He also earned money as a debt collector and one story involved him turning up at a man’s wedding to demand money. Sykes was known for many things during his turbulent life - including being a professional heavyweight boxer, a prison hard nut, an author and an intimidating debt collector. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged.

Paul Sykes: Boxer / Prisoner - video Dailymotion Paul Sykes: Boxer / Prisoner - video Dailymotion

Bronson goes on to relate an incident said to have taken place in HMP Liverpool, where Sykes 'allegedly' killed the prison's cat and fashioned it into a "Davey Crocket" style hat, I think you get the jist! Speaking to The Gazette about the release of his first book Jamie, who now lives in Northallerton, said: “Sykes was a fascinating character - someone who fought for the British and Commonwealth title but spent many years in prison and ended up dying a broken man. Lenny Mclean, in his autobiography 'The Guv'nor', later "A week before the off, Sykes went into a club in Wakefield where he lives, got well p*ssed and had a ruck with four doormen. And although Sykes could be characterised as a violent narcissist, he showcased his empathic side after one fight.

You’d be forgiven for thinking Sykes’ upbringing was far from desirable when you consider how he once described being put behind bars. And it was violence that led to Sykes spending over two decades of his 60 years on Earth in prison - where he became pals with fellow tough guy Charles Bronson. His intellectual abilities were discovered in jail when he began spending time reading books before publishing his own.

Book tells story of boxer jailed in Blackpool

The life of an infamous underworld debt collector who operated in Teesside is being adapted into a film. Lenny Mclean, in his autobiography 'The Guv'nor', later explained: "A week before the off, Sykes went into a club in Wakefield where he lives, got well p*ssed and had a ruck with four doormen. One of the most bizarre stories Sykes enjoyed to tell was his apparent encounters with sharks during his travelling days.His first bout was in 1978 and ended with his opponent being unable to get off his stool for round two. She said: “I’ve been used to brutality with my husband - perhaps that’s why Paul thinks he’s got to use force because his dad’s always used force. If I ever saw him out on a pub crawl around town we would give the pub a wide birth’ and skip ahead to the Next pub leave the carnage behind us lol. Clips from the Paul Sykes: At Large documentary are often shared on social media and go viral, as new viewers join the legions who have lauded him as a cult hero.

Sweet Agony - Paul Sykes - Google Books Sweet Agony - Paul Sykes - Google Books

Mentioned in the books, 'Legends' by Charles Bronson and 'The Guv'nor' by Lenny McLean, Sykes was regarded to be of the toughest men in Britain. He did them all but one of them got lucky and put a cut above his eye that took eight stitches to pull together".His boxing career concluded two years after it began and it included a failed attempt at becoming the British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion. In every case I was in the right and it were them that were taken the liberties and I did what John Wayne did, what any sane man would do, punch them right in the f*****g earhole. Sykes was a drunken thug who spent much of his life in prison, but his book is nevertheless the work of a sensitive and intelligent man. In March this year, The Gazette told how a Teesside author had taken an uncompromising look at the life of Paul Sykes - a professional boxer, violent criminal and notorious jailbird.

Sweet Agony on Apple Books ‎Sweet Agony on Apple Books

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. Referring to 'Sykesy', Bronson describes him as "a Legend, Born and Bred" and "I first met Sykes in Liverpool in the early 70's and at that time he was probably the fittest Con in Britain. 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.

And he also suggested the hydration was “necessary” for his kidney after he ruptured it playing football in 1966. Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault] Now That We Don’t Talk (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault] Agora Hills “Slut! There was a lot of stuff I didn’t use in the first book because I felt it was too raw - but my publisher said I should use it for a second book. Bronson referring to 'Sykesy' wrote: "I first met Sykes in Liverpool in the early 70's and at that time he was probably the fittest Con in Britain. Sykes had also been billed to fight Lenny Mclean at London's Rainbow Theatre on 20 November 1979, but this fight never materialized.