BoxRec

Next Saturday will mark the 29th anniversary of his tragic fight with Lupe Pintor.

I'm almost finished reading "The Big If - The Life and Death of Johnny Owen" and it is such a touching book. One of those books that you really get into and almost feel like Owen is your best mate. Owen died as a young 24 year old lad in his prime. I watched the highlights of the Pintor fight on youtube and the last knockdown is something I will never forget. I actually wish I hadn't watched it. The way his body went limp, and knowing he never regained consciousness, just seems so unspeakably sad and unfair.

We all know the sport is cruel at times. It's a good thing that tragedies like the Johnny Owen death don't happen very often, because if they did, even I would have difficulty defending the sport.

Johnny Owen lived the boxing lifestyle, trained like a warrior, fought like a warrior and died like a warrior. He went into the lions den and had so much courage that he literally fought until he was almost dead.

He deserves our respect and thoughts and I have to say, he is truly an inspiration.

RIP JOHNNY!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZgi7ucgbLA

RIP The Merthyr Matchstick.

I can remember discussing this fight with a few of my mates at school. We used to discuss the fight on our wau home from school everyday. Initially it was whether Owen would win or not and then after the fight, whether he would live or not. I can remember with great sadness, when i heard of his death.

I saw something on Johnny a while back and the program went to his home town and interviewed his dad. The man was still heart broken some 30 years on and racked with guilt and sadness. I will never forget those days after the fights and the feeling of emptyness at hearing his death.

R.I.P Johnny

RIP Johnny!

The memory of Owen has lived on strong & will continue to do so! I'm so most of you have read the book entitled: The Big If: The life & death of Johnny Owen. For those who haven't, you MUST read the book! Its very moving. Owen was very dedicated to the sport, was loved by his hometown & had was very close to his family!

We have all heard the saying "Never judge a book by its cover!" Well always remember never to judge someone by their physical appearance. Owen didn't look like much, physically, but he would have taken care of most of the people on the street. Just because somone may be big, have big muscles or whatever does not mean they can throw a right-hander!

Owen was some fighter & in Johnny's case, you can't help wonder what might have happened had things not taken the path they did? He was a class fighter, a world class fighter. He certainly proved against Pintor, who has sown real class when talking about & remembering Johnny!