Islington Boxing Club.

The Islington Boxing Club is one of England’s biggest and most successful amateur boxing clubs.

The club has a long history and as such is a firmly established, integral part of the local community. With a family feel it welcomes and is inclusive of all ages, ethnicities, religions, backgrounds, abilities and disabilities. The club provides opportunities for those aged 4 years and upwards to keep fit and active. Offering members a community to belong to, as well as a pathway to high level competitive boxing, and coaching qualifications.

The IBC has close links to local authorities, social workers, the police and youth offending teams who refer young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to engage them in the sport and help them find a community to be a part of. The club and the sport of boxing is effective in creating a diversion away from crime and antisocial behaviour. Young people from the local Elthorne Estate, from the wider Islington Borough and surrounding boroughs as well as young people from outside of London travel to be a part of the club.

The club is led by Lenny Hagland, who started off at IBC when it first began in 1974, joining his father Ron. Lenny boxed for the club as a junior and senior boxer winning national titles and international honours. After retiring from boxing himself and having a short break he became a coach at the club. Lenny now has over 25 years experience of coaching boxing, he has gone through every stage of this club from boxer, coach, matchmaker, chairman and now holds the role of C.E.O. It’s not often you don’t see Lenny in the gym, working hard away at his full time job in keeping the club going. Lenny is the longest serving member of the club, and there is nothing that he doesn’t know about the club and it’s running. The club is his job but it is also his passion. Lenny is joined by his son Reggie Hagland, an equally hard worker whose passion is also the club and boxing. Reggie takes care of the role of club manager and competition secretary.