Question for AlFrancis and Chinxkid (and nayone else whos Dad was a pro boxer)

Al, does your dad ever comment that people must know him better than he knows himself, as its easy to make claims, assertions, false statements and the likes in respect to the careers of legends such as he, without knowing the man intimately. Career based, we all sit back and scribe (mostly after numerous cold refreshers...hic-cup) about the fighters...

...I guess we'd like to pretend we know them greater than we do.

 

Thanks Greg, you're a nice guy too. Your parents must real proud of you. I'm glad you've found something you love in boxing. It took me a long time to figure out that loving something is everything. Too many people, myself included, get too caught up in making a living and by the time they realize what you seem to know at a young age a lot of years have gone by. It is the thing I have tried to teach my kids more than most other things, and I think they've got it.

Being a regular guy was really hard for my dad. He liked his work as a liquor salesman alright, and he made a decent living, but he was never to live in that rarefied world again.

 

Yes, you get people talking without knowing. When someone is in the public eye there is an element of familiarity. It's no secret that my old fella didn't keep hold of his money after he retired. I remember getting off the bus from school once about 15 years old. The bus stop was outside our pub and a fella said to the the bus driver isn't that Alan Rudkin's pub. The bus driver replied "yes, stupid **** done all his money". I said to him Your the stupid ****, that's my old fella your talking about, you don't even know him". He looked a bit embarrased. You do get people who like to see you knocked down a peg if you've had any sort of success specially in your own backyard. I've got to say though that for everyone like that that is loads of others who've show respect. So you've got to take the rough with the smooth.