Gary Stretch
{{short description|British boxer, model, and actor}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox boxer
|image =
| name = Gary Stretch
| weight = Light-middleweight
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1965|11|4}}[http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=3911&cat=boxer "boxer: Gary Stretch"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150331102914/http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=3911&cat=boxer |date=31 March 2015 }} BoxRec.com [http://www.thisisst-helens.co.uk/st_helens/celebs/gary_stretch.html thisisst-helens.co.uk profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150331102914/http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=3911&cat=boxer |date=31 March 2015 }}
| birth_place = St Helens, Lancashire, England
| style = Southpaw
| total = 31
| wins = 29
| KO = 20
| losses = 2
}}
Gary Stretch (born 4 November 1965) is a British boxer, actor, model, producer, and screenwriter. During his boxing career, Stretch won 29 of his 31 fights, 20 of those by KO. He became the WBC International Super Welterweight Champion.
In his modelling career, Stretch modelled for high-end brands including Calvin Klein and Versace. During his acting career, he starred in such films as The Heavy (directed by Marcus Warren) and Alexander (directed by Oliver Stone). He was also cast in the Shane Meadows’ film Dead Man’s Shoes as the small-time gang leader, Sonny, for which role he was nominated for a British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Early life
Stretch was born in 1965 and brought up in the Haresfinch area of St Helens, Lancashire. His father was a plumber.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2330940/A-long-stretch.html |title=A long stretch |author=Sue Mott |date=21 January 2006 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph}} He attended the town's Cowley High School.{{cite web |url=http://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/8860894.Gary___s_proud_to_be_back_where_it_all_began/ |title=Ex-boxer Gary Stretch to celebrate St Helens' movie magic |date=7 February 2011 |publisher=St. Helens Star}}
Career
= Boxing =
{{BLP one source|section|date=April 2022}}
A southpaw fighter, Stretch boxed most of his career as a light-middleweight, rising to become British champion in that division.{{cite news|author=Gareth A. Davies |url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/garethadavies/5841556/Mystery_of_Gary_Stretch_departure_from_Khan_camp/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120610054949/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/garethadavies/5841556/Mystery_of_Gary_Stretch_departure_from_Khan_camp/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 June 2012 |title=Mystery of Gary Stretch departure from Khan camp |date=27 November 2008 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph}}
He won the WBC International Light Middleweight title, beating Ramon Angel Alegre at the London Arena on 14 February 1990, the fight billed as Valentine's Day Massacre. Stretch, aged 24, stopped the Argentine in the 6th round of a very one sided contest. Stretch relinquished the title due to a management dispute with Frank Warren and subsequently sat out his contract.
Stretch's return to the ring came in 1991 when he challenged Chris Eubank for the WBO world middleweight championship in London, in a fight billed as "Beauty V the Best". Stretch suffered a cut behind the ear in the first round and was shaken by an uppercut in the third. Eubank was downed twice by Stretch in the fight. In the sixth round Stretch had a point deducted for pushing Eubank onto the canvas; Stretch was shaken by a right hand from Eubank and subsequently took a standing eight count. Stretch then went through the ropes after a push from Eubank. The fight was controversially stopped in Eubank's favor, despite Stretch being up on all 3 judges score cards.
Stretch fought only once more after his bout with Eubank before retiring with a career record of 29 wins 1 loss and 1 NC (an accidental clash of heads causing Stretch to be cut on the forehead).
= Modelling =
During his time as a boxer, Stretch also worked as a model. His clients included Calvin Klein and Versace.
= Acting =
Stretch was cast as Cleitus alongside Anthony Hopkins, Colin Farrell and Angelina Jolie in Oliver Stone's 2004 film Alexander. Stone went on to cast Stretch again in World Trade Center as a paramedic, and in Savages. In 2004, Stretch was cast as psychopathic gangster Sonny in Shane Meadows' gritty cult thriller Dead Man's Shoes (2004), for which Stretch received a BIFA nomination{{cite web | url=https://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0419677/awards | title="Dead Man's Shoes Awards and Nominations", IMDb | access-date=29 June 2018 | archive-date=24 October 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024095138/http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0419677/awards | url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://bifa.org.uk/people/gary-stretch |title=British Independent Film Awards – Gary Stretch |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006014944/http://bifa.org.uk/people/gary-stretch |archivedate=6 October 2011 }} alongside fellow English actor Paddy Considine.
Stretch also starred in Freebird in 2008, directed by Jon Ivay. With Stretch appearing alongside Phil Daniels and Geoff Bell, the film followed three bikers across a drug-fueled ride in the Welsh countryside.
Personal life
Filmography
- Tis a Gift to Be Simple (1994) ... Perry Truman
- Final Combination (1994) ... Richard Welton
- Infidelity/Hard Fall (1997) ... Shane
- Business for Pleasure (1997) ... Rolf
- Shergar (1999) ... SAS Soldier
- Dead Dogs Lie (2001) ... Duck
- Final Combat (2003) ... Jaikra
- A Good Night to Die (2003) ... Ronnie
- Dead Man's Shoes (2004) ... Sonny
- Alexander (2004) ... Cleitus
- The King Maker (2005) ... Fernando De Gamma
- World Trade Center (2006) ... John's Paramedic
- The Commander: Windows of the Soul (2007) ... Jack Bannerman
- Afghan Knights (2007) ... Nash
- Tied in Knots (2008) ... Jay
- Freebird (2008) ... Fred
- Deadwater (2008) ... Colin Willets
- The Heavy (2010) ... Mitchell 'Boots' Mason
- Baseline (2010) ... Rob
- Mega Shark Versus Crocosaurus (2010)[http://www.theasylum.cc/product.php?id=180 Mega Shark vs. Crocosaurus] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100921003530/http://www.theasylum.cc/product.php?id=180 |date=21 September 2010 }}, The Asylum
- Yellow
- The Girl from the Naked Eye (2012) ... Frank
- The Pugilist's Son (short) (2012) ... Terry Hope
- Savages (2013) ... Bad Ass Biker
- Jurassic Attack (2013) ... Captain John Stakeley
- My Father Die (2016) ... Ivan
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110721203946/http://www.garystretch.info/ Gary Stretch's website]
- {{IMDb name|834282}}
- {{boxrec|id=003911}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stretch, Gary}}
Category:English male film actors
Category:Sportspeople from St Helens, Merseyside