12 Things You Didn’t Know About Gary Corcoran
GARY Corcoran has landed an unlikely shot at WBO world welterweight champion Jeff Horn.
This has prompted many critics from around the globe to question just who the aptly titled ‘Hellraiser’ is. The English know Corcoran (17-1, 7 KOs) well, especially after his thrilling battle against Liam Williams for the British light middleweight title in 2016, resulting in his only career defeat.
For the benefit of those that aren’t in the know with the North London bruiser, here’s 12 things you probably didn’t know about Gary Corcoran:
1. Gary is one of nine brothers. He is the seventh oldest and personally claims to have been the worst boxer of them all when starting off, which is backed up by all nine of his siblings becoming international amateur boxers with either England or Ireland, except for Gary.
2. Despite this slow start, Gary became a standout amateur, winning the prestigious Haringey Box Cup twice in two different weight classes.
3. As an amateur, he was a serial semi-finalist, reaching the Junior ABA’s and CYP semi-finals twice each and the London ABA semi-finals once.
4. He debuted on Fireworks Night in 2011 on the undercard of Ricky Burns’ interim WBO world lightweight title fight with Michael Katsidis at Wembley Arena, beating journeyman Billy Smith on points, alongside fellow debutant Frank Buglioni.
5. Older brother’s Eddie and Billy were also professional boxers before him. Eddie won eight and lost one during 2006–2012, and Billy had an impressive record of 17-2-1, winning the English super-featherweight title in 2005 and challenging for the British strap. It doesn’t end there as Gary’s younger brother Simon Corcoran is about to turn professional with Frank Warren.
6. He has fought 16 of his 18 professional fights in London – nine at the iconic York Hall – four at Wembley Arena and three at the Copper Box Arena, and once each in neighbouring Wales and Northern Ireland.
7. Gary, born in London, is a proud traveller of the Corcoran family from Galway, Ireland.
8. Managed by Frank Warren, Corcoran trains at the Peacock Gym in London with trainer Frank Greaves.
9. He is a two-weight WBO Inter-Continental champion, first winning the light middleweight strap against English middleweight titlist Danny Butler in March 2016 and then adding the welterweight version in his last fight against unbeaten Larry Ekundayo.
10. He has ruined the unbeaten record of three top prospects – Ricky Godding (21-0-1) in July 2015 and then Rick Skelton (13-0) in the next fight in September 2015 – both at Wembley Arena – and his latest fight against 2012 Prizefighter winner Larry Ekundayo (12-0) last July at the Copper Box Arena.
11. He is currently ranked tenth with the World Boxing Organisation.
12. The previous holder of his current WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title was none other than his future opponent Jeff Horn.
Photo: Alex Morton/Getty Images
