British boxing champion jailed after fleeing to Mexico to evade drug arrest

Former British and Commonwealth boxing champion Lennox Clarke has been sentenced to six years and four months in prison after going on the run to evade capture.

Clarke, 33, was jailed for supplying cocaine to a drug dealer in Cheltenham having fled the UK for Ireland, Thailand and Mexico.

Gloucestershire Police found Clarke had met another dealer, Ben Goff, at least a dozen times.

Following Goff’s arrest in November 2023, Clarke left the UK, returning in March this year when he was arrested by police at his home.

After going on the run, Clarke, from Stourbridge in the West Midlands, stayed at local hotels before travelling through Wales and onto Ireland.

Detective Inspector Matt Phillips explained Gloucestershire Police initially started receiving information about suspicious drug activity in 2024, hopeful Clarke’s sentencing will ‘give confidence to the community’ in reporting drug concerns.

‘That investigation led us to Ben Goff, an individual who had just moved back to Gloucestershire, and through him we made the link to Lennox Clarke.

‘Just after Goff got arrested, Clarke decided to go on the run for a number of months, initially staying in local hotels for a couple of nights, we think, trying to understand whether the police were coming for him,’ Det Insp Phillips said.

‘Then, he went out through Wales to Ireland, and spent some time on the run in Thailand, Mexico and other places until he returned to the UK and was arrested.’

Clarke was previously promoted by boxing legend Frank Warren and Queensberry Promotions, winning 20 of his 23 professional bouts.

After winning his first 15 fights, he suffered a setback after sharing a draw with Karel Horejek in Birmingham but bounced back by winning the IBO Continental title in his next fight.

After racking up three more wins, Clarke fought Lerrone Richards for the British and Commonwealth super-middleweight titles, losing a split decision as he suffered the first defeat of his career.

He then fought undefeated prospect Willy Hutchinson for the same British and Commonwealth titles in March 2021.

Coming in as the underdog, Clarke produced a blistering knockout against his highly-rated opponent to win the belts.

Clarke lost the titles five months later to Mark Heffron and has not fought since.