Has anyone ever produced a biography of Johnnys life ?
My girlfriends starting teaching English (in welsh schools) and they're encouraged to read a certain degree of welsh based literature to the kids. She's looking at reading the biography of Freddy Welsh to them, just wondering if Johnny had a biography?
Owain....
There is an OFFICIAL biography coming out next year, around April/May about Johnny's life. It contains several chapters on Pintor's life too; so is more like 2 biographies in one book. Entitled ‘The Big If’.
I've read the book, and obviously I am biased, but do believe that it is an excellent book, full of accurate detail straight from the family. In fact I proof read the book. It contains many intimate details and previously unpublished photo's etc.
Don't bother with the Jeff Murphy book that the above link points to. It is not very good and is an UNofficial biography because the family withdrew all involvement with it as the 'author' was not consistent in his dealings with us.
Indeed, the Jeff Murphy book does NOT have any copyright permission whatsoever and as such he has had to rely on details that were already in the public domain i.e. details that everyone has read about before anyway.
As for the line "Written in conjunction with his father, his family and his manager, Johnny Owen is the first biography of a unique, popular and brave boxer" we have asked the author and the publishers to remove this line as it is wholly inaccurate and may result in action being taken if it is not removed. The author has also included a line in the book thanking me for my help, when all I ever did was deny him copyright permission and try to stop/delay the book from ever coming out. Says something about the man!
The forthcoming OFFICIAL biography - THE BIG IF - is advertised thus:
The Big If is the story of how 2 boxersgrew up thousands of miles apart and came together for one apocalyptic night that would have seismic consequences for everyone who knew them. Johnny Owen (The Matchstick Man from Wales) and Lupe Pintor (El Indio from Mexico) met for less than sixty minutes on Sept 19 1980. It was Owen’s chance to become the World Bantamweight Champion, but The Matchstick Man was knocked out in the 12th round. He spent 46 days in a coma before he died.
The parallel lives of Owen and Pintor form the heart of an incredible story. Johnny had a hard but loving childhood as he shared a three-bedroom council house in Merthyr Tydfil with his seven siblings. Pintor was beaten by his father as a boy and ran away fro home at the age of eight. For a while he lived on the mean streets of Mexico City, selling ice to pay for scraps of food. When older boys began to pick on him and steal his wares he learnt to use his fists.
Extensive interviews with the Owen and Pintor families have resulted in a moving, visceral book with enormous appeal beyond the boxing ring. Despite its running theme of loss The Big If is ultimately an uplifting story of forgiveness and how the human spirit can overcome the most terrible tragedy.
Hope this helps and thanks for your interest, it really is appreciated.
Thanks to Kevin also, who I know is a big fan of Johnny's.
I've read the book, and obviously I am biased, but do believe that it is an excellent book, full of accurate detail straight from the family. In fact I proof read the book. It contains many intimate details and previously unpublished photo's etc.
Don't bother with the Jeff Murphy book that the above link points to. It is not very good and is an UNofficial biography because the family withdrew all involvement with it as the 'author' was not consistent in his dealings with us.
Indeed, the Jeff Murphy book does NOT have any copyright permission whatsoever and as such he has had to rely on details that were already in the public domain i.e. details that everyone has read about before anyway.
As for the line "Written in conjunction with his father, his family and his manager, Johnny Owen is the first biography of a unique, popular and brave boxer" we have asked the author and the publishers to remove this line as it is wholly inaccurate and may result in action being taken if it is not removed. The author has also included a line in the book thanking me for my help, when all I ever did was deny him copyright permission and try to stop/delay the book from ever coming out. Says something about the man!
The forthcoming OFFICIAL biography - THE BIG IF - is advertised thus:
The Big If is the story of how 2 boxersgrew up thousands of miles apart and came together for one apocalyptic night that would have seismic consequences for everyone who knew them. Johnny Owen (The Matchstick Man from Wales) and Lupe Pintor (El Indio from Mexico) met for less than sixty minutes on Sept 19 1980. It was Owen’s chance to become the World Bantamweight Champion, but The Matchstick Man was knocked out in the 12th round. He spent 46 days in a coma before he died.
The parallel lives of Owen and Pintor form the heart of an incredible story. Johnny had a hard but loving childhood as he shared a three-bedroom council house in Merthyr Tydfil with his seven siblings. Pintor was beaten by his father as a boy and ran away fro home at the age of eight. For a while he lived on the mean streets of Mexico City, selling ice to pay for scraps of food. When older boys began to pick on him and steal his wares he learnt to use his fists.
Extensive interviews with the Owen and Pintor families have resulted in a moving, visceral book with enormous appeal beyond the boxing ring. Despite its running theme of loss The Big If is ultimately an uplifting story of forgiveness and how the human spirit can overcome the most terrible tragedy.
Hope this helps and thanks for your interest, it really is appreciated.
Thanks to Kevin also, who I know is a big fan of Johnny's.
Last edited by Owain on 09 Nov 2005, 13:20, edited 1 time in total.
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kevin
- Heavyweight
The Big If.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 02-6423833
I will add it to my 'must get list'
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 02-6423833
I will add it to my 'must get list'
Thanks Kevin, I had thought that you wouldn't have forgotten that last Friday was the 25th 'anniversary'. Last year you did a piece on Johnny on the 4th November and I got a bit shirty about you quoting directly from my website. Please accept my public apology. Although obviously I would prefer that the source of the text is quoted, in retrospect I should have just appreciated that you remembered John and took the time to write and feature a piece on your website about him. As always, myself and the family really do appreciate those who remember John so fondly.Kevin wrote:Hi Owain,
Thanks for clearing that one up.
Yes you are right I am a massive Johnny Owen fan and I look forward to the book next year.
My thoughts were with him and his family last Friday.
Kev
Cheers, JoeKOJOE90 wrote:The Big If.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 02-6423833
I will add it to my 'must get list'
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MightyWarrior
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 13284
- Joined: 23 Jan 2003, 14:01
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kevin
- Heavyweight
You're right that there are not many of John's fights about. Unfortunately, the Pintor fight is the one that most people remember John for - but there was so much more to him than just one fight.MightyWarrior wrote:I'll buy the official book when it comes out. I've never seen Johnny fight, but read loads about him. He was just before the age of the VCR, so there's not many of his fights about. Though I think the Pintor fight is, but that's not a fight I'd want to watch.
I've got the Commonwealth title fight against Paul Ferreri (full fight) in QuickTime format and the British title defence against Wayne Evans (couple of rounds missing) in AVI format. If anyone wants these fights, on CD, just PM me your address and I'll send them to you.
Last edited by Owain on 09 Nov 2005, 13:53, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Owain....
It's such a shame that the book isn't out now as being such a fierce Welsh patriot I know that John would have been thrilled to know a book about himself was being read to youngsters in a Welsh school. Thanks for the thought.Wales wrote:Has anyone ever produced a biography of Johnnys life ?
My girlfriends starting teaching English (in welsh schools) and they're encouraged to read a certain degree of welsh based literature to the kids. She's looking at reading the biography of Freddy Welsh to them, just wondering if Johnny had a biography?
MightyWarrior PM me your address and I'll send it asap.
Owain,
My girlfriend is currently undertaking her teachers trainnig in welsh language schools (teaching english) and would only have used a section of a piece to work from as she has only 6months in each school (until next may).
She has however expressed an interest in reading the book in class when she starts full time in 10 or so months, she agreed that Johnnys story contained far more "welsh interest" than Freddy Welsh's story, she also believes it would be a good book to "keep the lads interested" - I'll let you know if it comes into fruition.
My girlfriend is currently undertaking her teachers trainnig in welsh language schools (teaching english) and would only have used a section of a piece to work from as she has only 6months in each school (until next may).
She has however expressed an interest in reading the book in class when she starts full time in 10 or so months, she agreed that Johnnys story contained far more "welsh interest" than Freddy Welsh's story, she also believes it would be a good book to "keep the lads interested" - I'll let you know if it comes into fruition.
Wales wrote:Owain,
My girlfriend is currently undertaking her teachers trainnig in welsh language schools (teaching english) and would only have used a section of a piece to work from as she has only 6months in each school (until next may).
She has however expressed an interest in reading the book in class when she starts full time in 10 or so months, she agreed that Johnnys story contained far more "welsh interest" than Freddy Welsh's story, she also believes it would be a good book to "keep the lads interested" - I'll let you know if it comes into fruition.
and good luck to your girlfriend with the teacher training.