Ash-Weston wrote:Got into Boxing at the age of 7. At the time boxers like Bruno,Benn and Eubank were household names and Prince Naseem was just strating his career(which i also followed). I boxed on and off for about 9 years from the age of 11 but never had the chance to get a bout because well.....iwas too lazy and thought that all the skills etc would all come to me at once(pretty impatient tbh). I started again when i was 21 and was looking for a bout as i was training about 5 times a week but didnt want to go down the amateur route and was looking for a bout in the white collar circuit which never came about. Im my own worst enemy really to be honest lol. Im 24 next month and im sure ill be going down the gym again to try and regain that so called enthusiasm of mine. Im more patient now and tend to listen to others more so i hope it works out next time as i love my Boxing and this time i wont prtend i know more then the coach and MAYBE i might have a decent crack in the sport. All in all though im a massive fan of the sport who would love to get involved competitevely and enjoys attending local amateur and pro shows.
Really good thread this and is a breath of fresh air from all the usual Hatton/Haye/Audley spin you get on boxing forums
First got into boxing watching Chris Eubank (Still My Personal Fav) on ITV before he took off to Sky for his world tour. But was always told I couldnt join a gym by my mother despite my Dad sneeking me off to watch the Amature fights @ Crook log. I finally plucked up the courage to go to a gym in 2005 after my younger brother started training at http://gumshieldgym.com for a white collar event. I eventually made friends with people in the gym and one of the pro's and embarked on 3 years of training along side him as he prepared for fights. Sadly I made the same mistake all younger kids make and got reintroduced to Booze (after a 5 year layoff) and Birds after I had 2 weeks off training and never really got back into it to such an intense level despite still spending every day in the gym (even if it was just to have a chat with the Steve and Ryan). Sadly I've since moved to Australia and am now struggling to find anywhere that comes close to or gives you the same feeling as your first boxing family.
jBacca wrote:Seems as though McGuigan got a lot of people into boxing..! I must download some of his fights.
Definitely, plenty of his fights about if you look in the right places.
Don't watch the Stevie Cruz fight - heartbreaking. Well it was when I was 10 and I haven't watched it since. DD
Me too. I would have been about 14/15 and I remember being utterly distraught at the time seeing him stumble around the ring, staying in there through heart alone. No fight's had a stronger emotional impact on me.
Whoever was responsible for putting him in the ring at that time of day in those conditions.... well, words fail me...
I suppose that I really started to follow boxing when I was about 15-16 (although had always enjoyed watching it), when I began to buy Boxing News and Boxing Monthly (and The Ring), and then became more and more engrossed.Then when I was 20, whilst moving up to Sheffield to begin my degree and eventually masters, I joined the Ingle Gym, where I kept fit for about 5- 5& 1/2 years and absolutely loved it.I got to know so many fighters be they retired, in the ascendency,journeymen or amateurs developing. I even got to see people develop into fine trainers in their own right.It was an incredible place to be.The gym is colour blind and operates on a level playing field -rank outsiders such as myself getting to spar with fine champions like Johnny Nelsen, Junior Witter, Esham Pickering etc.It was an absolute treat.The best of all, is that everyone was/is so friendly, and I don't have enough words to describe the respect and fondness I have for Brendan Ingle. He will always be a hero to me.The same for Johnny Nelson as well, who told me, that it does'nt matter how nervous/withdrawn you get, you eventually get so frustrated with yourself that you give it a proper go, which is what he obviously did with his career (I loved the way he was so hard to hit and was always in top shape, and made very good fighters box at his pace).I took his advice and used it with my degree and work i.e.I was terribly lazy at school and lacking in confidence,and really focussed on my degree and career.I'll always be thankful for that, and for the day that I first set foot in that gym;Johnny had just got back from his first defence of his world title on the trinidad-de la hoya undercard, and I met him, Brendan and Danny Teasdale.
Its really interesting now to see Kel Brook come through, as he was just a kid back then.And for the record, I think he will turn into a fine champion as well. Its also been a pleasure to see Ryan Rhodes come back so well, as he is a lovely bloke with a lot of talent.
My only regret is that I did'nt go to university when I was 18, and join the gym then and get the chance to train alongside Naz, who everyone at the gym tells me (even those that didn't like him) that when he was on form, and focussed he was breathtakingly good.So much so, that the public didn't see the best of him in his fights i.e he was sometimes better than when he beat Steve Robinson, which was a masterful display.
I was doubly lucky in that my flat mate at uni had a best friend by the name of Steffy Bull, and it was a real privilege to become friends with him too, and watch his career develop.He is doing sterling work as a trainer now as well, having helped Jamie McDonnell win the European Crown.
Became interested in Boxing at the age if 8 and joined Heathbrook and stayed nthere foir a few years. Had 6 fights and won them all, but being so young I did not realise that I was never officially an amateur fighter as did not have a card.
The fights were against guys from Devas and Cauis If I remember rightly.
Howard Eastman/Richard Williams and the Wilson brothers joined several years later.
Now all these years later still a fan, but a bit peeved by the fan boy asepct of boxing.
But I have a soft spot for the sport and always will.
big lennox wrote:I suppose that I really started to follow boxing when I was about 15-16 (although had always enjoyed watching it), when I began to buy Boxing News and Boxing Monthly (and The Ring), and then became more and more engrossed.Then when I was 20, whilst moving up to Sheffield to begin my degree and eventually masters, I joined the Ingle Gym, where I kept fit for about 5- 5& 1/2 years and absolutely loved it.I got to know so many fighters be they retired, in the ascendency,journeymen or amateurs developing. I even got to see people develop into fine trainers in their own right.It was an incredible place to be.The gym is colour blind and operates on a level playing field -rank outsiders such as myself getting to spar with fine champions like Johnny Nelsen, Junior Witter, Esham Pickering etc.It was an absolute treat.The best of all, is that everyone was/is so friendly, and I don't have enough words to describe the respect and fondness I have for Brendan Ingle. He will always be a hero to me.The same for Johnny Nelson as well, who told me, that it does'nt matter how nervous/withdrawn you get, you eventually get so frustrated with yourself that you give it a proper go, which is what he obviously did with his career (I loved the way he was so hard to hit and was always in top shape, and made very good fighters box at his pace).I took his advice and used it with my degree and work i.e.I was terribly lazy at school and lacking in confidence,and really focussed on my degree and career.I'll always be thankful for that, and for the day that I first set foot in that gym;Johnny had just got back from his first defence of his world title on the trinidad-de la hoya undercard, and I met him, Brendan and Danny Teasdale.
Its really interesting now to see Kel Brook come through, as he was just a kid back then.And for the record, I think he will turn into a fine champion as well. Its also been a pleasure to see Ryan Rhodes come back so well, as he is a lovely bloke with a lot of talent.
My only regret is that I did'nt go to university when I was 18, and join the gym then and get the chance to train alongside Naz, who everyone at the gym tells me (even those that didn't like him) that when he was on form, and focussed he was breathtakingly good.So much so, that the public didn't see the best of him in his fights i.e he was sometimes better than when he beat Steve Robinson, which was a masterful display.
I was doubly lucky in that my flat mate at uni had a best friend by the name of Steffy Bull, and it was a real privilege to become friends with him too, and watch his career develop.He is doing sterling work as a trainer now as well, having helped Jamie McDonnell win the European Crown.
jBacca wrote:Seems as though McGuigan got a lot of people into boxing..! I must download some of his fights.
Definitely, plenty of his fights about if you look in the right places.
Don't watch the Stevie Cruz fight - heartbreaking. Well it was when I was 10 and I haven't watched it since. DD
Me too. I would have been about 14/15 and I remember being utterly distraught at the time seeing him stumble around the ring, staying in there through heart alone. No fight's had a stronger emotional impact on me.
Whoever was responsible for putting him in the ring at that time of day in those conditions.... well, words fail me...
McGuigan before the 15th and final round of his reign as WBA featherweight champion, captured by Chris Smith of the Sunday Times.
i always used to remember watching the big fights on tv when me mother woukld let me stay up, but the sport took on a whole new meaning for me when my grandad took me along with him to my first ever live show which was the nark in the park (shea neary vs andy holligan), and from then on i was hooked, ive been fortunate enough to end up having a best mate who turned out to be a pro boxer, and british champ (soon to be again ) in gary davies so have been fortunate enough to go with him werever he has fought and got to see the sport from the ultimate fans perspective on the inside, also had the pleasure of walking him out live on sky for his british title fight which as a fan was one of the proudest times of my life, i am also good friends with derry mathews and have gotten to know a lot of the liverpool fight family over the years so count myself as a lucky fan really,
Have been a fan ever since i was a small lad, Always been good mates with Wayne Elcock ever since we were about 6, my 3 kids now go boxing classes with him now and my company have been sponsoring him for a good few years.
Grew up watching Tyson, Benn (who i met a few weeks ago in Birmingham, really nice guy), Eubank, Watson, de la hoya then became a huge Hamed fan.
I travel all over the word for good boxing shows, de la hoya vs Mayweather, pacman vs Hatton, Calzaghe vs Kessler, Haye vs the beast, enzo vs haye, been to watch Abrahams a few times, have been to alot off good shows over the years, and some real bad ones.
steve richards wrote:Have been a fan ever since i was a small lad, Always been good mates with Wayne Elcock ever since we were about 6, my 3 kids now go boxing classes with him now and my company have been sponsoring him for a good few years.
Grew up watching Tyson, Benn (who i met a few weeks ago in Birmingham, really nice guy), Eubank, Watson, de la hoya then became a huge Hamed fan.
I travel all over the word for good boxing shows, de la hoya vs Mayweather, pacman vs Hatton, Calzaghe vs Kessler, Haye vs the beast, enzo vs haye, been to watch Abrahams a few times, have been to alot off good shows over the years, and some real bad ones.
Steve, would be interested to hear your best and worst (and why)?
WelshDevil wrote:
Definitely, plenty of his fights about if you look in the right places.
Don't watch the Stevie Cruz fight - heartbreaking. Well it was when I was 10 and I haven't watched it since. DD
Me too. I would have been about 14/15 and I remember being utterly distraught at the time seeing him stumble around the ring, staying in there through heart alone. No fight's had a stronger emotional impact on me.
Whoever was responsible for putting him in the ring at that time of day in those conditions.... well, words fail me...
McGuigan before the 15th and final round of his reign as WBA featherweight champion, captured by Chris Smith of the Sunday Times.
You're breaking me again Bennie
McGuigan made it to the final bell through heart alone, as that picture so vividly illustrates. He was never the same fighter...
steve richards wrote:Have been a fan ever since i was a small lad, Always been good mates with Wayne Elcock ever since we were about 6, my 3 kids now go boxing classes with him now and my company have been sponsoring him for a good few years.
Grew up watching Tyson, Benn (who i met a few weeks ago in Birmingham, really nice guy), Eubank, Watson, de la hoya then became a huge Hamed fan.
I travel all over the word for good boxing shows, de la hoya vs Mayweather, pacman vs Hatton, Calzaghe vs Kessler, Haye vs the beast, enzo vs haye, been to watch Abrahams a few times, have been to alot off good shows over the years, and some real bad ones.
Steve, would be interested to hear your best and worst (and why)?
One of the best shows was Hatton vs pacman, the noise was unreal, Scott Harrison vs Madina 2 was also really good and bad, good as in the fight and buzz around the place was electric, bad as in we were 6 English men in a crowd full of Jocks kicking shit out of each other, to be honest my arse fell out of my trousers at one point in the bar, one of the worst for atmosphere was the mag 7 bill, no noise, no banter, just pockets of fans from all over.
When Oakey lost in Pompey to Barney they went mental, thats the only time iv'e ran out of an arena, the whole place went up, and me and my Dad were in the middle of the Oakey fans, it was a bad call to be honest and Tony did calm things down, but they werent happy bunnies.
steve richards wrote:When Oakey lost in Pompey to Barney they went mental, thats the only time iv'e ran out of an arena, the whole place went up, and me and my Dad were in the middle of the Oakey fans, it was a bad call to be honest and Tony did calm things down, but they werent happy bunnies.
My first memories and interest was when ali fought dunne!i remember watchin that and the way everyone around me use to buzz over ali. I remember the buzz of ali fights when they use to show them at the manchester apollo, never went, just a kid.Remeber watchin boom boom mancini on world of sport;Thought hagler was the scariest guy on planet,haha.Then as got older started to go to the jack tricket shows at belle vue,local sport centres,free trade hall, najib daho,jon jo greene, then bingham, frank grant,steve foster.happy days.followed it ever since.LOve my footy but boxing is unsurpassed for excitement and suprises.the trueist of sports.
Deserter wrote:
Me too. I would have been about 14/15 and I remember being utterly distraught at the time seeing him stumble around the ring, staying in there through heart alone. No fight's had a stronger emotional impact on me.
Whoever was responsible for putting him in the ring at that time of day in those conditions.... well, words fail me...
McGuigan before the 15th and final round of his reign as WBA featherweight champion, captured by Chris Smith of the Sunday Times.
You're breaking me again Bennie
McGuigan made it to the final bell through heart alone, as that picture so vividly illustrates. He was never the same fighter...
bennie should be banned for putting up such distressing images.
I'll have the old nightmares again. DD
Whoever thought it was wise to put McGuigan in the ring with a Texan in the mid day desert sun needed shooting.
DD
) in gary davies so have been fortunate enough to go with him werever he has fought and got to see the sport from the ultimate fans perspective on the inside, also had the pleasure of walking him out live on sky for his british title fight which as a fan was one of the proudest times of my life, i am also good friends with derry mathews and have gotten to know a lot of the liverpool fight family over the years so count myself as a lucky fan really, 
