Oscar… McCracken by day, ‘De La Lawyer’ by night

He was named after boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya, his uncle Rob is a former British champion and dad Spencer was also a professional boxer.

So it is no surprise that Oscar McCracken would one day end up in the ring himself.

The only surprise is that, in addition to being well up on the rules of boxing originally laid down by the Marquis of Queensberry, he also operates under the laws of the land as a member of the legal fraternity.

The former University of Worcester student, who only had his first fight last May, is set to qualify as a solicitor in 2026.

When he steps onto the canvas, he goes by the nickname ‘Oscar De La Lawyer’.

So far, McCracken has a 100% record of two fights, two wins, both at Birmingham Airport’s Holiday Inn, both four-round contests, both on points over two Yorkshiremen – first against Sam Kirk in May, then Paul Scaife in August.

He had over 250 fight fans there – most of them fellow Birmingham City followers – to support him each time.

The Birmingham-based boxer is due to fight again at the Holiday Inn on Friday – one of five scheduled bouts, although, at this stage of his fledgling career, it is not unusual that he does not yet know the name of his opponent.

“I’m one of the only fighters in the country who won’t know who they’re fighting until they turn up on the night,” he said.

‘It’s in the blood’

He also knows that carrying the name McCracken means that it can sometimes be a struggle to find potential opponents – given the family’s local reputation in and out of the ring.

“We’re a big fighting family,” he told BBC Hereford & Worcester. “It’s in the blood. We’ve trained world champions, we’ve fought for world titles – I want to continue the McCracken legacy.”

His dad Spencer McCracken Sr became a trainer following his own boxing career, while former British super-welterweight champion Rob McCracken coached the British Olympic squad, as well as Carl Froch and Anthony Joshua.

His dad and his brother Spencer Jnr now run McCracken’s Gym, where he trains, close to Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.

But Oscar, who lives in Shirley, and whose partner is a research nurse, has boxing as his back-up plan. He left the University of Worcester with a first-class honours degree in law before taking his Masters in law and business.

And, having entered a two-year training contract with the top Birmingham legal firm who now also sponsor him, he will emerge a fully qualified solicitor.

Then, if he gets that far, will come the big question. The ring? Or the courtroom? And, as things stand, it’s a split decision.

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