Rhodes gets Area belt...27 years late!

Boxers and staff from Sheffield trainer Glyn Rhodes' gym arranged a special surprise for their boss' 50th birthday party - and much to his relief, it wasn't a stripogram. 

Rhodes held a bash at exclusive Sheffield bar Crystal on Friday night to celebrate his half-century and it will shock no one in the trade that the popular former lightweight's party was very well attended.

He got the vibes that something had been arranged for him and knowing his lads from Sheffield Boxing Centre as he does, Rhodes was fearing some publicly embarrassing showdown with a scantily clad female.  But for once he'd underestimated his charges, who include former Area light-welter champ John 'Fireball' Fewkes, who turned up with a cake in the guise of a boxing glove.

Recent British super-fly title challenger and the gym's chief mischief maker, Ross Burkinshaw, quietened the buzzing throng with a bit of help from light-heavyweight stablemate Carl Wild and announced, "On November 22nd, 1982, Glyn 'Showboat' Rhodes won the Central Area lightweight title but was never presented with his belt...because he was too ugly."

After the laughter died down, Rhodes was then presented with a brand spanking new version of the belt which the boys had arranged to be made without his knowledge.  Much of the rest of the night was spent by the birthday boy posing for pics with his pals.

A very thoughtful gesture for a great servant to the sport from a lot of grateful lads.