QUESTION FOR GLYN LEACH

overhand_right · Post by **overhand_right** » 04 Mar 2008, 07:20

Glyn Leach wrote:Playing devil's advocate there, by the way - as I've said, I'm still not convinced that my using that photo was correct under the circumstances, even if I understand why I did it.

But for sure, two wrongs don't make a right - just because Berbick traumatised his family doesn't give others the right to also.

Interesting subject OR, well done for raising it.

Sorry mate i did read your take on it and say fair enough, so not intending to drag it up again & again in this thread, was just responding to James McDonnells unusual response that its life, therfore show it.

Well then lets show Bigley getting decapitated on the news then! Fook it, it is life anyway. Has anyone recorded any rapes? Lets show that too. How about that convict who raped a baby, thats life too. Lets get it on YouTube.

To insinuate his family didnt care about Berbick is untrue you only have to seek out his official website ran by his daughters, or track down the crude obituary on The Sweet Science where the writer had to backtrack because several of Berbicks grieving family members showed up and read it.

Also, his brothers Leroy and Basil live in London and have children his whole family isn't emcompassed in Jamaica.

Oh yeah and it was a distant family member who murdered Trevor, from the back of course, and that was because he wanted Berbicks land.

Hope that didnt read like an emotional rant, its intended as a souless robotic rundown of a few worthy bullet points. Got a headache now.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 04 Mar 2008, 07:31

To be honest, was being a bit glib I suppose. Was quite pissed on Amaretto last night as I recall.

I take it all back. Shame on your Batty Glynn, shame on you!

overhand_right · Post by **overhand_right** » 04 Mar 2008, 07:37

Your going to hell Leach, repent...

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 04 Mar 2008, 11:24

And Glyn, best to keep G Houston on the intl previews - I just read Ron Borge's preview of JMM / PacMan and after 3 pages he doesn't even say who he thinks is going to win! Is he that scared of getting it wrong??

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 04 Mar 2008, 11:29

Have to say, hard fight to call. Marquez looks to have slowed a tad, and has also developed a more crowd pleasing style of late. He seems a bit easier to hit as well.

The converse of that is that Manny looks a little less devastating than he was two years ago, and has lots of distractions outside the ring.

Marquez would have won clearly but for a disastrous first round last time, but will he still have the legs to stay out of harms way for most of the fight?

I favour a pacman late stopapge.

Glyn Leach · Post by **Glyn Leach** » 04 Mar 2008, 11:30

Oooh! Hades! My batty! This is sounding bad

Glyn Leach · Post by **Glyn Leach** » 04 Mar 2008, 11:41

Mighty Warrior I will punish Borges just as soon as I have stopped repenting in an effort to save my batty from perilous things. Hard fight to pick though. I don't get the impression that Pacman is as dangerous as he once was, nor that he has improved as a boxer enough to compete on that level with Marquez, even a Marquez who may have sacrificed a bit of technique in recent times. But the respective changes in the fighters might well cancel each other out. Anyone for a draw!

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 04 Mar 2008, 11:48

Glyn Leach wrote:Mighty Warrior I will punish Borges just as soon as I have stopped repenting in an effort to save my batty from perilous things.

Please do, make him watch an extended Johnny Nelson highlight reel. Not too hard to call this I reckon - JJM is still a brilliant boxer, who'll be cautious enough this time round to box rings round Manny I reckon. Even an improved PacMan isn't on his level when it comes to a boxing match. No wonder Freddy Roach didn't want this fight.

Hatton to call out JMM when he wins?

Haye/Macca seems harder to predict, though I see you've valiantly put your head on the block and gone for a conclusive DH win

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 04 Mar 2008, 11:52

Glyn Leach wrote:Mighty Warrior I will punish Borges just as soon as I have stopped repenting in an effort to save my batty from perilous things. Hard fight to pick though. I don't get the impression that Pacman is as dangerous as he once was, nor that he has improved as a boxer enough to compete on that level with Marquez, even a Marquez who may have sacrificed a bit of technique in recent times. But the respective changes in the fighters might well cancel each other out. Anyone for a draw!

I wonder though Glyn, though whether Marquez' change of style in favour of brawling more than boxing, is to do with the effects of age. His previous style was a young man's one, using the ring and popping off shots, and using the angles.

Pacman has fewer miles on the clock, although he's had quite a busy career, so perhaps not as few as it may first appear.

My head says Marquez should win this one, but given that Marquez was hard pressed by Barrera, and Barrera lost a relatively wide decision to Pacman by boxing to survive, I wonder whether or not the form book gets shredded on this one?

Glyn Leach · Post by **Glyn Leach** » 04 Mar 2008, 11:58

Good call james, style change in Marquez could well be down to deterioration. If I were to bet, I'd go Marquez but I think it will be tight.

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 04 Mar 2008, 12:03

Pac will be schooled again by Marquez.

Counter punchers are bad for Pac.

Captain Hook · Post by **Captain Hook** » 04 Mar 2008, 12:12

Glyn Leach wrote:Is Glen gonna answer E or what?

And I'm sure glynn is very appreciative of your kind words poodlepoo

The fact it is still being discussed and has got people talking is what it's all about, whether it was right or wrong.

I think it was the right decision to use it personally, given Berbick's background. He didn't deserve anything better.

My memories of him in the ring are also tainted. Battered by Tyson, chasing John Tate across the ring for a KO and beating an alderly Ali.

Vile character, didn't think much of him as a man or a fighter.

Captain Hook · Post by **Captain Hook** » 04 Mar 2008, 12:14

Alderly is Welsh for ELDERLY

Matt W · Post by **Matt W** » 04 Mar 2008, 14:45

Going for the 1000 there Hooky my son. Make it special lad...

E · Post by E » 04 Mar 2008, 17:18

Glyn Leach wrote:Is Glen gonna answer E or what?

And I'm sure glynn is very appreciative of your kind words poodlepoo

ho ho. Looks like noone can spell your name right on the forum...

Can you, Glyn answer E's question now?

Glyn Leach · Post by **Glyn Leach** » 05 Mar 2008, 03:22

E me old mucker — I did, to the best of my abilities, a couple of posts after the one you refer to. If you want to be more specific, I'm happy to discuss.

E · Post by E » 05 Mar 2008, 06:36

Glyn Leach wrote:Thanks for the kind words Autobarn and Matt W, and apologies for the slightly "facetious" initial reply E, but (with respect) spelling one of my names wrong (the shorter one, at that) doesn't really suggest that you have read my editorials carefully enough to provide that accurate a critique. However, I'm happy to discuss the matter if you want to.

Have you really found the whole 17 years' worth of them "tabloid and facetious", as you have stated, or just some of them?

If it is the former, you should probably just skip straight to the next page because you probably just don't like my writing, which is absolutely fine, dandy and acceptable to me — you can't please all the people all of the time.

If it is the latter, I'll happily hold my hands up and say that yes, some of them have been "tabloid and facetious" — just like some of them have been, by my own admission, utter unmitigated crap and some of them have been, in my opinion, not too bad.

I am not a robot and the quality of my work has definitely varied, as has the style, depending on all manner of factors that one might reasonably expect to come into play over the course of 17 years. I've had good periods and bad periods, and I've had bad periods that have lasted years - that's life. But who knows E, maybe one of the good periods is just round the corner!

All the best fella

Apologies Glyn, missed this post!

Well, I have bought, it must be almost, every Boxing Monthly since it was first published.....so obviously I can't not like parts of it.

Photos are excellent and there is some good writing.

I am a bit old-school in terms of journalism - I don't like silly, melodramatic writing. And I do feel that your editorial has changed to being a bit disjointed and jumpy. A bit like Buncey's often bizarre ramblings that don't go anywhere.

I just lean towards serious, well-written analysis.

Hugh McIlvaney I like.

As I say, I buy the magazine every month and have done so (except a few times when I was younger and out of pocket) since inception.

I think Boxing Monthly is especially strong on Fighter profiles.

THanks for the time, Adios (as Buncey would say!)

Glyn Leach · Post by **Glyn Leach** » 05 Mar 2008, 07:14

E I'd have to agree with you there fella, sometimes my editorials have had a tendency to go that way and I can only apologise for that. Quite often my editorial is the very last page to be finished, simply because I have a far more hands on role in the production of the mag compared to a Claude or a Nigel Collins, and I'm busy working on other people's pages rather than my own, so to speak. Claude and Nige have backroom boys, whereas I am my own backroom boy so something, inevitably, has to give somewhere. And that has often been my own writing.

Often I have to rush my own page right at the last knockings, resulting in pretty variable quality levels — quite often I dread reading the damned thing once it's gone into print. But I'm making a concerted effort to write more this year, move away from the publishing and production side of things and back towards what I got into this for in the first place, writing about boxing. Hopefully by delegating some of my other duties I will be able to improve the quantity and quality of my writing.

All the best and thanks for your support

Lenny · Post by **Lenny** » 05 Mar 2008, 07:47

I have to say i've been very impressed with Glyn's honesty both on this thread and the previous one discussing Boxing Monthly. I have brought it for a long while now and still find it a good read whilst taking a crap. Keep up the good work.

overhand_right · Post by **overhand_right** » 05 Mar 2008, 08:14

Captain Hook wrote: My memories of him in the ring are also tainted. Battered by Tyson, chasing John Tate across the ring for a KO and beating an alderly Ali.

Vile character, didn't think much of him as a man or a fighter.

Shame on him! Losing to Mike Tyson, or fighting John Tate and Ali! Truly a loathsome character-- Too bad he isn't still around training boxers, you could of taken your own boxing kit down to his gym and showed him your lack of respect for him as a fighter.

Now that i would like to of seen!

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 05 Mar 2008, 08:29

Got to give Glyn credit for sending up Warren's "career defining fights" cliche. One of my fave editorials. When Warren and his fighters used to always talk about wanting to get a "career defining fight" after stopping some fringe contender on his feet. Leach wrote something like "careers are defined by careers, not just one fight."

I don't read the mag much now, as to me boxing mags aren't as crucial as they used to be and living doesn't get any cheaper, but the eds are good.

You don't hear any WBU or WBO champions harping on about career definers any more, thankfully.

The bullying one was a good read as well, after the Calzaghe-Manfredo, Macca-Gunn, Khan-Bull show. These are all crucial points, and Abrams is never as critical in his BN editorials, going for the much more tactful approach. Abrams' criticisms tend to be done to cause the least amount of offence as possible.

Glyn Leach · Post by **Glyn Leach** » 05 Mar 2008, 08:36

It was Berbick that larry Holmes jumped over a car to chase wasn't it? That would have been worth seeing

E · Post by E » 05 Mar 2008, 09:04

Glyn Leach wrote:E I'd have to agree with you there fella, sometimes my editorials have had a tendency to go that way and I can only apologise for that. Quite often my editorial is the very last page to be finished, simply because I have a far more hands on role in the production of the mag compared to a Claude or a Nigel Collins, and I'm busy working on other people's pages rather than my own, so to speak. Claude and Nige have backroom boys, whereas I am my own backroom boy so something, inevitably, has to give somewhere. And that has often been my own writing.

Often I have to rush my own page right at the last knockings, resulting in pretty variable quality levels — quite often I dread reading the damned thing once it's gone into print. But I'm making a concerted effort to write more this year, move away from the publishing and production side of things and back towards what I got into this for in the first place, writing about boxing. Hopefully by delegating some of my other duties I will be able to improve the quantity and quality of my writing.

All the best and thanks for your support

Thank you for taking the time to respond - much appreciated. It is especially commendable to be so open on a forum full of strangers!

THanks again and best of luck...I remain a loyal customer!

oliverfennell · Post by **oliverfennell** » 05 Mar 2008, 09:23

I like both Bunce and Leach's columns. I can appreciate you like the anaytical approach more, E, but I think any magazine should have a mixture of content and styles. BM provides this. Obviously there are bits I like more than others, but trying to please everybody all of the time is an exercise in futility, and if only one style is adhered to, then the risk is alienating those who don't like that particular style!

Anyway, as you said, they must be doing something right, as your long patronage shows.

I must state my agreement with all who have praised Glyn for coming on here and kicking things around with us, and remaining civil and appreciative in the face of criticism. Excellent stuff.

Captain Hook · Post by **Captain Hook** » 05 Mar 2008, 10:01

overhand_right wrote:
Captain Hook wrote: My memories of him in the ring are also tainted. Battered by Tyson, chasing John Tate across the ring for a KO and beating an alderly Ali.

Vile character, didn't think much of him as a man or a fighter.
Shame on him! Losing to Mike Tyson, or fighting John Tate and Ali! Truly a loathsome character-- Too bad he isn't still around training boxers, you could of taken your own boxing kit down to his gym and showed him your lack of respect for him as a fighter.

Now that i would like to of seen!

You quoted me and then didn't read the quote!

My overriding memories of him are negative ones, if you have a problem with that scroll past pal.

And for the record I'd walk into his gym, slap him on the face and watch him fall over three or four times while Angelo Dundee called him a 'putz'