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Re: Crawford Ashley Youtube channel

Posted: 27 Jan 2021, 05:26
by mickey1975
bennie wrote: 27 Jan 2021, 04:34
mickey1975 wrote: 26 Jan 2021, 16:28
bennie wrote: 26 Jan 2021, 12:19


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? :lol:
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.

Re: Crawford Ashley Youtube channel

Posted: 27 Jan 2021, 07:31
by bennie
mickey1975 wrote: 27 Jan 2021, 05:26
bennie wrote: 27 Jan 2021, 04:34
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.

Re: Crawford Ashley Youtube channel

Posted: 27 Jan 2021, 09:53
by mickey1975
bennie wrote: 27 Jan 2021, 07:31
mickey1975 wrote: 27 Jan 2021, 05:26
bennie wrote: 27 Jan 2021, 04:34


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.

Re: Crawford Ashley Youtube channel

Posted: 28 Jan 2021, 06:13
by bennie
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.

Re: Crawford Ashley Youtube channel

Posted: 28 Jan 2021, 17:49
by Old bones Ian
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

Re: Crawford Ashley Youtube channel

Posted: 28 Jan 2021, 18:06
by THEBUTCH
I had Slugger O'Toole beating Wharton too.

Yeah, Duff did that on a few occasions, urging the crowd to raise the roof for their boxer.

Mickey rallied the troops at Lewisham Town Hall in the closing stages when Duke McKenzie scored one of his finest wins against Jesse Benevides.

Re: Crawford Ashley Youtube channel

Posted: 28 Jan 2021, 18:59
by mickey1975
THEBUTCH wrote: 28 Jan 2021, 18:06 I had Slugger O'Toole beating Wharton too.

Yeah, Duff did that on a few occasions, urging the crowd to raise the roof for their boxer.

Mickey rallied the troops at Lewisham Town Hall in the closing stages when Duke McKenzie scored one of his finest wins against Jesse Benevides.
To be honest, most did, but nobody ringside did. Even I did, but I was a good few rows back. Harry Mullan thought it was fair.

Re: Crawford Ashley Youtube channel

Posted: 29 Jan 2021, 18:22
by THEBUTCH
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.

Re: Crawford Ashley Youtube channel

Posted: 30 Jan 2021, 02:40
by bennie
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.

Re: Crawford Ashley Youtube channel

Posted: 30 Jan 2021, 03:17
by mickey1975
Slugger and Henry have regularly bumped into each other on the amateur circuit since.

Re: Crawford Ashley Youtube channel

Posted: 04 Feb 2021, 18:51
by Terminator666
This is great- looking at him sat in his chair, and the contrast to when he is in the ring is amazing

Re: Crawford Ashley Youtube channel

Posted: 05 Feb 2021, 02:06
by bennie
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.

Re: Crawford Ashley Youtube channel

Posted: 05 Feb 2021, 02:59
by mickey1975
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.

Re: Crawford Ashley Youtube channel

Posted: 05 Feb 2021, 04:37
by bennie
mickey1975 wrote: 05 Feb 2021, 02:59
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.

Re: Crawford Ashley Youtube channel

Posted: 05 Feb 2021, 06:41
by stujones
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.