I’ve read Gorman’s book and yes he was a great man and even greater fighter but could not touch Lenny Mclean. Lenny would win hands down bk in the 70s mark Ripley from Kent was the hardest man about who fought Bartley Gorman when Gorman was in his prime an Ripley was a 16 yr old lad an Bartley in his book said it was a draw

He became a public mouthpiece for the gypsy community. His many projects included setting up a rehabilitation camp for travellers who wanted to be true Romanies.

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Bartley Gorman and Dan Rooney are not the kings of gypsies. BIG WILLY COLLINS IS the best man to fight in the country right now that’s final. THANKS Michael we're two cousins and we didn’t know this man but know fighting people. You know Irish people - half Irish ourselves but we know that English can fight, xx While the book has a winning combination of cultural reference, sporting achievement, criminality and complete frankness, the central hook from which everything else hangs is the promise a 12-year-old Joe made to the man

In fact, Ali was one of his heroes, and Bartley based much of his fighting traits on the boxing skills of 'The Greatest'. Boxing family Gorman's biography 'King of the Gypsies', written with the help of Peter Walsh, was completed just before Gorman's death. Bartley woz half of me and is in a life when our bodies are gone sleeping, but still alive while I breathe through my childrenHe explains: "The bottom line was that some of the members were embarrassed about having a 'pikey' representing their club.