Jelley has a wobble
Posted: 20 May 2005, 07:41
From the Tellygraff
Jelly lands blow on 'lazy' ABA
By Bob Mee
(Filed: 20/05/2005)
Amir Khan's trainer, Mick Jelley, has labelled Amateur Boxing Association of England officials "overpaid, lazy hypocrites".
Jelley, who coached Khan from the age of 11, claims he told the Olympic silver medallist to turn professional because of the state the amateur side of the sport is in.
The ABA England appeared to do everything they could to keep Khan as an amateur -including playing a leading role in a deal of £70,000 a year that would have taken him to the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Part of Jelley's frustration seems to lie in the ABA policy which means for major internationals boxers have England coaches, not club trainers, working with them.
"The people at the top don't want to know," he said. "With Amir, we had to fight for everything we got.
"They're overpaid and they're lazy. Hypocrites. We train the lads for five years and get them ready and then they pinch them off us. The ABA don't know how to run the sport. They don't know how to run shows, they don't know how to treat lads or how to put a tournament on properly."
However, in spite of Khan withdrawing controversially over a ticket allocation row, there were about 2,500 people at the English ABA finals at the ExCel Centre in London's Docklands.
Keith Walters, chairman of the England selectors and a director of ABA England, said: "Many long-time coaches, who do a tremendous job in their own areas, are by nature parochial. They look at their own situation because that's the most important thing to them, and seem unable to see where they fit into the overall picture."
Meanwhile, Khan will now make his professional debut in front of his home-town fans at the 7,000-capacity Bolton Arena on July 16 instead of the original choice, the ExCel Centre.
Jelly lands blow on 'lazy' ABA
By Bob Mee
(Filed: 20/05/2005)
Amir Khan's trainer, Mick Jelley, has labelled Amateur Boxing Association of England officials "overpaid, lazy hypocrites".
Jelley, who coached Khan from the age of 11, claims he told the Olympic silver medallist to turn professional because of the state the amateur side of the sport is in.
The ABA England appeared to do everything they could to keep Khan as an amateur -including playing a leading role in a deal of £70,000 a year that would have taken him to the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Part of Jelley's frustration seems to lie in the ABA policy which means for major internationals boxers have England coaches, not club trainers, working with them.
"The people at the top don't want to know," he said. "With Amir, we had to fight for everything we got.
"They're overpaid and they're lazy. Hypocrites. We train the lads for five years and get them ready and then they pinch them off us. The ABA don't know how to run the sport. They don't know how to run shows, they don't know how to treat lads or how to put a tournament on properly."
However, in spite of Khan withdrawing controversially over a ticket allocation row, there were about 2,500 people at the English ABA finals at the ExCel Centre in London's Docklands.
Keith Walters, chairman of the England selectors and a director of ABA England, said: "Many long-time coaches, who do a tremendous job in their own areas, are by nature parochial. They look at their own situation because that's the most important thing to them, and seem unable to see where they fit into the overall picture."
Meanwhile, Khan will now make his professional debut in front of his home-town fans at the 7,000-capacity Bolton Arena on July 16 instead of the original choice, the ExCel Centre.