BoxRec

Thoughts are with jim and the whole family.
So sad
Rip

well said

deadpan wrote:Nobody wants to bury their child and Jim's had to do it twice now. How awful. My thoughts are with him and his family.

True, we all hope we never did, but sadly it can happen. My aunt had to bury my cousin in his 30s due to a long standing medical condition 6 years ago, and then I lost my mate in a road accident. So I can greatly sympathise with Jim Watt.

Terry Dooley wrote:It must be a hard time for Jim and his family right now. It's terrible news. RIP.

It is really hard to fathom when family members and friends take their own lives. It's hard to harshly judge their actions as, in most cases, they probably think they're doing right by the people they are leaving behind.

I doubt we'll see him behind the mic again. Watt was the voice of a few generations of boxing fans, the level of trolling directed to him in recent years on social media has been pretty grim to read and see. It went too far and people lost sight of what he achieved as a fighter, he was a joy to watch.

Well said Tel

Michelle was fairly popular up here I Scotland, although I didn't watch anything she was on but I used to see her in the papers regularly, she always seemed so happy and bubbly,i remember seeing her and her Dad in an episode of Still Game(a comedy sitcom) a few years ago

Depression is a terrible thing,I had an uncle kill himself about 20 years ago and my mum recently got diagnosed with it (again),I think we all have down days,thankfully I seem to be be a cup half full type of guy but who knows when it can strike,all it takes is one bit of bad news then I could start thinking I MUST have a depressive personality as it runs in the family,like the way alcoholic's blame their plight on their parents drinking,like their downfalls are their destiny

I'm a massive Jim Watt fan,as a boxer,analyst and a man and I just feel devastated for him and his family

Terrible news; my thoughts and prayers are with Jim and his family at this time.

Old Jack J wrote:How do you even try to explain that to her 5 year old daughter? I feel for those left to live with her actions.

Come on Old Jack J you don't know the full story the last bit of your comment's uncalled for you need to get your fact's spot on when making stupid comment's everyone that is emotionaly effected don't need to hear that crap

ClivePatrickLyons wrote:

Old Jack J wrote:How do you even try to explain that to her 5 year old daughter? I feel for those left to live with her actions.

Come on Old Jack J you don't know the full story the last bit of your comment's uncalled for you need to get your fact's spot on when making stupid comment's everyone that is emotionaly effected don't need to hear that crap

I don't want to get in to a slanging match on a thread like this. Lets just say i have experienced this kind of situation personally. The people left behind suffer. Its those that i feel for.

Can't feel for both?

Terry Dooley wrote:It must be a hard time for Jim and his family right now. It's terrible news. RIP.

It is really hard to fathom when family members and friends take their own lives. It's hard to harshly judge their actions as, in most cases, they probably think they're doing right by the people they are leaving behind.

I doubt we'll see him behind the mic again. Watt was the voice of a few generations of boxing fans, the level of trolling directed to him in recent years on social media has been pretty grim to read and see. It went too far and people lost sight of what he achieved as a fighter, he was a joy to watch.

Very true and such an articulate pundit that people can actually forget he was once a hell of a fighter.

I do hope we see him behind the mic again, naturally off course thoughts are with the Watt family.

Thats terrible.

handsofstone wrote:

Terry Dooley wrote:It must be a hard time for Jim and his family right now. It's terrible news. RIP.

It is really hard to fathom when family members and friends take their own lives. It's hard to harshly judge their actions as, in most cases, they probably think they're doing right by the people they are leaving behind.

I doubt we'll see him behind the mic again. Watt was the voice of a few generations of boxing fans, the level of trolling directed to him in recent years on social media has been pretty grim to read and see. It went too far and people lost sight of what he achieved as a fighter, he was a joy to watch.

Well said Tel

Michelle was fairly popular up here I Scotland, although I didn't watch anything she was on but I used to see her in the papers regularly, she always seemed so happy and bubbly,i remember seeing her and her Dad in an episode of Still Game(a comedy sitcom) a few years ago

Depression is a terrible thing,I had an uncle kill himself about 20 years ago and my mum recently got diagnosed with it (again),I think we all have down days,thankfully I seem to be be a cup half full type of guy but who knows when it can strike,all it takes is one bit of bad news then I could start thinking I MUST have a depressive personality as it runs in the family,like the way alcoholic's blame their plight on their parents drinking,like their downfalls are their destiny

I'm a massive Jim Watt fan,as a boxer,analyst and a man and I just feel devastated for him and his family

That episode of Still Game was the first thing that came to my mind. I don't know if it was Jim's actual daughter or an actress pretending to be his daughter, but it was a great laugh. I'm sure that Jim's a big star up there north of the border.
I personally have always been a fan. Could say it's nostalgia as Jim co-commentated on several of my brother's fights and was often a "face" at the shows - but it's not just that - I liked and respected his views regardless, and I've never shared the views of those that have panned him using their keyboards.
RIP to the young lady, Michelle. My thoughts go out to everybody that is connected to this girl.

I haven't got stats to post, but intuitively it seems like suicide is on the rise.... Modern life is a strangely stressful existence. What a shame for the Watt family

reggaereggae wrote:I haven't got stats to post, but intuitively it seems like suicide is on the rise.... Modern life is a strangely stressful existence. What a shame for the Watt family

And it's often the ones you least expect!

stujones wrote:

Terry Dooley wrote:It must be a hard time for Jim and his family right now. It's terrible news. RIP.

It is really hard to fathom when family members and friends take their own lives. It's hard to harshly judge their actions as, in most cases, they probably think they're doing right by the people they are leaving behind.

I doubt we'll see him behind the mic again. Watt was the voice of a few generations of boxing fans, the level of trolling directed to him in recent years on social media has been pretty grim to read and see. It went too far and people lost sight of what he achieved as a fighter, he was a joy to watch.

Very true and such an articulate pundit that people can actually forget he was once a hell of a fighter.

I do hope we see him behind the mic again, naturally off course thoughts are with the Watt family.

No matter whether you agree with Watt's reading of fights, he is a brilliant commentator for me. He has a natural gravitas that few sports commentators have these days. Most pundits and broadcasters seem to be trained within an inch of their lives. I'll be really saddened if he doesn't return to the mic again.

reggaereggae wrote:I haven't got stats to post, but intuitively it seems like suicide is on the rise....

I agree completely but also don't have the stats.

Hope Terry is wrong and Jim does go back to work, Watt's voice is an important part of boxing for me.

Sklar wrote:

reggaereggae wrote:I haven't got stats to post, but intuitively it seems like suicide is on the rise....

I agree completely but also don't have the stats.

Hope Terry is wrong and Jim does go back to work, Watt's voice is an important part of boxing for me.

It's too many no matter what the stats say.

Dixonian wrote:

stujones wrote:

Terry Dooley wrote:It must be a hard time for Jim and his family right now. It's terrible news. RIP.

It is really hard to fathom when family members and friends take their own lives. It's hard to harshly judge their actions as, in most cases, they probably think they're doing right by the people they are leaving behind.

I doubt we'll see him behind the mic again. Watt was the voice of a few generations of boxing fans, the level of trolling directed to him in recent years on social media has been pretty grim to read and see. It went too far and people lost sight of what he achieved as a fighter, he was a joy to watch.

Very true and such an articulate pundit that people can actually forget he was once a hell of a fighter.

I do hope we see him behind the mic again, naturally off course thoughts are with the Watt family.

No matter whether you agree with Watt's reading of fights, he is a brilliant commentator for me. He has a natural gravitas that few sports commentators have these days. Most pundits and broadcasters seem to be trained within an inch of their lives. I'll be really saddened if he doesn't return to the mic again.

Jim is old school when it comes to athlete turned commentator, learned the commentator trade off the very best (who are sadly getting fewer) but not trained so much that he becomes generic (e.g. Lineker, Eddie Butler etc - love both of them, but they are a bit over polished and that's why they can do Curling well etc.). You still see Watt as a boxing commentator through and through, but with Lineker and Butler you can almost forget what their main sport is - let alone a sport they excelled at playing, Cram is becoming the same - but I do like his commentary.

Without meaning to be disrespectful to the newer generation of commentators - the likes of Moore, Smith, Maccarinelli etc - it's Watt's polish and training (with experience, which is critical) that makes him the absolute best. Comparing the three I mentioned above to a young Barry McGuigan, then they are so much better.... so I'm sure they will come. However, Watt was commentating freshly out of retirement and ALWAYS seemed like an old timer.

Naturally, off course I cannot imagine what he must be going through. Thoughts are with him. He has faced tragedy before and, after a period out, went back to commentating - so I do hope I hear his voice again. Big fights won't be the same without him.

Any ideas how we can contact him? Jim was part of my growing up, I do feel like I would like to write to him personally to send my sympathy.