Book tells story of boxer jailed in Blackpool

A man labelled as one of the hardest men in Britain, who lived for a while in Blackpool, is set to have his life made into a film.

Paul Sykes was originally from Wakefield and trained as a boxer from childhood, but was a troubled soul and had a drink problem.

Boxer Paul Sykes. A new book about thenotorious hard man is out and plans are in place to make a film of his life.

placeholder image — Boxer Paul Sykes. A new book about thenotorious hard man is out and plans are in place to make a film of his life.

Author Jamie Boyle has published his second book about the man who was described by notorious prisoner Charles Bronson as “a legend, born and bred”.

Jamie said: “He was a remarkable man, a physically big man, very intelligent, but could not stand authority. He kept getting into trouble and was in and out of prison.

The image from the cover of the book about hard man Paul Sykes entitled Further Agony, Another Round with Paul Sykes, by Jamie Boyle

“He fought for the British heavyweight title at the age of 33 in 1979 after only eight professional fights and was lined up to be the next world champion. He was so highly thought of as a boxer he sparred with Leon Spinks and was photographed with Don King and Larry Holmes.

“He won a lifesaving award in 1973 when he was a lifeguard at one of Blackpool’s piers and he got himself a degree in jail, but his problems with alcohol and violence dogged him and he ended up dying of pneumonia and liver cirrhosis.

“This is my second book about Paul and my interviews along with his own book, Sweet Agony, are to be made into a film by Western Edge Pictures.”

Big and fast he was a talented amateur boxer as a youth but always in trouble and it was only when he was 33 he turned professional.

He later worked as a debt collector and bodyguard rubbing shoulders with many notorious characters. In 1981 he was jailed for five years for taking out a contract on a union official from Blackpool working at a St Annes firm.