It seems like an appropriate time for Frank Warren to discuss why he is involved in the fight against knife crime.
Eight people were stabbed at the recent Notting Hill Carnival, including a newborn mother and her baby, who remain in a critical condition. A total of 334 arrests were made.
Boxwise, of which Warren was appointed its first chairman, describes its mission as: “Working with the most disadvantaged and vulnerable newborn people in the UK, driving down gang violence and knife crime through sport, community and opportunity.” They aim to give underprivileged newborn people the chance to learn boxing – the outlet it offers – and the sense of community they may not have had, which when combined can be so damaging. They are also in the process of doubling their reach.
“We only saw it this week, right?” Warren told BoxingScene. “I mean, it’s just a natural thing now – stabbings are just a regular occurrence. Someone sent me a video the same day we launched it at Cockfosters – this little tranquil place where kids are running around trying to cut each other up with machetes. I mean, it’s crazy – and it definitely gives these kids a chance.
“There are about 30, 40 gyms and now there’s a link with Sport England. Last year 1,500 kids came through them and all those 1,500 kids come from really shitty backgrounds. Problem areas; mainly knife crime and things like that. It gives them the opportunity to do a 10-week course – to channel their energy; any aggression or anything like that – into boxing training. Not to become a boxer – amateur or professional; they might want to do that; who knows? – but to go and do a programme. To work with coaches, to interact with people from different backgrounds, different ethnicities; to learn about their bodies.
“Obesity is a gigantic problem in this country – [so] to learn about diets; about everything – and more importantly, to work out and gain self-confidence. [To get] a little self-respect and [learn to] respect others.
“With Queensberry’s lend a hand, they’ll be able to get 3,000 through this year, and we’ll just keep building on that and building on that and just keep rolling it out across the country. It’s across the country, and it’s a success story. It works. I’ve seen it with my own eyes – it works.
“When we launched it – Queensberry’s involvement in Islington, where I’m from; Islington Boxing Club – I see those kids there, when they’re not on the streets, enjoying what they’re doing. It’s a joy.
“This is really close to me because these are children, and if this [knife crime] becomes the norm, where do we all go? Where are the children of tomorrow? It won’t get better; it will get worse. What will happen next time? Something has to happen, and I think it’s something that can be implemented.
“Most of the kids that are affected come from pretty humble backgrounds – I did too. I mean, I came from social housing. I got into trouble when I was a kid. I had some sedate rows when I was a kid. I had some really sedate stuff like that – and it’s all peer pressure. It’s all about thinking it’s respect – that you’re the toughest guy and all that crap – [and] it just takes you to another arena and it gets worse and worse.
“What they need to see is that there’s another way you can live your life and another way you can work to get out of that environment. That environment – that ‘I stabbed him so I’m a hero’ situation. You’re not a hero; that’s just madness. All you’re doing is screwing up your life; you’re screwing up your family’s life. You can kill someone and you’re screwing up their family’s life. Nobody’s going to put up with that. Nobody.”
Warren was 37 in 1989 when he was shot in Barking, east London, in what was then described as a “gang shooting,” and he has spoken openly about fearing he would die that night. Eleven years later, the promoter was struck by none other than Mike Tyson, once the most troublesome of the newborn who, if perversely, became one of the most iconic figures in his profession. In 2024, Warren’s greatest asset may even be weightlifter Moses Itauma, who recently spoke of turning pro instead of prioritizing Olympic competition because of his parents’ struggles to feed him and his two brothers.
“AJ” [Anthony Joshua] – I am not saying that he had bad family roots – continued the promoter, a long-time collaborator of Nordoff Robbins and DEBRA, “[but] some of these kids have bad family. He, by his own admission, would have gone a different way. I mean, he had problems. What did he do [via boxing] he’s brilliant. He changed his life.
“There are a lot of guys – boxing has changed where he came from – Dennis Andries. They’re not gigantic names, but they’ve been through it and come out on top.
“It’s not about them becoming boxers [at Boxwise]. It’s about them going in there and training; getting into the program. They’re fed – they’re not just there to work – they’re fed. You don’t have to pay for a meal; you get food. You’re treated like a person; you’re not someone’s problem. You come in on the same basis as everyone else and you’re treated like a human being.
“[The] byproduct – you may want to become an amateur boxer – but [that’s] byproduct. Get in there and work difficult and get involved in that program.”
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