BoxRec

Was Brian Hughes's first prospect and beat Naseem Hamed as an amateur - drugs unfortuneatly got the better of him but here is a youtube video of him beating tough Salford domestic contender Russ Davison for the Central Area featherweight title in Bury. What an excellent fighter he could have turned out to be.

http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=nCDVflYdP8s

http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=j0Eny5bwcZE

Carlos-Wigan wrote:Was Brian Hughes's first prospect and beat Naseem Hamed as an amateur - drugs unfortuneatly got the better of him but here is a youtube video of him beating tough Salford domestic contender Russ Davison for the Central Area featherweight title in Bury. What an excellent fighter he could have turned out to be.

http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=nCDVflYdP8s

http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=j0Eny5bwcZE

I'm sure I remember reading an interview with hughes where he said that dermody was the best ever natural talent he'd worked with. What a sad waste.

Anyne got more info on him?

He looks pretty tasty..

I remember a Brian Hughes quote ref Dermody:

he said "he could box on a handkerchief"

Never saw him fight so look forward to this youtube find - nice one Carlos!

After watching the youtube video I know exactly where Brian Hughes was coming from with his quote - Dermody had the timing, instinct and ability to slip and evade most of what was coming his way.

He was also very relaxed and confident in the ring - he made it all look easy.

Shame he couldn't maintain his commitment to the game; his ability was clear for all to see in that fight.

John Lyon beat him in the 1989 ABAs, but John Lyon won more ABA titles than any man in history.

I was at the fight mentioned-sat well away from the Salford crew thankfully.
We had Craig Dermody,Pat Barrett + Delroy Waul training in Bristol with us for a while at Tex Woodwards Gym,and I would stop training to watch Dermody shadow-box during his warm-up.
Never seen anything like it,before or since.

TerribleTerry wrote:After watching the youtube video I know exactly where Brian Hughes was coming from with his quote - Dermody had the timing, instinct and ability to slip and evade most of what was coming his way.

He was also very relaxed and confident in the ring - he made it all look easy.

Shame he couldn't maintain his commitment to the game; his ability was clear for all to see in that fight.

Can anyone expand on his out of ring troubles? Seems like the biggest British boxing waste of talent ever

Not far wrong there mate. I would say Mario Culpepper was perhaps the biggest waste of talent ever.

Dermody was indeed a major talent. Unfortunately, he fell in with the wrong crowd. There are legions of stories about him. I won't even attempt to cover them but I will tell you that Dermody's favourite party trick was to challenge anyone in a pub to throw a punch at him and without moving his feet, he would avoid it. I neer heard of him losing that bet. allegedly described him as being a "white Naseem Hamed" and I have no doubt that if he had maintained the dedication necessary, he would have been a major, major star.

Mickey Vann with hair.

Karl Taylor beat him, but he had already beaten Karl. That must of bin an off night for Craig Dermody. Shame really

Karl Taylor could really fight, esp at lighweight back in the day

Coco wrote:Karl Taylor could really fight, esp at lighweight back in the day

Yep, Coco is right..

Karl could tear it up alright - just ask The Rose of Soweto.

And apparently you really wouldn't mess with him in the street, probably spending too much time in the pub stopped him from being a champion

Who was the best person he ever beat?

Thoebela, and a draw with Ayres

joeymc wrote:Karl Taylor beat him, but he had already beaten Karl. That must of bin an off night for Craig Dermody. Shame really

This result was the one which prompted Dermody to quit. I suspect that Tayor would admit that he was well beaten on both occasions but Dermody was so disgusted with this decision that he packed it in.

Thats bad packing it on the back of a result he must of been single minded to say the least. Thanks for the info!

Just another kid who turned pro too young.