Guardian of the Streets: James Cook MBE, My Story

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The truth is very important for a fighter and, as I have said to people, if they are not hearing the truth they are hearing nonsense. They are in there to survive and you have got to be honest.” He hopes to receive 1,000 signatures by November 5 and will pass the petition to Councillor Chris Cliffe who will present it to the council. Still, boxing is at the heart of Pedro and many young people come to train with James and speak to him about their lives.

He says there is enough parking provision in the area and a boxing club would get teenagers off the streets and unite the community. The final curtain came down on his career in March 1994 when he was comfortably outpointed over twelve rounds by the up and coming Teessider Cornelius Carr at Bethnal Green’s famous York Hall.

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James Cook MBE, the former British and European super middleweight champion, has recently been drafted into the camp to work with Yarde and his trainer Tunde Ajayi, to provide wise counsel and be an experienced eye on the team who work out of the Box Up Crime gym in the heart of Ilford, east London. Young people tend to take a lot of things from America, what they see on television and they think it’s real. Highly touted prospect, Errol Christie was stopped in the fifth round of a scheduled eight at the York Hall, Bethnal Green in January 1989, and just under a year later Cook travelled to Belfast to become British super-middleweight champion halting local man Sam Storey in the tenth round. Ms James said the couple, who had been in a loving relationship since March 1 this year, began to row via text during Ms Baitup’s night out at the Caerau Progressive Club in Caerau, which is known locally as The Middle club. He is a member of famous Boxer with the age 64 years old group. James Cook Height, Weight & Measurements

I know there are other boxing clubs in the city, but many parents are reluctant to allow their young ones to travel unaccompanied. What I like about these guys is they listen, they are a young team who are willing to learn from someone who has been there and done it. I am here to correct them and say ‘you know what, this is what you do in this situation’,” added the 62-year-old, who will bring both experience and calm to punching proceedings. Young people keeping fit and healthy at Pedro Club. Picture: Razvan Pestean (Image: Razvan Pestean) The club provides sports and activities to a range of ages. Picture: Razvan Pestean (Image: Razvan Pestean)James formed a management committee in the 1990s and has been fighting to keep the club open ever since. Picture: Razvan Pestean (Image: Razvan Pestean) James Cook was born in 1728 at Marton-in-Cleveland, Yorkshire, England. In 1746 he moved to the port of Whitby, where he was apprenticed to a shipowner and coal shipper. As a sailor in the North Sea coal trade the young Cook familiarised himself with the type of vessel which, years later, he would employ on his epic voyages of discovery. Now the 62-year-old is relishing a new mission – having been invited to join light-heavyweight contender Anthony Yarde’s team, alongside manager and trainer Tunde Ajayi.

After the fight, Yarde’s trainer Tunde Ajayi hailed Cook’s contribution, declaring: “We were a ship without a rudder and James Cook has really been the cement that has solidified our team.” While Covid-19 has disrupted the club’s usual summer fundraising events James is confident Pedro Club will survive the pandemic and welcomes support from the community. Turning his attention to Yarde’s performance it is clear that Cook is more than satisfied with his performance. “It was a fantastic fight,” is his assessment. “If Anthony had lost the boxing world would have crucified him. Not many people thought he would win it but he came out and made a statement – a big statement! It wasn’t even close. He dismantled him. This was a different Anthony Yarde. Cook’s voice softened considerably as he spared a thought for Lyndon Arthur. “I understand the way Lyndon is feeling, because Lyndon now is probably thinking he’s let his people down and he’s let his camp down, just like how I felt when I went to Shefield to fight Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham. I felt that I didn’t perform and I felt rotten. But, as you go along experiencing boxing, you realise this is boxing. So Lyndon shouldn’t beat up himself about what Anthony done. To me, Lyndon is like a quiet James Cook. There’s no hype about him. He’s just calm and relaxed. But sometimes you have to make noise and, when you fight, you’ve got to fight rugged. My personal opinion of Lyndon is that he is a nice, pleasant young man and he’ll come again. Believe me, he’ll definitely come again.” Mr Cooke, a qualified ABA coach and licensee of Tile Hill Social Club, added: "I am familiar with most of the residents in the community and aware of the problems the area has in drink and drugs and of the issues relevant to young people.

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He text you, ‘Don’t come to the funeral.’ Do you know whose funeral?” prosecutor Nia James asked Ms Baitup, an insurance worker from Caerau, near Maesteg. I’ll be honest with you – there’s little things he needs to work on, but this boy has got so much power, he can hit, he can fight and he’s smart. He excites me. I tell people: not a lot of fighters excite me but this kid excites me because he’s got it all. Cook insists his remit includes a full licence to speak his mind and say what he sees. “When they spoke to me I said if I am not that then I won’t be here. Anthony is his own man and I am the older man, so if I don’t speak the truth this is never going to work. I am here to make sure the truth is spoken. TALENT: Anthony Yarde (left) in action Mural of American, world heavyweight champion boxer Muhammad Ali at Pedro Club. Picture: Razvan Pestean (Image: Razvan Pestean) One the main reasons Cook is willing to work with Yarde is his positive view of ‘The Beast’s personality.

Anthony has all the heart in the world and it is probably that calmness that he needs around him. When everyone is wrapped up in emotion they probably miss that.” There was a boxing club in almost every community in the city and it kept me out of trouble and many others like me." Tireless, principled and relentlessly optimistic, in James Cook, Anthony Yarde couldn’t have anyone better in his corner. Cook’s passionate belief in building a better society and helping to mould youngsters into good citizens and role models like Anthony Yarde underpins everything he does. Indeed, such has been the impact of Cook’s youth work that he was rewarded with an MBE in 2007.I saw some people downstairs, I think belonged to the council, and I went to them and said: ‘You know what, you can’t have it because this belongs to the young people.”