Gary Rogers - RIP
Posted: 21 Oct 2010, 05:54
Former ABA lightweight finalist, Gary Rogers, has passed away at the age of 47 after a 15-rounder with every demon you dare to mention.
The Stoke hard man, the Johnny Tapia of the Potteries, survived five comas before finally succumbing a few days ago to liver failure. "He was skin and bone," said ex-pro Clinton Campbell. The rugged, uncomplicated Rogers never turned pro and lacked great ability but he tore into his opponents and refused to let up. "He just didn't let me work," said Campbell, who was forced to retire after two rounds - and Campbell didn't get stopped.
Rogers, one of a large fighting family and the life and soul of any amateur boxing dressing room, won his fights on sheer exuberance, toughness and aggression. It was in 1983 that he walked through established operators like Ivan Kemp, Davey Moore, Freddie Brazil, Tony Graham and Neil Haddock (two rounds) on the way to an unlikely Wembley appearance against Liverpool's Kenny Willis, elder brother of Olympic star Tony.
Willis looked a lock to outbox the raw newcomer and he landed a sharp right hand in the opening two rounds but Gary kept on coming and looked close to stopping an exhausted and bewildered Willis in the third and last round, when the referee did his thing and gave Rogers a warning for careless headwork, buying Willis some precious time. Rogers turned to his corner as he was being warned as if to say, "I don't f ucking believe this!" His chance had gone, and I can still see the reaction of Willis as the verdict and the ABA title went his way. It was one of a man who had just seen deep inside himself, one of joy, exhaustion and, most of all, relief.
Gary Rogers was a tough, tough man. "Gary lived and breathed boxing," said his father, Derek. This born fighter never got over boxing.
The Stoke hard man, the Johnny Tapia of the Potteries, survived five comas before finally succumbing a few days ago to liver failure. "He was skin and bone," said ex-pro Clinton Campbell. The rugged, uncomplicated Rogers never turned pro and lacked great ability but he tore into his opponents and refused to let up. "He just didn't let me work," said Campbell, who was forced to retire after two rounds - and Campbell didn't get stopped.
Rogers, one of a large fighting family and the life and soul of any amateur boxing dressing room, won his fights on sheer exuberance, toughness and aggression. It was in 1983 that he walked through established operators like Ivan Kemp, Davey Moore, Freddie Brazil, Tony Graham and Neil Haddock (two rounds) on the way to an unlikely Wembley appearance against Liverpool's Kenny Willis, elder brother of Olympic star Tony.
Willis looked a lock to outbox the raw newcomer and he landed a sharp right hand in the opening two rounds but Gary kept on coming and looked close to stopping an exhausted and bewildered Willis in the third and last round, when the referee did his thing and gave Rogers a warning for careless headwork, buying Willis some precious time. Rogers turned to his corner as he was being warned as if to say, "I don't f ucking believe this!" His chance had gone, and I can still see the reaction of Willis as the verdict and the ABA title went his way. It was one of a man who had just seen deep inside himself, one of joy, exhaustion and, most of all, relief.
Gary Rogers was a tough, tough man. "Gary lived and breathed boxing," said his father, Derek. This born fighter never got over boxing.
