Old man'd

[bennie]

Neil Malpass could have been special with the right backing. He was managed by George Biddles who was real old school and valued his independence and his relationship with Mickey Duff, the only promoter with whom the BBC dealt, was different generation and always strained. Nevertheless, after Neil flattened Danny McAlinden in three rounds in 1977, he was in demand and Duff offered him a TV fight with the blubbery, balding Kris Smith, who I had once seen thrown out for repeated butting against Ishaq Hussein at Manor Place Baths in Walworth. Smith was a headcase and he tried to break Neil's jaw with a disgusting upwards butt in the first round of their fight at the Albert Hall; Neil responded magnificently by dropping Smith for the full count with a brutal right hand. (The last time I saw Smith he was cross-eyed and wearing a wig.)
All of a sudden, Neil was was the new heavyweight hope in this country at 22 years of age and Boxing News couldn't write enough about him. Duff invited Biddles and Malpass down to his office in Wardour Street in London and offered them a deal whereby Neil would fight exclusively on his shows and all the fights would be televised. His first fight would be at Wembley in November 1977 against Birmingham's gutsy but light-hitting Terry O'Connor, a man Malpass would have destroyed. It seemed a good deal but Biddles insisted that he was Neil's manager and as such he would decide where, when and against whom Neil would fight. That was George Biddles, but Duff still agreed to use Neil on the night at Wembley. However, come the night it was not O'Connor in the opposite corner but the ghastly Tommy Kiely. a giant, gangling southpaw who once started a riot at the Elephant and Castle Leisure Centre in Walworth when he lost to Billy Aird after eight stinking rounds and refused to accept the decision. He could make Joe Frazier look bad. Duff had pulled a fast one but can you really blame him? Neil was outscored over eight horrendous rounds, which the BBC didn't touch and Boxing News absolutely slated, and his bubble was well and truly burst.

[Cyclops]

Neil Malpass could have been special with the right backing. He was managed by George Biddles who was real old school and valued his independence and his relationship with Mickey Duff, the only promoter with whom the BBC dealt, was different generation and always strained. Nevertheless, after Neil flattened Danny McAlinden in three rounds in 1977, he was in demand and Duff offered him a TV fight with the blubbery, balding Kris Smith, who I had once seen thrown out for repeated butting against Ishaq Hussein at Manor Place Baths in Walworth. Smith was a headcase and he tried to break Neil's jaw with a disgusting upwards butt in the first round of their fight at the Albert Hall; Neil responded magnificently by dropping Smith for the full count with a brutal right hand. (The last time I saw Smith he was cross-eyed and wearing a wig.)
All of a sudden, Neil was was the new heavyweight hope in this country at 22 years of age and Boxing News couldn't write enough about him. Duff invited Biddles and Malpass down to his office in Wardour Street in London and offered them a deal whereby Neil would fight exclusively on his shows and all the fights would be televised. His first fight would be at Wembley in November 1977 against Birmingham's gutsy but light-hitting Terry O'Connor, a man Malpass would have destroyed. It seemed a good deal but Biddles insisted that he was Neil's manager and as such he would decide where, when and against whom Neil would fight. That was George Biddles, but Duff still agreed to use Neil on the night at Wembley. However, come the night it was not O'Connor in the opposite corner but the ghastly Tommy Kiely. a giant, gangling southpaw who once started a riot at the Elephant and Castle Leisure Centre in Walworth when he lost to Billy Aird after eight stinking rounds and refused to accept the decision. He could make Joe Frazier look bad. Duff had pulled a fast one but can you really blame him? Neil was outscored over eight horrendous rounds, which the BBC didn't touch and Boxing News absolutely slated, and his bubble was well and truly burst.

Interesting stuff, mate!

[IRL25]

Sonny Williams got a sizeable reality check and I don't think he ever fought again despite starting to get a reasonable amount of hype down under. Although checking his record he did get a UD in a 8 rounder two years after Botha. He's not fought since 2015.

Maybe because SBW went to the Rio Olympics, did his Achilles in the first All Blacks game, came back played in the Lions series and got sent off for a nasty hit on Anthony Watson and then joined Toronto Wolfpack.

[My T Sharp]

Good thread this

[DrDuke]

Dubois gets in?

[Martin_7606]

Neil Malpass could have been special with the right backing. He was managed by George Biddles who was real old school and valued his independence and his relationship with Mickey Duff, the only promoter with whom the BBC dealt, was different generation and always strained. Nevertheless, after Neil flattened Danny McAlinden in three rounds in 1977, he was in demand and Duff offered him a TV fight with the blubbery, balding Kris Smith, who I had once seen thrown out for repeated butting against Ishaq Hussein at Manor Place Baths in Walworth. Smith was a headcase and he tried to break Neil's jaw with a disgusting upwards butt in the first round of their fight at the Albert Hall; Neil responded magnificently by dropping Smith for the full count with a brutal right hand. (The last time I saw Smith he was cross-eyed and wearing a wig.)
All of a sudden, Neil was was the new heavyweight hope in this country at 22 years of age and Boxing News couldn't write enough about him. Duff invited Biddles and Malpass down to his office in Wardour Street in London and offered them a deal whereby Neil would fight exclusively on his shows and all the fights would be televised. His first fight would be at Wembley in November 1977 against Birmingham's gutsy but light-hitting Terry O'Connor, a man Malpass would have destroyed. It seemed a good deal but Biddles insisted that he was Neil's manager and as such he would decide where, when and against whom Neil would fight. That was George Biddles, but Duff still agreed to use Neil on the night at Wembley. However, come the night it was not O'Connor in the opposite corner but the ghastly Tommy Kiely. a giant, gangling southpaw who once started a riot at the Elephant and Castle Leisure Centre in Walworth when he lost to Billy Aird after eight stinking rounds and refused to accept the decision. He could make Joe Frazier look bad. Duff had pulled a fast one but can you really blame him? Neil was outscored over eight horrendous rounds, which the BBC didn't touch and Boxing News absolutely slated, and his bubble was well and truly burst.

Great post- whatever happened to Kris Smith?

[Coco]

Neil Malpass could have been special with the right backing. He was managed by George Biddles who was real old school and valued his independence and his relationship with Mickey Duff, the only promoter with whom the BBC dealt, was different generation and always strained. Nevertheless, after Neil flattened Danny McAlinden in three rounds in 1977, he was in demand and Duff offered him a TV fight with the blubbery, balding Kris Smith, who I had once seen thrown out for repeated butting against Ishaq Hussein at Manor Place Baths in Walworth. Smith was a headcase and he tried to break Neil's jaw with a disgusting upwards butt in the first round of their fight at the Albert Hall; Neil responded magnificently by dropping Smith for the full count with a brutal right hand. (The last time I saw Smith he was cross-eyed and wearing a wig.)
All of a sudden, Neil was was the new heavyweight hope in this country at 22 years of age and Boxing News couldn't write enough about him. Duff invited Biddles and Malpass down to his office in Wardour Street in London and offered them a deal whereby Neil would fight exclusively on his shows and all the fights would be televised. His first fight would be at Wembley in November 1977 against Birmingham's gutsy but light-hitting Terry O'Connor, a man Malpass would have destroyed. It seemed a good deal but Biddles insisted that he was Neil's manager and as such he would decide where, when and against whom Neil would fight. That was George Biddles, but Duff still agreed to use Neil on the night at Wembley. However, come the night it was not O'Connor in the opposite corner but the ghastly Tommy Kiely. a giant, gangling southpaw who once started a riot at the Elephant and Castle Leisure Centre in Walworth when he lost to Billy Aird after eight stinking rounds and refused to accept the decision. He could make Joe Frazier look bad. Duff had pulled a fast one but can you really blame him? Neil was outscored over eight horrendous rounds, which the BBC didn't touch and Boxing News absolutely slated, and his bubble was well and truly burst.