Petrou - Greek Tank never in a dull fight

Kostas Petrou…a fighting CV crammed with thrilling contests

THE memory of powerhouse Kostas Petrou, a sawn-off, slab of sinew and muscle with sleeping powder in both fists, will live long among those who witnessed his ring wars.

In a trade crammed with hard men, Birmingham’s self-styled Greek Tank’s toughness stood out. 

The British welterweight champ went to the well time and again, his burning will to win driving mind and body beyond sensible limits.

He gained the title in a 1985 war with Rocky Kelly. His tear-up with Tony Brown - a slugfest best watched through a curtain of fingers - is regarded as an all time, small hall classic. In his final bout, he ground down thunderous punching light-middleweight champion Ensley Bingham. 

“Me winning that fight,” the now 63-year-old said matter-of-factly, “that was me putting two fingers up to the people who said it was all over for me.”

Quite simply, from 1981 to 1988, Petrou was an irrepressible force of nature the likes of which Birmingham has never seen before. 

Father-of-four Petrou is something of a rarity. The son of Greek Cypriot parents has found a life, a lucrative life at that, after boxing. He owns property and has established himself as a force in the fast food and café industry. 

Petrou, at 11 stone, is only seven pounds over his fighting weight - “I do 100 sit-ups each night and throw 100 punches,” he said - and speaks without the slurs that betray many top fighters’ former profession.

Yet, the sport’s governing body, The British Boxing Board of Control, declared in 1989 the Kings Heath warrior  had paid a heavy  price for the human carnage that was his career. They banned Petrou from boxing after he failed a brain scan. 

The bombshell news was delivered on the very day he was due to box in a British title eliminator. Petrou responded by undergoing his own test, but the board of control refused to be swayed by the positive result.

The decision still rankles with the ex-fighter. “The scan was clear,” he protested, “and they said, ‘we need to further scrutinise the scan’. What does that tell you? Closely scrutinise the prettiest woman in the world and you’ll find faults.

“I got out of the game the wrong way.  It was a shock to me coming on the day of an eliminator. I wanted to show I could win the title again, that it wasn’t a one-off.”

Petrou’s response to the medical KO could be at best described as controversial, at worst a reckless disregard for his own health. He agreed to one “unlicenced” fight, stepping into a world free from the BBBofC’s strict regulations where a failed brain scan was of little importance.

In a wild and woolly affair, Petrou won something called the UBO belt. “I don’t regret it,” he said. “I wanted to prove something. I got stuck in - even if you’re a fancy-dan fighter, you have to get stuck in. I got it out of my system. I’ve still got the belt. I was supposed to defend it, but I didn’t get a call.”

Petrou has flourished after fighting by refusing to become a “gym ghost”: mingling among ex-pugs who shuffle around fight factories recounting past glories.

He has no interest in the modern game and even blocked his own sons from fighting. “I don’t follow the game,” he admitted. “I’d rather do it than watch it.”

Petrou is content with his lot, but admits to regrets about his own career, which ended with a 30 wins, seven losses ledger. He was capable of earning more money, of achieving more. His Lonsdale Belt was lost in the first defence, Sylvester Mittee using science, not strength, to outpoint him in 1985.

“I should have listened to my wife more,” he shrugged. “People don’t like saying that, but it happens. Maybe I should’ve moved to London. I got disillusioned with things that were happening.

“But they were great times. I always loved training for sports. I got into the game because someone saw me have a rumble during a football match and said, ‘why don’t you relieve that aggression in the boxing ring’.”

Petrou is now free of that anger and thoroughly content with his lot. He can even smirk at the rumours of a damaged ex-pug that followed news of his brain scan result. “People can say what they want to say,” he added. “People still recognise me. We all get older, they’ll all change, but they still recognise me.”

And they’ll certainly never forget the king of the crowd-pleasers.