The Bristol boxing champion training the city’s rising stars

The sound of the gym bell can be heard periodically from inside the office where Chris Sanigar sits alongside his tortoises, Bertie and Rocky.

Framed photos of boxers adorn the walls of the compact space inside The Mill on Lower Ashley Road, where the former professional boxer, who once represented England in fights across the globe, works.

“I don’t sort of think of it as working. I’ve been very fortunate,” Chris tells Bristol24/7.

After hanging up his own professional gloves, the boxer went on to become a coach, establishing Bristol Boxing Gym in 1989 and going on to train scores of champions, including Ross Hale, who became British and Commonwealth Champion in 1994, Adrian Stone, World Light Middleweight Champion in 2000, and Scott Dann, British and Commonwealth Middleweight Champion in 2004.

In 2006, Chris’ son, Jamie, together with Martin Bisp, formed Empire Fighting Chance – taking the name of Empire Amateur Boxing Club, which has run in the city for more than 50 years – to help young people, particularly from inner city areas, realise their potential.

Now, Chris and Jamie are working to elevate Bristol’s place on the world boxing map further, starting with an event that will showcase some of the rising stars already making waves in the sport.

Chris Sanigar in his days representing England as a professional boxer – photo: Sanigar Events

Underground at The Galleries – as the name suggests – will take place underneath The Galleries shopping centre on November 12 and will feature homegrown talent, including Aaron Sutton, Isaac Lee, Tyler Davies, Anton Haskins and Logan Dorrington.

The unusual venue in the basement of the city centre shopping centre is accessed via Fairfax Street and has most recently been used for parties hosted by Alfresco Disco.

It presents an ideal opportunity to see the city’s rising stars in a unique 1,000-capacity venue but also serves to highlight the lack of suitable facilities for major boxing events.

Chris says that despite the city’s incredible track record at producing championship boxers, it rarely gets the recognition it deserves. Something he believes is at least partly because of the lack of proper venues that means Bristol currently misses out on the big-name matches.

Isaac Lee is one of the rising stars of boxing due to fight on November 12 – photo: Sanigar Events

Like so many in Bristol, Chris started boxing at Empire, which was in St Paul’s at the time, at the age of 18 and soon developed a talent and passion that saw him go on to forge a successful career.

“I was the first boxer to represent England from the Empire club and I went on to become professional,” says the boxer who fought 31 professional fights.

Reminiscing on his early boxing years, he continues: “Back in the old days, we were over in the gym and it was really the only place where West Indians, Asians, Irish and Bristolians all mixed together. And there was never any problems.”

After six years of travelling the globe, Chris returned to Bristol to train future stars, saying the most important thing needed to succeed in his field is patience.

“We’ve had around eight British champions, eight Commonwealth champions, three European champions, and three world champions,” he says proudly.

Empire Fighting Chance uses the power of boxing to support thousands of young people – photo: Empire Fighting Chance – FrontDoor Comms

On the power of boxing to help shape or turnaround young lives, Chris adds: “The youth coming into boxing learn that respect for each other, the camaraderie the discipline, the determination.

“No one gets turned away.”

Back in the day, Chris – under the name Sanigar Events – would put on boxing matches and fill the Bristol Beacon (which was known as the Colston Hall at the time). He and Jamie have also put on events at Whitchurch Sports Centre, but this is their first in the Galleries location.

Both believe Bristol is crying out for a proper major venue. They are hopeful that this change is coming with the development of the city’s long-awaited arena at Filton’s Brabazon Hangars and the plans for Ashton Gate.

“We are hindered by a city without the infrastructure to host big sporting events,” says Jamie.

“And it’s not just sporting events, it’s music, it’s arts, it’s comedy. You know, we should have big super events here.”

He says the event on November 12 is “our opportunity to showcase Bristol talent”, adding: “Hopefully these boys on the show – Aaron Sutton, Isaac Lee, Anton Haskins, Logan Dorrington, Tyler Davies – these can be the boys that can come through and hopefully one of them will be a big star on the big events at the Filton arena.

“This is Bristol talent. You go and watch Bristol Rovers, Bristol City, Bristol rugby. It’s not many Bristolians that are actually featured. So, this is a chance to really go and support some Bristolians and, hopefully, the city can get behind these boys.”

Southern Area Champion boxer Aaron Sutton will fight underneath The Galleries on November 12 – photo: Sanigar Events

Read next: 

• Professional boxing could be staged in shopping centre loading bay
• Trailblazing Bristol boxer’s life story to be told in new TV series 
• Young people facing increasing mental health pressures, warns boxing charity 
• Ashton Gate and Ashton Vale set to both be transformed

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