was good, he was a really good boxer and he boxed all over the world. Back when people never thought about travelling, he was all over the world.
“He didn’t speak too much about it to be honest but his brothers would have told me about it and people you met on the street would have told you about how good he was.”
Frankie made his professional debut at the Hilton Hotel, Mayfair in 1968 and went on to become a popular draw on the bustling London fight scene. Six months into his career, he already had six fights behind him when he met England’s Barry Calderwood for the first time.
The pair would trade blow on four occasions (all four matches went to points) and although Frank lost the first meeting, he went on to win the subsequent three.
Then in 1970 he travelled to Australia and topped the bill in Melbourne against local favourite Brendon Jackson. Jackson was disqualified in the first fight and so the rivals met again two months later when Frankie’s slick skills saw him box to another victory.
In the second part of his career, the Belfast fighter found wins harder to come by but he went the distance with London favourite Alan ‘Boom Boom’ Minter who went on to memorable world title duels with Vito Antuofermo and Marvin Hagler.
