JUSTIN CLEMENTS 
THE WARHORSE

"It’s been a tough last 12 months for me, going through mental and physical issues and changes in my personal life that I have had to deal with. But as they say, 'you can’t keep a good man down'."

 

Justin 'Warhorse' Clements is a good man and revered for it. Having fought and conquered many of the combatants and divisions of amateur and pro boxing in Australia, he is equally known for the way in which he has dealt with gruelling physical and mental challenges outside the ring.

 

When we talk, he is typically forthcoming but with a quiet reflection that hints at the deeper experiences of his life's battles. One of which was most recent, in the ring, fighting another Australian boxing master - Andrew Kingi. Justin had a torn hamstring but, in his own words, "pushed through the pain because I didn't want to let people down", revealing the bout was in aid of a local charity. He instead utilised his footwork experience to get through.

 

Where did the 'Warhorse' moniker come from?

 

"Steve Galler, from Fortitude Boxing, had been around boxing for years across Australia but had never seen anyone train as hard, day in day out, and said "you're just like that Warhorse, that's your name." After that he told me, keep going, keep going, keep going, don't stop."

 

The Warhorse has "always been like that", training hard after a tough upbringing where he was abused as a kid and lived on the streets of Birmingham in England's midlands, an hour or so from London that "everyone drives through, it's just a shithole." Tortured as a kid, he developed a bad speech impediment, a stammer, at a time that Justin says is "really hard to look back (on)."

​

"A friend took me to the boxing gym and my life changed."

 

Justin remembers the home he was staying at. He didn't know what to do, but when a friend took him to the boxing gym his life changed. He couldn't put two words together. Now, he does public speaking, telling people his story of success and what that takes.

 

"I never want to go back to being that young kid again, so I push myself to exceed, to keep changing myself, keep pushing myself to be successful, hard work, day in day out."

 

Justin Clements arrived in Brisbane Australia in 1996 as an English Champion, with 12 wins and a passion for increasing his boxing career, which he did by defeating the Australian Cruiserweight Champion of the time, Brian Murphy. Having been all over the world, to Europe and America to train, as soon as he landed in Australia, Justin says "it just had this feel about it, just like the place that I could stay here. The opportunity came, so I jumped at it."

 

"One day I went back down to the gym and found out about masters."

 

After retiring at age 36, Justin Clements was met with a series of overwhelming challenges. The challenge of giving the sport he loved away, marriage and divorce, and being plagued by suicidal thoughts. He contemplated finishing his life. Then "one day I went back down to the gym and found out about masters." He was 124kg, depressed, unable to see his kids and "really didn't want to be alive anymore. (But) I got back in the ring, got that feeling of being me, and turned my life around."

 

18 November 2022. The day a minor surgery went from 2 hours to 12 hours.

 

With an artery being restricted by ligaments, Justin went into hospital for a general procedure to release some tissue. However, in the process surgeons got too close to the artery and cut it. He was opened from his chest to his collar bone to repair the artery, with surgeons noticing his aorta was also in a different place. The operation went from 2 hours to 12 hours. He lost a lot of blood and clinically died on the operating table for 42 seconds. Surgeons couldn't believe it when "the machine went beep and your heart came back, your heart kicked back in again". Justin woke four days later from a coma and on life support. No one knew if he would pull through, but "being a fighter, I did". Only to be told he would never fight again.

 

"No matter what life throws at you, you can overcome it."

 

After being clinically dead and two weeks in Intensive Care, with characteristic determination Justin Warhorse Clements was down at the gym four weeks later, getting fit to get back in the ring. Five months and two days later, he fought Davin Ramage, winning on points over 5 rounds. Proving to the world, and himself, that "no matter what life throws at you, you can overcome it."

 

Now Justin is "trying to be an inspiration to people, that they can be anything in life". And people are telling him how he has inspired them to get off the couch and get happy and healthy. He is motivating people through social media and talking to people - including young kids and youths - trying to reshape people and help them.

 

Helping Les Anderson. Paying him back.

 

Les Anderson was Justin's first coach in Birmingham. "He took me under his wing and saved my life. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here." Les has since passed but Justin feels that now he is "helping him, paying him back." By speaking out, motivating and inspiring others, and coaching them himself.

 

"Jack Boote does so much for the sport."

 

On MBA, Justin says he loves meeting the people and being involved. He says of Jack that he is a great representative and boxers couldn't be in better hands. MBA is "just a great advertisement for the sport, it's all about masters, giving them opportunities to get back into the ring. It's great to see the way MBA is progressing and making a name for itself by giving people the opportunity to keep living their dreams and something to look forward to."

 

"Boxing has saved my life twice. I love being part of this and promoting it and being involved in the sport. I've been on my own my whole life. For six years now, I've struggled mentally. Boxing keeps me going."

 

"I was a beautiful Dad."

 

Justin did everything for his kids and played a major part in their upbringing until he was divorced. "It tears me apart, but I have to put it behind me and accept what it is." His rigorous training schedule sees Justin up at 4am, training, running, working, Monday to Saturday. His commitment, and his story, have not gone unnoticed. After being approached by the Directors of his workplace, he speaks periodically to leading people in the mining and gas industry on what makes him successful, his story and what motivates him to overcome obstacles and commit to each day.

 

"It's not for the glory. It's to inspire people and help them change."

​

Having lost his contacts when he retired, Justin is renewing old friendships. Now Justin Clements, "a bit of a loner" is helping others to "keep shining" and enjoying life again.

 

 

With much gratitude to Justin Warhorse Clements for sharing his story of dealing with adversity, conquering life's biggest challenges and surviving, to live and inspire and motivate others to keep going, keep going, keep going, and don't stop.