BoxRec

He's got his autobiography out today.

Liked the Metro question "Have you ever shot any one?"

What are you up to?
I've been a stockbroker for the past five years. My partner was in the business and taking the exams. I was helping her to do them and ended up taking them myself. I've 25 years of working life ahead of me, so I might as well justify my existence.
You started in the Marines...
I saw an advert asking if you could 'hack it' - offering the Green Beret as the reward. So I joined and ended up boxing for the Navy. I won three national amateur titles. I got the best of both worlds as I also had the soldiering - in Northern Ireland and with the United Nations.

Have you ever shot anyone?
I was shot at but never actually had to shoot anyone. We had to what you call 'win the fire fight'. You have to put rounds down but, collectively, I think some cows were killed.

Why did you leave the Forces?
I realised that, without qualifications, the furthest I could go in the Marines was sergeant major. If I put a few years aside for my education, I could apply for a commission. So I left to go to college. I needed money, so I started boxing professionally. The boxing was successful in that I wasn't losing but I wasn't making money. I soon found myself married with a family, so I became a fireman.

Did you make a lot of money from boxing in the end?
I didn't do too badly. It was like it was my part-time job; everything I made from boxing was additional to my fireman's salary. But I retired undefeated so, arguably, I turned away my biggest pay day. The satisfaction of being undefeated far outweighs the money. I indulged myself for about ten years by being a perpetual student, studying politics, then I took a Masters in it.

Was epilepsy the main reason for your retirement?
It wasn't a reason. It was a coincidence. In fact, my epilepsy is very mild and there were questions whether it was the right diagnosis.

I actually made more money out of libel actions than I did out of boxing
This brings us to Frank...
Well, he was suing me for libel and got shot. So I was arrested and remanded in custody for what one newspaper called '294 days of hell'.

A key part of the evidence against you was a confession you allegedly made in prison.
Yes, it was a crazy state of affairs. My imprisonment facilitated 'confessional' evidence and now they had a case against me. There was no evidence before my imprisonment. They acted on assumptions. I was lucky really, just doing ten months. Some suspects get shot dead.

How are things with Frank now?
The only time that we've actually seen each other since is in court. The police said that the libel case was my motive for the shooting. We had the libel case and he lost - although I never won. Defendants never actually win court cases; you only hold your own. However, Frank had to pay my costs, which totalled £90,000.

You're a bit of a winner in court.
I went to prison for those ten months because of the libel laws, so I had time to learn a lot about it. When I got out, I sued paper after paper for all the things alleged against me. I actually made more money out of libel actions than I did out of boxing.

What was the worst libel?
They quoted my first wife; one read: 'My hell with Tel'. Another one accused me of cheating in the London Marathon, another said I liked wearing women's clothes. Others suggested that I had lied about the epilepsy diagnosis.

What's next?
Well, to be a successful author and publisher. I've put so much work into this book, every spare minute of the day for the past ten months. I'm really pleased with it but I know marketing is a big problem. A few years ago, I was a celebrity. Now I'm someone who boxed a long time ago and people have short memories.

Are you a happy man?
Not at the moment because my happiness stands or falls on this book. But I'm not sad - although my children call me 'sad and lame'.

60 SECONDS EXTRA!: A lot of people will remember you as World Champion.
I must be the softest-punching World Champion ever because I had more than 200 fights, both amateur and professional, and I never knocked anyone out.

60 SECONDS EXTRA!: Are you proud of that?
Yes, in a roundabout sort of way, because to be a boxer who can't punch and be as successful as I was - well, I must have had something.

60 SECONDS EXTRA!: What are you proudest of?
I'm proud that I've got this book off of the printing press and it's there. I've always had people doubting me. I can't blame them for thinking that way because I've doubted my ability to pull it off.

60 SECONDS EXTRA!: What are your thoughts on prison?
Education of the inmates and the screws [prison warders] is important. Most people in there are life's victims, some of them can't write and most of them are on drugs, which is a big problem. If they were to legalise and regulate drugs, it would help. It appears to me that the only beneficiaries of the current drug policy are the Police Federation, the Prison Officers' Association, the Law Society and the drug barons. I didn't know anything about drugs until I went to prison. The whole thing needs a 'root and branch' look at it. It suits The Prison Officers' Association to have it like it is because there is a guarantee that when the prisoners go out of the prison gates, they will be back in six months. It's not really in the interests of prison officers to have them reformed in my view. There's no justice when it comes to disciplinary procedures for prisoners. Screws are always right and the prisoners always wrong - they haven't got a chance. So they come out bitter and twisted and who can blame them if they feel alienated. They feel they are not part of society and, if a sense of community spirit was there before, it isn't any more. On remand, I saw how Britain treats prisoners who are unconvicted and we have the audacity to sit in judgment of other countries. It seriously needs looking at.

60 SECONDS EXTRA!: Which brings us to [London Burning star] John Alford...[He was jailed for drug dealing in 1999]
Well, the News Of The World destroyed him. Privately, they considered him a child but, publicly, they passed him off to their readers as an evil drug dealer. To do what they did just to sell newspapers was absolutely appalling. They proved that he was a drug dealer by passing themselves off as Arab sheikhs and asking him to buy them drugs. They promised him the Earth. The question with John was not whether he would supply drugs but how much they would have to offer him before he took the bait. It destroyed him. I tried to help John in the small way that I could but I found myself being described by the News Of The World as a 'thug'. I sued them on that one and the jury were generous [Marsh was awarded £30,000 damages]. John's girlfriend Tina, who's now the mother of his child, also sued them with my guidance. We gave them a nosebleed but it was minor to what John has endured.

Interesting stuff!. I always liked Marsh, he was a very good underrated boxer.... shame his reign was so short.
Perhaps he could advise frank on his upcoming court battle with Ricky!... 8)

One thing incorrect in Terry's interview is that John Alford is a scumbag, I grew up near him and can confirm he is a total lowlife and deserved everything that came his way, Marsh is mis-informed there.

Aside from that, a very good interview, I like the kind of 'where are they now' pieces and Marsh has a very interesting life story, I'll be buying the book.

He is clearly a bright guy. I like the way he managed to sue so many of the tabloids.

He is also right about drugs and prison.

A lot of people come out of prison worse than when they went in because of the enviroment. Its crazy how drugs are rife throughout prisons and I think it has a lot to do with the authorities turning a blind eye and looking for the 'quiet life'.

and relieving the boredom.

had a mate who was in and out of prison half his life, he used to get clean when he was out, then get done again for various reasons, then end up back on the skag inside.

it got him in the end last year silly bastard.

Is it all free in there? If not how the fornicate do they afford it?

no its traded for fone credit money and fags.

Obviously a very bright man is Terry - seem to recall he was a London chess champ as a school boy..

From the book - sounds interesting!

Excerpted from Undefeated by Terry Marsh. Copyright © 2005. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Prologue


"…Ladies and Gentleman of the jury. Let's consider the scene on 30th November 1989, outside the theatre in Barking. The shooting of allegedly was a planned assassination attempt. The Crown's case is that Terry Marsh had a powerful motive to wish to dispose of allegedly... Marsh had a festering dislike of Warren, whom he saw as standing alone in the way of his re-establishment. That is a very powerful motive. Marsh's swift and severe decline had left him a desperate man. The public pronouncement through the Sun of his epilepsy had ended his boxing career and employment as a fireman. Marsh blamed Warren for his removal as a commentator from the ‘Seconds Out’ programme.
In January 1989 Warren and Marsh had a meeting at the formers’ office in Tavistock Place. Marsh asked for their manager-boxer contract to be rescinded. Warren refused.
Then on the 25th January 1989 Marsh uttered the remarks on Thames TV's ‘Midweek Sports Special’ that prompted Warren's libel action against him. Warren sued on the third of February. On the twenty first of February the British boxing board of control turned down Marsh's application to box again, thus cutting off another source of income.
The libel case was looming, with the possibility of a large settlement and costs to pay. By the end of November he owed £124,000. He has got a huge mortgage on his house. He had lost his commentary job, lost his fireman’s job and he was facing, if he lost the libel action, both costs and damages.
He can't settle the action, as that would mean an apology, it would mean having to admit that what he said on television had been a dreadful lie about allegedly. Warren's death would effectively have finished the libel action. Only allegedly stood between Marsh and personal vindication.
If at the end of the day...the jigsaw is complete, you will be able to put your hand on your heart and say this case is proved."
Show nothing was the policy from the moment I first entered the dock. Everything you do is with hesitancy. How will the jury interpret your actions or emotions? When you are being demeaned do you show indignation or remain outwardly indifferent? Whatever you do, you see it as the wrong thing. I was even reluctant to look at the jury fearing they may be intimidated by the eye contact. It is a very awkward position to be in. These twelve people are the ultimate arbiters in charge of my destiny and there was now fornicate all I could do about it. On hearing the prosecution’s summing up I was beginning to have serious doubts. Those matters that she brought to the jury’s attention I could have easily explained away I should have addressed them. But now I had to sit in silence and wait. My heart raced not through fear but anger. I should never have listened to my legal team. I ignored my instincts and now I was fucked. How could I go to fornicating prison for life? What the fornicate am I doing!
here? How the hell did it happen? Now that is a long story.

Sounds like fascinating stuff. Not Terry's first book though, here he discusses shorts walks around the Lake District:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 26-0578843

You can order his new book here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 26-0578843

I love the irony of the fact that in an extract from a libel case, this site bangs in 'allegedly' all the time!!

I like marsh, nice fella

I like Marsh, nice fella

Terry has been posting over at Ricky's site.

We've set up a Q&A thread for anyone who wants to ask him a question.

KO Atrist wrote:I like marsh, nice fella

Say's as much about you than him.

G-man wrote:Terry has been posting over at Ricky's site.

We've set up a Q&A thread for anyone who wants to ask him a question.

how apt!

boxingchat wrote:

KO Atrist wrote:I like marsh, nice fella

Say's as much about you than him.

You are an irritating man.

I used to spar with mice, he was a lovely bloke and a very tough competitor. He hated coming second best even in the gym. He wasnt a big puncher but he was very fit in body and mind he had good skills and a massive will to win.

He did warn me about our promoter

All i wnated to do was go on the piss

boxingchat wrote:

G-man wrote:Terry has been posting over at Ricky's site.

We've set up a Q&A thread for anyone who wants to ask him a question.

how apt!

You still here.

nickd wrote:Is it all free in there? If not how the fornicate do they afford it?

People smuggle it in as well through friends and family, then you trade for stuff inside, the dealers usually have a mint pad with loads of bottles of lynx and ben sherman shampoo and other various luxuries :P Smuggling into the open prisons is a piece of piss you rarely get checked while coming back from work, if there is a farm just get a job on the dairy and when you come back in the building you think the screws are going to search you when your covered in cow shit

Now, whilst I hope I never have to go inside (A few overnight stays at the local nick have been enough for me.) I'm grateful of the knowledge some posters on here seem to have, should the worst happen..... I won't ask how you all seem to know these sort of things, you seem like such nice, well-adjusted lads.

I know a few lads (albeit in the vaguest sense of the word) who're spending some time at her majesties leisure, and, I have to say, the idea scares the shit out of me.

I'll never forget the chants of Terry Marsh at Hamed vs Robinson and also when he was playing football in a local charity match references like "Terry Marsh is blind" stuff like that. He was right by the touchline when these chants were being said/sung - he was trying to get on the game but you could tell he saw the funny side of it.

Surprised he says that the epilepsy wasn't a reason for his retirment - I always thought he had his licence revoked. I find it very odd, I remember him calling out Hector Camacho and it seemed almost set that these two would get it on (at one stage it looked like directly after Terry's last fight) but then came his retirement which shocked me. He seemed like he was on the crest of making some big money (and looked to be loving being a world champion) then retirement.... it was rather sudden and at 29 possibly had his best years ahead.

Terry said that he never KO'd anyone as a pro or amateur, boxrec says he has 10 stoppages including a few KO's as opposed to TKO or RSF. I can't say I ever associated Terry as a powder puff puncher, certainly a bigger banger than Barry Jones and I always thought he had a good "wear down" power.

He did an excellent job in his win over Joe Manley, don't think he would have ever fought better than that.

If I remember rightly, wasn't the Manley fight on BBC and his only defence vs the Asian guy (where he famously "gave" him free shots to the body) on ITV?

stujones wrote: If I remember rightly, wasn't the Manley fight on BBC and his only defence vs the Asian guy (where he famously "gave" him free shots to the body) on ITV?

the defense against Akio Kameda was on ITV, Marsh got badly cut in that one , then stepped up the pressure i think it was during the 6th round he put his arms up to defend his head and let Kameda have about 5 free shots at his body, after Kameda saw this had no effect on Marsh the fight drained out of him, after the 6th he wandered to the wrong corner completly shot.

Hector Camacho was ringside for this fight and was interviewed by ITV during and after the fight, Camacho was very interested in coming over to fight Marsh.

G-man wrote:

boxingchat wrote:

G-man wrote:Terry has been posting over at Ricky's site.

We've set up a Q&A thread for anyone who wants to ask him a question.

how apt!

You still here.

Why wouldn't I be? Now fornicate off and whack yourself off over Ricky Hatton.

boxingchat wrote:

G-man wrote:

boxingchat wrote: how apt!

You still here.

Why wouldn't I be? Now fornicate off and whack yourself off over Ricky Hatton.

another stunningly good quote about boxing, what is it with you mate, do you really have nothing better to do than come onto this forum and slag off everyone that has a different perspective on things to you.

now are you going to reply to me , by either slagging me off, or are you actually going to reply by coming out with a good intelligent answer.

topper123 wrote:

stujones wrote: If I remember rightly, wasn't the Manley fight on BBC and his only defence vs the Asian guy (where he famously "gave" him free shots to the body) on ITV?

the defense against Akio Kameda was on ITV, Marsh got badly cut in that one , then stepped up the pressure i think it was during the 6th round he put his arms up to defend his head and let Kameda have about 5 free shots at his body, after Kameda saw this had no effect on Marsh the fight drained out of him, after the 6th he wandered to the wrong corner completly shot.

Hector Camacho was ringside for this fight and was interviewed by ITV during and after the fight, Camacho was very interested in coming over to fight Marsh.

Yes, I remember this. This is when Camacho met Marsh inside the ring after the fight. It was obviously only for a photo opportunity, but it wasn't as normal a thing as it is today (re. Bruno and Harrison). If memory serves me correct the commentators were getting quite animated at the prospect of these two meeting. I always thought it would have been a step to far for Marsh, but it would have been a good fight.

Anybody have any Marsh on tape?