Boxing: Four decades of counting down boxing’s biggest bouts

For nearly 40 years, Dale Elliott has been keeping time for some of boxing’s biggest names.

He has watched the clock for the likes of Chris Eubank, Steve Collins, Lennox Lewis, Naseem Hamed, Carl Frampton, and Tyson Fury.

His unusual job has taken him right across the globe, but it all began at Ballynahinch Rugby Club in County Down.

“A friend of mine who I played rugby with, John McHugh, his father was Dr Paddy McHugh,” he said.

“He was the doctor for the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC), and one night when he was bringing me back from a fight, he said, ‘Dale, do you fancy being a timekeeper?’

“I got my license in 1987. My first bill was in Ulster Hall, and I’d safely say I’ve now done 150 World Title fights, but thousands of fights in total.

“When you are starting out, you find yourself looking at ring-watch-ring-watch but the more experience you get a clock in your head that allows you to watch 30 seconds, then you start to think, ‘I’ll keep an eye on it’.”