Kellie Maloney

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"Frank Maloney" redirects here. For other people of that name, see Frank Maloney (disambiguation).

Kellie Maloney
Kellie Maloney (16501001180).jpg
Born
Francis Maloney

1953 (age 67–68)
Peckham, London, England
Occupation
  • Boxing promoter
  • television personality
Years active1989–present
Children3

Kellie Maloney (born Francis Maloney, 1953)[1][2] is an English boxing manager and promoter, and television personality. She managed Lennox Lewis to the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world. In August 2014, Maloney announced that she wished to be known as "Kellie" and that she was undertaking gender reassignment.[3][4] She appeared in the fourteenth series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2014.

Boxing promotion[]

Maloney was born in London to Irish emigrant parents, Maureen from County Wicklow and Thomas from Roscrea, County Tipperary.[5]

After starting out as a boxer, Maloney began training other boxers and organising amateur contests. By the late 1970s this had led to a career as a professional trainer, working with promoter Frank Warren. After splitting with Warren in the 1980s, Maloney moved into management and began promoting professional fights, becoming Lennox Lewis's manager in 1989.

While known as the promoter who took Lewis to the top, Maloney has also guided four other fighters to World Titles and has managed a string of British, European and Commonwealth Champions. In 2009, the 'Boxing Binman', Rendall Munroe, made his fifth successive defence of his European Super Bantamweight title and later thrice fought for a world title, twice on an interim basis, drawing once and losing twice.[6]

On 14 September 2009 Maloney suffered a heart attack while watching John McDermott lose a contentious decision to Tyson Fury; significant heart damage was discovered when Maloney was admitted to hospital with shock after finding the body of boxer friend Darren Sutherland. It was reported that Maloney was not welcome at Sutherland's funeral service, although reports circulated that her wife, Tracey, and mother, Maureen, attended.[7]

Maloney announced the decision to retire from boxing in October 2013.

In April 2015 Maloney announced that, following the completion of her gender reassignment, she will be returning to boxing to promote again.[8]

Politics[]

In the London mayoral election in 2004, Maloney was the UKIP candidate and was criticised for comments about lesbian and gay people. These included the explanation that a failure to campaign in Camden was because there were "too many gays".[9]

Maloney later told the BBC: "I don't want to campaign around gays ... I don't think they do a lot for society ... what I have a problem with is them openly flaunting their sexuality." James Davenport, chairman of Gay Conservatives, called for Maloney's resignation as a UKIP candidate, saying: "Frank Maloney is a dangerous extremist and should resign or be sacked as UKIP's candidate for London mayor. UKIP must back or sack their homophobic candidate."[10][11]

Maloney was accused of "Griffin-like racism"[12] during the 2004 London Mayoral Elections, and was described[by whom?] as a "dangerous racist".[13][failed verification]

In a 2014 interview with LGBTQ magazine , Maloney addressed her previous statements, stating: "I accept comments I made in the past were wrong. If you knew Frank Maloney, if you were there when I made those remarks – you would have seen the smirk on my face. I knew it was wrong but I was saying it in jest [...] it was a mistake."[14]

Personal life[]

Maloney was married for over 15 years to second wife Tracey; they have two daughters. Maloney has a daughter from her first marriage and is a supporter of Millwall Football Club.[15]

Maloney said in her first televised interview as an open trans woman that she and Tracey are now divorced, but that she has been "very supportive".[16]

In August 2014, Maloney announced that she is now known as Kellie, and is undergoing gender reassignment. Lennox Lewis was initially shocked at the news but expressed respect for Maloney's decision.[17] On a radio interview she discussed her family's reaction with her mother Maureen.[18]

Maloney had already received counselling, hormone therapy, and voice coaching. In April 2015, Maloney announced that her gender reassignment was now complete.[8]

She competed in the 2019 series of Celebrity Masterchef.[19]

References[]

  1. ^ "Frank Maloney: Manager and promoter retires from boxing". BBC Sport. 11 October 2013.
  2. ^ "Francis Maloney - Births & Baptisms". Genes Reunited. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  3. ^ Matthew Drake (10 August 2014). "Frank Maloney sex change: Boxing legend now living as a woman - Mirror Online". Daily Mirror.
  4. ^ "Boxing promoter Frank Maloney reveals gender reassignment". BBC News. 10 August 2014.
  5. ^ "Kellie Maloney: I may not have gone through sex change if my Irish dad was still alive". 7 July 2015.
  6. ^ "BoxRec – Rendall Munroe". boxrec.com.
  7. ^ "Darren's parents will tell boxer's story on Late Late". Herald.ie.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b Ben Dirs (23 April 2015). "Kellie Maloney returns to boxing after gender reassignment". BBC Sport.
  9. ^ "UKIP candidate sparks gay anger". BBC News. 29 April 2004. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  10. ^ "UKIP candidate sparks gay anger". BBC News.
  11. ^ "London mayoral candidate under fire for anti-gay remarks". 27 May 2011. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  12. ^ "Frank Maloney: Being Frank". The Independent.
  13. ^ Sunday Tribune, 28 March 2010 Archived 22 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ "Kellie Maloney – Interview". www.EQView.com. Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  15. ^ Philip, Robert (29 March 2004). "Maloney's FA Cup vote goes firmly to Millwall". The Daily Telegraph. London, UK. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  16. ^ Alexander, Ella (13 August 2014). "Kellie Maloney made public announcement after she was hounded by newspaper journalists". The Independent. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  17. ^ "Lennox Lewis backs former promoter Frank Maloney over gender change". 10 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  18. ^ "Kellie Maloney: My brothers have not accepted transition". BBC News. 21 October 2014.
  19. ^ Polianskaya, Alina (2 October 2019). "Kellie Maloney: who is the boxing promoter and trainer appearing on Celebrity MasterChef?". i. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
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