Quite sad to see those old photos of former greats at boxing booths looking bloated and alcohol damaged - Lynch, Griffo etc. What’s the spin-off series to this thread: Alcoholic Commentators? First off the rank - starts with M and ends in T. Need to buy a vowel or two?
Alan Minter, son of a publican, (Bar owner to our American friends), was a hard drinker throughout his life. I heard that, after retirement, Alan could be very spiteful with a drink in him. Chris and Kevin Finnegan were almost certainly alcoholics right through their careers. John Conteh has been dry for well over 30 years.
It was Alan Minter who got John Conteh into drinking when they were amateurs. Chris and Kevin Finnegan were rivals with the Minter brothers in the ring and in pubs too. But apparently the drinking never got fractious
Aaron “Tiger” Wade was an alcoholic. According to @Stonehands89 book. I hope I interpreted this right. When he was drunk he called up one of the boxing organisations and abused them bad enough to be dropped down the ranking ladder. Correct me if I’m wrong.
I was lucky enough to meet John a few times, once with Chris Finnegan. John was joking about having to get sober so he could drive Chris around. They were hilarious.
No, no he was a heart of gold rouge says everyone who listens to the Bob Dylan song and he could’ve been champion of the world.
The great Greg Haugen had issues with drugs and alcohol. He had the typical white trash upbringing of broken family and near poverty. When his old lady cheated on him with his best friend before the Chavez fight he went off the deep end.
Vincente Rondon was a severe alcoholic and died from it. Probably behind his move up to heavyweight and fall into journeyman status.
JOKE: "So that's how the martial art of Drunken boxing was born." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drunken_boxing