Dean Francis
Posted: 16 May 2005, 10:22
Dean Francis held the super-middleweight world in his hands on the July night in 1997 when he thumped unbeaten rival David Starie into submission and claimed the coveted Lonsdale Belt.
The 23-year-old Francis was the latest top prospect in a division which had created so many British superstars, and had recently catapulted Joe Calzaghe into the world championship ranks.
With Naseem Hamed spearheading an unprecedented Sky TV-generated revival in the domestic sport's fortunes, big money and recognition beckoned for the Basingstoke boy, who had begun boxing at the age of eight with the solitary goal of becoming world champion.
Just over a year later what was supposed to be Francis' big night, his debut in front of his home-town fans prior to the projected world title shot he craved, went disastrously wrong.
He threw a languid right-hand in the second round of his contest with American journeyman Undra White which popped his shoulder out of its socket and set in motion a chain of events which saw Francis's career - as well as his life - spiral dangerously out of control.
Francis would not fight again for another four years, largely due to ongoing complications with his shoulder, and partly because of the unlawful wounding and assault conviction for attacking two men in a Basingstoke takeaway which led to him serving half of a two-year prison sentence.
Two subsequent comeback attempts fell flat and forced a second shoulder operation. But none of his experienced deflected Francis from his childhood goal, and on June 25 in Bristol he will re-emerge as a cruiserweight, as intent as ever on world domination.
"Everyone wrote me off again after my last fight against Matthew Barney in 2003 and even I started to write myself off too," Francis told the Press Association.
"It just never looked like it was going to end until I was persuaded to go back to my doctor and he told me that only some intensive physiotherapy stood in the way of me making a comeback.
"I am still convinced that I have got a successful career ahead of me and that I will realise my goal of becoming world champion.
"The reason I have not achieved it so far is not because of any lack of ability, it is purely because of the shoulder injury that I suffered."
Francis has teamed up with Bristol trainer Tex Woodward - well known for his connection with Britain's top female boxer Jane Couch - and has been working on a new method which he believes will impose less consistent strain upon his troublesome right arm.
Despite a brief retirement announcement in the wake of his loss to Barney - a performance once again hampered by his old injury - Francis has always known deep down that he could never simply walk away from his sport.
"Since the age of eight I always thought I didn't really need to educate myself because I was so sure I would be world champion one day," Francis admitted.
"It might sound stupid but that's what I thought, so when I was injured I had nowhere to turn. I tried doing bits but it just made me realise that I could never work for anyone.
"It has been a nightmare. I'd beaten Starie and everyone was going to start taking me seriously.
"Then I threw that lazy right against White and I knew something was wrong straight away. I just thought I'd need a few months out.
"But it took four years and during that time I also had to cope with being locked up. I was gutted and didn't even go into a gym for two years. Then when I did come back I did it too quickly and listened to the wrong physios and it all went wrong again."
Francis is now 31, which is no age for a cruiserweight, but, shoulder injury permitting, there is no reason why a fighter who once boasted such a precocious talent cannot make an impact at least on a weak domestic division.
Indeed it may be Francis' extra maturity could prove the decisive factor in whether his latest comeback attempt succeeds or proves to be a futile exercise once again.
"I went into that Barney fight knowing I wasn't right but just thinking it didn't matter, I'll do him with one hand - and I nearly did," explained Francis.
"I was naive and I would not be like that again. Now I'm more selective, I only let loose when I know I'll hit the target, and my right has become more of a deadly weapon as a result.
"I'm feeling great at the moment and I can't wait to get back in the ring to finally realise my goal."
from sporting life
The 23-year-old Francis was the latest top prospect in a division which had created so many British superstars, and had recently catapulted Joe Calzaghe into the world championship ranks.
With Naseem Hamed spearheading an unprecedented Sky TV-generated revival in the domestic sport's fortunes, big money and recognition beckoned for the Basingstoke boy, who had begun boxing at the age of eight with the solitary goal of becoming world champion.
Just over a year later what was supposed to be Francis' big night, his debut in front of his home-town fans prior to the projected world title shot he craved, went disastrously wrong.
He threw a languid right-hand in the second round of his contest with American journeyman Undra White which popped his shoulder out of its socket and set in motion a chain of events which saw Francis's career - as well as his life - spiral dangerously out of control.
Francis would not fight again for another four years, largely due to ongoing complications with his shoulder, and partly because of the unlawful wounding and assault conviction for attacking two men in a Basingstoke takeaway which led to him serving half of a two-year prison sentence.
Two subsequent comeback attempts fell flat and forced a second shoulder operation. But none of his experienced deflected Francis from his childhood goal, and on June 25 in Bristol he will re-emerge as a cruiserweight, as intent as ever on world domination.
"Everyone wrote me off again after my last fight against Matthew Barney in 2003 and even I started to write myself off too," Francis told the Press Association.
"It just never looked like it was going to end until I was persuaded to go back to my doctor and he told me that only some intensive physiotherapy stood in the way of me making a comeback.
"I am still convinced that I have got a successful career ahead of me and that I will realise my goal of becoming world champion.
"The reason I have not achieved it so far is not because of any lack of ability, it is purely because of the shoulder injury that I suffered."
Francis has teamed up with Bristol trainer Tex Woodward - well known for his connection with Britain's top female boxer Jane Couch - and has been working on a new method which he believes will impose less consistent strain upon his troublesome right arm.
Despite a brief retirement announcement in the wake of his loss to Barney - a performance once again hampered by his old injury - Francis has always known deep down that he could never simply walk away from his sport.
"Since the age of eight I always thought I didn't really need to educate myself because I was so sure I would be world champion one day," Francis admitted.
"It might sound stupid but that's what I thought, so when I was injured I had nowhere to turn. I tried doing bits but it just made me realise that I could never work for anyone.
"It has been a nightmare. I'd beaten Starie and everyone was going to start taking me seriously.
"Then I threw that lazy right against White and I knew something was wrong straight away. I just thought I'd need a few months out.
"But it took four years and during that time I also had to cope with being locked up. I was gutted and didn't even go into a gym for two years. Then when I did come back I did it too quickly and listened to the wrong physios and it all went wrong again."
Francis is now 31, which is no age for a cruiserweight, but, shoulder injury permitting, there is no reason why a fighter who once boasted such a precocious talent cannot make an impact at least on a weak domestic division.
Indeed it may be Francis' extra maturity could prove the decisive factor in whether his latest comeback attempt succeeds or proves to be a futile exercise once again.
"I went into that Barney fight knowing I wasn't right but just thinking it didn't matter, I'll do him with one hand - and I nearly did," explained Francis.
"I was naive and I would not be like that again. Now I'm more selective, I only let loose when I know I'll hit the target, and my right has become more of a deadly weapon as a result.
"I'm feeling great at the moment and I can't wait to get back in the ring to finally realise my goal."
from sporting life