Gavin Rees

daniel son · Post by **daniel son** » 30 Jun 2004, 05:30

Rees' title bid off

Rees was too far over the weight limit
Gavin Rees has been ruled out of his fight with Mike Anchondo for the vacant WBO super featherweight title.
The British Boxing Board of Control ruled that Rees was not close enough to the 130lb limit to reduce his weight safely before the bout.

The undefeated Newbridge boxer has not fought for a year due to injury but is still the WBO's number-one contender.

LA fighter Anchondo awaits a new opponent for the fight at the American Airlines Arena, Dallas, on 15 July.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 30 Jun 2004, 07:55

Crazy. Rees gets a big fight in the States and blows it. He pulled out of a Michael Gomez clash for the vacant WBU title in April with an injury - and now this.

Slapsie Maxie · Post by **Slapsie Maxie** » 30 Jun 2004, 08:08

this happened recently in a domestic title bout too, no?

I cannot understand how a fighter ( or his trainers ) can let it get to such a situation. Can anyone explain?

I have never had to go through the tough regimen needed to hit a specific weight on a specific day, but it is part of what a professional fighter does so to fail just makes them look like they don't respect themselves of the sport.

I am sure there is more too it than that, so would love to hear from fighters what gives

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 30 Jun 2004, 08:18

Slapsie Maxie wrote:this happened recently in a domestic title bout too, no?

I cannot understand how a fighter ( or his trainers ) can let it get to such a situation. Can anyone explain?

I have never had to go through the tough regimen needed to hit a specific weight on a specific day, but it is part of what a professional fighter does so to fail just makes them look like they don't respect themselves of the sport.

I am sure there is more too it than that, so would love to hear from fighters what gives

Yes, it happened with Gavin Down prior to his scheduled European title challenge to Junior Witter (except in his case he lost too much weight too quickly and the Board pulled him out). Rees came in surprisingly heavy for one or two fights last year (he hasn't fought since last June) and probably piled on the weight in the meantime and was unable to get down in time for the Board.
He's one of those short (5ft 3in) stocky guys who puts on weight easy.

steve richards · Post by **steve richards** » 30 Jun 2004, 09:28

bennie wrote:
Slapsie Maxie wrote:this happened recently in a domestic title bout too, no?

I cannot understand how a fighter ( or his trainers ) can let it get to such a situation. Can anyone explain?

I have never had to go through the tough regimen needed to hit a specific weight on a specific day, but it is part of what a professional fighter does so to fail just makes them look like they don't respect themselves of the sport.

I am sure there is more too it than that, so would love to hear from fighters what gives
Yes, it happened with Gavin Down prior to his scheduled European title challenge to Junior Witter (except in his case he lost too much weight too quickly and the Board pulled him out). Rees came in surprisingly heavy for one or two fights last year (he hasn't fought since last June) and probably piled on the weight in the meantime and was unable to get down in time for the Board.
He's one of those short (5ft 3in) stocky guys who puts on weight easy.

I find it amazing that the trainers let these guys go way above fighting weight between fights, the board should make it that all fighters should be within a stone of their natural weight all year round ( fuckin hatton would be fighting at cruiser or light heavy) but if they did this sort of scheme would'nt it be safer for all the boxers etc.

The Devil In Roy Jones · Post by **The Devil In Roy Jones** » 30 Jun 2004, 09:34

I know the board started doing this because of the fallout from the tragedies of the early/mid 90's in Britain. But do the Americans do it as well? I know they certainly didn't do it in New York when Gatti fought Gamache, which of course led to Gattigate and exposed wider corruption in the NY commission. Anyway, I'm in favour of this method. I know there are some viable excuses for piling on weight, etc. But at the end of the day I think it sorts out the real pros.

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 30 Jun 2004, 09:53

Madness. He's gifted an undeserved No # 1 slot, then blows his big chance when it's offered on a plate ( though it looked a tough fight ).

Ok so he's been injured, and he's probably been down the pub a lot as a result, but you'd think he'd have been running up hills these past two weeks, knowing the Board were going to be taking a close look at his weight before approving the fight ( or was that a surprise check? )

If he has been doing that, he must've been bloody huge at 5.4" to be so far off the weight...

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 30 Jun 2004, 10:04

Christ, we've seen more pullouts this year than in a Robin Reid movie.
This is the downside of the number of 'world' titles out there today. Fighters can always be brought back - so even turn down genuine shots in the case of Joe Calzaghe.
Title shots used to be the Holy Grail of boxing. I was reading about Gordon Ferris in last week's BN, who retired after a defeat at the hands of David Pearce because he knew another title shot was unlikely.
Vernon Sollas did the same thing. Look how old he was!

http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=046168

knockout · Post by **knockout** » 30 Jun 2004, 10:08

bennie wrote:Christ, we've seen more pullouts this year than in a Robin Reid movie.

haha!!!!! surprised the board have disallowed a Warren fighter...... presumably because it was overseas and they werent getting much out of it...
rees should apply for a texas license and still fight

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 30 Jun 2004, 19:54

Very surprised at this - the bout is in the USA and is sanctioned by the respected commision and the WBO - what has this really to do with the BBBoC. If Rees and been in America "training" would they have done the stop checks there aswell.

Find this one odd, because is should be under the rules of the New Jersery (?) commision and not the BBBoC.

Not saying I'm not relieved at this decision, better to have no fight than an injured fighter.

knockout · Post by **knockout** » 01 Jul 2004, 04:46

stujones wrote:Very surprised at this - the bout is in the USA and is sanctioned by the respected commision and the WBO - what has this really to do with the BBBoC. If Rees and been in America "training" would they have done the stop checks there aswell.

Find this one odd, because is should be under the rules of the New Jersery (?) commision and not the BBBoC.

Not saying I'm not relieved at this decision, better to have no fight than an injured fighter.

rees has a british license so thats the why the board can interfere... although they are probably doing the right thing for a change.

but trust me, if this fight was on a Warren card in Cardiff then he wouldnt have got pulled

kevin · Post by **kevin** » 01 Jul 2004, 05:38

Rees is boxing at Newport on Saturday against Michael Muya at Lightweight