Steven Robinson, a 36-year-old boxer from Blaydon, has become a world champion after knocking out Colombian Francisco Cordero in the first round in Hamburg to claim the WBF World Bridgerweight title. The victory adds to the WBF Intercontinental heavyweight crown he already holds.
Late start after football injury
Robinson, nicknamed “Drago,” is 6ft 7in tall and only took up boxing late in life, originally to lose weight after being forced to quit football. A promising goalkeeper who played professionally in Chicago and Hong Kong, he returned to Blaydon when injury struck and admitted he felt lost at that stage.
“Boxing wasn't a sport I'd ever thought about,” he said. “However I'm a big believer that everything happens for a reason and we all have a path in life. Why did boxing come along into my life? It happened at the right time.”
“I was depressed, I didn't really think I had much hope. I'd found out I wasn't going to be a footballer, I had no GCSEs and no aspirations, who knows where I'd have ended up. I think I'd have probably found myself going down the wrong path but instead I've surpassed everything I imagined I could do in the sport.”
Bridgerweight division explained
Bridgerweight is a little-known class for fighters weighing between 200 and 224 pounds, positioned to fill the considerable gap between the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. It was originally established by the World Boxing Council in late 2020 and has the backing of Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield and Roy Jones.
Mark Clauzel, a trainer who works out of his gym in Swalwell, has been involved with Robinson since his amateur days and explained how the unexpected world title bout came about.
“Steve has links with Germany through his family tree and the World Boxing Federation quickly put him on bills over there. First he won the Intercontinental heavy crown at the beginning of May beating Angelo Venjakab and now the Bridgerweight title at the same venue.”
“We know Cordero is on the slide - we're not naive - but it is still an amazing achievement to win a title abroad. Not many North East boxers have become world champions - obviously there is Josh Kelly from Sunderland and in the past the likes of Glenn McCrory and Stuart Hall.”
From house dream to world title
Clauzel added: “It's quite a romantic story with Robinson - he wanted to be a footballer and only turned pro in his current sport so that he could buy a house in Blaydon. He has that now but he wants to come home and fight before his own folk as a world champion.”
Because of his gigantic height, Robinson has been used as a sparring partner by the likes of Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua when they faced particularly big opponents. Now the Geordie has gained his own little bit of glory.
