Frankie Gavin is not going to Beijing

[coneye]

Its all rubbish course he will be devastated who would'nt but facts are he would off been in camp he would off not made weight there and the powers that be must of known.

Sounds like its totaly unprofesional on all acounts, makes them all sound like a bunch off effing ameteurs, excuse the pun.

[Captain Hook]

If you can't make the weight to get to the Olympics, arguably the biggest stage in sport, then what chance has he got v a journeyman at some leisure centre in a couple of years.

Thats one of the most stupid comments I have ever seen on this board - take your head out of your a5re.

Do you think this is down to lazyness or a lack of discipline on Gavin's part? You effing joker. You aint got a clue.

Do you know what he would do as a pro if he couldnt make light weight? Move up to light welter.

That option wasnt open to him here - he is reigning world champ at light weight and Saunders was qualified at light welter. THe option was drag himself down to the weight for one more time or withdraw.

Touched a nerve there have we Terry?

He was on other boards saying he'd make the weight easy apparently, yet now he can't? And this isn't the pro ranks, he isn't there yet.

The biggest sporting event in the world and he isn't going. And you're telling me any time a fighter can't make the weight he automatically moves up? You don't just click your bloody fingers.

And there's no need to throw the insults around Terry, not that they were very sophisticated, but pull your head out of your arse pal, this move, whether it's his fault or not, will lose him MILLIONS.

Exposure, profile, cash......sponsorship.

He'll be known as the guy who didn't make the Olympics because he couldn't make the weight, until he achieves in the pro ranks. He's a terrific boxer, but this is a blow for the team, for our medal hopes and for him.

And if it isn't down to laziness or lack of discipline what is it down to? The team behind him? Or has he simply outgrown the weight and we hear about it a day or two before the Olympics start? Shed some light on it, Terry? Poor preparation?

[twenty six]

I know exactly where Terry is coming from Hook, and sometimes you have to be very close to the game to understand what he is saying.
If were in a bar having a chat instead of posting, I'm sure that Terry would put foreward a very persuasive argument - and so would you !
Young lads / boxing / weight is often a nightmare.
I'm no nutritionist or qualified guru or anything like that but sometimes biologically speaking no matter what prep / diet / training regime etc etc you put in place sometimes the human body just says "fornicate you this is my genetic make up, this is my weight, and here I am to stay.
I won't name names but this scenario has been played out many times before - just not too often on the eve of the Olympics with our best gold medal chance at stake.
Ordinarily, that means very simply, he moves up to the next weight catagory, but sadly on this occasion we're talking about the Olympics, and the option to do that simply does not exist.
Now turning to PR yes it's bad timing and apart from the kid himself, it doesn't look good Managerially.
I suspect the ultimate decision maker has taken a massive gamble by hoping and praying the weight would come good, and joe public would be none the wiser.
In hindsight it was a piss poor call - but if it had come off ? You pay your money, you takes your chance.
As for Frankie, I feel desperately sorry for him, and he will be hurting badly.
As for the future I think you're wrong Hook.
Quality is quality.
The pro ranks will be welcoming him with open arms and appropriate cheque books.
Handled properly, PR wise, with the correct spin on it, Frankie boy will get a massive sympathy vote.
He needs to walk away for 3 months, get his head straight, turn pro, move up the weight catagories and do the business.

[Scrap]

The Kids 22, going into his 4th 7 year cycle, He is growing probably finnish up a welter. You cant beat Nature just yet and time its just circumstance, better safe than sorry.

[hitman_hatton1]

one of the gold medal favourites as well.

and team GB are desperate for those.

[yiddo14]

Incidently, Gavin will always be known as "Englands First Amateur World Champion" first and foremost.

[liamlion]

And if it isn't down to laziness or lack of discipline what is it down to?

What a totally ignorant statement.

Seems to me your digging for some sort of angle to this. The reality is that the kid has busted himself to get down to the weight - sometimes the impossible can no longer be achieved.

[Scrap]

Many good Judges think its Harder than winning the Oylimpics Yiddo

[Captain Hook]

Twentysix - I agree with a lot of what Terry says, but was just looking at the bigger picture. We all know how the game works, just mixing it up again and I thought the Brummy might bite :)



....and he did.

[Gray-Fox]

Frankie's not lazy or ill prepared. Weight making is fornicating HARD!!!

[TheGoods]

Richie Woodhall not holding back and his comments suggest it's all a bit of a shambles.

Woodhall, who won light-middleweight (71kg) bronze at Seoul 1988, told BBC Sport he could not accept a boxer failing to make the weight for an Olympic event.
"There's that many people - nutritionists, physiotherapists - involved these days that are paid good money," said Woodhall.
"It's been a total let-down by everyone. Making the weight is just not an issue - you make the weight."

[Rocky Balboa]

I understand a lot of people will be disappointed & angry that Gavin has pulled out, but if he cannot make the weight, what is he supposed to do? Obviously, what is not acceptable is pulling out at such a late stage. Surely, Gavin's troubles getting down to 9st 6lbs should have ben seen a lot sooner than now?

I feel for the guy because he has worked hard for this, no one can deny that of him. He must be very low at the moment, like his world has caved in on him. I think its highly likely he'll turn pro rather than stay amateur until 2012. At the end of the day, he'll be offered good money to turn pro. Allegedly will probably secure Frankie.

I''ll be curious to hear from Kery Kayes, because he was apparently working with the boxers. I'm sure I've even heard Gavin talk about how well things were going in respect of his nutrition, working with Kayes & that he felt he would make weight easier now that Kayes has helped him.

Big loss for the team. Let's hope the reast do not have such problems & perform well. What about Murray? He has problems making 54kgs. He's massive for the weight, 5'7 or 5'9?

[Captain Hook]

And if it isn't down to laziness or lack of discipline what is it down to?

What a totally ignorant statment.

Seems to me your digging for some sort of angle to this. The reality is that the kid has busted himself to get down to the weight - sometimes the impossible can no longer be achieved.

That was a question not a statement? This thread seems to have garnered a few morons.

Why not answer the question?

[Scrap]

And spelling it

[yiddo14]

Many good Judges think its Harder than winning the Oylimpics Yiddo

I would agree.

The Olympics can see potential medallists left at home if a division is highly stacked with quality.
There will be European fighters sitting and watching the Olympics that would have qualified with ease had they been able to enter the African and Americas qualifying tournaments.

The Worlds has all the best fighters there, unless of course one nation has the top 3 fighters at the weight!

[sweetscience]

it wont help his pocket but this could help his pro career - less spotlight, he will be given more time to develope without every move analized ala Khan

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

Could it be the promise of big money and pre-olympic signing on fees got to his head already, thinking about finances and making primodona demands instead of concentrating and prioritising what hes competiting for, thus reducing his hunger for success? British sportsmen concentrating on business first has really brought our national performance down. In the past only the most successful made big money, so you had to be the best. Now you don't have to be as successful to make big money, our sports people are spoilt children and primadonas. From football to athletics and now boxing.

He's known he's had to make weight for over a year and should have kept his weight down, supposedly he said he'd make weight easily, well there's been a cock up somewhere. If the Olympic commitee did pay him extra they should sue him, I'm sure he'll be able to repay it from his massive signing on fees.

[liamlion]

And if it isn't down to laziness or lack of discipline what is it down to?

What a totally ignorant statment.

Seems to me your digging for some sort of angle to this. The reality is that the kid has busted himself to get down to the weight - sometimes the impossible can no longer be achieved.

That was a question not a statement? This thread seems to have garnered a few morons.

Why not answer the question?

So thats not a rhetorical question?

Morons? Have you read your previous posts on this topic??

Mate, ive answered the question, this situation is down to Gavin's body no longer being able to get down to the weight.

[Captain Hook]

There you go then, simple.

I have no axe to grind with Gavin, he's a great talent, I just think the whole thing is a shambles.

Like Woodhall says, you make the weight. An Olympic medal was at stake ffs. What a waste of all those years and funding, what are the guys behind the scenes doing.

PS Liam, having a different opinion to you doesn't make me wrong. Nobody knows the full story, or what's happened precisely behind the scenes.

If somebody does I look forward to reading their post.

And twentysix - of course he'll get signed up but how many people on the street would recognise Gavin today, and how many would have after the Olympics. Now they won't.

A medal would have increased his baragaining power and stature, though of course his world champs medal will help. Shame.....

[Captain Hook]

BARAGAINING is Welsh for bargaining

[TerribleTerry]

No nerves touched Capt’n, just utterly gutted and your comment seemed to be implying this is some lazy half wit, not the hard working world class fighter that GAvin is.

Your comment implying if he cant get up for the Olympics, what chance does he have as a novice pro implied that Gavin just couldn’t be bothered to get into condition for the Olympics. Not knowing the kid you don’t realise that he lives and breathes the sport 24/7. He was a victim of his circumstances and pressures to maintain his weight for one more tournament, something that it now appears was unrealistic and intrinsically unsafe.

Would you rather he entered the tournament as a emaciated shell and suffered long term injury? No, I am sure you don’t.

Still, there is always room for a throw away comment or two on a boxing board, eh Captn? Especially when the fighter, his camp and those who know him are devastated and shell shocked by the news.

20/20 vision is a wonderful thing and I am sure Gavin wishes he boxed in Chicago at light welter but the fact remains that he didn’t and due to Saunders qualifying at that weight the kid was then forced to try and drain down for one last time. Do you think that the team should have with drawn Britain’s only amateur world champ 3 months ago because he was struggling like hell to get down to the limit?

Boxing is a dangerous sport and the right, albeit painful and disappointing, decision was made for Gavin’s long term health. They gave him as much time as was available to them to get the weight off but it couldn’t be done whilst maintaining his safety.

As for the comment on Warrior boxing, have you never heard of positive thinking? Boxers, by their very nature are often amongst the most self delusional of athletes – they have to believe they can make weight, win fights etc long before they actually do.

Every boxing and sports fan in the country must be disappointed with the news but comments calling into question the lad’s heart, desire and motivation just smack of know all idiots giving someone a kick when they are down. Its never nice to see.

[Captain Hook]

It may have implied it but I didn't mean it that literally Terry. I know he's not some lazy bum but something has gone very wrong somewhere.

Was looking forward to seeing him fight......again, it's a shame but Uncle 'Allegedly, Heard It On The Grapevine' Frank W will be in the wings.

[Captain Hook]

No nerves touched Capt’n, just utterly gutted and your comment seemed to be implying this is some lazy half wit, not the hard working world class fighter that GAvin is.

Your comment implying if he cant get up for the Olympics, what chance does he have as a novice pro implied that Gavin just couldn’t be bothered to get into condition for the Olympics. Not knowing the kid you don’t realise that he lives and breathes the sport 24/7. He was a victim of his circumstances and pressures to maintain his weight for one more tournament, something that it now appears was unrealistic and intrinsically unsafe.

Would you rather he entered the tournament as a emaciated shell and suffered long term injury? No, I am sure you don’t.

Still, there is always room for a throw away comment or two on a boxing board, eh Captn? Especially when the fighter, his camp and those who know him are devastated and shell shocked by the news.

20/20 vision is a wonderful thing and I am sure Gavin wishes he boxed in Chicago at light welter but the fact remains that he didn’t and due to Saunders qualifying at that weight the kid was then forced to try and drain down for one last time. Do you think that the team should have with drawn Britain’s only amateur world champ 3 months ago because he was struggling like hell to get down to the limit?

Boxing is a dangerous sport and the right, albeit painful and disappointing, decision was made for Gavin’s long term health. They gave him as much time as was available to them to get the weight off but it couldn’t be done whilst maintaining his safety.

As for the comment on Warrior boxing, have you never heard of positive thinking? Boxers, by their very nature are often amongst the most self delusional of athletes – they have to believe they can make weight, win fights etc long before they actually do.

Every boxing and sports fan in the country must be disappointed with the news but comments calling into question the lad’s heart, desire and motivation just smack of know all idiots giving someone a kick when they are down. Its never nice to see.

PS If you're his pal or know FG you're not looking at this from the outside, which is fair enough but one way traffic I'm afraid.

I'm sure FG is gutted, as are the team behind him.....but it's still farcical.

[TheGoods]

"this situation is down to Gavin's body no longer being able to get down to the weight."

You 100% sure about that mush? I know he has been thrown out of Team GB camps in Sheffield more than once for ill-discipline by Terry Edwards. I MIGHT understand this if he was 18/19. Not 22. His body and bone structure has done most of its growing by now. That's a physical fact. The whole affair has been a shambles. Am stunned, gutted and more than a little embarrassed after Edwards giving it the big one about the professional set up of Team GB's boxing set-up.

[gkt999]

Well I hate to say this but it is one thing I hate, taking a boxer anywhere to weight in and they are over weight. It is the boxers responsibility to stay on top of there weight and Gavin had a team of specialist help around him. If they knew he couldn't make the weight why didnt they drop him and find a replacement.

Sad news for Gavin but will he go Pro now? I'm not sure as the AEBA will not be happy with the weight issue and then again it also shows a lack of care on Frankies part too that may discourage Pro promoters too.

Will have to wait and see.