John Fewkes retires

[dondada]

http://news.boxrec.com/news/2011/john-fewkes-retires

Very talented, nice kid is John. But when you don't want it any more, time to get out.

[Dioufy]

I don't think his heart has been in it for years. Talented, but always doomed to fail, what with being a ginger.

[dondada]

I don't think his heart has been in it for years. Talented, but always doomed to fail, what with being a ginger.

A fitting tribute to one of my best pals in the sport.

Funny tho, so I'll let you off this time you horrible cant.

[Dioufy]

I'll always remember being gutted when the Murray-Fewkes fight was called off. A fully fit, fully focused Fewkes could've beaten Murray, IMO.

[dondada]

I'll always remember being gutted when the Murray-Fewkes fight was called off. A fully fit, fully focused Fewkes could've beaten Murray, IMO.

Funny you should mention that. I didn't put it in the piece but he mentioned this. Don't know if he's over-analysing or what but he said that did his head in an incredible amount and he lost it after that. Could have just been a trigger to a deeper lying malaise, I suppose.

[Dioufy]

Perhaps. I also took no pleasure during the Gethin fight. He looked a very sad man, before, during and after that fight. Shame.

[Dioufy]

Anyways, Ian, give him my regards, but try to leave the ginger comment out. Cheers, matey.

[black panther]

Ah it's a shame but fair play to him. As he says, the ring is a hard enough place to be even when you want it badly. But damn the guy, despite being a light-hitter, had bags of talent. I remember watching him against Tonto - excuse the pun, but the fireball looked sh*t hot. All the moves in the book, great angles, speed, punch variety. Man, he definitely should have won the British title at some point. I wish him well in the future outside the ring in any case.

[TheCobra]

Tis a shame, I liked the lad, liked his skills he was a very smooth boxer when on song and had a nice flow to him that a lot of boxers don't. End of the day he seemed to be a natural and sometimes it isn't the naturals who make it, it's the guys who have to try that bit harder but want it 100% every day and have that fire burning inside them to be a champ, to achieve that something extra special with their life.

I don't blame John though, if that fire doesn't burn anymore then what can you do, I just find it sad, nobody likes to see a talent go to waste.

[hurlock]

pro boxing & depression seem to go hand in hand :!:

the game is so stop start these kid's go stale & go off the sport. he's clearly lost intrest & it's sad as he's a cracking little fighter who's as slick as a classy yank.

[TheCobra]

pro boxing & depression seem to go hand in hand :!:

the game is so stop start these kid's go stale & go off the sport. he's clearly lost intrest & it's sad as he's a cracking little fighter who's as slick as a classy yank.

Yep it's such a lonely sport, toughest sport in the world is boxing/fighting and that's why we all love it I guess. The dark mornings, the long lonely runs, the self-discipline in your diet/routine, the massive requirement for serious self-belief and self-motivation in everything you do, the lack of any good pay at the lower levels of the sport.

Some people thrive on it where others prefer team sports. I have always been of the latter! I mean how many footballers can get away with a few bad games, a few curries/beers here and there and yet they still get paid. Luckiest guys in the world.

[hurlock]

but cobra he is ginger & they are normally reclusive herbert's DD DD

[NazNaci1]

Smooth fighter, nice skills has 'Fireball'.

Hopefully he can find something to substitute boxing, altrhough he is young enough to return in the not too distant future.

[whiteboy]

Did he not get offered £30k to face Khan when Prescott knocked him out, and they turned it down?

[whiskey]

Perhaps. I also took no pleasure during the Gethin fight. He looked a very sad man, before, during and after that fight. Shame.

I was sat ringside for that fight.

Afterwards I was in the locker room of the venue where all the fighters were. I was talking to someone in there and Fireball was getting dressed after the defeat and didn't look suicidal. He was cracking jokes at one point. You've got to give Gethin some credit because he fought a smart, stalking fight.

Fewkes was a fighter i loved tuning in to watch.

Couldn't you convince him to carry on Ian ?

[Dioufy]

Obviously I wasn't in the dressing room with him, but from the brief bits I saw, he looked disintereted, almost sad, definitely not "suicidal". It's now clear that his love for the game was minimal. It's a crying shame, but good luck to the chap. I hope he does something that makes him happy.

[steelcity 65]

What sad news, as fewky has bags of talent beat some good kids like craig watson,just hope he changes his mind as he has lots to offer the sport,feel for glyn as well who he as been with from day 1,and what a following he had

[hoot]

I agree totally with john' if your heart isn’t in it then get out' or you are going to get hurt in this case' it is similar to doing a job your heart isn’t in' it becomes a bind. He has tried and tried by the sound of it' he has done a brave thing in admitting it' knowing what people expect of him. Been in a similar position' the feeling when it’s over is such a relief. All the best for the future to john.

[dondada]

Did he not get offered £30k to face Khan when Prescott knocked him out, and they turned it down?

Yes, that's right. Was around that mark.

[dondada]

Perhaps. I also took no pleasure during the Gethin fight. He looked a very sad man, before, during and after that fight. Shame.

I was sat ringside for that fight.

Afterwards I was in the locker room of the venue where all the fighters were. I was talking to someone in there and Fireball was getting dressed after the defeat and didn't look suicidal. He was cracking jokes at one point. You've got to give Gethin some credit because he fought a smart, stalking fight.

Fewkes was a fighter i loved tuning in to watch.

Couldn't you convince him to carry on Ian ?

Gomez me old pal - after he got beat by Gethin there were fewer than ten people in that changing room, at least for the first half hour. I was one of them. There was John, Lee Edwards, Carl Wild and me; on the other side were a few of the Hatton clan, including Ricky. The place was like a morgue for a little while. Ricky came over and tried to lift his spirits - a class act.

John asked me, 'Are you working tonight?' I said, 'Nah, I just came through to see you. I shouldn't have f**king bothered.' Risky strategy but it got a hollow laugh. He perked up a bit later on.

Even if I could persuade him to give it a go I wouldn't do so...his heart hasn't been in it for a good while now.

[stujones]

Good fighter, a crying shame. Hope he is not lost to the sport - can see him making a good coach.... or at least assistant - be nice if he could pass on his little tricks.

[Chambers2]

Good fighter, Great to watch. Buzzsaw is the best way to describe his style IMO, just lacked that pit of pop

[JamesH]

I remember him getting BBNs young boxer of the year, shame he has had enough as I really enjoyed his 'fireball' style. I interviewed him for BBN 4 or 5 years ago now, came across as a really nice lad and I remember him talking about how much he hated making the weight even then. Wish him all the best...

[dondada]

I'll always remember being gutted when the Murray-Fewkes fight was called off. A fully fit, fully focused Fewkes could've beaten Murray, IMO.

I'm not sure. You need to be on the ball and he wasn't at this time.

You probably have a better recollection of events at that time than I do, especially when it's to do with John Muzza.

But didn't the fight fall through after Fewkes beat Tonchev? That was when John was at his best. Can't remember 100% though.

[dondada]

See - I told you that you would have a better memory than me.

Would have been very interesting had it took place when Fireball was on it.

Ha ha, those kung fu moves were funny and frustrating in equal measure.

Terry, YOU would have beaten Fewkes the night Gethin did mate. I was surprised he lasted into the fourth.