The Other Side

Discussion in 'Boxing' started by belltoller, Sep 15, 2014.

  1. belltoller

    belltoller OffTopic MonstreOrdinaire Supporter

    We get used to seeing their flashy motorcar collections, their practiced swag an the hordes of paparazzi and assorted groupies following their every move.

    But we forget the journeymen, the hard men of West Ham, Belfast, Philadelphia - wherever they hail from.

    The working-class of the sport.

    Contrary to public opinion, these boxers know their craft very well...they are the tradesmen upon whose backs the industry feeds itself.

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    http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/boxing-johnny-greaves-fight-ve-never-said-182833891--box.html



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  2. Infesticon #1

    Infesticon #1 Majesticon

    They look like somebody who means business.
     
  3. Bozza Bostik

    Bozza Bostik Antichrist on Button Moon

    And know business.

    I saw a documentary about these guys years ago. I didn't know they existed until then, I don't really follow boxing though. I had a lot of respect for them although it seemed quite sad. The guys in the documentary would fight anyone, anywhere at anytime for a relatively small amount of cash. They'd never be famous or well known, but were really helping out with the sport and as with the guys in the article, they had a lot of pride in their work.

    Hats off to 'em!
     
  4. Saved_in_Blood

    Saved_in_Blood Valued Member

    Sadly it's much like any other MA or sport... there are guys who are just to good for their own good at the wrong time and don't get picked up by a major promoter, or they just aren't quite good enough to get on the ESPN's or any other network where they might get noticed, get a decent money fight, but they work very hard with a full time job, while still maintaining good amount of training time.

    Sadly it's still mostly about who you know, who you're Father is/was, etc.
     
  5. Johnno

    Johnno Valued Member

    I know a couple of lads whose dad used to be a cornerman in Belfast way back when. He told me once about this journeyman boxer he knew of who would basically step in at the last minute if someone else had to pull out of a fight due to injury or whatever, so that if someone had come over from the states or England or wherever, they wouldn't have had a totally wasted trip.

    One time they needed him to step in on a Saturday night. They went round to his house, only to find him absolutely rat-arsed. They said 'forget it', but he insisted that he was up to it, so they poured coffee down him, did everything they could think of to get him in a state where he could pass muster and at least stand up fairly straight in the ring! Crazy stuff, but the way he told it was hilarious.
     
  6. belltoller

    belltoller OffTopic MonstreOrdinaire Supporter

    Oh, I can just imagine...I'm chuckling just thinking about how that could've went, lol.

    I'd wager he won the match - best performance of his career and dern't remember a thing of it, lol.
     
  7. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    Tony Booth of Hull would probably fit the bill of "any time, any place, anywhere"....and frequently "any weight" too. When I was living there he is actually something of a local legend

    Not without a sense of irony about his place as a perrennial journeyman either, it did bring about some classic moments such as this

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXuBML8C61c"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXuBML8C61c[/ame]

    Documentary on him

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ythMavF34UY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ythMavF34UY[/ame]

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tDlggyYa3M"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tDlggyYa3M[/ame]

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtuOJdKBy4o"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtuOJdKBy4o[/ame]

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVHmOV4iZG0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVHmOV4iZG0[/ame]

    Latterly he was jailed for being involved in a drug ring, so his story is not one with a happy ending
     
  8. Saved_in_Blood

    Saved_in_Blood Valued Member

    as very sadly is the case for many pro boxers
     
  9. belltoller

    belltoller OffTopic MonstreOrdinaire Supporter

    " ...taking the fight on three days' notice...no preperation, no training, no cornerman...such is the life of the journeyman fighter."

    And its par for the course. More often than not.

    Any one of the top - ranked have the bollocks to compare with these fellows?

    Great post (Tony Booth documentary).

    There was another East Riding fellow of the same persuasion - well, they are all over - but I'm thinking of a particular boxer - wish I could recall his name.
     
  10. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    Steve Pollard perchance?

    He used to own "Ringside" pub on Beverly Road and was Paul Ingle's trainer for a while
     
  11. belltoller

    belltoller OffTopic MonstreOrdinaire Supporter

    He'd been a footballer for some time before switching to boxing. In fact, it
    seems like he was a manager for a Premiere League club while he was still a pro boxer - maybe I'm getting them mixed up, but I'm fairly certain of it.

    Had played for several different clubs - quite the ruffian, had more than a few scrapes with the law. He came from Beverely, IIRC.

    Not the one you mentioned - East Indies descent - but he was another "anytime, anyplace" hard man along the lines of Booth -

    BTW, Booth had originally been given 9 years for his central role in the class A trafficking ring but he had made so little money - £ 1000 - the judge felt sorry for him and reduced his sentance.
     
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2014

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