SeanBrennan wrote: ↑23 Jan 2024, 11:25
good article, Worsell refers to an interview he did with him when he was 16, did not know he started that young as a boxing writer, fair play.
I remember Elliot when he started out (he won’t remember me!).
I was actually working on that show he mentions (against Cherifi). Howard really was a cut above European level.
awesome. What was he and Howard like? Do tell me to pee off if I am being too nosey.
Elliot seemed very affable and keen. There were a few decent, budding, internet journalists at the time. James M who posts on here was another.
Howard is one of the most interesting characters I have ever met. Naturally wary of people, liked things done his way but also engaging when relaxed and at times very funny. Trained liked a man possessed.
I flew out to the Artur Abraham fight with him and was in LA for the Hopkins fight. He was robbed in Germany. Against Hopkins I felt he had another gear he could have gone to, but that’s easy for me to say. I wasn’t the one stood in front of a p4p boxer and my attempts at boxing were laughable!
I remember Elliot when he started out (he won’t remember me!).
I was actually working on that show he mentions (against Cherifi). Howard really was a cut above European level.
awesome. What was he and Howard like? Do tell me to pee off if I am being too nosey.
Elliot seemed very affable and keen. There were a few decent, budding, internet journalists at the time. James M who posts on here was another.
Howard is one of the most interesting characters I have ever met. Naturally wary of people, liked things done his way but also engaging when relaxed and at times very funny. Trained liked a man possessed.
I flew out to the Artur Abraham fight with him and was in LA for the Hopkins fight. He was robbed in Germany. Against Hopkins I felt he had another gear he could have gone to, but that’s easy for me to say. I wasn’t the one stood in front of a p4p boxer and my attempts at boxing were laughable!
This is sooo interesting, thanks for elaborating. A lot of what you said re Hopkins fight he talks of in his summation of his performance, very insightful. Must be a brilliant memory to be around it. Do you still work in the sport? thanks (and sorry!)
awesome. What was he and Howard like? Do tell me to pee off if I am being too nosey.
Elliot seemed very affable and keen. There were a few decent, budding, internet journalists at the time. James M who posts on here was another.
Howard is one of the most interesting characters I have ever met. Naturally wary of people, liked things done his way but also engaging when relaxed and at times very funny. Trained liked a man possessed.
I flew out to the Artur Abraham fight with him and was in LA for the Hopkins fight. He was robbed in Germany. Against Hopkins I felt he had another gear he could have gone to, but that’s easy for me to say. I wasn’t the one stood in front of a p4p boxer and my attempts at boxing were laughable!
This is sooo interesting, thanks for elaborating. A lot of what you said re Hopkins fight he talks of in his summation of his performance, very insightful. Must be a brilliant memory to be around it. Do you still work in the sport? thanks (and sorry!)
Don’t apologise - you have shared loads of far more interesting bits on here. I have enjoyed reading them.
Not any more mate. I worked in the sport in my 20’s and 30’s, but that seems a lifetime ago now.
I’ve considered writing it about it again (how I started out) but just don’t have the time and nobody would want to read it anyway!
Working in the sport definitely had its challenges, but thanks to the fog of time I only really have good memories.
I have worked in several different industries, with all kinds of people, but you can’t beat the characters/stories in boxing.
wrighty wrote: ↑24 Jan 2024, 20:14
Never watched much of Eastman but I heard he had God given power in his hands
Good fighter
Not “god given power though”
European Champ and was too old when he got his shot at a world belt.
I felt that about Witter. He won the big one but was already slipping
Spot on. Witter v Zab was awful. He was better than that but, I suspect was just “the opponent”. Thankfully he got his moment. He deserved it. A smooth operator.
Always had Witter beating Hatton but now I have moved on that opinion.
There were several British heavyweight fights that were signed and fell through for whatever reason in the early 2000s.
Herbie Hide evidently had this one marked above against Michael Holden. There was also a purse bid for the European union title fight that the EBU called and the purse bids were won I think by Barry Hearn (but it may have been Mick Hennessy) that was for Herbie Hide vs Danny Williams, this would have been around about 2003-2004.
I also vividly remember Michael Sprott vs Julius Francis being made for the Southern area heavyweight title. Probably around about when Sprott beat Colin Kenna (Kenna may well have been the replacement.)
si7dog7 wrote: ↑24 Jan 2024, 20:32
Good fighter
Not “god given power though”
European Champ and was too old when he got his shot at a world belt.
I felt that about Witter. He won the big one but was already slipping
Spot on. Witter v Zab was awful. He was better than that but, I suspect was just “the opponent”. Thankfully he got his moment. He deserved it. A smooth operator.
Always had Witter beating Hatton but now I have moved on that opinion.
Same here i always thought Witter had the skills to beat Hatton , but i was'nt so sure about his mindset and confidence on the night , if it ever happenned , i thought he could handle him boxingwise but not mentaly , just thought Hattons crowd , the ref and the judges would be in too much Hattons favor .
Never happenned has we know and i don't believe for a minuite that it was all Ricky not wanting to give him a payday , I think Rickys team all knew when he turned it on , in Brendons words he was capable of sitting Hatton on his head
Elliot seemed very affable and keen. There were a few decent, budding, internet journalists at the time. James M who posts on here was another.
Howard is one of the most interesting characters I have ever met. Naturally wary of people, liked things done his way but also engaging when relaxed and at times very funny. Trained liked a man possessed.
I flew out to the Artur Abraham fight with him and was in LA for the Hopkins fight. He was robbed in Germany. Against Hopkins I felt he had another gear he could have gone to, but that’s easy for me to say. I wasn’t the one stood in front of a p4p boxer and my attempts at boxing were laughable!
This is sooo interesting, thanks for elaborating. A lot of what you said re Hopkins fight he talks of in his summation of his performance, very insightful. Must be a brilliant memory to be around it. Do you still work in the sport? thanks (and sorry!)
Don’t apologise - you have shared loads of far more interesting bits on here. I have enjoyed reading them.
Not any more mate. I worked in the sport in my 20’s and 30’s, but that seems a lifetime ago now.
I’ve considered writing it about it again (how I started out) but just don’t have the time and nobody would want to read it anyway!
Working in the sport definitely had its challenges, but thanks to the fog of time I only really have good memories.
I have worked in several different industries, with all kinds of people, but you can’t beat the characters/stories in boxing.
thanks a lot appreciated. Sounds like good memories
I felt that about Witter. He won the big one but was already slipping
Spot on. Witter v Zab was awful. He was better than that but, I suspect was just “the opponent”. Thankfully he got his moment. He deserved it. A smooth operator.
Always had Witter beating Hatton but now I have moved on that opinion.
Same here i always thought Witter had the skills to beat Hatton , but i was'nt so sure about his mindset and confidence on the night , if it ever happenned , i thought he could handle him boxingwise but not mentaly , just thought Hattons crowd , the ref and the judges would be in too much Hattons favor .
Never happenned has we know and i don't believe for a minuite that it was all Ricky not wanting to give him a payday , I think Rickys team all knew when he turned it on , in Brendons words he was capable of sitting Hatton on his head
Weirdly, given what else we have discussed on this thread, Witter was another I worked with quite a lot. He is actually one of my favourite people from that time. A real good guy.
I was never involved in training or anything like that, but I'm certain he wouldn't have folded under the pressure of the fans. He would have lapped that up. I'm biased, but I think (to steal a phrase from Brendan Ingle)that he would have stood Hatton on his head.
si7dog7 wrote: ↑24 Jan 2024, 20:43
Spot on. Witter v Zab was awful. He was better than that but, I suspect was just “the opponent”. Thankfully he got his moment. He deserved it. A smooth operator.
Always had Witter beating Hatton but now I have moved on that opinion.
Same here i always thought Witter had the skills to beat Hatton , but i was'nt so sure about his mindset and confidence on the night , if it ever happenned , i thought he could handle him boxingwise but not mentaly , just thought Hattons crowd , the ref and the judges would be in too much Hattons favor .
Never happenned has we know and i don't believe for a minuite that it was all Ricky not wanting to give him a payday , I think Rickys team all knew when he turned it on , in Brendons words he was capable of sitting Hatton on his head
Weirdly, given what else we have discussed on this thread, Witter was another I worked with quite a lot. He is actually one of my favourite people from that time. A real good guy.
I was never involved in training or anything like that, but I'm certain he wouldn't have folded under the pressure of the fans. He would have lapped that up. I'm biased, but I think (to steal a phrase from Brendan Ingle)that he would have stood Hatton on his head.
nice to hear Witter came across well in person, he always did so online.
si7dog7 wrote: ↑24 Jan 2024, 20:43
Spot on. Witter v Zab was awful. He was better than that but, I suspect was just “the opponent”. Thankfully he got his moment. He deserved it. A smooth operator.
Always had Witter beating Hatton but now I have moved on that opinion.
Same here i always thought Witter had the skills to beat Hatton , but i was'nt so sure about his mindset and confidence on the night , if it ever happenned , i thought he could handle him boxingwise but not mentaly , just thought Hattons crowd , the ref and the judges would be in too much Hattons favor .
Never happenned has we know and i don't believe for a minuite that it was all Ricky not wanting to give him a payday , I think Rickys team all knew when he turned it on , in Brendons words he was capable of sitting Hatton on his head
Weirdly, given what else we have discussed on this thread, Witter was another I worked with quite a lot. He is actually one of my favourite people from that time. A real good guy.
I was never involved in training or anything like that, but I'm certain he wouldn't have folded under the pressure of the fans. He would have lapped that up. I'm biased, but I think (to steal a phrase from Brendan Ingle)that he would have stood Hatton on his head.
This is brilliant. Thanks for your insights.
Always liked watching J Witter
Maybe I was right all along (I shouldn’t have changed minds).
Both fought some top guys.
si7dog7 wrote: ↑24 Jan 2024, 20:43
Spot on. Witter v Zab was awful. He was better than that but, I suspect was just “the opponent”. Thankfully he got his moment. He deserved it. A smooth operator.
Always had Witter beating Hatton but now I have moved on that opinion.
Same here i always thought Witter had the skills to beat Hatton , but i was'nt so sure about his mindset and confidence on the night , if it ever happenned , i thought he could handle him boxingwise but not mentaly , just thought Hattons crowd , the ref and the judges would be in too much Hattons favor .
Never happenned has we know and i don't believe for a minuite that it was all Ricky not wanting to give him a payday , I think Rickys team all knew when he turned it on , in Brendons words he was capable of sitting Hatton on his head
Weirdly, given what else we have discussed on this thread, Witter was another I worked with quite a lot. He is actually one of my favourite people from that time. A real good guy.
I was never involved in training or anything like that, but I'm certain he wouldn't have folded under the pressure of the fans. He would have lapped that up. I'm biased, but I think (to steal a phrase from Brendan Ingle)that he would have stood Hatton on his head.
I obviously did.nt know him personaly but i didthink he had the beating of hatton physicly in the talent department . Still say though i dont think he gad themental strenghth to fight the crowd. Ref and judges
And fight them all he would of had too look at the Kosta fight . Even he did.nt
Craighmfc1874 wrote: ↑21 Jan 2024, 16:19Eubank jr too old to win a world title
No, not for me. I think he is still in his prime so he could still do it but it's just getting the right fight at the right time.
He's not going to defeat Canelo, so he can forget any of the Super Middleweight World Championships, unless he moves up to Light Heavy and vacates all of them...
I went to that show where Eastman successfully defended his European title against Cherifi.
Sometimes seeing boxers in the flesh you get a true sense of how good they are and that's what struck me about Howard that night. He was brilliant !
He couldn't quite cut the mustard at world championship level, but was a tough adversary for anyone. Hopkins stunk the joint out (as usual) and Howard pressed all night, but not with enough intelligence to negate Hopkins' constant holding.
THEBUTCH wrote: ↑13 Feb 2024, 05:23
I went to that show where Eastman successfully defended his European title against Cherifi.
Sometimes seeing boxers in the flesh you get a true sense of how good they are and that's what struck me about Howard that night. He was brilliant !
He couldn't quite cut the mustard at world championship level, but was a tough adversary for anyone. Hopkins stunk the joint out (as usual) and Howard pressed all night, but not with enough intelligence to negate Hopkins' constant holding.
excellent what was the card like and where was it mate (the one you went to live)?
we always felt entertained when Walker climbed through the ropes.