Charles Bronson, Britain’s most notorious prisoner, has made headlines once again. Not for his parole bid but for a long-forgotten boxing match that has recently resurfaced. Despite his ongoing efforts to secure his release from prison, Bronson’s dreams of freedom seem farther away than ever.
This video footage reminded us of a bygone era when Bronson, one of the UK’s most infamous inmates, temporarily stepped out of his incarceration for a boxing match. It’s a stark contrast to the armed robbery convictions that landed him behind bars in 1974 and 1988. His most significant conviction came in 2000 when he received a discretionary life sentence for holding a prison teacher hostage for an astonishing 44 hours.
Bronson’s journey through the criminal justice system took an unusual turn when he became one of the first prisoners in recent years to request a public parole hearing. However, the Parole Board’s decision in March was a resounding “‘no” ensuring that the 70-year-old remains incarcerated.
Anyways, let’s cut to the chase—you’re here to see the fight, aren’t you? The video is an extremely rare find that has been quietly residing on YouTube. Credit is to Mirage Publishing.
Now, I don’t think Bronson could really rival the likes of Floyd Mayweather. It’s clear that the prisoner was seething with anger during this brawl.
The climax arrives when Bronson sets up a counter punch that leaves his opponent sprawled on the canvas, knocked out cold. It’s a moment that makes you wonder how many would dare to step into the ring with Bronson for more than two minutes.
As the fight intensifies, the crowd morphs into an angry mob and a shocking twist unfolds when a firearm is seen tumbling onto the ring floor. It’s a stark reminder of Bronson’s dark history, which includes a reputation for violence that extends to attacks on prison officers, hostage-taking, and involvement in prison riots.
Despite his turbulent past, Bronson insists that he has undergone a transformation during his time behind bars: “I’m not a murder or a rapist, I could live next door to anyone and they wouldn’t know I was there.”
In a surprising turn of events, during a podcast interview on Anything Goes with James English in March 2021, Bronson hinted at the possibility that he might be released shortly.
While the fight footage may portray a different facet of Bronson, his turbulent journey through the criminal justice system continues to raise questions about his future and the potential for his “redemption.”