Johhny Nelson Challenge?

[Bricks]

Can someone verify this story.....

Apparently around the time Nelson as a 19 year old took the tough experienced Carlos DeLeon to a draw in 1989/90 for the WBC title.....obviously Nelson got huge and imo unfair stick for his so called "non performance" in the press and media.....but I heard a story some local yorkshire hardman was going around in the pubs Nelson drank in....calling Nelson a "poof" and other such words and turned up at Nelsons gym to do the same.....Nelson said he would tie his hands behind his back and the hardman could try and land a punch on him......and the guy did it and failed and left with his tail between is arse?......is this story true or not?

[danfoster]

Can someone verify this story.....

Apparently around the time Nelson as a 19 year old took the tough experienced Carlos DeLeon to a draw in 1989/90 for the WBC title.....obviously Nelson got huge and imo unfair stick for his so called "non performance" in the press and media.....but I heard a story some local yorkshire hardman was going around in the pubs Nelson drank in....calling Nelson a "poof" and other such words and turned up at Nelsons gym to do the same.....Nelson said he would tie his hands behind his back and the hardman could try and land a punch on him......and the guy did it and failed and left with his tail between is arse?......is this story true or not?

Quite possibly - Brendan used to take Johnny, Bomber, Naz and others to pubs, clubs, youth clubs, schools etc doing demonstrations of the variety you mention .... those guys were impossible to hit for non-boxers and any local hardman from the pub would be made to look a complete fool ...

[Quixall]

Can someone verify this story.....

Apparently around the time Nelson as a 19 year old took the tough experienced Carlos DeLeon to a draw in 1989/90 for the WBC title.....obviously Nelson got huge and imo unfair stick for his so called "non performance" in the press and media.....but I heard a story some local yorkshire hardman was going around in the pubs Nelson drank in....calling Nelson a "poof" and other such words and turned up at Nelsons gym to do the same.....Nelson said he would tie his hands behind his back and the hardman could try and land a punch on him......and the guy did it and failed and left with his tail between is arse?......is this story true or not?

Quite possibly - Brendan used to take Johnny, Bomber, Naz and others to pubs, clubs, youth clubs, schools etc doing demonstrations of the variety you mention .... those guys were impossible to hit for non-boxers and any local hardman from the pub would be made to look a complete fool ...

I think the rumour has come about due to the fact that Brendan did take his fighters to functions to show there skills. Must have been a pretty stupid guy to go around Calling Johnny names and such like. You only have to look at Johnny's face to see the skills that he had. Very very under-rated was Johnny and a lot of that was down to the De Leon fight IMO.

[JimJim2009]

I believe its true.

I attended a few of those events, including one at Doncaster prison, where the entire Ingle stable (including temporary addition Herbie Hide) took on lifers (gloved up) in a boxing ring for a round of boxing. Naz was there too but didn't get in the ring as he had a major fight coming up and couldn't risk injury. The rest did; Jonny Nelson, Ryan Rhodes, Pele Reid, Dean Pithie, Mark Winters, and Jason Matthews. It was convicts, cheering on by fellow convicts, trying to lay one on the pro boxers. None managed it. As entertaining as it was for onlookers, I think it was something the Ingle fighters could do in their sleep

[JimJim2009]

I hasten to add that I visited Doncaster prison willingly to see this show, I wasn't a resident

[orbtastic]

I don't dispute that, SKY had footage of it on one of the preview shows, but Jason Matthews?

It [the original story] sounds like one of those one of those Ingle spun blarney tales, that has a grain of truth to it but the rest is an embellishment.

[Quixall]

I don't dispute that, SKY had footage of it on one of the preview shows, but Jason Matthews?

It [the original story] sounds like one of those one of those Ingle spun blarney tales, that has a grain of truth to it but the rest is an embellishment.

Yeah, there were many of those knocking around

[Counter-puncher]

I hasten to add that I visited Doncaster prison willingly to see this show, I wasn't a resident

[Quixall]

I believe its true.

I attended a few of those events, including one at Doncaster prison, where the entire Ingle stable (including temporary addition Herbie Hide) took on lifers (gloved up) in a boxing ring for a round of boxing. Naz was there too but didn't get in the ring as he had a major fight coming up and couldn't risk injury. The rest did; Jonny Nelson, Ryan Rhodes, Pele Reid, Dean Pithie, Mark Winters, and Jason Matthews. It was convicts, cheering on by fellow convicts, trying to lay one on the pro boxers. None managed it. As entertaining as it was for onlookers, I think it was something the Ingle fighters could do in their sleep

But they are professional fighters Jim, so it should be easy to achieve really !! I bet they could see the other guys punches coming at them in ultra slow motion.

[bripez]

It [the original story] sounds like one of those one of those Ingle spun blarney tales, that has a grain of truth to it but the rest is an embellishment.

This is more like it - like the one where Ingle claimed her first saw Naz from the top deck of a bus. Naz was supposedly about 7 years old being picked on by a bully who couldn't land a punch because Naz was bobbing and weaving (Ingle told this story on TV and Naz later said that he had made it up !).

On a more serious note, I am sure I read that Nelson and his family were taken into protective Police custody a few years ago as they were under the threat of kidnap for ransom by a load of gangsters.

[orbtastic]

That's true, it was in his autobiography and also reported in the press later.

[Quixall]

It [the original story] sounds like one of those one of those Ingle spun blarney tales, that has a grain of truth to it but the rest is an embellishment.

This is more like it - like the one where Ingle claimed her first saw Naz from the top deck of a bus. Naz was supposedly about 7 years old being picked on by a bully who couldn't land a punch because Naz was bobbing and weaving (Ingle told this story on TV and Naz later said that he had made it up !).

On a more serious note, I am sure I read that Nelson and his family were taken into protective Police custody a few years ago as they were under the threat of kidnap for ransom by a load of gangsters.

The version i heard was that it was THREE kids, but it depends on which day of the week you ask Brendan !!

[JimJim2009]

I believe its true.

I attended a few of those events, including one at Doncaster prison, where the entire Ingle stable (including temporary addition Herbie Hide) took on lifers (gloved up) in a boxing ring for a round of boxing. Naz was there too but didn't get in the ring as he had a major fight coming up and couldn't risk injury. The rest did; Jonny Nelson, Ryan Rhodes, Pele Reid, Dean Pithie, Mark Winters, and Jason Matthews. It was convicts, cheering on by fellow convicts, trying to lay one on the pro boxers. None managed it. As entertaining as it was for onlookers, I think it was something the Ingle fighters could do in their sleep

But they are professional fighters Jim, so it should be easy to achieve really !! I bet they could see the other guys punches coming at them in ultra slow motion.

Yep, they made it look easy and could have probably done it for 15 rounds each without getting hit. Herbie Hide was the only one who "bit" - a convict made body contact, not exactly landing a punch, more of a bodycheck or something, and Hide whacked him to the floor instantly !

[DavidPayne]

Naz did go back to Doncaster jail and got it in the ring at a later date.

However, I would have to question the time-line as Doncaster's jail may still have been an airfield at that time.

Can't remember what year it was built?

I lived in Docnaster at the time. It would be close.

[orbtastic]

'94. Moorlands has been open longer.

[twenty six]

What I can confirm is that Johnny, Ryan, Liam Cameron, Mark Willie, and Terry Smedley were at Hatfield Prison on red nose day 2011 doing precisely this.
There is a slight change in the repertoire these days - some inmates are allowed to pound at the lads with body shots.
Their faces are a picture when they don't make a mark.
Revenge was sweet though - the lads are poor at five a side.

[Roco]

There is something in Nelson's autobiography about some Army bloke sending Nelson an abusive letter after the De Leon debacle and then Brenden put a advert in the paper asking for sparring partners for Nelson who I think would be paid £100 a day.

Apparently there was supposed to be loads lined up in the gym waiting for Nelson, and this bloke in Army trousers was at front of the line, Brenden apparently read the letter out to everyone and then Nelson was furious, can't remember if Nelson leathered him but I think the guy ran out of the ring and Nelson chased him out of the gym and then nobody else then wanted to get in the ring with him.

[rob h]

Nothing to do with original post but Nelsons first win was against Chris Little, who was described as ruling Stockport with an Iron Fist.

Proper gangster who was murdered in 1994.

[Quixall]

What I can confirm is that Johnny, Ryan, Liam Cameron, Mark Willie, and Terry Smedley were at Hatfield Prison on red nose day 2011 doing precisely this.
There is a slight change in the repertoire these days - some inmates are allowed to pound at the lads with body shots.
Their faces are a picture when they don't make a mark.
Revenge was sweet though - the lads are poor at five a side.

Terry Smedley ? Is that a relation of Nikki, Twenty ?

[twenty six]

Yes mate, his dad.

[Quixall]

Yes mate, his dad.

Oh, i thought his dad's name was Chris for some reason..................

Does Terry still don the gloves then and let people take a swipe, as in the red nose day ?

[twenty six]

Ignore me mate I'm cracking up.
Shit with names. Of course it's Chris.
You're right.
He came with Liam.
Only Ryan and Liam donned the gloves.
Johnny did the MC ing. He does deliver excellent motivational presentations.
Mark Willie also did some circuits for volunteers and they are real killers.

[Quixall]

Ignore me mate I'm cracking up.
Shit with names. Of course it's Chris.
You're right.
He came with Liam.
Only Ryan and Liam donned the gloves.
Johnny did the MC ing. He does deliver excellent motivational presentations.
Mark Willie also did some circuits for volunteers and they are real killers.

You were perhaps getting mixed up with Kell's dad, Terry lol ??

What do you think to Nikki ? Do you think he can come on this year and go for titles etc ?

[twenty six]

I know that Nicki has talent.
Unquestionable that is having watched him closely in his formative years.
I would love to say yes he's going to get into title contention in 2012 but I couldn't say that with true conviction because I'm not sufficiently in the know.
Chris does post on here so maybe he'll pick up on the thread and let us have an update on future plans etc.

[Datsue]

Seeing the thread title, I thought the "Johnny Nelson Challenge" was to watch more than one of his fights back-to-back without falling asleep. Oh how wrong I was etc etc...