Big Joe Egan book

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 23 Dec 2005, 09:05

An associate of mine worked on this book, I've not actually got a copy as yet, and wondered if anyone here had read it?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 97-9104432

Podmore_Birmingham · Post by **Podmore_Birmingham** » 23 Dec 2005, 09:12

I've read it . Its a good book , a nice insight into his life as well as Tyson's life.

I met Big Joe at a show i covered for britboxing.net the other week in Brum.

A very nice man , he signed my copy of the book. Based in Brum for years now , he loves the city.

Maik Taylor the Blues (spit) keeper , bought a copy signed by Tyson and Egan for £250 at the auction before the fights started.

I reccomend it to anyone who loves boxing.

Tom Podmore.

tonyevs · Post by **tonyevs** » 23 Dec 2005, 10:41

Can`t understand what Joe Egan has to write about apart from the Tyson connection

and as for the title

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 23 Dec 2005, 11:42

What an ignorant comment....

Joe Egan has had a hell of a life, just because he wasn't a successful fighter, doesn't mean his life story isn't interesting.

I mean, who wants to read books which are just about success?

Joe Egan was approached by a number of publishers before, but all they were interested in was the Tyson connection and how they could get information from him about Tyson, who is a close friend of Joe's. Joe told them to fornicate off and they lost out.

tonyevs · Post by **tonyevs** » 23 Dec 2005, 12:37

jamesmcdonnell wrote:What an ignorant comment....

Joe Egan has had a hell of a life, just because he wasn't a successful fighter, doesn't mean his life story isn't interesting.

I mean, who wants to read books which are just about success?

Joe Egan was approached by a number of publishers before, but all they were interested in was the Tyson connection and how they could get information from him about Tyson, who is a close friend of Joe's. Joe told them to fornicate off and they lost out.

I take it your friends with him then:lol:

The book IS sold primarily on Tyson, where do you think he even got the title from?

Who is on the front of the book?

And who is advertised as giving the foreword?

I am not saying he hasn’t had a hell of a life, but isn’t it aimed at the boxing fraternity

, and Big Joe himself had very, very little fights and an even smaller amount of success.

You say he told publishers to fornicate-off when all they were interested in was the Tyson connection, so now who is being ignorant.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 23 Dec 2005, 12:40

Incorrect, the book isn't actually aimed at the boxing market per se.

Tyson is friends with Joe and offered to write the forward when he heard that he was doing the story of his life.

Of course you are going to use publicity in the form of Tyson to sell a book, you'd be fornicating insane not to!

I'm not a mate of Joe Egans at all, never met the man, I am however friends with the guy who helped bring the book together, and also know Cass Pennant who published the book.

Your point was basically to say that Joe Egans story couldn't be worth reading, because he did fornicate all in the ring. However, the guy has a very colourful story to tell, which is connected with, but not about boxing.

tonyevs · Post by **tonyevs** » 23 Dec 2005, 13:09

My first post merely asked apart from Tyson, what has Joe Egan done to justify a book on his life?

And the title seems very over the top, bordering on the arrogant .

Is that being ignorant?

But if its not aimed at the boxing market then who is it aimed at, who else would have even heard of Big Joe?

What has Joe done then? Where is the story?

Is pisses me off when people bring out autobiographies in their early twenties or when they have done little more than the average person.

Just because he had a connection with Tyson and the Irish fella who dances about a bit, just because he is on the celebrity(don’t know how)after-dinner speaking thing don’t make his book justified.

Good luck to your friend who helped write the book for him, but maybe your friend should have looked towards somebody like Peter Buckley/Nobby Nobbs who will have a much better story to tell.

celticwarrior · Post by **celticwarrior** » 23 Dec 2005, 16:01

tonyevs wrote:My first post merely asked apart from Tyson, what has Joe Egan done to justify a book on his life?

And the title seems very over the top, bordering on the arrogant .

Is that being ignorant?

But if its not aimed at the boxing market then who is it aimed at, who else would have even heard of Big Joe?

What has Joe done then? Where is the story?

Is pisses me off when people bring out autobiographies in their early twenties or when they have done little more than the average person.

Just because he had a connection with Tyson and the Irish fella who dances about a bit, just because he is on the celebrity(don’t know how)after-dinner speaking thing don’t make his book justified.

Good luck to your friend who helped write the book for him, but maybe your friend should have looked towards somebody like Peter Buckley/Nobby Nobbs who will have a much better story to tell.

Surely if Egan wants to write a book that's his right, no one would stop you wtiting a book if you wanted to.

He has as James said a good story which basically breaks down as - was a decent amateur, gave Lewis a decent fight and beat Bruce Seldon. Spent time sparring Tyson in the catskills and then went on to become a sparring parner with a lot of future Tyson opponents. Didn't make much of a go of his own career and got involved in a bit of bother in Birmingham and ended up inside for a bit.

Obviously he's used the Tyson angle for publicity, who wouldn't have, Glenn McCrory practically landed his job with Sky from his days as a Tyson sparring partner.

Anyway theres an audio interview with Joe here, he comes across as a pretty decent and humble enough guy.

http://www.irish-boxing.com/audio/Joe_Egan_Dec05.mp3

tonyevs · Post by **tonyevs** » 23 Dec 2005, 18:48

celticwarrior wrote:
tonyevs wrote:My first post merely asked apart from Tyson, what has Joe Egan done to justify a book on his life?

And the title seems very over the top, bordering on the arrogant .

Is that being ignorant?

But if its not aimed at the boxing market then who is it aimed at, who else would have even heard of Big Joe?

What has Joe done then? Where is the story?

Is pisses me off when people bring out autobiographies in their early twenties or when they have done little more than the average person.

Just because he had a connection with Tyson and the Irish fella who dances about a bit, just because he is on the celebrity(don’t know how)after-dinner speaking thing don’t make his book justified.

Good luck to your friend who helped write the book for him, but maybe your friend should have looked towards somebody like Peter Buckley/Nobby Nobbs who will have a much better story to tell.
Surely if Egan wants to write a book that's his right, no one would stop you wtiting a book if you wanted to.

Glenn McCrory practically landed his job with Sky from his days as a Tyson sparring partner.

If your not old enough to remember maybe you could ask an adult

but Glenn McCrory was a world champion....and knows enough about boxing to be respected....Oh yes and he fought Lennox Lewis

celticwarrior · Post by **celticwarrior** » 23 Dec 2005, 21:42

McCrory might have been world champ but he was brought on board by Sky mainly becuase they were buying the rights to Tyson's fight and McCrory had been a sparring parther of his.

Watch any build up to a Tyson fight early and mid 90's and it's all "here's the man who knows Tyson as well as anyone having sparred regularly with him"

Egan also fought Lennox Lewis (albeit in the amateurs) and lasted longer than Glenn

If you're not old enough to remember you can always check out Glenn's record on BoxRec or ask an adult.

tonyevs · Post by **tonyevs** » 24 Dec 2005, 06:34

And I`m sure YOU believe every word

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 24 Dec 2005, 06:44

I don't think Glenn was brought on board because of his association with Tyson. It is more likely because he was a farily big star (live prime time on national TV), could talk in interviews and is a good looking/presentable chap.

celticwarrior · Post by **celticwarrior** » 24 Dec 2005, 09:25

tonyevs wrote: And I`m sure YOU believe every word

It's a fact Egan lost on points to Lewis in the amateurs while McCrory was KO'd in 2 as a pro. What's not to believe?

And by the way I have nothing for Egan or against McCrory, neither have I bought the book, only reason I posted was to counter you're ridiculous argument that Egan had no right to write a book!

J · Post by J » 28 Dec 2005, 05:56

jamesmcdonnell wrote: I am however friends with the guy who helped bring the book together, and also know Cass Pennant who published the book.

didnt know you knew Cass where did you meet him? Suppose he is mates with big Frank and loves his boxing.
only ask as one of my mates at work is mates with him from his hammers days

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 28 Dec 2005, 08:44

Cass is mates with a mate of mine's dad, I met him last year at a do he had.

J · Post by J » 28 Dec 2005, 08:46

dont fornicate him off that for sure

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 28 Dec 2005, 09:04

Funnily enough he doesn't look like the sort of bloke you'd flick peanuts at.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 28 Dec 2005, 09:19

jamesmcdonnell wrote:Cass Pennant

Cass is a friend (bodygaurd?) of Frank Brunos I believe?

Sorry if this is a silly question but does Cass Pennant have any Boxing experience?

J · Post by J » 28 Dec 2005, 09:25

ONLY AT WEST HAM AWAY GAMES.

He also did secuirity at boxing matches for some time accoridng to his biogrpahy.

good read if somehat light hearted look at his opwn life.

"Cass" i believe its called. Enjoyable read.

Loved the stroy where he was getting some greif off DFS or smilar over returning some sofas.

Did he get violent. No. He super glued his hand to the counter until they agreed to take the sofas back they had to get the fire brigade in etc etc.

class Cass

.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 28 Dec 2005, 09:46

Don't know him that well, but on the occasions I met him he seemed a really nice bloke. A right live wire he is.

That's a funny story, I've not read his book, must have a look at it.

J · Post by J » 28 Dec 2005, 09:49

yip thats the way he comes accross in his book, a genuine nice bloke but dont get on the wrong side.....

knockout · Post by **knockout** » 28 Dec 2005, 13:21

Cass is a nice guy, I know him cause he is very friendly with the Peacock boys and was always at their shows etc...
Him and Frank Bruno are good buddies... go back a long way

J · Post by J » 29 Dec 2005, 05:12

yip according to the book they met on a platform of a railwaiy station back in the early 80's some incident involving some skinheads I recall they helped each other out, wasnt until later they became mates when Cass was asked to do some secuirity for a bruno show (i forget which one) by Terry lawless and then Cass recognised Frank.

you shoudl read the book its got plenty of boxing content in it.

and its a light read for the majority of the book.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 29 Dec 2005, 07:32

Bruno was about to get attacked by four skinheads when Cass leapt to his defence.

Cass was also the man Frank called on when he was holed up in his house just before he was sectioned, as he said he knew that Cass was one of the few people who wouldn't be scared of him.

Dirk Kelly · Post by **Dirk Kelly** » 16 May 2007, 06:41

Going back to Joe Egan's book. I've just read it and enjoyed it, however one thing that bugs me is his detail of the fight outside his Birmingham pub. He describes it as a kind of racist stand off with people getting shot, throats slit, limbs being chopped off, blood everywhere.

If this is even partly true, did it make the papers, national news as it seems very serious and I don't remember hearing about it. Does any posters from the Birmingham area remember this? Think it was in the early 90's, or was it 1% fact 99% fiction?