BoxRec

Was shocked to hear it. I thought Francis was long gone.

Gutted to read this. Fantastic fighter in his day and don't want to see him losing to someone who wouldn't have been fit to lace his gloves back in the day.

I thought he wouldnt come back

Adamj1987 wrote:I thought he wouldnt come back

I now hope guys don't come back, I don't actually think it anymore.

He's done and will be fragile making 175. I'd rather see guys like this go the Brodie way for a comeback. Jump in against a condendor and if you ain't up to it you find out soon enough. Unpleasant watching but it gets the message home and can actually be safer in the long run.

fizzjambo wrote:

Adamj1987 wrote:I thought he wouldnt come back

I now hope guys don't come back, I don't actually think it anymore.

He's done and will be fragile making 175. I'd rather see guys like this go the Brodie way for a comeback. Jump in against a condendor and if you ain't up to it you find out soon enough. Unpleasant watching but it gets the message home and can actually be safer in the long run.

Didnt brodie comeback against non-punching mark alexander and get dropped before getting hammered from crolla?

Brodie already was shown to have little left but still went in with a contender!

Wouldn't be too shocked if he aims for a rematch with with Mckenzie if he wins.

Ah, this is a shame.

ShadrachSimmo wrote:Wouldn't be too shocked if he aims for a rematch with with Mckenzie if he wins.

That was my first thought. If the board made Francis vs. Macca they want shooting.

I think he retirement was too soon after Prizefighter. He was never a cruiserweight and as has been seen with Gary Sykes, Prizefighter is very predictable.

However, its been too long in retirement. Wish him well though, cracking fighter in his day.

If Deano wins a commonwealth title fight against the winner of enzo/Mckenzie is on the cards

And he left Mckenzie requiring oxygen after a brutal 1st round ko in Bristol back in 2007

The version of Francis that ruined Oakey would've knocked Cleverly out. Probably the unluckiest British fighter in recent memory.

oliverc wrote:The version of Francis that ruined Oakey would've knocked Cleverly out. Probably the unluckiest British fighter in recent memory.

Nothing in Dean's career suggests this. I think he was overrated to be honest.

Francis was a good fighter, but his shoulder injury and a spell in jail realistically finished him.

johnty1888 wrote:Francis was a good fighter, but his shoulder injury and a spell in jail realistically finished him.

Definitely the shoulder injury. Not so sure about the spell in jail as it was relatively brief wasn't it?

mickey1975 wrote:

oliverc wrote:The version of Francis that ruined Oakey would've knocked Cleverly out. Probably the unluckiest British fighter in recent memory.

Nothing in Dean's career suggests this. I think he was overrated to be honest.

He beat up David Starie who went on to become a long reigning commonwealth champion (back in the days when that title meant something) and gave Sven Ottke a close fight.

stujones wrote:

mickey1975 wrote:

oliverc wrote:The version of Francis that ruined Oakey would've knocked Cleverly out. Probably the unluckiest British fighter in recent memory.

Nothing in Dean's career suggests this. I think he was overrated to be honest.

He beat up David Starie who went on to become a long reigning commonwealth champion (back in the days when that title meant something) and gave Sven Ottke a close fight.

I know his achievements, still dont think he would have ever beat Cleverley, though. I think he gets overrated due to his injury. Would never have won the title, Calzaghe would have destroyed him(again).

Maybe, we'll never know. There was nothing in his career to suggest Calzaghe would have destroyed him again - like in the manner he lost his first fight.

Remember Francis was something like 18 when he fought 20 year old Calzaghe. Not really the age to judge how they would have got on 7 years or so down the road. Biologically, Calzaghe must have more developed.

Michael Spinks says it took him a long time before he got the better of his brother in sparring and Michael was always the better boxer - but of course was not a developed as his brother.

Not suggesting Calzaghe wouldn't have beaten Francis or wasn't always better than Francis - shame we never got to find out.

stujones wrote:Maybe, we'll never know. There was nothing in his career to suggest Calzaghe would have destroyed him again - like in the manner he lost his first fight.

Remember Francis was something like 18 when he fought 20 year old Calzaghe. Not really the age to judge how they would have got on 7 years or so down the road. Biologically, Calzaghe must have more developed.

Michael Spinks says it took him a long time before he got the better of his brother in sparring and Michael was always the better boxer - but of course was not a developed as his brother.

Not suggesting Calzaghe wouldn't have beaten Francis or wasn't always better than Francis - shame we never got to find out.

Buster Keeton? No, seriously i just did not see what all the fuss was about. Strictly domestic level at best. Clev's wins over Murat and Bellew are as good as anythnig he did already.

Hard to call someone who won and never lost the European title domestic level only.

Cannot really argue against the other aspects - Francis never won at world class, his best two wins, Starie and a younger Oakey might be considered (at a push) as good as Murat and Bellew - but his career was cruelly cut short.

He was something like 24/25 when the shoulder went. In many ways it is like Spencer Oliver - we'll just never know how good he was. I think it is a bad call to say he DEFINATELY would have beaten Cleverley, similarly unfair to say he definately would have lost to him. His career was cut short, effectively, before his prime and before he had the chance to fight at true world class on a consistent basis.

Personally, I feel he would have beaten contemporaries like Reid, Woodhall, Cately etc - but cannot say that for sure.

stujones wrote:Personally, I feel he would have beaten contemporaries like Reid, Woodhall, Cately etc - but cannot say that for sure.

I watched Francis and Glenn spar at the Empire (would have been around 94 if memory serves me correctly) and while sparring is different to being in the ring, Francis oozed class.

stujones wrote:Hard to call someone who won and never lost the European title domestic level only.

Cannot really argue against the other aspects - Francis never won at world class, his best two wins, Starie and a younger Oakey might be considered (at a push) as good as Murat and Bellew - but his career was cruelly cut short.

He was something like 24/25 when the shoulder went. In many ways it is like Spencer Oliver - we'll just never know how good he was. I think it is a bad call to say he DEFINATELY would have beaten Cleverley, similarly unfair to say he definately would have lost to him. His career was cut short, effectively, before his prime and before he had the chance to fight at true world class on a consistent basis.

Personally, I feel he would have beaten contemporaries like Reid, Woodhall, Cately etc - but cannot say that for sure.

If your taking Francis on his best night, then you would have to do the same for the other three. On that basis, i would only pick him against Catley

Agree to disagree, sadly though I don't think we ever saw the best of Francis. For me the most overated out of that batch of Super Middleweights was Rob Reid by miles. When was his "good" night?

stujones wrote:Agree to disagree, sadly though I don't think we ever saw the best of Francis. For me the most overated out of that batch of Super Middleweights was Rob Reid by miles. When was his "good" night?

Nardiello, Wharton, Ottke and Calzaghe.

mickey1975 wrote:

stujones wrote:Agree to disagree, sadly though I don't think we ever saw the best of Francis. For me the most overated out of that batch of Super Middleweights was Rob Reid by miles. When was his "good" night?

Nardiello, Wharton, Ottke and Calzaghe.

Nardiello - good win for a relative short notice job.... but it is Nardiello (one of the worst world champions in recent memory) and the fight was in the balance at the time of the stoppage - it says alot.

Wharton - good performance against a decent EBU level fighter.

Calzaghe - Joe had suffered food poisioning and had terrrible terrible preperation. I don't often stick up for Joe much, but Reid should have put that out of sight. Calzaghe shouldn't have fought.

Ottke - I think the inept referee has overated Reid's performance. Ottke was slowing down at that stage. Probably is Reid best performance, but Ottke deserved the nod IMO.

stujones wrote:

mickey1975 wrote:

stujones wrote:Agree to disagree, sadly though I don't think we ever saw the best of Francis. For me the most overated out of that batch of Super Middleweights was Rob Reid by miles. When was his "good" night?

Nardiello, Wharton, Ottke and Calzaghe.

Nardiello - good win for a relative short notice job.... but it is Nardiello (one of the worst world champions in recent memory) and the fight was in the balance at the time of the stoppage - it says alot.

Wharton - good performance against a decent EBU level fighter.

Calzaghe - Joe had suffered food poisioning and had terrrible terrible preperation. I don't often stick up for Joe much, but Reid should have put that out of sight. Calzaghe shouldn't have fought.

Ottke - I think the inept referee has overated Reid's performance. Ottke was slowing down at that stage. Probably is Reid best performance, but Ottke deserved the nod IMO.

Of all the things you said in this thread that's the funniest. That wasn't a fair fight. It was the definition of a robbery. And as for Francis being 'domestic class' ... jeez, i'm not even gonna bother.