Her Majesty the Queen has recognized persons in her Birthday Honours List 2010 that has included Allan ‘Forty’ Rego who received the Queen’s Certificate and Badge of Honour.
Rego has been involved in the Bermuda boxing scene since the early 1950’s. In 1956, the former middle-weight fought and won his last bout, knocking out his opponent, Buster Samuels. Since then, he has dedicated himself to training and working with countless Bermudian boxers and he has helped to transform the lives of many young men through his coaching and skills in life-learning. ‘Forty’ is proud of his accomplishments with young men and says, “If I can keep one young man from going up to Westgate, then I have made a difference.”
In the early days, Rego trained many of Bermuda’s boxers at various gyms across the Island. Some of those who have benefited from Rego‘s coaching and mentorship include Irving Raynor, Roy Johnson, Troy Darrell, Quinn Paynter, Anthony Fubler, Norman DeSilva, Clarence Hill, Vincent Tweed Reginald Raynor, Gary Hope, David Hope, Ricky Lines – and several Bermuda Police Service boxers.
Rego‘s training is not limited to training male boxers – he has worked with Teresa Perozzi, Leona Brown and continues to work with Laura “Lady Ram” Ramsey, a professional boxer in Florida.
Since 1982, Rego has operated a gym out of his own Warwick home where he continues to volunteer his time to the sport he is passionate about. The latest boxer to come under his tutelage is Nickki Bascome who is only one of several young men who train at the gym, Monday to Thursday. Rego is also teaching boxing training to the Bermuda San-sou martial arts group.
Over the years, Rego has taken boxers to international tournaments including various Golden Gloves tournaments and the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic. His boxers have won a total of eight gold medals, seven silver medals and five bronze medals in recent competitions. Rego and his wife Joanne are parents of five adult children.
