Mickey Duff - RIP

[Mimmy]

I am going to buy his book 'Twenty and Out' could be a good read.......

ill search this book out in my attic and put it up as a quick quiz prize

[spudder56]

I am going to buy his book 'Twenty and Out' could be a good read.......

It's a cracking book mate

[SaadOffTheDeck]

He was quite a character. Though I must admit he always grated me with his actions during Hagler/Mugabi. John's guts were all over that ring and he was berating him in the corner like a lazy dog.

[Final round]

He had Alzheimer's in the 80's and he lived up to now? He must have been in a very poor state for a long while. Sad.

[gobbles]

He had Alzheimer's in the 80's and he lived up to now? He must have been in a very poor state for a long while. Sad.

He has Alzheimer's in his 80s, not in the 80s. He was still promoting Billy Schwer at the start of the century.

[Final round]

He had Alzheimer's in the 80's and he lived up to now? He must have been in a very poor state for a long while. Sad.

He has Alzheimer's in his 80s, not in the 80s. He was still promoting Billy Schwer at the start of the century.

oh ok i just saw Benny's post 'By the late 1980s Mickey was showing the early signs of Alzheimer’s, his memory slipping..''

[gasman]

Remember Duff in Mugabi's corner v Hagler?

"Listen to the Father John, listen to the Father"

A boxing man through and through.

RIP

That was an interesting training camp that Mugabi had in Arizona before the Hagler fight. George Francis wrote in his book that he credits Mugabi for when he 'found God' during that camp and ended up getting baptised in Arizona with Mugabi as one of his witnesses.

I read a good anecdote that George Francis shares about Duff when one of Francis fighters got robbed of a decision for a title and Francis fumed to Duff about it. Duff sat Francis down and explained the business of boxing and reminded him that the only thing that his fighter brought to the hall that night was his bag (i.e. reference to being a non-ticket seller) and he quipped to Francis, anyway "you can't have all of the champions".

Francis got a form of revenge a few years later when one of his unheralded Zambian boxers, Lottie Mwale, who was largely unknown at the time, was being matched with Duff's fighter - Tony Sibson. Although Francis was not particularly proud of this episode, he also remembered what Duff had said to him years earlier 'you can't have all the champions' and assured Duff's matchmaker that Lottie would be a good 'opponent' i.e. no danger... - knowing full well that his fighter was too strong for Sibson. Sibson got stopped in the first round.

RIP Mickey Duff.

PS. look forward to reading your article on Duff, Graham.

[BOXINGBARMY1]

Very sad news. I'm 36 and can remember all those great nights on Sportsnight from the albert hall and wembley arena.
I met Mickey in 1996 when i went to see Robert McCracken in Birmingham. Mickey arrived in a Jag that must have cost 80 grand and his suit was hand made.
He looked like a rich old gentleman and took time to speak to me on a very busy night for him. I will always remember that fondly.

Can also remember going down to his office in Wardour St, National House it was called in the middle of Soho. The phone never stopped ringing and here was the countries' top promoter giving me old boxing programmes and magazines, making me feel like the number one person in the world.

What's also very sad is that a golden era for boxing is gone now forever with the passing of Dennie Mancini, Frank Black, Terry Lawless and now Mickey Duff.

[misterpunch]

how right you are - RIP mickey - we'll salute you at the next LEBA

[jameswilson]

RIP.

[physioneil]

Sad news, major influence on the game when I was growing up. His book 20 and Out is a very good read.

RIP Mickey

[Boxingnut]

RIP Mickey

Truly one of a kind. I remember reading in The Ring that during the Duran - Laing fight in between one of the rounds, Mickey exhorted to Kirkland, "Come on, he's a fornicating old man!!"

[Sklar]

Very sad news. I'm 36 and can remember all those great nights on Sportsnight from the albert hall and wembley arena.
I met Mickey in 1996 when i went to see Robert McCracken in Birmingham. Mickey arrived in a Jag that must have cost 80 grand and his suit was hand made.
He looked like a rich old gentleman and took time to speak to me on a very busy night for him. I will always remember that fondly.

Can also remember going down to his office in Wardour St, National House it was called in the middle of Soho. The phone never stopped ringing and here was the countries' top promoter giving me old boxing programmes and magazines, making me feel like the number one person in the world.

What's also very sad is that a golden era for boxing is gone now forever with the passing of Dennie Mancini, Frank Black, Terry Lawless and now Mickey Duff.

Jarvis Astaire is still with us, so they're not all gone, but I definitely agree with the sentiment.

[jab1]

rest in peace mickey duff great matchmaker

[bigjack]

Remember Duff in Mugabi's corner v Hagler?

"Listen to the Father John, listen to the Father"

A boxing man through and through.

RIP

That's what i was going to say,the Hagler v Mugabi fight is my greatest memory of Mickey,RIP

[bennie]

Kirk actually beat the monstrous Duran in Detroit as opposed to Las Vegas, as I mentioned. I always have a blind spot with that one.

[Techno89]

RIP Mickey

[Rockytony67]

I thought Duke McKenzie gave a very good interview to Steve Bunce last night on his Boxing hour about Mickey Duff.

[deadpan]

Yes he did. Impressed that he visited him a lot. I wonder how many other fighters did.

[mickey1975]

Yes he did. Impressed that he visited him a lot. I wonder how many other fighters did.

I know Henry Wharton went to the funeral today on less than 24 hours notice and did a great piece in the local paper on the influence Duff had on his life.

[palooka]

Henry Wharton comes across as a really decent fellow.

[palooka]

Henry Wharton comes across as a really decent fellow.

[gasman]

Just watched Ringside and I have to say they did an excellent tribute to Duff. Ironic that Sky do a nice tribute to Duff, but the channel that was a platform for the best part of 30 years, has not seen fit to do a documentary on the Duff. Bunce Boxing Hour also had a great interview with Duke McKenzie, about Duff, very emotional and heartfelt account from McKenzie. There is an enormous amount of footage, I would love to see a good two hour documentary on Duff's career, even if it was a DVD release, I would buy it.

[mickey1975]

Just watched Ringside and I have to say they did an excellent tribute to Duff. Ironic that Sky do a nice tribute to Duff, but the channel that was a platform for the best part of 30 years, has not seen fit to do a documentary on the Duff. Bunce Boxing Hour also had a great interview with Duke McKenzie, about Duff, very emotional and heartfelt account from McKenzie. There is an enormous amount of footage, I would love to see a good two hour documentary on Duff's career, even if it was a DVD release, I would buy it.

Probably because Duff was pro bbc and all his footage will be copyrighted by them. The boxers named on Ringside at the funeral were thin on the ground. Henry was caught on the hop by Jewish traditions but still made it. There is no excuse for the London lot.

[Des1]

Two sayings of Mickey that always stood out to me:

"If you want loyalty, get a dog." (Everyone knows that one.)

"When in doubt -- jab."

On John Conteh's tendency to wait for the perfect opening: "He waits until he sees the whites of their eyes."

Grim humour -- On what would have happened had the Nazis won the war. "I'd have ended up as a bar of soap."

To which Terry Lawless retorted: "Yes, but you'd have led a clean life."

Grim humour part II: When Mickey was losing his memory as Alzheimer's took an ever-firmer grip: "The doctor prescribed pills that really help -- if only I could remember where I put them"

Very nice tribute by Bennie. I have many anecdotes of Mickey Duff and will discuss a tribute feature with Glyn for the next Boxing Monthly (after the current issue, this one is in the final stages of production).

Mickey was quite simply the greatest boxing mind that ever lived, IMO.

RIP.

Another one he'd say was "Move your head, or someone will move it for you...."