George Francis (trainer)
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George Albert Francis<ref name="Francis 2003 286">Template:Cite book</ref> (1928–3<ref name="Francis 2003 dedication">Template:Cite book</ref> or 4<ref name="Francis 2003 286"/> April 2002<ref name="guardian"/><ref name="telegraph"/>), known professionally as George Francis, was a British boxing athletic trainer who trained world champion boxers such as Frank Bruno,<ref name="guardian">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="guardian1">Template:Cite web</ref> John Conteh,<ref name="independent">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="guardian"/><ref name="guardian1"/> John Mugabi, and Cornelius Boza-Edwards, and European champion Bunny Sterling,<ref name="guardian"/> who also became the first West Caribbean boxer to claim a British title, fighting under Francis' tutelage.
Biography
George Francis was born in Camden Town, north London.<ref name="telegraph"/> He was only eight when his father died,Template:Citation needed and left school at the age of 11<ref name="bbc"/> to support his family.Template:Citation needed In the 1930s, he was a bare-knuckle fighter.<ref name="bbc">Template:Cite news</ref> After a local policemen persuaded him to give that up he turned to amateur boxing.Template:Citation needed Francis worked his way up the ranksTemplate:Explain at Covent Garden Market and eventually became a porter.Template:Citation needed He was a member of a local boxing club and it was there that he decided to switch from boxer to trainer.Template:Citation needed These early ventures into the fight game were to be the start of a career which saw him become involved with some of the greatest boxers in the world.
Francis was known for making his boxers run on Hampstead Heath and swim in the cold water of Highgate Men's Pond as part of their training.<ref name="indy">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="telegraph"/><ref name="bbc"/>
After Paul McCartney visited Francis's gym to watch Conteh train, McCartney employed Francis's son Michael as a bodyguard.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Death
Francis was found hanged at his home in Hillway, Highgate, apparently having died by suicide<ref name="independent"/><ref name="bbc"/> on 3<ref name="Francis 2003 dedication"/> or 4<ref name="Francis 2003 286"/> April 2002. He was 73.<ref name="independent"/> His death followed a period of severe depression<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> that occurred after the deaths of both his wife, Joan, and his son, Simon.<ref name="independent"/><ref name="guardian"/><ref name="telegraph">Template:Cite web</ref>