Ali Forbes

Ali Forbes is a former British professional boxer who campaigned at super middleweight before moving up to light heavyweight. London-born and long associated with Brockley and Thamesmead, Forbes boxed orthodox and, at 5ft 9in, built his career on solid fundamentals and the willingness to take the domestic title route rather than circle around it. He retired with a record of 14 wins, 10 losses and 1 draw from 25 fights, with 7 wins by knockout.

Forbes turned professional in February 1989, winning his debut against David Haycock, and he stayed unbeaten through his first seven contests before stepping up for a first area title attempt. In March 1992, he challenged Ian Strudwick for the BBBofC Southern Area super middleweight title and lost on points, a reminder that the jump from learning fights to title fights is where many careers get found out. Two years later, with Strudwick having vacated, Forbes boxed Richard Bustin for the same belt and won on points, putting himself in the queue for the British title scene.

The peak of his career came at York Hall in January 1995 when he outpointed Fidel Castro Smith to win the British super middleweight title. It was the sort of win that brings you from being a name on bills to being the man with the belt, but the reign was brief. Three months later, in his first defence, Sam Storey took the title from him on points, and Forbes then spent a long period out of the ring before returning in May 1998 with a win over Darren Ashton.

When he came back into contention later in 1998, the stakes were immediate. Six months after his return, he faced David Starie for Starie’s Commonwealth title and the British super middleweight title vacated by Dean Francis, and Starie stopped him in the eleventh round at the Elephant and Castle Centre. It was a tough ending to a brave assignment, and it effectively closed the super middleweight chapter at the level Forbes had worked to reach.

Forbes moved up to light heavyweight and found that the bigger weight meant harder nights and less margin for error. He lost on points to Mark Delaney in December 1999, then in March 2000 challenged Mark Baker for the WBF world light heavyweight title and was outpointed. After that came a run of defeats against established operators, including Juan Nelongo, Thomas Ulrich and Clinton Woods, the Woods fight coming when Forbes stepped in late as a substitute for Michael Nunn for the vacant WBC International title, exactly the sort of call that tells you a fighter’s reputation for being willing. He boxed four more times, winning twice and losing twice, and retired in 2002.

In retirement, he stayed close to the sport as a trainer and was linked with fundraising work for amateur clubs, which suited a man whose own career had been shaped by gyms and small halls before it ever reached the bright end of the British title business. Forbes’ record reads as it happened, a British champion at super middleweight who took his chances, then tried to extend the story at light heavyweight against men operating at a higher level of strength and experience.