‘As a person, he did not like bullies and people who were disrespectful in public. As a boxer he had balls as big as grapefruits and never took a back step. He had skills and could box, but he also liked a fight, which is probably why he had a cult like following, because he got stuck in every time. One thing you could never accuse my father of being, was a boring fighter.’ Ryan Kaylor (son)
When you mention Mark Kaylor in boxing circles, many get hinged on talking about his clash with Errol Christie, which in all fairness became an iconic battle ingrained in folklore. However, there’s so much more to Kaylor’s fistic journey and we intend to take you through it, blow by blow, with the help of his son, Ryan, who currently resides in California.
Born on 11 May 1961 in Canning Town, East London, Mark Kaylor relocated to Stanford-le-Hope in Essex at the age of nine. Despite having a reputation for being tough as nails as a fully grown adult, Kaylor was actually bullied at school in Essex, which led him to pursue boxing at the Shell Club. His entrance into that gym sparked off a flame, which soon turned into a roaring fire and at the age of 16 he was drawn back to Canning Town to live with his grandmother, in order to maximise his potential and train at one of the UK’s finest amateur boxing stables - West Ham ABC.
By 1979, 17-year-old Kaylor won the NABC (National Association of Boys Clubs) Championships and the London senior title the year after. Same year, 1980, Kaylor won the middleweight British ABA (Amateur Boxing Association) Championships and went to the European Junior championships in Rimini, Italy, representing his country, but unfortunately not progressing beyond the quarter-finals. Kaylor then represented Great Britain in Moscow at the 1980 summer Olympics, losing on a split decision in the quarter-finals to Romanian, Valentin Silaghi.
Not one to hang around, just over two months after the Olympics, on 14 October 1980, 19-year-old Kaylor made his pro debut at the Royal Albert Hall, stopping Peter Morris in five rounds. Other notable boxers on this card included Dave ‘Boy’ Green, Cornelius Boza Edwards and Charlie Magri. From West Ham ABC, Kaylor’s new fistic home became the gym above the Royal Oak pub in Canning Town, under the strict supervision of Terry Lawless and the watchful eyes of trainer, Jimmy Tibbs. The location was perfect as it faced his grandmother’s house and the atmosphere was perfect for the teenager, surrounded by an abundance of talent, such as Jimmy Batten, Jim Watt, Frank Bruno, Kirkland Laing, Maurice Hope and Lloyd Honeyghan.
Mark Kaylor at West Ham ABC, Royal Oak Pub, Canning Town, London
Kaylor won his next 22 pro-outings (19 by stoppage) and on 14 September 1983 he was faced with his first big test as he took on long reigning British and Commonwealth champion, Saint Kitts and Nevis born, Roy Gumbs. Gumbs was a fearsome fighter who had 21 stoppages in his 26 victories and certainly had no intention of handing his belts over without a fight. In front of a lively crowd at the Alexandra Pavillon in Muswell Hill, Kaylor and Gumbs put on a show, exchanging rapid leather bombs, with Kaylor being the more accurate and hungrier of the pair. Kaylor’s do or die attitude and fast hands earned him a fifth-round knockout, which would eventually earn him a mandatory position to challenge for European honours.
Two months later, Kaylor lost his unbeaten record against Californian, Tony Cerda via ninth round disqualification, due to landing several blows after the bell, which he admitted was down to his hot-headed action, something he immediately regretted. 1984 was a mixed bag, clocking up three victories, but also two losses. The first was against Buster Drayton at the Wembley Arena, losing via seventh round stoppage and the second saw Kaylor lose his British and Commonwealth straps to Tony Sibson, whilst attempting to dethrone Sibbo for his European middleweight crown. Despite losing a points decision on all three judges score cards, Kaylor’s stock rose because each judge only gave it to Sibson by a two-point margin. 1985 would turn out to be the year that Mark Kaylor would enter the books of boxing folklore, for possibly one of the UK’s biggest grudge matches.
Kaylor vs Buster Drayton 1984
After racking up two victories that year, on 5 November 1985, Kaylor, now 29-3, took on the supremely talented Errol Christie, who was 20-1. The total purse for this contest was a mere £82,000 – however, believe it or not, that was the largest sum paid for a non-title contest in Britain at the time. How things have changed, eh? The fight took place on fireworks night and the build up and main event didn’t fail to deliver, with the contest acting as a final eliminator for the British middleweight title. However, far more hinged on it than that. Pride was the currency in this battle and neither one of them was willing to back down an inch.
Their iconic brawl moments after being asked to pose for a head-to-head outside a London casino, made headline news in all the papers, not to mention television ratings went through the roof with coverage of the pair rolling around on the cobbles. Kaylor was consequently fined £15,000 and Christie, £5,000. Right up to the last few days, there was doubt if the fight would still take place due to big concerns of riots, football firm clashes and racial tension, however, with Cass Pennant in charge of security, the fighters were left to sort out their differences in the ring.
The first round was an old school shoot-out, with Christie being sent to the canvas in the opening stanza……….. shortly followed by Kaylor. Third round, Kaylor was floored again, but this time with more venom. Not one to stay down and lick his wounds, Kaylor repaid the favour and rocked Christie with a right hand of his own. As the contest unfolded, Kaylor started to get the better of Christie and in round eight, finished his foe with a short left hook, which sparked a chorus of, ‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles,’ from the Kaylor contingent. Despite a rocky start, the pair built a lasting friendship, but sadly, both passed away far too young, with Christie dying first in 2017, a victim of lung cancer, at only 53 years of age.
Kaylor vs Errol Christie 1985
Nine months after the Christie fight, Kaylor enjoyed sweet revenge over old foe, Tony Cerda, knocking the American out in the sixth round on the undercard of Tim Witherspoon versus Frank Bruno at Wembley stadium. After stopping Tony Harrison two months later, Kaylor had his second attempt at European honours, but once again, failing against the vastly talented Herol Graham and being retired by his corner in round eight.
Kaylor vs Herol 'Bomber' Graham
Despite winning his next six fights, five by stoppage, including a victory over Tommy Taylor for an eliminator of the British Light Heavyweight title, Kaylor went on to suffer two losses and a draw between May 1988 and March 1990. The first loss was against Tom Collins, which sadly saw Kaylor stopped by a single right hand in the ninth for the European light heavyweight title and the second one was a points loss against Italian, Mauro Galvano, for the super middleweight European strap.
In his last three fights, Kaylor won two and lost his swansong against James Cook for the European super middleweight title. He retired in 1991 with a record of 40 wins (34 KO’s), seven losses and one draw. Kaylor’s son, Ryan, recalled a few snapshots of his father’s career, but also pointed out the perils of boxing his family witnessed first-hand. ‘My dad didn’t like to watch or talk much about his fights, but he did say that the best fighter he fought was Tony Sibson, and he always said he was a gentleman. ‘I still talk to my dad’s brother and he tells me about some of the world champions my dad sparred. There was so many, including the likes of John Mugabi, who had a great fight with Marvin Hagler. Those are the sort of fighters my dad had shared a ring with during sparring. Top level guys. ‘Post career, he kept boxing. He was working in a boxing club in Chino and he kept sparring in his forties with some good pros and it messed his brain up so bad, which contributed towards his dementia and Alzheimer's.
His last five or six years alive were very rough and he had to be put into a care home. It’s tough for me to talk about my dad like this, but it’s also worth highlighting what boxing can do to the brain. I don’t know how much of this was down to his knockouts in his pro career or down to sparring after he retired. He used to like to fight and even though I never saw him spar, I just used to see him coming home with cuts or bruises, which used to drive my mom mad as to why he was still sparring like that in his forties. Dad being dad, he wouldn’t have had it any other way. We have donated his brain to Boston University and will get the results later in 2026.
‘I boxed a little bit, but I didn’t take to it very well; being hit to the head. Seeing how my dad turned out, I thought, ‘I don’t need this. I know the basics and that’s good enough for me.’ My father was aware that he could have been better defensively as a boxer and Angelo Dundee once said that my dad was a good fighter, but lacked defensive movement. My dad was always the first to admit that.’ Mark Kaylor dabbled on the big screen, appearing in Ron Peck's films, Fighters and Real Money. The former focused on a group of young boxers from the East End who were hoping to make it to the top. It was reality TV, before reality TV really took off. The difference is, this was ‘actual’ reality. Click here for more about peck and the film in question.
IMPECK-ABLE - FILMMAKER RON PECK
Kaylor moved to California in 1996 with his American wife and children, yet still followed his beloved West Ham United FC, from across the big pond. The Canning Town favourite sadly passed away on 15 November 2025 at the age of 64. He will forever be remembered as an East End great who won his fair share of plaudits, both professionally and as an amateur. He loved to fight, hated violence, was gently spoken and would let his fast hands and punch power sort out any doubt of his toughness. Gone too soon, but never ever forgotten.
Paul Zanon, has had 11 books published, with almost all of them reaching the No1 Bestselling spot in their respective categories on Amazon. He has co-hosted boxing shows on Talk Sport, been a pundit on London Live, Boxnation and has contributed to a number of boxing publications, including, Boxing Monthly, The Ring, Daily Sport, Boxing News, Boxing Social, amongst other publications.
