Warwick icon awarded state boxing's highest honour

Warwick boxing icon Sel Brackin, mentor, coach and friend to scores of people across a 50-year career, was immortalised at the weekend.

LOCAL LEGEND: Warwick boxing icon Sel Brackin has been inducted into the Queensland Boxing Hall of Fame. Here he is with wife Joan, who was well entrenched in the boxing world herself. Picture: Contributed

BOXING: Warwick boxing icon Sel Brackin, mentor, coach and friend to scores of people across a 50-year career, was immortalised at the weekend, earning a place in the Queensland Boxing Hall of Fame.

Mr Brackin, who began as a boxer himself, lost a leg in a motorcycle accident at 19, and turned his attention to training.

A fighter who spent some time under his tutelage was 1988 Olympian Marcus Priaulx.

In 2005, at a boxing tournament in memory of Brackin, who had died the previous year, Priaulx told the Warwick Daily News the Brackins were his second family.

"I can't explain how much Sel meant to my development as a boxer and person,” he said.

"As a kid, he never pressured me to train harder, which could have burnt me out.”

Son Lex Brackin, himself a former Oceania Games Australian representative, said his family was hugely proud of their old man and his achievement.

"Dad was never one for the spotlight, but he'd be thrilled to bits with this honour,” he said.

"No one is more deserving than he is, the sheer amount of love and time he put into the sport is phenomenal.

"Everyone in boxing right across the state knew who Sel Brackin was and he was always well respected. Especially the guys he trained. If they didn't respect him at the start, they soon learned to.”

Sel Brackin (right) at work in the ring. Picture: Contributed

Brackin said his father would officially be inducted at a special event in Yatala on July 22.

"Hopefully we'll get a huge crowd to get down there for that,” he said.

"I know a lot of the family loved Dad and what he achieved.

"He was a people person, always up for a yarn and would get along with anyone.

"And he had a passion for grassroots boxing.”

Brackin said the Warwick Boxing Club of the 1950s to 1970s was easily one of the biggest amateur clubs in Queensland.

"When we went away to tournaments there'd be 20 to 30 of us, it wasn't really a tournament until Warwick showed up,” he said.

"And there was never any mucking about, Dad was a really good influence on a lot of Warwick kids.

"He sorted quite a few out and everyone was always on their best behaviour on those trips.

"And Mum was always there, making sure there were enough sandwiches for everyone, and for 50 years the clothes line at home was filled with boxing club washing.”