In all good boxing stories the underdog becomes the unlikely champion – and the tale of Learning The Ropes being the opening documentary at the BFI Southbank’s boxing season is no different.
The self-shot film is set in Repton boxing club in Bethnal Green, which has produced dozens of champion boxers and where notorious East End gangsters, the Kray twins, once boxed.
But the film isn’t about them.
It follows the final years of legendary coach Tony Burns MBE, who was diagnosed with a terminal illness and died in 2021.
Ryan Pickard, who made the documentary, said: “He developed Alzheimer’s. He just one day said I can’t do it any more.”
“I had the urge to capture what he’d created. That last era.”
The Repton Boxing Club in Bethnal Green is where Olympic boxers, such as Audley Harrison, learned their craft [BBC]
For Pickard, who started boxing at Repton aged seven and represented England at a national and international level, making the documentary was a labour of love.
Burns had been a mentor and father figure to him and many other boys at the club, supporting him mentally and sometimes even financially, in a working class area of east London where many lived below the breadline.
Burns refused to take subs from a young Pickard, knowing he couldn’t afford to pay but acknowledging the club was a big part of the young boy’s life.
“After being here for decades, I started to understand what made the club special. The people that come here all volunteer their time for free,” he said.
“It’s a special community that gives boxing to people as their vehicle to get to know themselves, that’s how I felt when I reflected on my time here,” he added.
“It’s not all about winning medals – even though that’s the objective – [and] you become a better person through your quest for expanding yourself.”
Youngsters spar in the ring at the Repton Boxing Club [BBC]
Making a documentary as a tribute to his beloved former coach and having it seen by a few dozen people might have been the end of it.
But Pickard happened to be training Dr Clive Chijioke Nwonka, professor in practice at the British Film Institute Southbank, who understood his passion for the amateur club and knew the story was an age-old tale of triumph over adversity.
“I was immediately taken by the film, its sincerity. It’s so touching, so earnest,” explained Nwonka.
“This is local story about a world famous boxing gym that has emerged from Bethnal Green, that is so important for families, people, and the boxing industry.”
At the time, Nwonka was putting together a season of films about boxing for the BFI called The Cinematic Life of Boxing, which included well-known Hollywood movies like Rocky and Creed.
When he watched Learning The Ropes he was impressed enough to offer it a showing alongside them.
” I thought it needed a different audience. It needed to be seen alongside the great films of boxing that we know and love.”
Dr Clive Chijioke Nwonka was putting together a season of boxing films for the BFI Southbank when he heard about Learning The Ropes [BBC]
The club trains dozens of young people, including females.
And, despite Burns passing, staff at the club said his legacy at Repton lives on.
“I still think Tony’s here. I still shout hello to him when I come in,” said chairman David Robinson.
A member of the club for 51 years, Robinson first boxed himself, then brought his son, and for the past 37 years has been the chairman.
“All these boys here have respect. Total respect. We put it in them, they have to respect people and that will stay with them for the rest of their life.”
“Wherever you go in the world – Italy, America, Africa – you mention the name Repton, you have it,” he continued.
“You put on a [Repton] vest in Spain, Greece, anywhere, someone will know you, we’re that important to everyone in amateur boxing.”
Club chairman Dave Robinson started boxing at Repton 51 years ago [BBC]
Before Burns passed away on 2 February 2021, he saw an early version of the finished film, much of which he no longer remembered filming due to his dementia.
“I knew that his time was coming to end, so it was really important for me to at least show him what I had done at that point.” said Pickard.
“He watched the film and said ‘when did you do that?’. I said ‘do you remember we were filming?’, but he said ‘I don’t remember it.”
But Pickard believes Burns knew he’d made something special.
“He was a man of few words like I said,” added Pickard.
“He just gave me a hug, and that was it.”
The Cinematic Life of Boxing is at BFI Southbank from 30 March – 30 April, with the world premiere of Learning the Ropes on 31 March.
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