By Mark Froggatt

12 months ago Joe Gallagher took over from Billy Graham to inherit his infamous Phoenix Camp gym, instantly renaming it Gallagher’s and beginning his mission to become the biggest and best boxing coach in Britain.

One year, a European and British title later he is well on the way to doing so.

Since moving into Billy ‘the preacher’ Graham’s former residence, an extension built onto the side of conditioning expert Kerry Kayes Betta Bodies gym, Gallagher couldn’t be happier with the progress he has made and takes great pride in his achievements.

“Myself and Billy Graham both came from the Phil Martin school of boxing. Billy Graham had the British belts, commonwealth belts and of course won pretty much every world title with Ricky Hatton. But for me to get the European title this year and two British belts is massive kudos and to do it in Manchester is great.

“There is many a trainer in Manchester who would be driving around now with their names on the sides of their cars saying what great trainers they are, but not me.

“John Murray is always saying to me ‘you should big yourself up more and talk yourself about’ but that isn’t for me to talk like that. I let my fighters do that for me. I’m always pushing his corner and he is pushing mine.”

Gallagher explains, “I turned professional so I could pick my wits against the best. I’ve done that this year against the likes of the Ingles with Jon Thaxton. I want to pit my wits against the likes of Jimmy Tibbs and Enzo Calzaghe. When people call my fighters out I look at the trainers, like the possibility of Amir Khan with Freddie Roach. When my fighters get challenged, I think I have to raise my game to beat the top coaches in the world.

“I want to be the Freddie Roach of Britain. I’m 41 now, when I get to 50 I want to have numerous British and world champions.”

Gallagher’s dream could begin to take shape in 2010 as two of his prize assets Matthew Macklin and John Murray close in on world honours - something Joe is determined to make happen.

 “I can smell the world title with Matthew Macklin, I feel like we’re in the FA Cup semi-final, we are just one fight away from that world title. We want to be the best so we want Kelly Pavlik, if we get beat then we’ll come back and beat the rest.

“In regards to John Murray people used to say to me “Murray will never be a British champion, he’s not British class.” Well he’s British champion now and about to be European champ as well. But then they’ll say “well he won’t win a world title.” Well we’re going to win that world title as well. Each year we are out to prove people wrong and we’ve both got the bit between our teeth now.

“This time next year John Murray and Matthew Macklin will both have world titles.”

With current European and British champions training at his gym as well as a host of exciting prospects, Gallagher has plenty to be proud of and has good reason to dream big for 2010. Although he feels he and his fighters are not shown the respect they deserve from their colleagues in the boxing community.

 He explains, “This year there was the British Boxing Awards, John didn’t go and I didn’t get invited. John had a falling out with his previous manager and we were sort of blackballed in Manchester. We may not be everybody’s cup of tea but what they can’t deny is that we’re good at what we do. I hope people who tried to phase us out and were against us from day one will turn around and say ‘F****** hell if there is one thing about that Gallagher its that his kids are fit and he is doing the business’.”

“All I want is to be respected by my fellow piers that have gone before me like the Enzo Calzaghe’s and the Billy Graham’s. I just want that little bit of respect. I’m not asking for loads I don’t have an ego. It’s like when someone goes to work and does a good job they want to be told. I just hope that next year we will be invited, the board will want to invite John Murray, Joe Murray, Macklin and Anthony Crolla to the awards because next year we are gunning for titles and it’s going to be titles galore.”

As Gallagher talks me through a selection of the dozens of photographs inside his office in Manchester, I cannot help but admire him. He talks at length with great passion and honesty, name-checking the main inspirations on his career, most notably Phil Martin and his school of boxing. However, what is most noticeable about Gallagher is his total dedication and loyalty to his highly promising stable of fighters.

He takes particular pride in a photograph involving him and two fresh-faced teenagers in the shape of John and Joe Murray, with whom he trained all the way from schoolboy into professional boxing.

“All I wanted to start with was to get John and Joe Murray to earn enough money to buy their own house outright” Gallagher explains. “It doesn’t seem a lot but when you think back to when I started with them when they were kids it was massive then.

“My job is to get John Murray, Joe Murray, Anthony Crolla, Matthew Macklin and any other of my fighters in the sport to make as much money as they can and then get out. I don’t want them to be fighting on and on, it’s a tough business.”

“We picked up five titles last year and we’ve done really well.” Gallagher boasts “We’re going to smash it in 2010 and I can’t wait. We haven’t got quantity here but we have plenty of quality.”

Following such a highly successful maiden year for Joe Gallagher’s gym, it would take a brave man to bet against further glories in 2010 as he continues his quest for domestic and world domination.