Paul Hodkinson

Who is Paul Hodkinson?

Paul Hodkinson aka Hoko is a former professional boxer. Hodkinson fought at Featherweight and is the former British, European and World Featherweight Title holder.

Paul Hodkinson first caught the eye as an amateur bantamweight in the 1984-1985 season with a series of good displays for young England and later for the full international side; but John Davidson a hard hitting and mature Northerner proved a little to rugged for him and Hodkinson’s ABA title campaign came to an abrupt finish in the first round.

The one round defeat prompted a rethink in the Kirkby club - whose ‘old boys’ included John Conteh and Joey Singleton - and Hodkinson decided it was time to stop fighting the scales and let his body find its true poundage. As a featherweight the improvement was instantaneous. He had an excellent 1986 ABA title campaign and he swept aside all comers in capturing his clubs first national title since Conteh’s success in 1971.

With the Commonwealth games taking place in the summer Hodkinson was in automatic selection and in most experts view a clear favourite for the featherweight gold. Hodkinson had other ideas, he had already decided to turn pro. His amateur days ended in acrimony with him being ‘expelled’ from the games panel for failing to report for training. He was in America where he was given the chance to spar with some of the top fighters in the world. Hodkinson had sparred with six world champions in the shape of Sot Chitalada, Hilario Zapata, Bernado Pinango, Barry McGuigan, Brian Mitchell and Antonio Esparragoza.