BoxRec

BOXER HELD OVER CLUB INCIDENT
Date : 03.07.07

Professional boxer Dean Francis has been arrested in connection with an assault at a Bristol nightclub which left a reveller in hospital for 10 days.A 24-year-old had bruising to his brain following the incident at Fuchsia nightclub in Nelson Street on June 10.

Francis was arrested yesterday afternoon.

Avon and Somerset police spokesman Ian Drury said: "A 33-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault following an incident at Fuchsia nightclub in the early hours of June 10.

"The assault was on a 24-year-old victim and he sustained bruising on the brain and remained in hospital for 10 days following the assault, to be treated for his injuries.

"The man was questioned by detectives and has been released on police bail pending further inquiries. A bail date has not yet been fixed."

Francis, a former British and European champion, won the IBO Intercontinental light heavyweight title at Ashton Gate last month.

The boxer, who has undergone three operations in seven years, added the title to the Commonwealth crown he won in February.

Francis is expected to defend the Commonwealth crown in September, possibly televised by Sky Sports in Bristol.

His promoter, Bristol-based Tony Hay, said he did not want to comment about the allegation.

But he said: "Dean's not an aggressive or malicious person."

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk

I dunno what happened here, but I can say Dean is as nice a guy as u can meet.

The incident in the kebab shop, where he got jailed was a traversty as well

I remember watching Dean as a 19 year old sparring Eubanks and giving him all he could handle, I expected great things from the kid its a shame how it turned out. Nice Boy to.

Dean is the most naturally talented fighter I've ever seen box in person and that includes the Hamed's and Calzaghe's. He could (and can) let off any punch without even thinking about it and although he had a good stiff jab and liked to settle down and only open up when required, he never needed a range-finder! Huge under-achiever, bigger under-achiever than Ryan Rhodes even.

I don't know what happened here but the boxer will always send the punter to A+E.

It's one thing to say a boxer always has to walk away but we all know that a boozed up gobshite can be all over you before you can walk away and if the police always arrest the guy left standing then the boxer will always look bad.

If it was a suistained attack when the punter was down or an unprovoked attack then take Dean to court. If the guy ran his mouth, got out of his depth and took a lesson let's leave it at that. I hope he's OK.

The police are only looking for statistics these days but most of us are looking for common sense.

I've always liked Dean Francis but when someone gets done twice for this sort of thing you do start to ask questions.

I've never been done once for bashing someone up in a kebab shop or nighclub let alone twice, neither have any of my close mates.

Possibly because we aren't as hard as Dean Francis and might let things pass in certain situations but I still now wonder if Francis isn't deserving of what might be coming to him?

Goz wrote:I've always liked Dean Francis but when someone gets done twice for this sort of thing you do start to ask questions.

I've never been done once for bashing someone up in a kebab shop or nighclub let alone twice, neither have any of my close mates.

Possibly because we aren't as hard as Dean Francis and might let things pass in certain situations but I still now wonder if Francis isn't deserving of what might be coming to him?

The main difference is that we are not as hard as Dean Francis.

There were 3 aggressors in the kebab shop, if James had won the fight against his 3 muggers he prob would have been nicked for a racial beating.

There are no winners in street fighting, you win an your are nicked and you lose and you get hurt.

People like Francis are often targets, people think you got money and it is another example of our compensation culture

what ever the reason or circumstances, if Francis is found guilty his careern will most likely be over.

Judges take a very dim view of boxers using their skills outside of the ring and as its a second incident, with him being jailed for the first, I would expect to see him get sent down again.

As others have said Dean is massively talented as a fighter but his career has been that of an under achiever.

If this is how it will end it is a shame but you cant go around chinning people whatever the provocation.

Agree with Terry and with Coco to a degree but where I don't agree with Mr (Coco) Pops is that boxers need to avoid these kind of situations.

Like footballers who keep getting spotted falling out of nightclubs, after a while you start to question how sensible they are being....

Pubs and boxers just don't go together, I'd avoid them if I was a pro, or at least drink outside of my home town where people want to make a name for themselves....

Ditto Captain, it's not like Francis had just had a 12 round war and was rewarding himself with a night out. I just don't get why some boxers can't stay away from clubs, and all the absolute tossers that you find in them.

I hope this isn't the end for Francis, this is the best position he has been in since his shoulder first went nearly a decade ago.

Very true....

At least Hatton deserves his Guinness...

If you're a Dean Francis fan, I've done a little bit on him for this month's Boxing Monthly.

good man....

STP wrote:Dean is the most naturally talented fighter I've ever seen box in person and that includes the Hamed's and Calzaghe's. He could (and can) let off any punch without even thinking about it and although he had a good stiff jab and liked to settle down and only open up when required, he never needed a range-finder! Huge under-achiever, bigger under-achiever than Ryan Rhodes even.

Calazaghe done Dean 1st round in the amateurs(ABA)

Goz wrote:Agree with Terry and with Coco to a degree but where I don't agree with Mr (Coco) Pops is that boxers need to avoid these kind of situations.

Like footballers who keep getting spotted falling out of nightclubs, after a while you start to question how sensible they are being....

I do agree with you mate, that boxers shouldn't be out like this, esp if you have a bit of form in this area.
There is no need to put yourself in these vunerable situations

And it's Mr.Coco Chanel to you!! lol

Coco wrote:

Goz wrote:Agree with Terry and with Coco to a degree but where I don't agree with Mr (Coco) Pops is that boxers need to avoid these kind of situations.

Like footballers who keep getting spotted falling out of nightclubs, after a while you start to question how sensible they are being....

I do agree with you mate, that boxers shouldn't be out like this, esp if you have a bit of form in this area.
There is no need to put yourself in these vunerable situations

And it's Mr.Coco Chanel to you!! lol

Not being able to have a drink round town is enough to make anyone kick off

At the end of the day I think it would take more than one punch or so for the guy to end up with bruising to the brain.... even if Dean was defending himself it seems he went into it quite a bit and given his past you'd think that he'd steer clear of these types of places where fights are going on all the time...
what was the story behind the kebab incident??....

Coco wrote:I dunno what happened here, but I can say Dean is as nice a guy as u can meet.

The incident in the kebab shop, where he got jailed was a traversty as well

he has previous ffs.

hardly mr perfect then.

Coco wrote:I dunno what happened here, but I can say Dean is as nice a guy as u can meet.

The incident in the kebab shop, where he got jailed was a traversty as well

Dean Francis is my favourite fighter in the UK. He is so so talented and a great athlete.

His recent performances were so encouraging I would back him to beat Clinton Woods and give JC a good fight at 175.

I hope the reports prove unfounded because Dean is one of the good guys.

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:If you're a Dean Francis fan, I've done a little bit on him for this month's Boxing Monthly.

Cheers Ian.

Is that the late June edition or the forthcoming late July?

John

Just read it Ian.

Very interesting with regards the injuries.

Thanks

I always remember Frank Bruno in his book talking about
doing his roadwork one night in Bristol during panto and running
past a pub all the locals started calling after him 'stand and fight
like a man you coward' but Bruno had more sense and said 'if you are a boxer avoid places with mixed company and alcohol'

A lot of Englishmen see not bein able to go out on the town as an affront to their personal freedoms, I agree with Kilburn that most nightclubs are full of tossers anyway but Dean Francis thought he could be a professional fighter and still enjoy his weekends out. He is a fool from not learning from his previous mistake because thats how the judge is going to see it.

As for controlling your temper, if someone attacks you and the 'red mist' comes over. You can be Mahatma Ghandi but you are going to smash your aggressor to bits.

silkov wrote:At the end of the day I think it would take more than one punch or so for the guy to end up with bruising to the brain.... even if Dean was defending himself it seems he went into it quite a bit and given his past you'd think that he'd steer clear of these types of places where fights are going on all the time...
what was the story behind the kebab incident??....

what do you mean it would take more than one punch to end up with bruising on the brain what about garry delaney he only landed one punch on a 15st man while working as a doorman people seem to think that because your a boxer that outside the ring you are a punch bag sod that if somone was trying to start on me on the street in a club whatever id iron them straight out before the fellas mates started aswell i just hope that dean had good reason to chin the fella otherwise he's been a propper plum

i thought it was a chinese takeway not a kebab shop?