I think it was a Nigerian thing but Akinwande had already enraged the amateur boxing community when he refused to wear his Lynn colours into the ring, instead opting for an England vest. It was the first time in the long history of the Lynn club that any of their boxers had ever done that.
P.S. Were you one of those who kicked off after Henry was slung out?
I was on the coaches, gave it some gob, but was only 13. The lads Henry’s age were a rough crowd. I thought the arena was going to go up.
Wharton was lost to the amateurs at that point. OK, he shouldn't have thrown the punch to the stomach after the bell to end the first round but it was a nothing punch and Gloucester southpaw Seymour Johnson had goaded him (and then pretended to be hurt by the punch). Referee Dave McCann waited for the start of the second round to throw out Wharton. The timing was cruel and McCann applied the letter of the law but a public warning would have been fairer.
I remember it well. Very harsh. It was more of a tap to say “I’ll get you next round”. Duff approached Henry’s uncle Eddie during the trouble and asked him to calm people down. When he did, Duff invited them to Wardour Street and offered them a signing on fee, which is something Duff rarely did.
He signed at The Savoy. A couple of years ago, Henry had some lads in the Haringey Cup and a few hours to kill, so him and his best mate and former pro Ron Hopley went to The Savoy and Wardour Street for old times sake.
mickey1975 wrote: ↑26 Jan 2021, 16:28
I was on the coaches, gave it some gob, but was only 13. The lads Henry’s age were a rough crowd. I thought the arena was going to go up.
Wharton was lost to the amateurs at that point. OK, he shouldn't have thrown the punch to the stomach after the bell to end the first round but it was a nothing punch and Gloucester southpaw Seymour Johnson had goaded him (and then pretended to be hurt by the punch). Referee Dave McCann waited for the start of the second round to throw out Wharton. The timing was cruel and McCann applied the letter of the law but a public warning would have been fairer.
I remember it well. Very harsh. It was more of a tap to say “I’ll get you next round”. Duff approached Henry’s uncle Eddie during the trouble and asked him to calm people down. When he did, Duff invited them to Wardour Street and offered them a signing on fee, which is something Duff rarely did.
He signed at The Savoy. A couple of years ago, Henry had some lads in the Haringey Cup and a few hours to kill, so him and his best mate and former pro Ron Hopley went to The Savoy and Wardour Street for old times sake.
Boxing News was based in Wardour Street back in the day. Duff did a good job with Wharton.
Wharton was lost to the amateurs at that point. OK, he shouldn't have thrown the punch to the stomach after the bell to end the first round but it was a nothing punch and Gloucester southpaw Seymour Johnson had goaded him (and then pretended to be hurt by the punch). Referee Dave McCann waited for the start of the second round to throw out Wharton. The timing was cruel and McCann applied the letter of the law but a public warning would have been fairer.
I remember it well. Very harsh. It was more of a tap to say “I’ll get you next round”. Duff approached Henry’s uncle Eddie during the trouble and asked him to calm people down. When he did, Duff invited them to Wardour Street and offered them a signing on fee, which is something Duff rarely did.
He signed at The Savoy. A couple of years ago, Henry had some lads in the Haringey Cup and a few hours to kill, so him and his best mate and former pro Ron Hopley went to The Savoy and Wardour Street for old times sake.
Boxing News was based in Wardour Street back in the day. Duff did a good job with Wharton.
I’m going from memory, probably wrong. Henry speaks highly of Duff. One of the few boxers to go to his funeral at very short notice.
I can still see Mickey whipping up the huge Elland Road crowd when Wharton was struggling against Fidel Castro Smith. The crowd responded and Wharton ultimately bagged a close decision. Brilliant management from Duff.
bennie wrote: ↑28 Jan 2021, 06:13
I can still see Mickey whipping up the huge Elland Road crowd when Wharton was struggling against Fidel Castro Smith. The crowd responded and Wharton ultimately bagged a close decision. Brilliant management from Duff.
I thought Smith won that one, but you reminded me of Duff getting the crowd going
IMO Larry O'Connell had an off night with his scoring. Wharton was always going to come again if the decision had gone against him, but for O'Toole it was a damaging result, who was a capable boxer.
Smith got the same treatment when he took on James Cook for the vacant British title in 1993. Duff whipped up the crowd with the fight up for grabs and Cook got home by half a point.
I remember Crawford getting chinned early in his career by Warrington's Blaine Logsdon and I never expected him to develop into such an outstanding fighter but Logsdon was undoubtedly dangerous. I notice that Logsdon died in Spain in 2004, which was news to me.
bennie wrote: ↑05 Feb 2021, 02:06
I remember Crawford getting chinned early in his career by Warrington's Blaine Logsdon and I never expected him to develop into such an outstanding fighter but Logsdon was undoubtedly dangerous. I notice that Logsdon died in Spain in 2004, which was news to me.
He ran a gang of timeshare touts out there. He would fine them a weeks wages for being late, even if it was a minute. The touts were scared of him.
bennie wrote: ↑05 Feb 2021, 02:06
I remember Crawford getting chinned early in his career by Warrington's Blaine Logsdon and I never expected him to develop into such an outstanding fighter but Logsdon was undoubtedly dangerous. I notice that Logsdon died in Spain in 2004, which was news to me.
He ran a gang of timeshare touts out there. He would fine them a weeks wages for being late, even if it was a minute. The touts were scared of him.
Yeah, I remember that Reggie Kray mentioned him in a couple of his books. He and Reggie shared a common bond: boxing and prison.
For me Crawford should be mentioned when we talk about best british fighters never to have won a world title. He had a pretty devasting run of form between the VIrgil Hill and Ole Klemesten fights. Yes not the best opponents but he was really looking the business there.
