Tributes to former boxing champion George Bayliss, from Bury St Edmunds, who died on Sunday

A former British boxing champion and well-known member of the boxing community in Bury St Edmunds has died.

Tributes have been paid to George Bayliss, who died on Sunday at North Court Care Home in the town, just a few days before his 85th birthday.

George was a former amateur light-middleweight champion and his son Ben Bayliss said his dad was the first person to set up a boxing gym in Bury St Edmunds.

As well as making the news for his boxing endeavours, he also hit the headlines for seeing off three muggers in his hometown in 2006.

Aged 67 at the time, he had said: “They weren't up to much as opponents - I've faced much tougher people in the ring. They picked on the wrong man.”

George, who had boxed for England, had a number of gyms, including Bury ABC (Amateur Boxing Club) from 1961 to 1969 – which he formed as a boxer and a coach – based at Gibraltar Barracks gym.

Phoenix gym followed in 1987, which was at the Tollgate Cricket Pavilion.

“He named it Phoenix because it rose from the ashes,” said Ben, who told us his dad used to say ‘I am Phoenix’ at boxing shows.

In 1990 the gym moved to Eastgate Street, and in 1993 it incorporated the former Royal British Legion ABC, where Danny Lacey was chief coach.

George launched Phoenix ‘95 in 1995, which used the basement of Bury’s Merry-Go-Round pub, on the Howard estate, before moving to County Upper School.

Eastgate Boxing Club, which Ben said had stemmed from Phoenix Boxing Club, has wished George’s family ‘our heartfelt condolences’ on news of his death.

The club said: “Everybody who knew George knows what a massive part he has in boxing in Bury St Edmunds.”

Eastgate Boxing Club’s Mick Bryant, who was chairman of Phoenix ABC and was mentored by George, is a long-standing friend of the family.

Ben, from Bury’s Howard estate, also wanted to mention Eastgate’s head coach Dale Robertson, who has been with the club for about 20 years.

George had a real impact on many boxers, Ben said, such as Rocky Dean, who went professional, and Matthew Dean, who both boxed with George at Phoenix in Eastgate Street. They came over to Phoenix after Silver Ring ABC in Thetford folded in 1992.

Wayne Asker and Mark Florian, who were coached by George, are others Ben mentioned who went professional.

And Ben, as well as his brothers Wayne Bayliss and Mark Vizor-Bayliss, all boxed because of their dad.

Ben said: “Boxing was a massive part of his life. It was his life.”

George, whose mother was Kathleen Lyons and father was William Bayliss, got into boxing through his regiment.

He enrolled in the Army at the age of 14, following in his father’s footsteps by joining the Liverpool-based King’s Regiment.

Born in Karachi in 1939, where William was stationed, George and his family then came back to Liverpool.

“He travelled the world through the military. He was particularly fond of Kenya and Hong Kong,” Ben said of of his dad, who classed himself as a ‘Scouser’.

George, who was also an excellent swimmer, boxed all over the world for the Army and won numerous titles.

After about 14 years in the Army, George was a foreman, and Ben mentioned his aptitude for building things and engineering.

Of his dad’s other interests, Ben said: “He liked to sing. He loved his music and he liked his beer as well. He loved to tell stories. There was always truth in what he said, but sometimes he would exaggerate.”

George’s favourite drinking haunts were the Griffin, the Nutshell, the Merry-Go-Round, the Wolf (in St John’s Street), the Tavern and the Cupola.

Ben added that his dad loved country and western music and rock and roll, with his favourite artists including Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Chuck Berry.

“Johnny B. Goode [by Chuck Berry] was his signature song,” said Ben. “He loved karaoke. Whenever there was karaoke he was having a beer, telling his stories, having a sing-song.”

George was also known for his charity work, with Ben mentioning an annual skipping marathon that took place with boxers in the Cornhill shopping centre in aid of the special baby care unit at West Suffolk Hospital.

“He gave back a lot,” said Ben.

•A funeral date is to be announced.

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