He was born in Bromley-by-Bow on 1 December 1971 and boxed as a schoolboy and amateur before his first professional fight against Lee Sara in October 1993.

[2] The referee stopped the fight in Round 5 with the Welshman comfortably on top, but Calzaghe has acknowledged that the fight, fought in front of a ferociously partisan crowd in Brentwood, Essex, near to Delaney's native East End, hardened him as a professional.

Delaney fought on for another four years,[3] and at one stage was in line for another shot at the British title against Henry Wharton, but the fight never materialized.

[4] His final fight was a British Light Heavyweight Title challenge against Neil Simpson, in which Delaney was caught cold and stopped in the first round.

He rose but still looked shaky and the referee stepped in shortly afterwards with Delaney taking punishment on the ropes.