Q: Who is the biggest waste of talent you have signed, that you thought you were onto a winner here and they were potentially a British legend in the making, but they never reached it, due to not being committed enough or there style never adapted from the amateurs into the pro ranks?
Chris Royle
A: Hi Chris, there have been a few guys over the years who didn’t for various reasons make it, most self inflicted. Tony Collins, the late Keith Wallace spring to mind, both were extremely talented but bad livers.
I thought they were talented boxers too. Tony looked to be even better than his brother George but in his early pro days used to have terrible habit of hitting his opponents when told to break or flooring them. Quite off-putting.
Fabulous junior amateur, never lost a single contest I seem to recall. Almost won the British title in a cracking battle with Wally Swift jnr.
Concerning the "bad living" I know he used to wear the smiley face badge on his shorts at the same time as when Britain was going through it's Acid stage. Wonder if there's a link?
