It truly was, Johnny dedicated himself to boxing he never even had a girl friend.I will always remember him for his courage and undoubted skill.Gone far too young
For as much as some wanted to classify his fight with Pintor was an egregious mismatch, it should be stated that... * Owen was the Commonwealth and European Champion, meaning he was worthy of being highly ranked. * He fought his ass off against Pintor and had his fair share of success, especially in the first half.
Mcilvaney also writes About Alan Minter. Before he fought Marvin he said no Black man will beat me. That was stupid. That wasn't in the essay though.
You need to read The Big If it is the story of Johnnys life.It also covers the aftermath of the tragedy where the family of both boxers involved meet up.It is very moving,highly recommended
Nicknamed “The Merthyr Matchstick” after his hometown in Wales and IIRC a comment from someone that the frail, thin lad looked like “a matchstick with boxing gloves,” Owen was a warrior. He took it to Pintor and gave it his all even though ultimately outclassed. Johnny’s family reached out to Lupe after the fight to absolve him and urge him to fight on because Pintor was contemplating retirement in the aftermath because it hit him so hard. They sent their well-wishes before his next fights I seem to remember. When a statue of Owen was unveiled in Wales to commemorate him, Pintor flew over from Mexico to be part of the ceremony. It’s very touching and very sad but Owen should be remembered as the warrior he was and not just for the tragedy. I watched the fight when it happened (or maybe it aired on delay after?) and I have no wish to ever watch it again, but I’ll always remember his courage. He touched me with his willpower and bravery and I have never forgotten him.
What a great post. Johnny was indeed a world class boxer who put it all on the line with the result being tragic. I've read that he was very hardcore in his training.
The Pintor fight alone is proof of that training ethic. He had an engine that would not stop and the heart to go with it. He looked frail but he had wiry strength that belied his look. The posts above about him eschewing even having a girlfriend to concentrate on boxing is testament to his dedication. A credit to the sport and to Wales. RIP Johnny.
Worth clarifying that he apologised for that comment and admitted that as soon as it left his mouth, he regretted it. The early 1980s in Britain were highly-charged racially and the British press had a part to play in stoking the fires of racism. Kaylor-Christie is another example. But, anyway, back to Johnny Owen…
