British boxing champ knocked down by law after Thailand drug bust
An ex-British boxing champion who ducked and weaved his way through three continents to avoid drug charges has been sentenced to six years behind bars.
Lennox Clarke, from Stourbridge in the West Midlands, was caught red-handed supplying narcotics to a known dealer before skipping town in a desperate bid to avoid a legal knockout.
The former British and Commonwealth super-middleweight champ was seen meeting drug dealer Ben Goff, from Cheltenham, at least a dozen times in 2023. Police, keeping a close eye on their ‘clandestine’ dealings, pounced on Goff—but Clarke dodged the cuffs and went on the run.
Initially hiding out in local hotels, the 33 year old boxer made a quick escape through Wales to Ireland before jetting off to Thailand and Mexico, staying one step ahead of the law. But after months on the ropes, Clarke eventually returned to the UK, where he was finally arrested.
Clarke first stepped into the ring in November 2013, securing a second-round technical knockout against James Child in Walsall. He raced to a 6-0 record before claiming his first title, the British Masters Bronze super-middleweight, in 2015.
In 2017, he won the IBO Continental super-middleweight title, but his unbeaten streak ended in 2019 when he lost to Lerrone Richards on points in a fight for the British and Commonwealth belts. Hanging up his gloves in 2022 with a record of 20 wins, one draw, and two losses, Clarke soon found himself back in the criminal underworld.
Despite a previous conviction for supplying Class B drugs in 2012, Clarke returned to his old habits, allegedly working with Goff to supply drugs. The judge told him he had ‘failed to learn his lesson’ before sentencing him to six years and four months in prison.
Detective Inspector Phillips said police first picked up on drug activity in Cheltenham in autumn 2023, leading them to Goff, who had just returned to Gloucestershire.
“That investigation led us to Ben Goff, and through him, we linked to Lennox Clarke,” Phillips said.
“Just after Goff got arrested, Clarke decided to go on the run for months. At first, he hid in hotels, trying to gauge whether police were onto him, then fled to Ireland and later Thailand, Mexico, and other locations before returning to the UK, where he was arrested.”
Phillips added that he hoped the sentencing would reassure the community and encourage people to report drug activity.
Clarke will serve his sentence minus 317 days already spent under curfew.
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