Reg Gutteridge RIP

[WildWaylon]

i cant say i ever really heard much about him but its sad nonetheless. RIP

Are you serious?????????????

Not his fault he is too young to remember him.

[Rocky Balboa]

RIP Reg!

A great ambassador for the sport of Boxing. A very well-liked individual. IMO, Reg was one of the finest Boxing commentators ever, if not THE finest! Gutteridge had a way of complimenting fighters without exaggerating or over-hyping things.

Reg commentated on a great deal of Tyson fights - he gave Tyson more credit for his defensive abilities than most other people did!

I once wrote to Reg to ask about the journalism side of boxing - how to get into that side of things etc. He wrote back to me & I've still got the letter. Reg was a fine journalist - his handwriting was immaculate. No mistakes at all!

I'm gutted he's passed away. My thoughts are with his family & friends at this time.

If allowed, I would most definately attend the funeral. We will have to wait for further announcements on this I guess.

RIP Reg Gutteridge!

[jamesmcdonnell]

He told a great story once about how to see if he could get any change out of the infamous and intimidatingly hulking Sonny Liston during an interview in a hotel room he stabbed a knife into his leg. Liston looked shock (not knowing of course that the leg in particular Reg had thrust the knife into was of course wooden) and for a brief few seconds Reg sat in satisfaction having gotten such a reaction against this seemingly invincible enigma and said "Can you do that?". Then Sonny got up and pulled the hotel door of its hinges and retorted "Can you do that?"
Great story.
Great man.
He had a great life and is a British boxing institution.
Rest in Peace Reg. We'll never forget you.

I always heard that the wooden leg thing was in response to Liston getting tanked up one night and flicking harry in the testicles! Harry decided to get his own back, and they became quite friendly.

[KO Artist]

Oh no, this is a huge loss for Boxing, a choker.

Reg was pure class, he knew Boxing inside out and had an insatiable appetite for it.

A very high quality and polished commentator, who really added zest and colour to fights he was working on. He was so much better than the guys we see now on SKY and Setanta etc.

Reg was a great Boxing Journalist too, and had a personal knowledge of the great fighters, not just Ali, but, Hagler, Marciano, Holmes, Lewis, Tyson, Sanchez etc too.

A class act, not pretentious in any way, he was, simply, a nice man. And an ex Boxer too.

RIP Reg and condolences to his family.

[KO Artist]

Can any of you remember Jackie Pallo the British wrestler who fought on ITV back in the 1960s and 70s. His main rival was Mick McManus who I only remember him fighting just once. It took place on cup final day and the BBC had the TV rights for the game. Hard to believe but more people tuned in to see McManus beat Pallo 2-1 on ITV. So what has this got to do with Reg Gutteridge, well Jackie Pallo was born Jack Gutteridge and was the first cousin of the great man. Pallo died some years ago.

Thats quite correct. Pallo's son, Jack Pallo jr, played one of Harry Grout's heavies in "Porridge".

And Mick McManus lived next door to a mate of mine in Dulwich. There were three flats on the first floor landing, my mate lived in one, McManus in the other and the comedienne, Jo Brand in the other.

[The Law]

1924-2009 R.I.P

[WildWaylon]

Can any of you remember Jackie Pallo the British wrestler who fought on ITV back in the 1960s and 70s. His main rival was Mick McManus who I only remember him fighting just once. It took place on cup final day and the BBC had the TV rights for the game. Hard to believe but more people tuned in to see McManus beat Pallo 2-1 on ITV. So what has this got to do with Reg Gutteridge, well Jackie Pallo was born Jack Gutteridge and was the first cousin of the great man. Pallo died some years ago.

Thats quite correct. Pallo's son, Jack Pallo jr, played one of Harry Grout's heavies in "Porridge".

And Mick McManus lived next door to a mate of mine in Dulwich. There were three flats on the first floor landing, my mate lived in one, McManus in the other and the comedienne, Jo Brand in the other.

Thats very interesting, and stuff I didnt know. Pallo Jnr was in a tag team with his dad in later years called Pallo and son. Pallo was billed Jackie Mr TV Pallo as he was so popular on TV at the time. Mick McManus was into antiques and did a lot of buying and selling. I am surprised really that he lived in a flat but then again he probably downsized as he got older. Jo Brand, is the woman who famously shit in a sink, youve probably heard that story.

[Shirow]

Shame. Even though I've thought of him as old since i was a kid it's a surprise to hear he was in his mid 80's.
I never knew about his wooden leg either, sounds like he must have gone through quite a few pair of trousers.

RIP Reg.

[Scrap]

Knew Him 45 years and He never changed, lovely guy.Early when we had finnished sparring one day, He said to me youve left an impression, I said thanks Reg that means a lot. Not with me He replied Him over there, the guy who played Steptoe was in the gym, He cant take His fornicating eyes of you. Bit of advice son, sure Reg whats that, be carefull in the showers today . RIP

[WayoftheCass]

He told a great story once about how to see if he could get any change out of the infamous and intimidatingly hulking Sonny Liston during an interview in a hotel room he stabbed a knife into his leg. Liston looked shock (not knowing of course that the leg in particular Reg had thrust the knife into was of course wooden) and for a brief few seconds Reg sat in satisfaction having gotten such a reaction against this seemingly invincible enigma and said "Can you do that?". Then Sonny got up and pulled the hotel door of its hinges and retorted "Can you do that?"
Great story.
Great man.
He had a great life and is a British boxing institution.
Rest in Peace Reg. We'll never forget you.

I always heard that the wooden leg thing was in response to Liston getting tanked up one night and flicking harry in the testicles! Harry decided to get his own back, and they became quite friendly.

You could be right. I got a book out of the library as a kid about heavyweights. God the things you remember. I was gonna say it was only back in the early 90s but thats the best part of 20 bloody years now.
Anyway I always remember that story. I think it was Thomas Hauser was basically telling a story he'd heard and I remember him describing how Gutteridge described with awe not the fact that Liston had pulled the door of its hinges (which a lot of big men are probably capable of doing) but the ease with which Sonny had done it.
I can never understand why people (outwith close family of course) are sad when something like this happens. Reg was a fantastic character who lived the dream, accomplished a hell of lot in various fields, is loved by so many and had a long life. I think thats to be celebrated and to be used as a source of inspiration. Not mourned.

[bennie]

Knew Him 45 years and He never changed, lovely guy.Early when we had finnished sparring one day, He said to me youve left an impression, I said thanks Reg that means a lot. Not with me He replied Him over there, the guy who played Steptoe was in the gym, He cant take His effing eyes of you. Bit of advice son, sure Reg whats that, be carefull in the showers today . RIP

Reg swore like a docker. Mullan always used to marvel at his ability to switch off the colourful language during his commentary.
I preferred Reg on his own. Listen to his commentary of Hansen-Green in Denmark, or Leonard-Kalule. The man was every bit as good as Carpenter.

[Old bones Ian]

RIP Reg,

[rob h]

RIP Reg

[My Name Is Earl]

RIP

One of the old school who knew when silence was as powerful a commentating tool as blathering

Slapsie

Bang on! No need for the rabbit for every second of every round is there? Voice of boxing for me, never took to Carpenter.

His book is a crackin' read too.

RIP Reg.

[jamesmcdonnell]

RIP

One of the old school who knew when silence was as powerful a commentating tool as blathering

Slapsie

Bang on! No need for the rabbit for every second of every round is there? Voice of boxing for me, never took to Carpenter.

His book is a crackin' read too.

RIP Reg.

Which book, king of Commentary? Good book.

[My Name Is Earl]

uppercuts and daisies.

will be looking for any others published now he's gone.

[dondada]

I also had the privilege of meeting Reg. Great commentator, lovely fella. He'll be missed.

[J]

a sad loss RIP and thanks for the memories

[boxref]

I cant believe that someone would post something about Jo Brand shitting in a sink when all of us proper boxing fans are discussing the life and times of a great boxing man.
May I just say that Reg was indeed a fine man. It was he and Harry Gibbs alongside the late Walter Bartleman who persuaded me to apply for a professional referees licence. At the time I was a blue blooded amateur referee with no interest in Professional boxing. However, due to the politics that was prevelant within the ABA at the time , I applied. All through my early career that trio were of immense help and supportto me. Reg wasn`t afraid to criticise me, but he always did it to my face. I learned a lot from him. He could be a sarcastic bastard too. Many years later, he sent me a fax inviting me to the Boxing Writers dinner. He said that the entrance to be used for the Savoy function was the River entrance. "Ask any good cabbie, he`ll know where it is"
I will miss him. God Bless you Reg.

a sad loss RIP and thanks for the memories

[Richard Fletcher]

It would be a fitting tribute to Reg if ITV ran a series of fights on which he commentated down the years. It would be enjoyed by so many boxing fans. They've done it with The Big Match so why not? What do people think?

[harrygreb]

good idea.

i was chatting to my father about reg last night and he said he always prefered him to harry carpenter. i replied that was because reg came from boxing stock and harry didnt, but i also said it was because my dad is still feeling the effects of the class prejudice from the 1940's. my dad agreed with a chuckle that he was. theres not much between those two great commentators in my view. both kept it to a minimum and allowed us all to enjoy the fights - good and not so good.
we'll not see those days again gentlemen.

[THEBUTCH]

Sad news, but he certainly lived an interesting life and 84 isn't a bad age. God bless.

[DavidPayne]

Thanks for the soundtrack Reg.

[Chambers2]

Nice tribute to Reg from Ben

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bendirs/2009 ... s_fan.html

[Poncey]

A true great. RIP.