Pat Barrett (born 22 July 1967) is a British former professional boxer and now a boxing trainer and promoter. He held the British light welterweight title from 1989 and 1990, and was the European champion from 1990 to 1992. He went on to fight for the WBO Welterweight World title.

Early life Pat Barrett was born on a council estate in North Manchester, England. Barrett walked into the Collyhurst and Moston Lads Club at the age of sixteen, following his brother Michael who was an amateur boxer.

Amateur boxing career Nicknamed 'Black Flash', Barrett was trained by Brian Hughes. After joining the Collyhurst and Moston Lads Club, Barrett became an area champion as an amateur, in which he competed in twenty-six amateur fights - winning twenty-four.

Professional boxing career Barrett made his professional debut at the age on 1 May 1987, with a win over Gary Barron. He won 13 of his first 15 fights, including a win over Dave McCabe, with a draw against Sugar Gibiliru, and the only defeat to Paul Burke.

In November 1988 he beat Kevin Plant on points in his home city to win the vacant BBBofC Central Area light welterweight title. He successfully defended this title against Gibiliru in April 1989, and Tony Willis four weeks later, and in October that year beat Robert Harkin on points at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall to take the British title. He relinquished the British title in 1990 to pursue higher honours. In August 1990 he challenged for Efrem Calamati's European title in Salerno, Italy, knocking the defending champion out in the fourth round to take the title. He made three successful defences of the European title, against Salvatore Nardino, Mark McCreath, and Racheed Lawal, stopping all three challengers. He relinquished the European title and moved up to welterweight. In July 1992 he challenged for Manning Galloway's WBO World welterweight title at the G-Mex Centre, losing a unanimous decision, after the fight had been postponed several times, a situation that led him to leave promoter Mickey Duff to join Frank Warren's stable. In September 1993 he faced Del Bryan for the vacant British welterweight title at the York Hall, Bethnal Green, Bryan taking the title on points. He moved up in weight again to light middleweight, and in November 1993 met Patrick Vungbo in Belgium for the vacant World Boxing Federation World title; Vungbo won on a split decision.

Legal problems led Barrett to leave the UK and travel to the United States to work with Lennox Lewis's former trainer John Davenport in the hope of securing a multi-fight contract and a second world title fight, and in March 1994 stopped journeyman Donnie Parker in four rounds. He returned to the UK, however, and shortly afterwards was arrested for failing to pay £6,000 of fines incurred for failing to produce his vehicle details after being repeatedly stopped by the police, and was declared bankrupt. He served three months in HM Prison Risley followed by 12 months probation. In December 1994, he beat Belgian champion Marino Monteyne in points in what proved to be his final fight, retiring the following year.

Later life and career as trainer and promoter In February 2003, Barrett was arrested after being found with a loaded pistol in a hotel room in Chingford, with small quantities of heroin and cannabis also found. He denied all knowledge of the gun and drugs, claiming that he was set up (he was arrested as a result of an anonymous tip off), but was sentenced to two consecutive three-month terms in prison. Barrett later described the sentence as "the best thing to happen to me. I got caught and it opened my eyes." On leaving prison, Barrett attempted to obtain a trainer's licence, a process which took him five years. Barrett went on to run a security company and work as a trainer at the Moston and Collyhurst Gym, initially under Hughes, but later running the gym with Thomas McDonagh after Hughes retired, working with boxers such as Scott Quigg, Matty Hall, Matty Askin, and Barrett's nephew Zelfa. In 2011, Barrett was granted a promoter's licence, initially working with Wally Dixon, and in 2014 formed Black Flash Promotions. In May 2019, it was announced that Frank Warren's for Queensberry Promotions and Barrett's Black Flash Promotions would be entering into a partnership agreement with the aim of developing and showcasing the future young stars of British boxing.

Personal life Barrett is the uncle of Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion Lyndon Arthur, and former Commonwealth super-featherweight champion Zelfa Barrett. On 25 December 2011, Barrett's nephew, John Lee Barrett, was attacked at a private party held at Sinclair's Bar in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, in which he later died from a single stab wound to the back.

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes42Win Marino MonteynePTS812 Dec 1994 41Win37–3–1 Donnie ParkerTKO4 (8)11 Mar 1994 40Loss36–3–1 Patrick Vungbo121 Nov 1993 39Loss35–3–1 Del BryanPTS1222 Sep 1993 38Win35–2–1 Juan Carlos Gonzalez BorquezPTS813 Feb 1993 37Win34–2–1 Sam GervinsTKO1 (10)19 Dec 1992 36Win33–2–1 Tomas QuinonesTKO1 (8)20 Nov 1992 35Loss32–2–1 Manning Galloway1225 Jul 1992 34Win32–1–1 Mike JohnsonTKO2 (10)19 Dec 1991 33Win31–1–1 Racheed LawalTKO4 (12)9 Oct 1991 32Win30–1–1 Mark McCreathTKO6 (12)17 Apr 1991 31Win29–1–1 Salvatore NardinoKO6 (12)13 Feb 1991 30Win28–1–1 Jimmy HarrisonRTD1 (6), 16 Jan 1991 29Win27–1–1 Eduardo JaquezTKO1 (10)15 Nov 1990 28Win26–1–1 Dwayne SwiftPTS104 Oct 1990 27Win25–1–1 Efrem CalamatiKO4 (12)24 Aug 1990 26Win24–1–1 Juan Carlos NunezTKO1 (8), 2 Jun 1990 25Win23–1–1 Joey FerrellTKO6 (10)21 Nov 1989 24Win22–1–1 Robert HarkinPTS1224 Oct 1989 23Win21–1–1 Dana RostonTKO4 (8)19 Sep 1989 22Win20–1–1 Robert TrevinoKO2 (8), 27 Jun 1989 21Win19–1–1 John RafuseKO6 (8), 7 Jun 1989 20Win18–1–1 Tony WillisKO8 (10)9 May 1989 19Win17–1–1 Sugar GibiliruKO8 (10)11 Apr 1989 18Win16–1–1 Marc Delfosse1 (8), 28 Mar 1989 17Win15–1–1 Dean BramhaldTKO7 (8), 6 Mar 1989 16Win14–1–1 Kevin PlantPTS1029 Nov 1988 15Win13–1–1 Jeff ConnorsTKO5 (8), 1 Nov 1988 14Win12–1–1 Dave HaggertyTKO7 (8)10 Oct 1988 13Win11–1–1 Dave McCabeTKO2 (8)8 Jun 1988 12Win10–1–1 Lenny GlosterPTS84 May 1988 11Win9–1–1 Stanley JonesTKO2 (6)12 Apr 1988 10Win8–1–1 Donnie ParkerPTS622 Mar 1988 9Draw7–1–1 Sugar GibiliruPTS81 Mar 1988 8Win7–1 Oliver HenryTKO2 (8), 8 Feb 1988 7Win6–1 Michael HowellPTS420 Oct 1987 6Win5–1 Mike RussellPTS63 Aug 1987 5Win4–1 Iskender SavasTKO1 (8), 1 Jul 1987 4Win3–1 Eamon PayneTKO3 (8), 13 Jun 1987 3Loss2–1 Paul Burke61 Jun 1987 2Win2–0 Jim Moffat1 (6)18 May 1987 1Win1–0 Gary Barron6 (6)1 May 1987

References

External links

Black Flash Promotions