YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS
I HOPE boxing legend, Nigel Benn is not serious about boxing professionally again. It looks like he’s planning to return before the end of the year with fighters like Sakio Bika being named as a potential opponent. Nigel, who is now 55, last fought way back in 1996 when he lost to Steve Collins for the second time. In that year he also lost the first bout to Collins and, before that, he was beaten by Thulani Malinga. Three defeats in a row seemed to tell him he couldn’t compete anymore and he retired. So what has changed? Has he lost his millions or does he really believe he’s found something he lost all those years ago? Problem is, it will be hard to resist watching him in action, but his focus should be on his son, Conor, who is still on the way up.
IAN OWEN
TOP SHOW
MAY I, through Boxing News, thank Joe Gallagher and Kieron Farrell for putting on such a wonderful and value for money show on Sunday afternoon (September 21). The sportsmanship of the capacity house at Woodhouse Park Lifestyle Centre in Wythenshawe was great and so was the atmosphere. The matches were competitive, okay Marcus Morrison scored a one-round stoppage but what a top-class body shot it was. It was great to see former IBF champion Paul Butler showing his wares in a wonderful contest and contender Sam Hyde scoring a stoppage. Young hopefuls Connor Lynch, George Brennan and Nathan ‘Nay’ Farrell all had good competitive bouts. Plus, Saltney’s Wycombe King sent his many supporters home happy with his victory over Ryan Hibbert. Wycombe looks a boy with a great future. Also I wish to thank my old friend Pat “Black Flash” Barrett and all the boxers who signed the two gloves for two young boxers from Chester. Thanks to you all for one hell of a show roll on the next one. Good luck, God bless.
TOMMY DIX
MORE PLEASE!
MAY I say full marks for the article on Ron Gray. A great piece on one of British Boxing’s genuine characters, who obviously has a great fund of stories and anecdotes to recall. I went to the Pat Cowdell-Jimmy Flint fight and to this day I can still remember Cowdell’s performance – he was superb that night. Now that Ron has whetted our appetite with some of his reminiscences it might now be time for him to consider going the whole hog and publishing his autobiography.
LARRY BRAYSHER
AWFUL SMELL
After consuming the vast majority of the AIBA World championships over the past couple of weeks, it would seem safe to say that AIBA as an organisation is still leaving itself open to accusations of corruption. A disclaimer; refereeing and judging is subjective and very challenging, but there has been too many questionable scorecards for it to be put down to anything else, surely. No doubt the Frazer Clarke bout will be dissected in the pages of this week’s issue by far more knowledgeable men than I, but it is safe to say it just plain stinks.
JAMIE INGLEBY
