Boxing dynasty Mckenzie the latest to continue esteemed family legacy

THE third generation of a Bristol boxing dynasty is preparing to take on his first professional fight next month, with coachloads of supporters heading out of the city to cheer him on.

- Tristan CORK

Former professional boxer Chris 'Skemer' Winters, (left) his son Duane 'The Gasman' Winters, (right) the Southern Area Champion who fought for the British title live on TV, and (centre) grandson Mckenzie 'The Ghost' Hand, 19, whose first professional fight is in Swindon next month

(Pic: Paul Gillis)

Mckenzie Hand is just 19, and will step into the ring for the first time as a pro on a Fight Town bill at the Mecca venue in Swindon on November 22.

And cheering him on will be the entire family, and scores of supporters from South Bristol, where his family are well known boxing stalwarts, so much so that his grandfather even has a housing development named after him.

Mckenzie had a promising amateur career as a teenager, but admitted he didn’t really dream of following in his family’s footsteps. “I didn’t think about being a professional boxer when I was a kid, it was more just in the last couple of years or so when I started really training and fighting competitively, that I thought this could be something I could do,” he said.