Frankie Raymond Gavin (born 28 September 1985) is an English former professional boxer. He challenged for the IBF welterweight title in 2015 and, at regional level, held the British and Commonwealth welterweight titles. As an amateur, Gavin won a gold medal in the lightweight division at the 2007 World Championships, becoming England's first ever winner of that event. He also won lightweight gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Amateur career Domestically as an amateur, Gavin represented the Birmingham's Hall Green Boxing Club with whom he won the English ABA championship in 2005 and 2007 and a Four Nations championship in 2005.
2006 Commonwealth Games Representing England, Gavin defeated Giovanni Frontin of Mauritius to win the lightweight division gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia.
2007 World Championships At the 2007 World Championships in Chicago, Gavin first beat reigning world silver medallist and fellow southpaw Romal Amanov of Azerbaijan scoring a knockdown. He then caused a huge upset by defeating Russian superstar Aleksei Tishchenko, unbeaten in four years, to reach the final where he beat Italian Domenico Valentino 19:10.
2008 Summer Olympics Gavin was arguably Great Britain's best hope of a boxing medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics, but was unable to make the required weight and was therefore unable to compete.
Professional career In October 2008, Gavin announced that he would turn professional. He signed a contract with promoter Frank Warren and agreed to be trained by Anthony Farnell in Manchester. He made his pro-debut at the National Indoor Arena in his home city of Birmingham on 28 February 2009, stopping George Kadaria in the fourth round.
On 18 September 2010 at LG Arena in Birmingham, he won his first professional title by defeating Michael Kelly in the fifth round for the Irish light-welterweight title. He qualified to fight for the title as his parents are Irish.
Gavin won the British welterweight title on 1 November 2012, by dethroning defending champion Junior Witter via unanimous decision at York Hall in London.
He made a successful first defense of the title with a seventh round stoppage win over Jason Welborn at the Town Hall in Walsall on 18 January 2013.
Gavin faced unbeaten Commonwealth welterweight champion, Denton Vassell, at Liverpool Olympia on 28 June 2013, with both their titles up for grabs. He unleashed a heavy onslaught of blows in the seventh round leaving his opponent with a broken jaw which caused the fight to be stopped on the advice of the ringside doctor at the end of the round.
On 21 September 2013 at the Copper Box Arena in London, he defended both his titles against David Barnes, winning by unanimous decision.
At Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle on 29 Match 2014, Gavin survived being knocked to the canvas in the second round by Sacky Shikukutu to go on and retain his Commonwealth title via unanimous decision.
In his next fight, he lost his unbeaten record and Commonwealth title to European welterweight champion, Leonard Bundu, suffering a split decision defeat at the Civic Hall in Wolverhampton on 1 August 2014. One of the ringside judges scored the fight 117–115 in his favour, but was overruled by his two colleagues who both saw it 114–113 for his opponent.
Gavin retained the now vacant Commonwealth crown, and defended his British title, with a unanimous decision win over Bradley Skeete at ExCeL in London on 29 November 2014.
He challenged IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook at The O2 Arena in London on 30 May 2015, losing by stoppage in the sixth round.
Gavin lost to local rival Sam Eggington by eighth round technical knockout at Arena Birmingham on 22 October 2016.
He was scheduled to challenge European welterweight champion Kerman Lejarraga at BEC Bizkaia Arena in Bilbao, Spain, on 17 November 2018, but failed to make the required weight by almost 5lbs. The fight went ahead with the title no longer up for grabs and Gavin was knocked out in the fourth round.
Gavin announced his retirement from professional boxing in May 2020.
Bare-knuckle boxing Gavin made his Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship debut against Jack Dugdale on 28 June 2025 at BKFC 77. He was knocked out inside the first minute of the opening round.
Personal life As of June 2025, Gavin was in a relationship with professional boxer Sian O’Toole with whom he has a son.
Professional boxing record
ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes30Loss26–4Kerman LejarragaKO4 (12), 17 Nov 201829Win26–3Kevin McCauleyPTS616 Sep 201828Win25–3Felix MatamorosTKO6 (6), 3 Jun 201727Win24–3Renald GarridoPTS813 May 201726Loss23–3Sam EggingtonTKO8 (12), 22 Oct 201625Win23–2Ivo GogosevicTKO6 (6), 30 Jul 201624Loss22–2Kell BrookTKO6 (12), 30 May 201523Win22–1Bogdan MiticPTS1028 Mar 201522Win21–1Bradley SkeeteUD1229 Nov 201421Win20–1Mate HornyakTKO2 (8), 24 Oct 201420Loss19–1Leonard BunduSD121 Aug 201419Win19–0Sacky ShikukutuUD1229 Mar 201418Win18–0Bradley PrycePTS1021 Dec 201317Win17–0David BarnesUD1221 Sep 201316Win16–0Denton VassellTKO7 (12), 28 Jun 201315Win15–0Jason WelbornTKO7 (12), 18 Jan 201314Win14–0Junior WitterUD121 Nov 201213Win13–0Laszlo Komjathi5 (8), 25 May 201212Win12–0Kevin McIntyreTKO3 (8), 25 Feb 201211Win11–0Curtis Woodhouse1216 Jul 201110Win10–0Young Mutley1221 May 20119Win9–0Michael LomaxTKO7 (12), 19 Feb 20118Win8–0Michael KellyTKO5 (10), 18 Sep 20107Win7–0Gavin TaitTKO1 (8), 15 May 20106Win6–0Peter McDonagh613 Feb 20105Win5–0Samir TergaouiTKO6 (6), 5 Dec 20094Win4–0Steve SavilleTKO2 (6), 30 Oct 20093Win3–0Graham FearnTKO2 (4), 18 Jul 20092Win2–0Mourad FraremaTKO3 (4), 15 May 20091Win1–0George Kadaria4 (4), 28 Feb 2009
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