Actor / Director Profile

During the early nineties, Gary Stretch was the glamor-boy of British boxing. His good looks coupled with KO power in his fists ensured he was big box-office. He also made money strutting his stuff on the catwalk as a male model. Some said he earned more as a model than actually fighting, and his appearances in the British tabloid newspapers made sure that he was never out of the headlines. Despite winning the British light-middleweight championship, his big moment undoubtedly came in 1991 when he challenged Chris Eubank for the WBO world middleweight championship in London. "Beauty V The Best" attracted the big celebrity crowd, and it was a major sporting event. Despite not really training for the contest, he gave the iron-chinned champion hell for five rounds before very controversially the fight was stopped in the sixth round. After many unsuccessful attempts for a rematch, Stretch had one more fight then retired. Ultimately, the lure of Tinseltown proved too much and he is currently dividing his time between LA & the UK. In 2004, his hard work finally paid off when he was cast as psychotic gangster "Sonny" in Shane Meadows' gritty cult thriller Dead Man's Shoes (2004). Stretch received a BIFA nomination alongside another British talent, Paddy Considine. This picture finally earned Gary the recognition he craved and deserved. He went on to co star opposite Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie and Sir Anthony Hopkins in the Oliver Stone blockbuster Alexander (2004).