Pauly's Boxing Gym

Ian Pauly

Holds Licences with the British Boxing Board of Control Ltd as

Boxing Second, Trainer, Manager and Promoter

Having been moved around a lot as a kid, it was inevitable that Ian Pauly would have to become a fighter of one sort or another. By the time he left to start work at 15 he had attended no less than 11 different schools. “I always seemed to be the new kid with a different accent so learnt from an early age how to look after myself.”

Although it wasn't until 1974 that Pauly's Gym was established in Peterborough , the original Pauly's Gym was actually founded in 1969 in Singapore .

Whilst living in the Far East , Pauly, who had already been a fair school boy boxer, discovered the various martial arts that the orient had to offer. “I used to go to the different Chinese martial arts schools in my district and on a Saturday would teach the other kids on my street what I had learnt that week, This was done in my dad's shed at the back of our house. He had been a P.T.I. in the Royal Marines and so had a few bits of equipment that I commandeered – medicine ball, a few dumb bells etc. I filled his old kit bag up with sand and we used that as a punch bag. I even made a little sign for the door ‘Pauly's Gym'. I would charge the kids a few cents and this money would go towards my next weeks lessons. I was 14 years old at the time.”

On returning to the UK in the 1970's Pauly quickly established himself as a formidable kick boxer and was highly regarded on the European circuit. In 1980 he won his first European title in Paris . The second came 5 years later in Italy , a year after Pauly's Gym moved into its then new home under the main stand of Peterborough United F.C. Many of the players made regular visits to Pauly's fitness and stretching sessions, including their then goal keeper David Seaman.

After 4 years at Posh, a change of management and directors forced Pauly to vacate the premises and so, with very little to lose, another trip to the Far East was on the cards - this time Thailand.

“When I got out of Bangkok airport I literally found myself not knowing whether to turn left or right. I lived on my wits for a while, moving around the various Thai boxing camps, working as a pad man to earn a meal or a bed for the night. This period was a great learning curve.”

Eventually Pauly met Mr Yodthong, one of the most respected trainers in Thailand , who took him under his wing and invited him to work with his stable of boxers.

At the world famous Sityodthong-Payakarun Boxing Camp Pauly was soon accepted as the first European to live and work as a trainer and enjoyed working with the likes of W.B.C. Super Bantamweight World Champion Samart Payakarun and his brother, 5 times Thai champion, Kongthoroni. It was working with such champions that rekindled his love of the ‘sweet science' and on his return to Peterborough ; Pauly's gym was reopened, not only as a martial arts school but as a professional gym as well.

 

The current premises, above a row of shops in the Millfield area, is well established as the number 1 fight school in the city and surrounding area and undoubtedly ‘the place' to train – that is of course unless you are happy to remain second best!