Just how much misfortune must Terry Flanagan suffer before he engages in a mega fight?
Due to Billy Joe Saunders’ hand injury, Terry’s bout with Maurice Hooker for the vacant super lightweight title is put back.
Surely the mega bouts with Anthony Crolla, Luke Campbell and Ricky Burns that never took place can’t become the norm now Terry has moved up to the super lightweights?
This man is not only a dedicated boxer who makes you sweat just watching him train but a first class gentleman in every way. If anyone deserves the big bouts it’s Terry Flanagan.
Another first class Manchester boxer who never really received the credit his talent deserved or the two big bouts that would have gone into folklore was Mickey Brodie. Brodie and Flanagan were actually raised on the same Ancoats Street’s, the tough Manchester suburb that was once the heart of the industrial revolution.
What a boxer, what a banger and what a fighting heart Brodie had, just like Flanagan today, make no mistake Mickey ‘The Banger’ Brodie was a fighter from fightersville.
When Brodie won the super bantam title defeating Welsh man Neil Swain he showed a heart to go along with his undoubted talent. You believe me, Neil Swain was some fighter and I believe if his dedication had have matched his talent there is no reason for him not to have become a world champion. The big super bantam domestic bout that Mickey Brodie missed out on at the time was with Spencer Oliver. The fight was being lined up and what a bout that would have been, however Spencer suffered a career ending injury in the proceeding fight and that stopped the contest ever happening.
Yes Mickey won the British, European and Commonwealth titles at super bantam and got a disgraceful verdict that went against him in his World super bantam bout at Bowlers.
As a featherweight he once again won titles but the mooted bout with Prince Naseem Hamed never took place. I honestly believe at the time the bout was mooted Brodie would have beaten the Prince. My reasoning being Mickey was geared for revenge over their meeting as amateurs and the Prince after receiving the boxing lesson extraordinaire he had received off Marco Barrerra was never the same. Once again a bout that would have had him set up for life was cruelly taken away. I know Mickey drew in his quest for the world championship in the featherweight class but I believe some of the spark had left him when the Prince decided against fighting him.
Just as Brodie missed out on his two main money spinners I wonder if Terry Flanagan is also going to miss out? I hope not.
A few weeks ago Ellesmere Port’s Paul Butler called out Jamie McDonnell in Boxing News. Apparently Paul’s win over Stuart Hall was an eliminator for Jamie’s secondary bantam belt. Apparently that’s what Paul was led to believe by his promoter. Now it seems McDonnell is travelling to Japan to defend against the dangerous Naoya Inque. Though Inque is a super fly he is a devastating puncher. If Jamie makes a successful defence where does that leave Paul? Will Jamie seek a showdown with Ryan Burnett or will he take on Paul?
Tommy Dix
If Jamie loses his title where does that leave Paul? A bout with Jamie would not have the title up for grabs and would not be the same for Paul.
One thing for sure about Paul Butler, whoever he fights he’ll sell tickets. His supporters put their money where their mouth is when it comes to supporting their man. Be it Ryan Burnett, Jamie McDonnell or Uncle Tom Cobley and all Paul Butler will do the tickets.
I will never be able to thank Paul Butler enough. One night he proved not only a world class boxer but a world class gentleman. I was a guest at a night in Liverpool where Paul and Sugar Ray Leonard were appearing. I could hardly walk and Paul noticed this and went and got the photo I had taken with Sugar Ray Leonard. He also helped me out of the building.
Yes, boxing is full of fights that should have taken place but didn’t. Sometimes it’s due to the rivals belonging to rival promoters. The bouts that have been missed are mouthwatering. Colin McMillan vs Paul Hodkinson, Ricky Hatton vs Junior Witter or Shea Neary, Terry Flanagan vs Anthony Crolla, Luke Campbell and Ricky Burns.
Mickey Brodie vs Spencer Oliver and Prince Naseem. Yes it’s always gone on and always will. Sometimes when bouts don’t happen it can have a devastating effect on a boxer.
A friend of mine, the late Harry Rogers from Wolverhampton who was no slouch in the noble art, told me about his relation Tommy Rogers.
Tommy Rogers was a top class pre war featherweight who gave world champion Freddie Mercer all he could handle. He was due to fight seaman Tommy Watson for the featherweight title of Great Britain only to receive a telegram as he was leaving the house to tell him the fight was off. It was a devastating blow and Tommy’s dreams were in tatters. He went downhill after that and was never the same.
One of the items of when promotions are called off or put back is the cost to not just the promoter and managers but to the trainers and boxers as all their hard work and preparation have come to nothing as the boxer only receives his money when he fights. In the case of the Billy Joe Saunders affair alot of boxers and trainers are out of pocket. I do hope Terry Flanagan gets the big fights eventually, he deserves it.
Until next time, good luck, god bless,
Tommy Dix.
