Frankie Gavin is not going to Beijing

[liamlion]

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

You 100% sure about that mush?

Yeah.

The last time he fought at lightweight was over 1 year ago. The kid cant do the lightweight limit anymore

[TerribleTerry]

"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.

Gavin is a practial joker and does like to mess about hence the expulsions from camp, that fact has nothing to do with his attitude towards working hard in the gym and dieting like crazy to make weight though.

[stujones]

Feel sorry for the Britain's number 2 lightweight (sorry his name escapes me).... Gavin qualified early, I am sure the other guy would have qualified had Gavin not booked his place.

Gavin's market value has gone down a LOT.... Promoters could get a bargin now. Although I am not that convinced he'll make a top pro.

[TheGoods]

"The last time he fought at lightweight was over 1 year ago. The kid cant do the lightweight limit anymore."

Not true. He boxed at lightweight at a little tournament called the Worlds in November and won gold.

I like the lad. He is a top, top talent and seems a nice fella. I am sickened for him I really am but said it before and I'll say it again. Somebody somewhere has not done their job properly. Do you realise the money that has been spent on our boxing team? The time they have had to strategise and prepare for the OLYMPIC GAMES? And we are sending Britain's best chance of a Gold home early as he can't make weight? One word. Shambles.

No axe to grind with Gavin as stated but hand on heart I have never liked Terry Edwards. My pal Michael Hunter used to say how biased he used to be against fighters not from daaan saaarf during England training camps at Crystal Palace and how he always had his favourites. He's taken the credit for our success of late so for me the buck stops with him.

[MightyWarrior]

Couldn't believe it when I heard this on the radio, what a fecking disaster. He'll have to live with the big "what if" for the rest of his days, it's bordering on the tragic really. Something he and his family, for generations to come, could have been so proud of, has gone up in smoke. Doesn't come any bigger than gold at the Olympics.

If he's as gutted as I imagine he has to be, he'll probably end up a world champ in the paid ranks as a result of it.

[Deserter]

something that it now appears was unrealistic and intrinsically unsafe.

As I and others have already stated, this problem should have been identified and dealt with well in advance - it should never have reached this stage.
I don't blame Gavin for this fiasco, it's the team of so-called specialists around him.

[ArtOfWar]

Jesus christ, this has to go down as one of the biggest f**k ups in British Olympic history. He's had all this time to prepare and still hasn't made it. This obviously isn't a new development either. If things were that bad Gavin should have tried to qualify in the weight division above. This is a massive downer for British boxing and the rest of the team will almost certainly be affected in some way. Gavin was the best hope for gold as well.

[liamlion]

"The last time he fought at lightweight was over 1 year ago. The kid cant do the lightweight limit anymore."

Not true. He boxed at lightweight at a little tournament called the Worlds in November and won gold.

Too true, apologioes - my mistake (i thought the worlds were held last July/August).

Correction: Gavin hasnt fought at lightweight for 9 months

[sweetscience]

Billy Joe Saunders should still do ok - i only see him medalling

lets see what the draw is tommorow

[THEBUTCH]

What a complete disaster. I'd say Gavin was a certainty for a medal, even in such a tough competition like the Olympics.

A real shame. :(

[SticknMove]

Absolutely gutted for the lad.

No doubt after he qualified at LW he was was having difficulties and has outgrown the weight There would have been nutritionists within the setup and if he could have made the weight he would have. Devastating for him. Lets hope it doesn't affect the rest of team.

[exittored]

What a KNOBHEAD

if he was a professional and did this i wouldn't really care but he's taken my money and your's and pissed it right up the wall so people should stop feeling sorry for him and instead feel sorry for the poor bugger who was the 2nd best lightweight in Britain and could have gone to the Olympics and missed out on the chance, he must be feeling even more gutted now!

It should be made illegal for any promoter to sniff around an amateur whilst they are in the Olympic program, if there is anything to take away a young boxer's focus, its having a guaranteed signing on bonus whether he does well or not!

Also i really hope this dosent affect future funding for our Olympic boxing hopeful's in 2012, that would be the biggest shame in all of this just when British Olympic boxing was on a major revival.

[sweetscience]

What a KNOBHEAD

if he was a professional and did this i wouldn't really care but he's taken my money and your's and pissed it right up the wall so people should stop feeling sorry for him and instead feel sorry for the poor bugger who was the 2nd best lightweight in Britain and could have gone to the Olympics and missed out on the chance, he must be feeling even more gutted now!

It should be made illegal for any promoter to sniff around an amateur whilst they are in the Olympic program, if there is anything to take away a young boxer's focus, its having a guaranteed signing on bonus whether he does well or not!

Also i really hope this dosent affect future funding for our Olympic boxing hopeful's in 2012, that would be the biggest shame in all of this just when British Olympic boxing was on a major revival.

hasnt FW stated he aint going to sniff after any 2012 hopefulls ?

[SticknMove]

What a KNOBHEAD

if he was a professional and did this i wouldn't really care but he's taken my money and your's and pissed it right up the wall so people should stop feeling sorry for him and instead feel sorry for the poor bugger who was the 2nd best lightweight in Britain and could have gone to the Olympics and missed out on the chance, he must be feeling even more gutted now!

It should be made illegal for any promoter to sniff around an amateur whilst they are in the Olympic program, if there is anything to take away a young boxer's focus, its having a guaranteed signing on bonus whether he does well or not!

Also i really hope this dosent affect future funding for our Olympic boxing hopeful's in 2012, that would be the biggest shame in all of this just when British Olympic boxing was on a major revival.

The second best LW may not of qualified for the Olympics. Gavin did courtesy of winning the amateur world champs at LIGHTWEIGHT with the benefit of the funding available. The lad has obviously outgrown the weight since then. Maybe it was something the team around him didn't forsee happening before it was a bit too late, but have persevered regardless. With the setup as it is if he could of made the weight he would have.

[exittored]

I was talking about the 2008 Olympic boxer's that Warren signed up!

Come on stop making excuses, this is a disgrace and Frankie has to take most of the blame but heads should roll at the ABA too

I can guarantee you other Olympic boxer's have had the same problems making weight but they have the discipline and focus to keep their weight down rather than spending the last few weeks trying to boil down to it!

[sweetscience]

the second best lightweight in GB is Thomas Stalker, he just won gold in a mulitnation event in poland

he may have qualified but wouldnt have medalled, he has already lost to the cuban and a few others

he has only had 30ish contests, one of them being against me

[exittored]

Maybe Thomas stalker(great name) wouldn't have medalled but having the experience would have been great for him and if he stayed amateur could have done something in 2012

[sweetscience]

yes but it was a close one

he has got a lot better since and im a slob

[SticknMove]

I was talking about the 2008 Olympic boxer's that Warren signed up!

Come on stop making excuses, this is a disgrace and Frankie has to take most of the blame but heads should roll at the ABA too

I can guarantee you other Olympic boxer's have had the same problems making weight but they have the discipline and focus to keep their weight down rather than spending the last few weeks trying to boil down to it!

Well done for editing your post from Gavin ‘being on the piss and eating kebabs’. Which reveals the angle from which you’re really looking at this. If that was the case then nobody would have sympathy for him.

I’m obviously not as cynical as you. I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt because I find it hard to believe that the lad, as a favourite to medal, would piss it up the wall through lack of discipline. Of course the other boxers have to struggle to make the weight, but the nature of weight making varies between boxers.

In truth only Edwards and team GB know the full circumstances. The timing, as others have said, is just diabolical but perhaps inevitable given the struggle he was facing.

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

To be honest if he made the limit in November, he should have kept on a strict diet and strict roadwork for 9months and he'd make the limit now. Extra weight doesn't magic itself on your body. Yes I'm sure he thought he could drain down to 130 after adding weight but the fact is he shouldnt have added too much weight in the first place. Oh well its his future earnings hes pissed up

[dondada]

I do understand the venom, etc on here - it's easy (and might indeed be correct) to take the 'it's a farce' route.

I'm personally a bit split on this. On the one hand, I'm with the 'surely he could have made the weight one more time, FFS' brigade but being more generous, and reading Terry's explanation here:

http://www.britishamateurboxing.net/

perhaps it was just a gamble that didn't pay off and, despite everyone's best efforts, he just couldn't do it.

Depends how generous you want to be, I suppose.

As aforementioned, I remember when Scott Harrison was trying to get back on track (Nicky Cook defence?) and was absolutely killing himself to get weight off. He was supposedly on course, down to 9st 4lb and thought everything was ok. Then, despite working like stink, his body just rebelled and nothing worked...weird.

[sweetscience]

yes but it was a close one

he has got a lot better since and im a slob

Whats ur record then? How old are you?

i had about 18/19 won 11 i think - and im 28 now, ive not boxed for a few years

[exittored]

As aforementioned, I remember when Scott Harrison was trying to get back on track (Nicky Cook defence?) and was absolutely killing himself to get weight off. He was supposedly on course, down to 9st 4lb and thought everything was ok. Then, despite working like stink, his body just rebelled and nothing worked...weird.

I think your example of Harrison trying to make weight was probably more to do with going out on the piss and eating kebabs rather than his body not responding

[Old bones Ian]

Will Gavin owe money in sponsorship? as he's not made the olympics

[yiddo14]

Who thinks 28 is too old to start boxing seriously?

What do you mean by seriously though?

It's not too old to start if you only intend on boxing amateur.

If you want to go pro and have not started before your 28th birthday, you better have some serious natural talent!!! Or bulk upto Heavyweight!