Gary Stretch, the British boxing sensation of the early 1990s, was a household name due to his striking good looks and formidable punching power in the ring. His success as a professional boxer was matched by his equally impressive career as a male model, with some even suggesting he earned more money from his modeling gigs than from his fighting endeavors. His appearances in British tabloid newspapers ensured he remained in the public eye, and his intriguing story was often splashed across the headlines.
As an amateur, Stretch excelled as a youngster, turning professional in 1985. He won the British light-middleweight championship in September 1988 and went on to claim the WBC international super welterweight title in February 1990, defeating Ramon 'Angel' Alegre via knockout in round six at the London Docklands Arena.
In 1991, Stretch challenged the eccentric Chris Eubank for the WBO world middleweight championship in London, with the highly anticipated bout dubbed 'Beauty v The Best.' Despite taking the fight after nearly a year away from the sport, Stretch gave the iron-chinned champion a run for his money, lasting five rounds before the fight was stopped in the sixth. Although he never secured a rematch, Stretch retired with a respectable record of 23-2-0.
Post-boxing, Stretch sought a new challenge and turned to acting. His breakthrough role came in 2004 when he was cast as the psychotic gangster Sonny in Shane Meadows' critically acclaimed film 'Dead Man's Shoes.' This performance earned him a BIFA nomination alongside fellow British talents Paddy Considine and Toby Kebbell.
Stretch's subsequent roles have seen him co-star alongside renowned actors such as Sir Anthony Hopkins and Colin Farrell in Oliver Stone's 'Alexander.' He also produced and directed the documentary 'Through My Father's Eye's The Ronda Rowsey Story,' which premiered at the Crystal Palace Film Festival and earned the best documentary award.
