Family first for Chris

Ystalyfera based tenant Chris Jenkins isn’t your average dad of three.

He’s a former British and Commonwealth boxing champion who competed 33 times as a professional, with a record of 23 wins, seven defeats and three draws.

Chris won a light-welterweight version of Prizefighter in 2013, six years before he achieved British and Commonwealth titles at welterweight, holding the titles until 2021.

After giving everything to the sport since the age of 12, a routine brain scan earlier this year showed an abnormality compared with last year, forcing him to retire.

“Scans are something routine that we pay for every year as boxers, the abnormality means I’d be putting myself at risk if I was to carry on.

“A hard fight or hard spar could result in greater risk of having early dementia or Parkinson’s, a risk I can’t contemplate taking with a young family.

“My life has always been about boxing, so it’s been a big adjustment not having that in the early days. I’ll be honest, I felt lost. Boxing gave me so much – respect, discipline, fitness. So, I asked myself what could I do with these attributes and help others at the same time?

“So I started boxing classes at ISO:Fitness, a gym in Ystalyfera. It’s for kids currently in years 7 and 8 in comp and we run every other Sunday. Things are going well and the kids are working on fitness and boxing techniques. They are enjoying and growing in confidence which is great to see.

“I’m also helping some young boxers with training and have been roped into some football coaching for Ystradgynlais Under 14s.

“But the biggest thing is spending more quality time with my wife and three boys. Boxing has meant I’ve made loads of sacrifices over the years but now the focus is on family.”