BoxRec

From icWales.

Former European lightweight champion Jason Cook has decided to call it a day.

The 31-year-old former postman, from Maesteg, who withdrew earlier this week from a European title tilt against Italian Giuseppe Lauri at the Afan Lido, has admitted defeat in a long-running battle against a shoulder injury.

'It's time for me to go now,' he says.

'I've had so much trouble with it over the years - and tendonitis in an ankle which flares up when I do roadwork - that I can't carry on at top level.

'If I was going to fight four - or six-rounders it might be OK, but life as a journeyman is not for me.'

It completes a neatly symmetrical career for one of Wales' most outstanding boxers in recent years.

'I had my first bout in 1986 and made my pro debut in 1996, now I'm finishing in 2006,' says Jason.

A British ABA champion and Commonwealth silver medallist as an amateur, Cook suffered just two defeats in 26 pro contests, winning the European title - which he lost on the scales rather than in the ring - and the IBO belt, as well as a Welsh crown up at light-welter.

'I've achieved more than I ever thought I could,' he says.

'I made the top 10 in the world and I've got to be happy with that.

'I would have liked to become a double European champion, but it's not to be.

'I've got my scrapbooks and my videos to show my four children and, some day, my granchildren.'

Jason, now working regular night shifts in a local factory, will take a year out to spend more time with his family. But he might well appear in a ring again one day.

'A couple of years down the line you might see me in a corner, who knows?' he says.

'But I won't be the one throwing punches.'

Meanwhile, the September 22 Lido show has been switched to London's York Hall, with promoters Matchroom hoping the European authorities will accept a substitute - possibly British champion Young Muttley - as Lauri's opponent for the vacant title.

When Jason Cook is mentioned I always remember that KO over Sandro Casamonica, when he came in at short notice for Bobby Vanzie. Stunning knockout.

I was there the night he won by disqualification over Gary Reid, and remember having the feel that he didn't have the heart for boxing anymore.

It was very hard for him to make the 135lbs limit, I read that while he was in prison he ballooned to around 180lbs.

I hate it when I hear of boxers who have chased the glory, retire and then have to go out and get normal jobs but that's life.

His winning the euro title was stunning Casamonica had just floored him and was really trying to finish it when Jason pulled a stunning left hook out of nowhere to flatten Casamonica, he was out before hitting the deck.
One of the Ko's of the year.

Never a dull moment when Cookie was fighting. Always gave value for money; loved a tear-up but also had under-rated boxing skills when he chose to use them. A really nice, down-to-earth type of guy. He'll be missed. Good luck Jason.

i liked jason cook and wish him all the best for a comfortable future.

all the best in retirement.

harrygreb wrote:i liked jason cook and wish him all the best for a comfortable future.

yes, let's hope he avoids the temptation to start stealing credit cards again....

Ahhh i didnt know he withdrew, was looking forward to the fight :(

yes, let's hope he avoids the temptation to start stealing credit cards again....[/quote]

well. my friend i hope in future you avoid the temptation to kick a man when he's down and i also hope in the next 7 days somebody steals your credit card because you are one dehumanised piece of crap and finally i sincerely hope you and i are talking about this in a bar somewhere so's i can teach you a life lesson you so richly deserve

Welsh light-welterweight Jason Cook has announced his retirement after pulling out of a European title shot against Italy's Giuseppe Lauri later this month with a long-standing shoulder problem.
Victory would have made him only the second Welshman to win European titles at two weights (the other was Newport's Johnny Basham).
Back in August 2002 in Italy, Cook bombed out Sandro Casamonica in three rounds with a big left hook to win the vacant European lightweight title. "It's like a dream," said the new champion. "That was the best punch I've thrown in my life."
The dream continued when he dismantled French challenger Nasser Lakrib in five rounds in his first defence in his hometown of Maesteg. But his second defence turned into a nightmare even before the first bell. He came in two pounds overweight for Italy's Stefano Zoff and managed to lose only half a pound in the two hours he was given to get down. He thus lost his title on the scales. He fought Zoff anyway, nicking a close 12-rounder over the former WBA lightweight champion.
Cook stuck it out at the weight and won the low-rent IBO title with a seven-round mauling of Argentina's green-haired (and green) Ariel Olveira in November 2003. Olveira continually walked on to Jason's big left hooks and was down four times before the finish. Cook also safely negotiated a first defence against Kevin "Bulldog" Bennett at Bridgend in May 2004 (points), before his efforts to make the weight were exposed by Argentina's more worldly Aldo Rios in a desperate affair at Hereford six months later.
Jason, dead at the weight, was crushed in three.
That was November 2004. The 31-year-old boxed only one more time: an unsatisfactory second-round win over Stoke dangerman Gary Reid in Liverpool last November. Cook took a low one, went down like a sack of spuds and stayed down (for five minutes). Reid was slung out.
At his best, Cook was a quick, aggressive, hard-hitting fighter, who knew how to box. A brilliant amateur, he captured the ABA featherweight title in 1993 and a Commonwealth silver in 1994 in Canada, before turning pro in 1996 and cruising to five straight victories. He then suffered a stunning first-round dismissal at the hands of Birmingham journeyman Trevor Smith, a southpaw from the Nobby Nobbs camp.
But he was soon back to winning ways, reeling off 12 straight victories, including a first-round stoppage of Woody Greenaway for the Welsh title in late 1999, when his career was interrupted by a prison sentence for credit card fraud. He served longer than Naz, who seriously injured a man: six months.
"It's not an experience I would like to repeat," said Jason.
And he turned his life around, courtesy of that superb left hook against Casmonica in 2002, a fight he took at 10 days' notice. The last British fighter to win a European title in Italy had been Pat Barrett way back in 1990, but Cook climbed off the floor in a sensational third round to flatten the local man.
You know, Cook lost only twice in 10 years as a pro. He paid his dues. And he came good. A rare success story in boxing.

harrygreb wrote:
well. my friend i hope in future you avoid the temptation to kick a man when he's down and i also hope in the next 7 days somebody steals your credit card because you are one dehumanised piece of crap and finally i sincerely hope you and i are talking about this in a bar somewhere so's i can teach you a life lesson you so richly deserve

Fvck off you mug, I'll give you my home address if you want and you can come round and see me on my doorstep and I'll give you your pasting there....

Or you can come down the gym if you want and we can have a little move around, I train Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

You twat.

I wish Cook the best, I was only p1ssing about.... which is more than can be said about you, you tool.

E wrote:yes, let's hope he avoids the temptation to start stealing credit cards again....

harrygreb wrote:well. my friend i hope in future you avoid the temptation to kick a man when he's down and i also hope in the next 7 days somebody steals your credit card because you are one dehumanised piece of crap and finally i sincerely hope you and i are talking about this in a bar somewhere so's i can teach you a life lesson you so richly deserve

harrygrub - Internet warrior of the week!

Cracking fighter was cook, enjoyed watching him fight, obviously had some problems outside the ring, but we're none of us angels now are we?

exactly.
if you was only joking MR E then it was a pretty poor joke.
so you train three times a week!! i'm shaking like a leaf!
just for the record i havent seen the inside of a gym for about 10 years but somehow that wont matter.
give me the address of your gym you hard, toned up, work out muscle mary and i'll come round and we'll see about it shall we.
cookie was only trying to make a pound note and thats ok in my book.
its twats and grasses like you that wants locking up.
give me your address and i'll break your f..ing nose

harrygreb wrote:exactly.
if you was only joking MR E then it was a pretty poor joke.
so you train three times a week!! i'm shaking like a leaf!
just for the record i havent seen the inside of a gym for about 10 years but somehow that wont matter.
give me the address of your gym you hard, toned up, work out muscle mary and i'll come round and we'll see about it shall we.
cookie was only trying to make a pound note and thats ok in my book.
its twats and grasses like you that wants locking up.
give me your address and i'll break your f..ing nose

Hilarious stuff, hairy.

Where can I get tickets for this? Sounds like a cracking scrap.

Real shame, I was hoping Cookie had it in him for one last hurrah.

Great fighter to watch and he really deserved his success in beating Casamonica - some punch too.

Nice enough kid too but at the end of the day just at the point he was looking like cashing in a real lack of discipline cost him - losing his title on the scales was uncessary especially when he went on to win the fight and he become far too inactive after that. Weight drain/lack of preparation clearly played a part in his knockout by Rios - truth be told Jason rarely did 100% of his prep work as far as I could see.

His sellout first defence of the European belt in the tiny sports hall in Maesteg was just a great occasion though and that marauding version of Cook really did deserve a world title shot.

He has a lot to be proud of.

harrygreb wrote:exactly.
if you was only joking MR E then it was a pretty poor joke.
so you train three times a week!! i'm shaking like a leaf!
just for the record i havent seen the inside of a gym for about 10 years but somehow that wont matter.
give me the address of your gym you hard, toned up, work out muscle mary and i'll come round and we'll see about it shall we.
cookie was only trying to make a pound note and thats ok in my book.
its twats and grasses like you that wants locking up.
give me your address and i'll break your f..ing nose

fvck me you're a thick, ignorant, most likely overweight, most certainly mentally ill, laughable internet warrior twat.

You haven't seen a gym for 10 years? Then maybe I'll let a heavy bag fight for me and it'll still win when you have a fvcking heart attack after 30 seconds.... (I can just feel your pulse going up to 120 beats per minute reading this, your plum sized heart beating like a fvcked clock and trying to force blood through your needle-thin cholesterol-plagued arteries....)

I don't understand your logic either...I am a grass now???? How so???? I think it is I who should be shaking like a leaf.... being threatened online by an alcoholic shambles with 3/4 of an inch of brain and a heart condition...

PS I am not a muscle mary, I do not do weights, just box. Can you scrape together the funds to come up to London? Maybe you can use one of Cookie's credit cards????

jamesmcdonell wrote:Where can I get tickets for this? Sounds like a cracking scrap.

I wouldn't get too excited.....it would be like an Amir Khan fight - an overmatched opponent getting battered. Maybe we can get "smokingbullet" to put it on an unlicensed show?

the plot thickens

Jason Cook what have you started.

you are right, i am overweight - i am 18 stone of angry, alcohol fueled beef and my arms are as thick as my skull. all i am is one belligerant belicose bully with a large pair of boots desperate to kick your f..king head in. 18 stone plus but i'm a scaffolder and i keep myself fit enough to drop holmes place iron pumpers like you.
youre a grass because i and thousands of others didnt know about cookies "misdemeanors" until you blabbed. we deal with you and your kind around here (canning town) by spreading your poncy noses all over your ugly mugs.
get your arse up here - the peacock will do - and we'll sort it.

tickets available from my old mate gerry at the door of the peacock or maybe you'd prefer the beckton arms if you fancy gloves off.

Not picking arguments here, but how is it "grassing" to refer to Cook's jail time? It has been in both Boxing Monthly and Boxing News, and Jason himself has regularly been quoted on it, saying how contrite he was and that it justified a custodial sentence....

This scrap deserves a spot on the Witter undercard, someone have a word with Wellington...

Can someone take a video camera and post it on youtube please... bit of a trek for me to see it live. Unless Sentana will pick it up.

Neri1983 wrote:Jason Cook what have you started.

I suppose Jason can take credit, not cards, just credit for all of this. 8)