What happened to Dennis Andries?

[Controversial]

You never seem to hear about Dennis Andries, I don't recall seeing any interviews with him since hanging up his gloves in 1996, he just seemed to disappear. Anyone know what he's up to these days, is he still involved in boxing or just happy to be out of the game and limelight?

[mickey1975]

You never seem to hear about Dennis Andries, I don't recall seeing any interviews with him since hanging up his gloves in 1996, he just seemed to disappear. Anyone know what he's up to these days, is he still involved in boxing or just happy to be out of the game and limelight?

I saw him at the York Hall in the late 90's. He was wearing a pair of dungarees and looked as sold as f uck. He looked like if you hit him, he wouldn't even blink.

[Controversial]

You never seem to hear about Dennis Andries, I don't recall seeing any interviews with him since hanging up his gloves in 1996, he just seemed to disappear. Anyone know what he's up to these days, is he still involved in boxing or just happy to be out of the game and limelight?

I saw him at the York Hall in the late 90's. He was wearing a pair of dungarees and looked as sold as f uck. He looked like if you hit him, he wouldn't even blink.

I bet, he was a tough bloke!

[JamesPhilips]

Dennis always seemed a quiet type

[bigjack]

I think i've read on here a few years back that he went on to work on the railways after boxing,not 100% on that though

[Deserter]

Bennie will know…

[Old bones Ian]

I remember him taking out a few Gladiators along with Gary Mason

[polecateddy]

You can always search old threads on here. I think in 2020 it was suggested James Cook spoke to him, he was well and still living in the Hackney area. Still working possibly construction on the cross rail link and/or security a relatives’ large building site(s). So he sounds completely fine.

[Bleak]

I think i've read on here a few years back that he went on to work on the railways after boxing,not 100% on that though

Heard the same but would he not be retirement age now. Not that it would stop him .

[JamesPhilips]

Bennie will know…

Love bennie posts #nohomo

[THEBUTCH]

Remember his WBC light heavyweight defence against Thomas Hearns ?

Typically brave but he got proper nailed and dropped by the Hitman a few times...got back up every time

ITV showed the fight and the brilliant Jim Rosenthal did the commentary

[margaret thatcher]

dennis and jeff harding are locked in a never ending slugfest with each other, they take rests on sundays for church but go right back to battering one another on mondays.

[bigjack]

Remember his WBC light heavyweight defence against Thomas Hearns ?

Typically brave but he got proper nailed and dropped by the Hitman a few times...got back up every time

ITV showed the fight and the brilliant Jim Rosenthal did the commentary

I remember it well watching it live,that massive right from Hearns would have ko'd a horse,but not Andries.Dennis then went to the Kronk to train straight afterwards

[Controversial]

I didn't realise Dennis was awarded an MBE in 1991

[dr_devious]

Remember his WBC light heavyweight defence against Thomas Hearns ?

Typically brave but he got proper nailed and dropped by the Hitman a few times...got back up every time

ITV showed the fight and the brilliant Jim Rosenthal did the commentary

Dennis even managed to knock Tommy down in one of the latter rounds despite having been knocked down himself a number of times.

[polecateddy]

Peak Andries against Dariusz Michalczewski would have been a good watch. Andries might well have kept coming when most of Michalczewski's opponents had had enough after 8 or so rounds.

[orbtastic]

I like that story of him going to one of the BBBoC events on the tube with his WBC belt in a carrier bag.

[Controversial]

Dennis even managed to knock Tommy down in one of the latter rounds

Are you sure, what round as no mention on the fight report.

EDIT. Just seen it, last round but not counted.

[Coco]

I like that story of him going to one of the BBBoC events on the tube with his WBC belt in a carrier bag.

I think that was one of his title fights!

[THEBUTCH]

I remember the knockdown Andries scored against Hearns, but struggling to remember if it should have counted or not.

At the time I recall thinking it was legitimate.

Certainly Hearns had a disdainful look on his face as if to suggest it wasn't a genuine knockdown.

Hope that fights on YouTube, I'm getting interested in watching it again

[Controversial]

I remember the knockdown Andries scored against Hearns, but struggling to remember if it should have counted or not.

At the time I recall thinking it was legitimate.

Certainly Hearns had a disdainful look on his face as if to suggest it wasn't a genuine knockdown.

Hope that fights on YouTube, I'm getting interested in watching it again

Yeah its on there, looks legit but not counted, sweeping left hook, Hearns wasn't hurt and was up straight away, Hearns stopped him a few seconds later

[Controversial]

Bennie will know…

Any ideas Bennie?

[bennie]

Bennie will know…

Any ideas Bennie?

Afraid not. Dennis is pushing 70 these days so hopefully he is sitting back and taking it easy. I can still remember when he made a name for himself back in 1979 as a substitute for Tony Sibson against reigning British light-heavyweight champion Bunny Johnson at the Civic Hall in Wolverhampton. Middleweight Sibson was due to step up and challenge Johnson for the title but had previously been flattened in the first round by another light-heavyweight, Lottie Mwale of Zambia, and got the jitters as the Johnson fight drew closer. He pulled out and Andries, a relative novice, took on Johnson in a 10-rounder and was given no chance. Over the first eight rounds, Johnson boxed the ears off Andries but the underdog kept coming and the final two rounds turned into a nightmare for the champion as he faded spectacularly and Andries swung away with both hands and almost forced a stoppage.
Johnson took the decision but faced Andries again a year later, with many tipping Dennis to take the title over the 15-round course, including Boxing News. Sadly it turned into a desperate maul, one of the worst British title fights of all time. Johnson at least tried to box but Andries turned it into a wrestling contest, repeatedly dragging Johnson to the canvas. On two occasions, both men spilled out of the ring and on to the press benches. By the finish, nobody cared about the verdict but Welsh referee James Brimmell gave it to the champion. Brimmell described it as "the worst fight I have ever refereed or watched." Harry Mullan, the editor of Boxing News, wrote: "Andries offered the crudest championship challenge I have ever seen." Fortunately, the fight was off-TV.
Johnson later moved to Australia for a spell and Andries was floored and outpointed by the moody but dangerous Tom Collins for the vacant British title in London in 1982, in one of the last 15-rounders here. Andries blamed his defeat on the flu. He outpointed Collins in a 12-round rematch for the title and did the same a few months later but Collins made it close both times and nobody could foresee the glittering future that lay ahead for the Hackney Rock, particularly when he failed to dethrone rangy Dutchman Alex Blanchard for the European title in Fulham in 1985. Blanchard had Dennis on the deck and retained with a draw.
Nevertheless, Andries took his chance a few months later against American J.B. Williamson (who was awful) for the WBC title. He had no right to come again after the beating he took from Tommy Hearns in Detroit in 1987, which cost him the title. It was the type of heavy, prolonged beating that ruins fighters but Andries developed into a three-time world champion, hammering the previously unbeaten Tony Willis for the vacant WBC title in the States in 1989 and later Jeff Harding in Australia, in one of the greatest wins ever registered by a British fighter abroad.

[Controversial]

Bennie will know…

Any ideas Bennie?

Afraid not. Dennis is pushing 70 these days so hopefully he is sitting back and taking it easy. I can still remember when he made a name for himself back in 1979 as a substitute for Tony Sibson against reigning British light-heavyweight champion Bunny Johnson at the Civic Hall in Wolverhampton. Middleweight Sibson was due to step up and challenge Johnson for the title but had previously been flattened in the first round by another light-heavyweight, Lottie Mwale of Zambia, and got the jitters as the Johnson fight drew closer. He pulled out and Andries, a relative novice, took on Johnson in a 10-rounder and was given no chance. Over the first eight rounds, Johnson boxed the ears off Andries but the underdog kept coming and the final two rounds turned into a nightmare for the champion as he faded spectacularly and Andries swung away with both hands and almost forced a stoppage.
Johnson took the decision but faced Andries again a year later, with many tipping Dennis to take the title over the 15-round course, including Boxing News. Sadly it turned into a desperate maul, one of the worst British title fights of all time. Johnson at least tried to box but Andries turned it into a wrestling contest, repeatedly dragging Johnson to the canvas. On two occasions, both men spilled out of the ring and on to the press benches. By the finish, nobody cared about the verdict but Welsh referee James Brimmell gave it to the champion. Brimmell described it as "the worst fight I have ever refereed or watched." Harry Mullan, the editor of Boxing News, wrote: "Andries offered the crudest championship challenge I have ever seen." Fortunately, the fight was off-TV.
Johnson later moved to Australia for a spell and Andries was floored and outpointed by the moody but dangerous Tom Collins for the vacant British title in London in 1982, in one of the last 15-rounders here. Andries blamed his defeat on the flu. He outpointed Collins in a 12-round rematch for the title and did the same a few months later but Collins made it close both times and nobody could foresee the glittering future that lay ahead for the Hackney Rock, particularly when he failed to dethrone rangy Dutchman Alex Blanchard for the European title in Fulham in 1985. Blanchard had Dennis on the deck and retained with a draw.
Nevertheless, Andries took his chance a few months later against American J.B. Williamson (who was awful) for the WBC title. He had no right to come again after the beating he took from Tommy Hearns in Detroit in 1987, which cost him the title. It was the type of heavy, prolonged beating that ruins fighters but Andries developed into a three-time world champion, hammering the previously unbeaten Tony Willis for the vacant WBC title in the States in 1989 and later Jeff Harding in Australia, in one of the greatest wins ever registered by a British fighter abroad.

Cheers Bennie, great response as always

[Loynesy]

Bennie

That's a great post.

I met Bunny Johnson at a boxing event at the Savoy a few years ago - was in the company of a handful of ex-posters here, great evening.

He was utterly charming and radiated class - a lot of then world champions/top level boxers went over for a chat - all were very respectful a true trailblazer.