Bobby Vanzie - Former British and C'Wealth Champ Retires

DavidPayne · Post by **DavidPayne** » 08 Feb 2005, 13:38

Bradford's former British and Commonwealth Lightweight champion retires.

As has been fairly public over the last three months, following a couple of pieces I did with him, boxing is increasingly at odds with Bobby's new found faith and he can no longer dedicate himself, mentally at least to the sport he loved.

He's sad to depart on a loss, especially over 4 rounds, but ultimatley he's put his own health, his family's happiness and his faith ahead of his proposed comeback at 140lbs.

Here is the interview I did with Bobby last October.
http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-a ... peaks-out/

Not to everyone's taste, Bobby has had an up and down career and was once close to a breakthrough at European level versus Sandro Casamonica but the chance just never quite arrived. But he's been entertaining, fearless and at times a little unlucky, and whilst often outspoken, privatley I found him to be an affable, honest and decent guy.

He has found day-time work to add to his budding media career and will enjoy spending time with his wife and three girls.

Bobby added these words...

Many of my peers, fans and friends do not understand why I would trade a potentially lucrative career at Light-Welter, for a 'normal' life of employment, especially since the 2 top guns at the weight are vying for higher honours, which would leave the domestic division ripe for the taking. But if their eyes were opened the way mine now are, they would agree that there is no other choice but to retire.

A brother and a very dear friend has afforded me the opportunity to work in his family's very successful business,and although it is not akin to anything i have ever witnessed in the boxing world, being in the limelight with the glare of the cameras, it is good, clean honest work, and enables me to enjoy a life that is in accordance with the scriptures.

I have made some good friends along the way,and will continue, for now, my media work, which i thoroughly enjoy.

I would have loved to have honoured my deal with Junior Witter,who when amateur, and after winning one fight apiece, we promised we would fight as pro's to find out who the 'real don' was, well I guess you win this one Junior, but my goal is to be a life saver now,and not a potential life-taker. Wish you well though.

Thanks to my hardcore 'VIPER' fans for their steadfast support over the years, it was fun.
Robert Vanzie.

Good luck in the future Bobby.

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 08 Feb 2005, 13:41

Yeah good luck to him...what is this "new faith" by the way?

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 08 Feb 2005, 13:44

steve689 wrote:Yeah good luck to him...what is this "new faith" by the way?

I think Bobby is a Jahova Witness (I've spelt that wrong havn't I?)

I wish Bobby a happy and healthy life after Boxing.

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 08 Feb 2005, 13:47

I think it is Jehova's Witness or something like that...i get the point though

theguru · Post by **theguru** » 08 Feb 2005, 15:24

JEHOVAH,GOD

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 08 Feb 2005, 15:27

So the Viper has gone. It's been on the cards since the the Bradford southpaw lost his British lightweight title to Graham Earl after 12 close rounds in 2003 - the end of a colourful five-year reign - then failed to regain in a controversial rematch with the Luton strongman a year later.
Vanzie parted ways with Sports Network after the first Earl fight - and was never going to win the rematch if it was close, which it was, despite the comments of Sky 'B-teamers' Adam Smith and Glenn McCrory.
It was no secret, either, Vanzie was killing himself to make lightweight. That must have had a bearing on his decision to retire. He was just too small for the light-welters.
A cocky, intelligent character, Vanzie was used to holding a title and never really got over the losses to Earl. He had held the British title since 1998, after stopping Wayne Rigby, and added the Commonwealth title with a stoppage of Kenya's Athanas Nzau.
A poor man's Naz in many ways, he had the patience, switch-hitting ability and power to salvage many a fight he was trailing in - notably in defences of his British title against Stephen Smith and Steve Murray, and of his Commonwealth belt against Laatekwei Hammond. His right uppercut - thrown Naz-style as a lead shot - was particularly dangerous.
He made four defences of his British title and five of the Commonwealth.
Sadly, his Lonsdale Belt was stolen in a burglary at his home.
More sadly, perhaps, he'll best be remembered for his comments after both Earl fights, calling the game "corrupt" after the second one.
"They want me out," he added
Board man Nicky Piper was visibly angry after the interview. And one had a feeling, he would never win a close decision again...

Goz · Post by **Goz** » 08 Feb 2005, 15:36

Interesting, I thought Islam was all the rage amongst the boxing fraternity converts.

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 08 Feb 2005, 15:47

Will he be going door knocking in his sequined shorts? ;)

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 08 Feb 2005, 16:20

I wouldn't mind him getting into the media side of things, he was ringside for one of Froch's contests and came across well when interviewed, hopefully he can get some more work doing that

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 08 Feb 2005, 16:23

All the best to Vanzie, good boxer - nice to see a fighter leave the sport with his health intact. Hope he goes into commentating.

Goz · Post by **Goz** » 08 Feb 2005, 18:05

stujones wrote:All the best to Vanzie, good boxer - nice to see a fighter leave the sport with his health intact. Hope he goes into commentating.

Tell that to Stephen Smith's gonads...

reidy · Post by **reidy** » 09 Feb 2005, 04:46

All the best Bobby

J · Post by J » 09 Feb 2005, 06:04

good luck to him i always liked him and he was quite right to be pissed off at the constant rough end of the stick he seemed to get, he pissed all over earl in the rematch, was a shocker of a decision.

good luck bobby, shame you never got the platfomr to perform on, which your talent deserved.

Chris W 1982 · Post by **Chris W 1982** » 09 Feb 2005, 06:19

All the best Bobby, good luck for the future.

JimStone · Post by **JimStone** » 09 Feb 2005, 07:50

I am always gobsmacked when I read about people "Finding God" or what have you. Those who are brainwashed as kids I have some sympathy for, but to get swept away by religion as an adult is worthy of nothing short of derision. Science is where these people should be finding their answers, not the bible.

J · Post by J » 09 Feb 2005, 07:52

religion is a personal thing and i dont think we should get into it on here.

JimStone · Post by **JimStone** » 09 Feb 2005, 07:53

Religion is a simpleton's thing, but you are right, this is a boxing forum.

J · Post by J » 09 Feb 2005, 07:53

dude leave it, im not religious either, but you might be offending some folk.

JimStone · Post by **JimStone** » 09 Feb 2005, 07:54

They need offending, it's the only way they might waken up.

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 09 Feb 2005, 08:03

FlawedGenius wrote:They need offending, it's the only way they might waken up.

easy tiger, doesn't matter what religon someone follows, this is a boxing forum

Manos de Oro · Post by **Manos de Oro** » 09 Feb 2005, 11:55

FlawedGenius wrote:I am always gobsmacked when I read about people "Finding God" or what have you. Those who are brainwashed as kids I have some sympathy for, but to get swept away by religion as an adult is worthy of nothing short of derision. Science is where these people should be finding their answers, not the bible.

Consider how interlinked Islam is with science:

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/introductio ... ledge.html

Consider what these Muslims are up to in Iraq:

http://www.ogrish.com/archives/war/iraq/index.html

Science doesn't exclusively breed rational thought.

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 09 Feb 2005, 12:07

FlawedGenius wrote:They need offending, it's the only way they might waken up.

FlawedGenius is a BLASPHEMER

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 09 Feb 2005, 12:12

now thats funny

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 09 Feb 2005, 12:15

FlawedGenius wrote:Religion is a simpleton's thing, but you are right, this is a boxing forum.

I tend to agree, but sadly, people get extremely offended by statements like that.

I had a mate who became a Jehova's Witness, changed from a bright, incisive, curious minded young kid, to a drug-addict, to a Jehova's witness.

Can't really hold a decent conversation with him any more as god comes into absolutely every conversation.