BoxRec

while we talk about the fight last night between groves and degale, lets spare a thought for darren sutherland, who, in my humble opinion had the class, the skill and the decency to wipe the floor with either of last nights combatants.

Darren was progressing very nicely.

RIP Darrren !! ....

RIP Darren Sutherland, so much potential.

Found this documentary really interesting, features Sutherland pretty heavily as an amateur amongst others and you get some good insight into his personality.

All of the parts are on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=096IAmZq5og

yes, x2.

I don't know about "wiping the floor" but he would certainly mix easily in that kind of company. What a shame, and a mystery.

Well said. An utter tragedy on a human level and a great shame in sporting terms.

rhino222 wrote:while we talk about the fight last night between groves and degale, lets spare a thought for darren sutherland, who, in my humble opinion had the class, the skill and the decency to wipe the floor with either of last nights combatants.

since when did decency win fights?

He was a talent, RIP

J-C wrote:RIP Darren Sutherland, so much potential.

Found this documentary really interesting, features Sutherland pretty heavily as an amateur amongst others and you get some good insight into his personality.

All of the parts are on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=096IAmZq5og

Yeah, a real shame, very sad. RIP Darren.

(Thanks for posting the link to the documentary).

His defence was a bit leaky but every time I watch him I think he was the most likely to succeed of all of them, funnily enough I think the regale - groves match exposed both as some way short of world class potential

I very much agree that the fight exposed both of their world title aspirations. In 18 month's time there will still be plenty of fighters they would need to avoid.

Degale-Bute?
Kessler-Groves?

Oh and Ward, Dirrell, Froch, Abraham, Bika, and probably Stieglitz and Johnson.

RIP Darren.

Anyone have any ideas why he decided to do what he did?

I know people speak of depression, pressure of expectancy and similiar things but can anyone shed any light?

I was thinking the same on Saturday , hope he's at peace now
Rip Darren Sutherland x

bengulnaci1 wrote:RIP Darren.

Anyone have any ideas why he decided to do what he did?

I know people speak of depression, pressure of expectancy and similiar things but can anyone shed any light?

I don't think anyone knows for sure.

I know in the documentary I posted above from his amateur days he is struggling with the weight of expectation on him alongside the need to get a degree and whatnot.

Also I know when he came over to live and train with the Ingles when he was about 15 he got desperately homesick and one day suddenly took off home. Apparently he managed to get back to Dublin without a passport.

My guess would be that it was a combination of similar issues when he turned pro obviously made worse by some sort of depression.

You can tell from seeing him with his parents and sister they were a very close and loving family. It's a great shame.

Nice touch Rhino. Sutherland was a bit special imo, RIP big guy

bengulnaci1 wrote:RIP Darren.

Anyone have any ideas why he decided to do what he did?

I know people speak of depression, pressure of expectancy and similiar things but can anyone shed any light?

Depression is enough of a reason. Scary, scary thing.

bengulnaci1 wrote:RIP Darren.

Anyone have any ideas why he decided to do what he did?

I know people speak of depression, pressure of expectancy and similiar things but can anyone shed any light?

From memory of the inquest, he left a letter which was disclosed to his family but not made public.

I seem to remember there's still another hearing to come - I could easily be wrong; haven't time to check at the moment.

They dug him up in September to have additional tests carried out at the request of the family but I don't think the results, if any, were made public.

He was a lovely, bright bloke.Very able -academically and boxing wise.It still makes me sad thinking about it now.I think he could have gone far in his boxing career, and then gone far afterwards as well.I hope his parents and sisters are bearing up.Groves, Degale and Sutherland would have made a wonderful trilogy.I think people are being a bit unfair on Groves and Degale.They were under a lot of pressure, and are still not halfway through their careers, yet they took the fight and delivered a good one, I thought.

Great boxer

RIP Darren

Jeff Thomas wrote:His defence was a bit leaky but every time I watch him I think he was the most likely to succeed of all of them, funnily enough I think the regale - groves match exposed both as some way short of world class potential

Didn't expose them as anything but excellent prospects with under 15 fights under their belts. They should be short of world-class with such little professional experience.

In fact this fight probably came about 10 fights too soon for both guys.

And yep Sutherland's story is just excruciatingly sad and just one of those that will never be fully answered. Poor lad, to be in a position where he felt he couldn't turn to anyone, you can't imagine how low he must have felt. Awful. RIP.

J-C wrote:RIP Darren Sutherland, so much potential.

Found this documentary really interesting, features Sutherland pretty heavily as an amateur amongst others and you get some good insight into his personality.

All of the parts are on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=096IAmZq5og

Where does Sutherlands accent come from?

Coco wrote:

J-C wrote:RIP Darren Sutherland, so much potential.

Found this documentary really interesting, features Sutherland pretty heavily as an amateur amongst others and you get some good insight into his personality.

All of the parts are on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=096IAmZq5og

Where does Sutherlands accent come from?

Born in Dublin, lived in Tottenham for while, then went to St Vincent when where his father is from, then back to Dublin.

Basically a mixed West Indian and Irish accent

bengulnaci1 wrote:RIP Darren.

Anyone have any ideas why he decided to do what he did?

I know people speak of depression, pressure of expectancy and similiar things but can anyone shed any light?

Some peope just cant cope with the pressures of life. Depression is a terrible illness, most people manage to fight it and keep going while a few just want oblivion. It takes guts and determination to take your own life and once a person has made their mind up there is no turning back. They then look for the right opportunity and do it.

J-C wrote: I know in the documentary I posted above from his amateur days he is struggling with the weight of expectation on him alongside the need to get a degree and whatnot.

Also I know when he came over to live and train with the Ingles when he was about 15 he got desperately homesick and one day suddenly took off home. Apparently he managed to get back to Dublin without a passport.

My guess would be that it was a combination of similar issues when he turned pro obviously made worse by some sort of depression.

Yeah the fact that he was in the Ingle gym training hard and potentially turning pro and then packed up and went home is telling. He showed such mental strength to go to school and sit his leaving cert as a 20+ year old alongside 16/17/18 year olds when he came back to Ireland. Then developed his skills and went to the olympics. He said on that documentary, "I think it's all up here with me" pointing to his head and talking about his boxing. I think he got the same demons that came up when he was younger and left the Ingle gym. This time, there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, such was his high profile.

The Rasalev fight was a corker of a fight and he took plenty of shots in the fight. That probably dented his confidence also. Plus he used to post here and there would have been some critics on the forum that wouldn't have done him any favours if he was already depressed. It's a very sad story but when someone makes up their mind to take their own life, they will do it eventually and you will be in total shock because they never talk about it if they are genuinely going to do it.

Great post Rhino.

Such a loss, RIP...