I had 200 fights as a boxer, I used to have run-ins with Sir Alex Ferguson and now I’ve gone viral at 78 years old

Frank Gilfeather has become a popular boxing influencer at the age of 78 with unprecedented success.

The Scotsman started in the sport as an amateur fighter, fighting compatriot Ken Buchanan in one of a mega 200 fights during his career.

Gilfeather has risen to fame on social mediaCredit: YouTube – Real Life Boxing
Gilfeather also had a run as a football reporter in Scotland, famously clashing with ex-Man United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who managed Aberdeen and St Mirren in Scotland before moving to Manchester United in 1986.

Now he has gone viral on social media for his ‘no-nonsense’ boxing coaching, which has seen him increase his following to more than 600,000 on both TikTok and Instagram combined.

When speaking on talkSPORT Fight Night, Gilfeather revealed how his son inspired his huge presence on social media.

He said: “I was in the gym with my son, Paul. I demonstrated how to throw a right uppercut and left uppercut.

“He videoed it and said he was going to put it on TikTok. It just went crazy overnight.

“Tens of thousands of people – the harder nut to crack was Instagram. Five months ago I had 172 followers and now I have 415,000. It’s crazy.

“People have bought into my ethos in terms of boxing, and I guess they like the old school stuff that I have taught.”

His TikTok handle ‘The Noble Art’ has gained huge notoriety, and has seen him rise to fame with a huge response to his wholesome content on a regular basis.

Sir Alex Ferguson was a legend at Aberdeen in his managerial stintCredit: Getty
Gilfeather is in remarkable shape despite his age, and has now taken a step back from working as a football reporter, plying his trade at a host of national papers.

The fan-favourite regularly got on the wrong side of Ferguson, having previously been described as having a ‘hate-hate’ relationship with the football great.

Ex- amateur Boxing champion and journalist Frank Gilfeather tells the story of when he met Sugar Ray Robinson
And as a result the veteran has suggested he has no regrets over moving away from the football space.

“The feedback I get from this is encouraging, I don’t miss doing the football.

“In my several decades in football reporting, things changed dramatically in the way the media are treated.

“We are now treated as the enemy by football managers, so it became much more tricky to penetrate that barrier if you get what I mean.”

The Scot can barely believe how well he has been received online, and his videos have attracted millions of likes.