Ex-boxing world champion Johnny Armour launches gym in Chatham
06:00, 21 May 2019
updated: 11:17, 21 May 2019
When it comes to getting into trouble, former world boxing champion Johnny Armour is no stranger to landing on the wrong side of the law.
But since retiring from the sport that won him fame and fortune, dad-of four Johnny has turned his life around and is helping others get on the straight and narrow.
Johnny has built a gym at the side of his house near Chatham's White Road estate, where he was born and grew up.
Johnny Armour talks about his new gym
He now has young lads queuing up to throw a punch or two in the ring and anxious mums calling him to "sort their sons out".
He set up his Armour Plating Boxing club in a converted shed about four years ago with the aim of getting kids off the streets and getting into gang-type trouble.
Being brought up in the same neighbourhood, he was well used to getting into fights and has spent a spell in prison.
In 2017, he was jailed for 16 months for his involvement in a drug conspiracy centred on his home.
He admitted conspiracy to supply cannabis, but insisted his involvement was only to allow others to store drugs in his home and took no part in supplying them. He was due to be paid £400.
He says he has learned the hard way through his mistakes.
He said: "I was gullible when I was younger. I could never say 'no' to anyone.
"I was stripped of two of my titles after being sent down and, believe me, that was harder to swallow than going to prison."
He started boxing at the age of 10, encouraged by his dad who said he would not be able to go out with his mates unless he attended sessions at St Mary's Amateur Boxing Club in Chatham.
He said: "I wasn't keen at first but I soon got the bug."
At the age of 21 he turned professional, representing England 16 times as flyweight and bantamweight and winning a string of top titles.
He came out of the ring in 2006 and got a job as a lorry driver to provide for Tara, his wife of 30 years, daughters, Lacey, 29, Shannon, 26 and Kiaya, 25.
His son John came along much later and has just turned three.
He said: "It became harder to keep the weight down. I was fighting against younger and hungrier boxers and the big pay days became fewer."
He spent about £10,000 of his dwindling savings on converting and fitting out his gym in Palmerston Road.
He now has about 35 to 40 lads aged between six to 58 coming along for workouts and goes on regular seven mile runs throughout the week.
He said: "It's amazing to see some of them who have been bullied at school or have anger issues, build up confidence and gain respect for others.
"Where I grew up there were fights but not as bad as it is now, with knife crime and people coming down from London causing trouble.
One of those he has taken under his wing is Ryan Jeapes, who from a young age ended up in the courts and getting expelled from school.
His dad Ricky Jeapes, 56, who lives in Rochester, has been a friend of Johnny's for 25 years and trains with him.
Ricky said: "It is amazing what Johnny has done. Ryan used to be aggressive and smash things up but Johnny has talked to him over the years and it has changed his life. He's now 19, settled and looking for a job."
