Glenn McCrory

Glenn McCrory (born 23 September 1964) is a British former professional boxer who held the IBF version of the cruiserweight world championship. He has worked as a Sky commentator and pundit since 1989.

In a world of bloody conflict McCrory rose from hardship to heights achieved by only a few. He became the first world champion ever produced by the North East where fighting men have walked for a century and more. Glenn survived the murky world of rip-off merchants, of politics and greed, being boiled like a chicken to make a weight no longer his by nature and forced to train in his own living room with his missus on the pads.

McCrory was born in Annfield Plain, County Durham, England. He made his professional debut in February 1984, scoring a 1st round knock out against Barry Ellis. Over the next 15 months he fought a further 12 times, winning on each occasion before suffering his first defeat against John Westgarth in September 1985. The defeat was to be the first in a series of losses for McCrory as he went on to lose a further four fights out of his next five. In November 1986 this run came to an end when a visit to Louisville, Kentucky saw him get back to winning ways against the inexperienced Joe Adams.

The Adams win provided the springboard for a run of form which would take him first to the Commonwealth cruiserweight title and then to the British. Four straight victories set him up for a shot at Zambian Chisanda Mutti, the reigning Commonwealth champion, in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear on 4 September 1987. The fight went the distance with McCrory picking up a points win. In January 1988 he defended his title for the first time and picked up the British belt with a win over Tee Jay in Wandsworth. A further defence of both titles occurred in April 1988 when he returned to Gateshead to defeat challenger Lou Gent.

Three more wins over journeymen opponents followed the Gent victory before, in June 1989, McCrory challenged Patrick Lumumba for the vacant IBF cruiserweight title, winning the belt via a unanimous points decision. He made one defence of the belt against Siza Makathini in October 1989 before losing it to American Jeff Lampkin in March 1990.

Following the Lampkin defeat, McCrory moved up to heavyweight and in September 1991 lost in a challenge to future world champion Lennox Lewis, failing in his bid to win Lewiss British and European titles. Two victories and a draw against journeymen followed the Lewis defeat before a trip to Moscow in July 1993 resulted in an unsuccessful attempt to win back his IBF belt, losing over 12 rounds to reigning champion Alfred Cole.

The fight was to prove his last as a professional as McCrory retired from the sport with a record of won 30, lost 8, drawn 1. Since retirement, McCrory has become a television commentator and occasional actor, employed by Sky Television as the long time sidekick of Ian Darke.