Jeff Ryan- What happened to this corrupt idiot?

[Bricks]

I remember back in the 1980's in the non internet/non mass media and press era Jeff Ryan was writing for KO magazine and the magazine would reach us in the UK with coverage of fights that had taken place 4 months earlier! Yet I used to read Ryans articles like i was listening to some guru and expert.

I recently took down a stash of KO magazines from that era down from loft room.

Just about every issue you read has Ryan spitefully insulting fighters while praising promoters such as Mickey Duff, Finkel,Gorman and Arum. The Duvas he seems to have some vendetta against and the same for Don King. He really comes across as having been paid off.

But what really gets you, about this guy.....and I could quote example after example, are how often he gets it totally wrong in terms of his views on a fighter and a match up and his utter meanness.

In a 1987 issue he does an interview with Ron Lyle which frankly Im suprised Ron didnt walk out and leave. Ryan goads Lyle about why he is doing a crummy job like security and couldn't he have got a better job , and Lyle replies its an honest job and it pays money.Ryan than asks Lyle if his employers know he did time for murder! When Lyle protests, Ryan claims he asks Lyle "why do you need to act so tough".!!!!!! Ryans commentary is a bitter sneering one and he goes out of his way to berate and belittle a proud former fighter like Lyle while claiming the moral high ground.I could quote dozens and dozens of other examples of such behaviour.

Utterly shameless and im glad this douche bag lost his job when KO went under.
These days he would be little more than a forum troll and treated with the contempt he deserves. Back than he was the self styled only voice in town!

As for Mike Katz Irene would have had a field day with that imbecile's spelling and style of writing.

[Bricks]

Just another small example of Ryan's gutter journalism was when way back in 1986, Duane Thomas stopped John Mugabi in the third round of their fight for the vacant WBC 154 pound title, a Thomas thumb broke Mugabi's eye socket, and Mugabi covered his face and leaned over the ropes whereupon the fight was stopped in Thomas' favor. KO Magazine ran a photo of this with the caption underneath, "Where's the Alpo?" referring to Mugabi having a lot of "dog" in him. The accompanying piece was no less scathing and unreasonable.

That was the problem with this kind of tabloid national inquirer style of paparazzi journalism, it was written by morally bankrupt men who never stepped in a ring to raise a fist in self defence yet they sneered and mocked men who had devoted blood, sweat and tears to fight to earn a living. These parasites in turn made a living leaching off the hard work of the fighters and slandering them worldwide.

[bennie]

I thought Ryan was a great boxing writer, a funny writer. I don't remember him the way you do.

[klompton]

Jeff Ryan currently writes for Ring Magazine, which is probably at its lowest point in that publications history (which is saying something). Between being owned by Oscar DLH and as such acting as a shill for Golden Boy fighters, and employing such nimrods as Jim Bagg, the magazine isnt worth its ridiculously inflated price of admission. I just let my subscription lapse last month. The last several years my girlfriend has gotten me a subscription to it for my birthday. This year I told her to save her money, in essence I chose getting NOTHING from her rather than a free subscription to Ring magazine.

[turn2stone]

the magazine is fine. looks good and certainly has better in depth coverage than anything i've read here.
ryan is still there. no picture accompanying his byline.
i'd take it he's a monthly contributor now and not part of the editorial staff.
i try not to get too bent out of shape about any boxing magazine.

[klompton]

where is "here"?

[turn2stone]

here.... would be.... here.

could be other places as well.

hooah !!!

[Expug]

Speaking of Ring magazine brings back memories.
They used to have something called "Rings around the world.
It was back in the early eighties.They had results of all the previous months cards.
I used to read those results all the time.
Eventually,in the mag that had the Davey Moore-Roberto Duran fight with Duran scowling on the cover, they had the results of some of my fights in the Illinois section. Man, I was walking on air for weeks.
Now,I never read that magazine or really any of the other boxing publications.Theyve really slipped.
Its too bad. Things arent the same anymore.

[turn2stone]

I remember Ring Around the World too. very small print, going state by state, the country by country. i think boxing digest or some other publication picked it up then. some months were much better than others. i've been diving through my collection recently and have noticed alot more fights being covered in the new Ring's as compared to the magazines of the 70-80-90's. sure am glad i saved all those publications back when there was KO, Ring, World Boxing, Boxing83 (or whatever year it would be). one large storage box would hold 2-3 years worth of magazines. now that same box can hold 10 yrs worth of magazines.

[Bricks]

Jeff Ryan currently writes for Ring Magazine, which is probably at its lowest point in that publications history (which is saying something). Between being owned by Oscar DLH and as such acting as a shill for Golden Boy fighters, and employing such nimrods as Jim Bagg, the magazine isnt worth its ridiculously inflated price of admission. I just let my subscription lapse last month. The last several years my girlfriend has gotten me a subscription to it for my birthday. This year I told her to save her money, in essence I chose getting NOTHING from her rather than a free subscription to Ring magazine.

oh yeah the guy who think he's funny and calls himself the baggmeister, the bagatollah, and 100 other plays on the surname bagg...he's an idiot.

[Adamj1987]

i've recently been reading some off his ryan out loud articles in some early 90s ring magazine and honestly i dont see what you say though i havent read any KO magazines

[turn2stone]

must be another jeff ryan. or someone has r-e-a-l-l-y thin skin.

[Bricks]

i've recently been reading some off his ryan out loud articles in some early 90s ring magazine and honestly i dont see what you say though i havent read any KO magazines

When he was at KO he basically ran the show and had editorial control.

By the time he got to the Ring Magazine he was under editorial scrutiny and had to fit in with the rings more serious and cultured writing style hence he was less controversial and prone to mouthing off at fighters.

Turn2 stone try reading KO magazines of the 1980's it will open your eyes.

The funniest issue was the one where Ryan interviews Foreman. Ryan had been the chief hater on Foreman and had been laughing at big george since he came back. They end up arguing and Foreman tells Ryan he doesnt give a damn what Ryan thinks!

It was the same when Marlon Starling was interviewed . They met in a restaraunt and Ryan says he was tempted to throw his drink over moochie

[Counter-puncher]

They met in a restaraunt and Ryan says he was tempted to throw his drink over moochie

he could have tried, but Starling would already be rolling underneath & away from it.

[iamasadlittleboy]

Jeff Ryan currently writes for Ring Magazine, which is probably at its lowest point in that publications history (which is saying something). Between being owned by Oscar DLH and as such acting as a shill for Golden Boy fighters, and employing such nimrods as Jim Bagg, the magazine isnt worth its ridiculously inflated price of admission. I just let my subscription lapse last month. The last several years my girlfriend has gotten me a subscription to it for my birthday. This year I told her to save her money, in essence I chose getting NOTHING from her rather than a free subscription to Ring magazine.

oh yeah the guy who think he's funny and calls himself the baggmeister, the bagatollah, and 100 other plays on the surname bagg...he's an idiot.

Personally I find him hilarious...though not a big fan of Ryan

[turn2stone]

i've recently been reading some off his ryan out loud articles in some early 90s ring magazine and honestly i dont see what you say though i havent read any KO magazines

When he was at KO he basically ran the show and had editorial control.

By the time he got to the Ring Magazine he was under editorial scrutiny and had to fit in with the rings more serious and cultured writing style hence he was less controversial and prone to mouthing off at fighters.

Turn2 stone try reading KO magazines of the 1980's it will open your eyes.

The funniest issue was the one where Ryan interviews Foreman. Ryan had been the chief hater on Foreman and had been laughing at big george since he came back. They end up arguing and Foreman tells Ryan he doesnt give a damn what Ryan thinks!

It was the same when Marlon Starling was interviewed . They met in a restaraunt and Ryan says he was tempted to throw his drink over moochie

this thread got me into cataloging all my boxing magazines. about 40% through now. there are a few thousand of them thats for sure. got the 90's pretty much finished with ring/ko/international boxing/world boxing/boxing90 etc/boxing scene/boxing digest etc etc etc. looking forward to the Ryan/Lyle interview when i tackle the 80's. hard to believe there were just so many magazine's back then, especially by London Publishing. my little boy will sure be getting a whack of magazine's some day.

[Bricks]

wow that must be some great collection.

The crazy thing is Jeff Ryan or not I loved KO magazine in the 80's when my dad used to buy it I used to read it from page to page. Boxing Illustrated is a magazine it really takes this day and age to remind us how good it was! It really was almost a months worth of reading!

I beleive the Lyle/Ryan bust up is from a 1986 issue and I think it has the Honeyghan-Curry matchup on the cover. I will check though.

[orbtastic]

Without checking, Ryan is English originally? He always had some weird bias towards certain fighters that he couldn't hide.

Jim Bagg...is not a real person...it's a really bad pun.

[Bricks]

Oirish! Which is why he always hated so much on Gerry Cooney. He helped build Gerry up as the second coming of Dempsey/Tunney and Marciano put together, and than hated on him when he let him down and left Ryan with egg on his face

[IRLangmaid25]

I have recently started reading Ring Magazine in the last 8 or 9 months or so, and I have enjoyed reading some of Ryan's stuff and the Bagg's stuff in there, because Bagg absolutely ripped into Joan Guzman for coming 9lbs overweight in his title fight with Ali Funeka, and I agreed with it as it I felt too was highly unprofessional of Guzman not to make any effort at all to make the weight, and he was right to pan Guzman for what he did, and I read how Ryan laid into Antonio Margarito by calling him "Plasta-rito" and but did not agree with some of his criticism of Lawrence Cole's handling of the Dirrell-Abraham fight.

[WelshDevil]

Couldn't stand Jim Bagg - his articles were silly and a waste of time. I did enjoy reading Jeff Ryan's articles in KO Magazine, during the 1980's. Have the old mags stored in boxes, at my mothers house, will have to start re-reading a few old copies, to check what I think of Ryan's articles, as I recall him being scathing and bold but nothing, he said ever troubled me.

Growing-up, I loathed almost anything written by Colin Hart. So many factual mistakes, by the man, and he seemed very pig-headed.

[Rover]

Couldn't stand Jim Bagg - his articles were silly and a waste of time. I did enjoy reading Jeff Ryan's articles in KO Magazine, during the 1980's. Have the old mags stored in boxes, at my mothers house, will have to start re-reading a few old copies, to check what I think of Ryan's articles, as I recall him being scathing and bold but nothing, he said ever troubled me.

Growing-up, I loathed almost anything written by Colin Hart. So many factual mistakes, by the man, and he seemed very pig-headed.

Jim Bagg? Was that a pen name?
I've never seen anything about Ryan after the end of KO, which I never read. I believe he had Leonard/Hagler 118-111 SRL. All I can remember.

[WelshDevil]

Couldn't stand Jim Bagg - his articles were silly and a waste of time. I did enjoy reading Jeff Ryan's articles in KO Magazine, during the 1980's. Have the old mags stored in boxes, at my mothers house, will have to start re-reading a few old copies, to check what I think of Ryan's articles, as I recall him being scathing and bold but nothing, he said ever troubled me.

Growing-up, I loathed almost anything written by Colin Hart. So many factual mistakes, by the man, and he seemed very pig-headed.

Jim Bagg? Was that a pen name?
I've never seen anything about Ryan after the end of KO, which I never read. I believe he had Leonard/Hagler 118-111 SRL. All I can remember.

Not to sure about Jim. He used alot of names like "The Baggster", he wasn't in KO but one of the others, of that period.

I got given a copy of "The Ring" around the time of the Mayweather vs Marquez fight and was surprised to see Jeff Ryan, in there. I don't know if he has left or not, as there was a mass culling of writers awhile back.

[Rover]

Couldn't stand Jim Bagg - his articles were silly and a waste of time. I did enjoy reading Jeff Ryan's articles in KO Magazine, during the 1980's. Have the old mags stored in boxes, at my mothers house, will have to start re-reading a few old copies, to check what I think of Ryan's articles, as I recall him being scathing and bold but nothing, he said ever troubled me.

Growing-up, I loathed almost anything written by Colin Hart. So many factual mistakes, by the man, and he seemed very pig-headed.

Jim Bagg? Was that a pen name?
I've never seen anything about Ryan after the end of KO, which I never read. I believe he had Leonard/Hagler 118-111 SRL. All I can remember.

Not to sure about Jim. He used alot of names like "The Baggster", he wasn't in KO but one of the others, of that period.

I got given a copy of "The Ring" around the time of the Mayweather vs Marquez fight and was surprised to see Jeff Ryan, in there. I don't know if he has left or not, as there was a mass culling of writers awhile back.

Jeff Ryan doesn't sound like a rare name; sure it's the same one?

[loaded_gloves]

In a 95 or 96 KO Ryan lists the Lyle screaming in his face incident as his most frightening experience in boxing.

Agree with Mugabi as regards to his writing style and rivalries, an infantile and embarrassing man.