Vernon Vanriel

[Coco]

Sad to see, this deserves a go fund me!

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/201 ... back-to-uk

[prewarboxing]

If anyone knows how to start a gofundme then I will definitely contribute to help the man. This is such a sad story. Vernon was a great fighter and he was called "The Entertainer" for a good reason. He deserves better.

Miles Templeton.

[bennie]

Remember Vernon well. Everyone liked him and he earned himself a feature in Boxing News because he could fight a bit, too. Terry Marsh gave him a boxing lesson in a 10-rounder for the Southern Area title but Vernon bounced back with a brilliant display against Gary Knight, after which his career unfortunately petered out.
Not nice to read this.

[Fray Bentos]

I'll certainly put into a fund if he decides to sue the government - over 10 years without being able to return? The fornicating pudenda!

[Coco]

I have no idea how to start a go fund me either and less idea to make sure the money goes to the right place, but to put 500 quid together for a plane ticket and a passport can't be hard, I'm not talking about buying him a house.
Hopefully he had that kind of money for the article. Hopefully the board or an ex boxers association could help organise it.
It seems that for a little it could change this fellas life, he deserves that and I can't see Theresa May getting her MasterCard out.
If this is left for too long someone will be finding him dead in the shack

[Coco]

Maybe a few of the journalists who post here could pick up this story too

[bennie]

Former boxer Vernon Vanriel is skin and bone as his friends and good people in general begin raising the money to bring him back to the UK after years of physical and mental torture in Jamaica, the country of his birth but not the country he calls home.
Vernon left Jamaica as a child and settled in Tottenham in North London, where he was happy and where he made a real name for himself as a light-welterweight pro in the 1970s and '80s. Then 13 years ago he made a routine trip to Jamaica but found himself unable to return to the UK due to ludicrous red tape and the man - understandably, has struggled ever since, plagued by depression and other health problems and financially bereft. Now the Government finally admits it was wrong to deny him entry back into the UK and 63-year-old Vernon is a plane ride away from London. Money raised already at justgiving.com is a nice start but more is needed to make the world a better place for a deserving soul so fingers crossed.
I met Vernon a few times back in the day and always enjoyed his exaggerated views on his own ability but he could undoubtedly fight and earned TV exposure with a smashing first-round stoppage of American Sammy Young at the Albert Hall in January 1983. It was a show that also featured Frank Bruno, Mark Kaylor and Lloyd Honeyghan but they all looked terrible on the night and left the door open for Vernon against his first overseas opponent. Young, a New Yorker, bounced into the ring and proceeded to shadowbox spectacularly for a few minutes. Then the bell rang and he barely threw a punch as Vernon rammed home a succession of jabs before finishing the visitor with a big right.
Vernon was different to other black fighters of his era in that he always brought out the black fraternity for his fights in London - not even Bruno did that. His performance against Young secured him a crossroads showdown with Basildon's unbeaten Terry Marsh for the Southern Area title at York Hall and the place was packed with Vanriel supporters in the days when the Southern Area title really meant something. Marsh cut a lonely figure as he made his way to the ring but he quickly kicked into gear and showed all his brilliant potential, moving and boxing to a clear 10-round decision, and Vanriel had nowhere left to go. He slowly drifted out of the sport and struggled for meaning in the subsequent years. Ironically, he made the later fateful trip to Jamaica in an attempt to cheer himself up.
Vernon has been through every kind of hell in recent years but there is light at the end of the tunnel now and the very best of luck to him.


https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/getvernonhome

[saad muhammad]

Only saw him fight live once at the Bloomsbury against Tony brown I was with his ex trainer at the time joey devitt. .and instead of boxing got involved and lost over eight rds. .and devitt said almost sarcastically he's entertaining tonight !!

[Coco]

Bennie you legend

[prewarboxing]

I am going to do a small feature on Vernon in next week's BN. I will mention the gofundme. Let's get the lad back to where he belongs and try to give him enough to make fresh start

Miles Templeton

[Coco]

I am going to do a small feature on Vernon in next week's BN. I will mention the gofundme. Let's get the lad back to where he belongs and try to give him enough to make fresh start

Miles Templeton

Do a big feature!

[prewarboxing]

Only got a certain amount of space!

Miles

[Gnome]

Former boxer Vernon Vanriel is skin and bone as his friends and good people in general begin raising the money to bring him back to the UK after years of physical and mental torture in Jamaica, the country of his birth but not the country he calls home.
Vernon left Jamaica as a child and settled in Tottenham in North London, where he was happy and where he made a real name for himself as a light-welterweight pro in the 1970s and '80s. Then 13 years ago he made a routine trip to Jamaica but found himself unable to return to the UK due to ludicrous red tape and the man - understandably, has struggled ever since, plagued by depression and other health problems and financially bereft. Now the Government finally admits it was wrong to deny him entry back into the UK and 63-year-old Vernon is a plane ride away from London. Money raised already at justgiving.com is a nice start but more is needed to make the world a better place for a deserving soul so fingers crossed.
I met Vernon a few times back in the day and always enjoyed his exaggerated views on his own ability but he could undoubtedly fight and earned TV exposure with a smashing first-round stoppage of American Sammy Young at the Albert Hall in January 1983. It was a show that also featured Frank Bruno, Mark Kaylor and Lloyd Honeyghan but they all looked terrible on the night and left the door open for Vernon against his first overseas opponent. Young, a New Yorker, bounced into the ring and proceeded to shadowbox spectacularly for a few minutes. Then the bell rang and he barely threw a punch as Vernon rammed home a succession of jabs before finishing the visitor with a big right.
Vernon was different to other black fighters of his era in that he always brought out the black fraternity for his fights in London - not even Bruno did that. His performance against Young secured him a crossroads showdown with Basildon's unbeaten Terry Marsh for the Southern Area title at York Hall and the place was packed with Vanriel supporters in the days when the Southern Area title really meant something. Marsh cut a lonely figure as he made his way to the ring but he quickly kicked into gear and showed all his brilliant potential, moving and boxing to a clear 10-round decision, and Vanriel had nowhere left to go. He slowly drifted out of the sport and struggled for meaning in the subsequent years. Ironically, he made the later fateful trip to Jamaica in an attempt to cheer himself up.
Vernon has been through every kind of hell in recent years but there is light at the end of the tunnel now and the very best of luck to him.


https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/getvernonhome

I'll get on that tomorrow, thanks for sharing Bennie.

[Coco]

I think the board and the London EBA should get involved too, donations, fundraisers etc
Anyone got any email addresses? What's Robert Smiths email address?

[Coco]

Interestingly the journalist who did all of this, Amelia Gentleman, is married to Jo Johnson, Boris's brother! And who am I to have a go at Tories!

[jamamb]

lmao amelia gentleman

hello ms. gentleman

but yes good work getting this attention

[spudder56]

I think the board and the London EBA should get involved too, donations, fundraisers etc
Anyone got any email addresses? What's Robert Smiths email address?

[email protected] will get through to him

[Coco]

I think the board and the London EBA should get involved too, donations, fundraisers etc
Anyone got any email addresses? What's Robert Smiths email address?

[email protected] will get through to him

Nice one, email has been sent! I know Robert a bit, he's a good bloke, hopefully he can help organise something, you have to look after your own.

[bennie]

Robert Smith fought on the undercard when Vanriel lost to Terry Marsh so he knows all about Vernon.

[spudder56]

I think the board and the London EBA should get involved too, donations, fundraisers etc
Anyone got any email addresses? What's Robert Smiths email address?

[email protected] will get through to him

Nice one, email has been sent! I know Robert a bit, he's a good bloke, hopefully he can help organise something, you have to look after your own.

Ok go on board website an send email to southern area secretary Dennis gilmartin his email address and contact is on website under the southern area council perhaps they will make a generous donation also google London ex boxers association I’m sure they will help as well

[prewarboxing]

Thanks to Coco, who sent me his number, I have just spoken to Vernon. He arrives back at Gatwick Airport on Thursday morning. Someone has obviously helped him out with tickets and passport. He told me that he doesn't have a pot to piss in when he gets back so he needs our help.

I am writing a piece about him in BN that he will be able to see when he gets back, but, lets see what we can do to help him re-establish himself back in the UK after his return. .

Support the JustGiving page!

Miles Templeton

[steve689]

What's the craic with the funding lads? I threw a few quid in to one of these the other night for Vernon but think it was Go Fund Me. Take it there's different ones doing the rounds.

[Coco]

Yeah I think there are different ones, with this sort of thing nothing is official, the one Bennie put up here is also the one the journalist recommended.
I am also waiting on the board and the London EBA, I don't know whether they are going to contribute to the page or just do something individually with him.
Hopefully everything will end up in the right hands, I'll let the forum know when I have heard back from those messages and people can choose how they want to contribute

[Coco]

Haven't heard back from either of them yet, bit disappointed, maybe they are on holiday, let's see, hopefully there is something in the pipeline, i'll keep the forum informed

[Coco]

The London EBA have replied, they are meeting at the end of the month and are going to discuss his case then.