Just finished Johnny Lewis' book. Anybody had a read?

Rise Above · Aug 18, 2010

Well as someone else said in the thread earlier, its only one side of the story but I must say it doesnt look good.

htmonaro · Aug 18, 2010

Jonny lewis is the most overated piece of **** in the game of boxing,reminds me of angelo hyder,never trained a champion from scratch just jumped on board when the fighter becoming a champ was inevitable,then took the credit.wanker!!

TCboxa · Aug 18, 2010

picking back up from #102

Chapter 27, page 273 - 279

It Came delivered on a coaster.
The front of the coaster advertised a Chinese restaurant and the back represented a change in life for Johnny. There, scribbled in blue ink, were the names of Tszyus opponents and the sums Tszyu had got for fighting them. This information was supposed to be private, but Johnny's source was impeccable. It was easy for him to work out ten per cent of those figures. It every case, the result was more than he'd been paid.
The Coaster was deliverd in August 2002, more than sixteen months since Johnny had first fronted Tszyu about mispayments. He looked over the figures and with each new figure the hurt cut deep.
It was n ot just the deception, Tszyu had known Johnny was stuggling financially, yet still underpaid him.
Back in the Mordey days, Johnnys accountant had stolen more than $700,000 of Johnnys savings. Or that was what he was convicted of stealing. In fact, he had stolen closer to $900,000. All Johnny had. The accountant did three years and change in the nick, which pleased Her Majesty but did nothing to get Johnnys money back.
It was gone.
Johnny, now in his fifties, was back to square one. He had a small terrace house in Erskineville, as wide as a single-car garage. After his father died in 1996, his mother Marge had moved into the spare bedroom. It was small and the best he could do. No longer working, either, he had begun fighting back financially on the strength of Tszyus emergence as one of the worlds best fighters.
Now tallying up the figures, Johnny saw that the shortfall carried enough zeros to change the whole way he was living. It was more than a million dollars.
His mind went back to 1995 and the day Tszyu had turned up on his doorstep and said he needed him. The decision he'd made that afternoon had cost him his freindship with Mordey and badly strained his relationship with Fench, and it had very likely cost ****** Rowsell a world title.
All that for what Johnny had felt was the right thing to do.
He sat there, trying to take it all in.
Before fronting Tszyu Johnny called Mitrevski to tell him what he had learned. Mitrevski was hardly suprised. Since signing his own deal he hadnt recieved anywhere near what he should have either.
Then he called Tszyu.
Once again, Tszyu denied it. But now Johnny knew the truth. He had the coaster, and he trusted its source. Tszyu dug in. Johnny refused to be thrown off. They hung up.
Johnny brought it up again. And again. For weeks they went back and forth.
Then Johnny got a call from his friend, the radio broadcaster Alan Jones. Tszyu had asked Jones to help him convince Johnny that he was not lying. "Johnny, Ive been through Kostyas contract," Jones said. "Im afraid you've got it wrong."
"Did he show you the other contract?" Johnny said.
Johnny held his ground. Eventually Tszyu called a meeting.
"Are you going to be honest with me?" Johnny said.
"I promise I will tell you everything"
"One lie and i go," Johnny said.
"Everything," said Tszyu. "Who are you going to bring to the meeting?"
Johnny hadnt thought about taking anybody.
"Im going to take my accountant," Tszyu said.
Johnny called James Dack, Steves brother. Dack was one of Sydneys biggest real estate agents and had been helping him sort out his finances.
Johnny was certain that unless the money issue was sorted out he could no longer work Tszyus corner.
"I couldnt," he said, "knowing hes done that to me."
The story broke in the press the next morning. INterviewed on radio, Tszyu said it wasnt a serious enough issue to cause a split with Johnny. Then he called Johnny himself. They met at a coffe shop in Stanley Street, Darlinghurst, and as they sat down a Channel Seven camera truck rolled past, in search. Seven had been ringing around trying to find where the meeting was being held. All they'd got was the suburb.
Johnny sat down with his paperwork. One lie, he told Tszyu and im gone.
He plucked a bout off his list, one fought in America.
"How much did you get for this fight?" he said.
Tszyu told him. It checked with the number on the coaster.
"Now, for this fight, did they pay you in American dollars?"
Tszyu screwed his forehead in thought. "No, they pay me in Australian."
"Kostya, we'd be the only people that never got paid in American dollars when they fight over there."
"Australian dollars."
"So your telling me that you fought in America and they paid you in Australian dollars?"
"Yes."
This was important. At the time of many of these fights the Australian dollar was drifting around fifty cents American. Johnny was being paid in Australian dollars. Based on that one fight, he was banking around half of what he should have earned.
"Mate, i asked you not to lie to me and you started off with a lie," Johnny said.
"Im not lying"
"Kostya, they dont pay us in Australian dollars. SO what are we going to do?"
Tszyu went through his paperwork again. He sat back in his chair, thinking.
"Yes," He conceded, "I think it was American."
"Listen, mate, thats one lie. One more and im going. Ok, how much did we get?"
Tszyu told him his figure.
"Thank you. Now, what about the other cheque?"
"What other cheque?"
"Are you telling me this is the only cheque?"
"Yes."
"Mate," Johnny said, rising out of his chair, "your a low ****ing dog. Ive had it."
Tszyu jumped up and grabbed Johnny by the arm. "Johnny, your like a father to me."
"**** off," Johnny said, flinging his arm away.
People sitting around them in the courtyard soon cleared out.
Dack stood to try and calm him. "Johnny--"
"You **** off, too." Then Johnny turned towards Dack -- and winked at him.
He walked out.

Tszyu didnt know that Johnny knew. What Johnny had discoverd. More than one cheque was being written.
Of every million dollars in a purse, Tszyu was having part, say $400,000 paid to him directly and the rest paid into his company, Top Ring Events Pty Ltd. Johnny was paid only out of the first portion. The amounts varied or each fight, but the greater share always went into the company bank account, away from Johnnys view. For every million dollars Tszyu was paid, based on the pervious example, Johnny was earning about $40,000 instead of $100,000.
Peter Mitrevski, as Johnnys second in the corner, was supposed to be paid $5,200 a fight. He had been underpaid for the last three fights and not paid at all for several fights before that.
Dack spoke to Tszyu about it.
"I fix this problem with Johnny, but i dont like Peter," Tszyu told him. "I dont want Peter in my corner."
Dack spoke to Johnny about it. THis could bring the whole deal undone.
"Peter stays, mate," Johnny said.
Another meeting was organised at Dacks Office suite in Edgecliff. Tszyu arrived this time with his wife Natasha. Johnny has a lot of time for Natasha.
"Johnny, is everything going to be all right?" she asked.
"Dont worry about it, darl, it'll be fine."
Dack walked Johnny and Tszyu into an office and left them alone.
He had already gone through the figures with Johnny, telling him how much he was short. "In cold, hard terms," he said. "you want a million."
Tszyu offerd him $800,000. He explained he was doing it tough with all these other payments he had to meet, notably the SKY Channel bill for the Mordey settlement. THis was the most he could afford.
Johnny didnt believe him, but everything he had learned since the day he was born told him to take the money. You dont knock back money for promises.
A deal was worked out. Tszyu would write a contract paying part of the $800,000 now with the rest to be made up from the purse from his next two fights, on top of the full ten per cent fee.
As for Mitrevski, Tszyu claimed he'd never agreed to pay him at all. Eventually, with the involvment of lawyers, a deal was struck and a compensation payment was made. Mitrevski was required to sign a confidentiality agreement to accept the deal.
Then Tszyu said he would not pay him in the future.
Johnny insisted that Mitrevski had to be in his corner. Tszyu held firm. So Johnny told Mitrevski that from now on he personally would pay him $10,000 a fight.
Tszyu blamed it all on misunderstanding.
"I learn in Australia that everything has to be written on paper."
It was a nice throw-off.
Don Majeski, who contuined working with Warton after the Mordy split, had a deal with Tszyu that paid him five per cent of Tszyus gross for each fight. "I dont think they perceive the business as an industry over there," he told the sunday telegraph. "But when people are making millions of dollars there is no excuse. In America, managers take thirty three per cent of the fighters purse. Tszyu felt everything was for nothing and he was getting away with paying people five and six per cent or whatever itr was he thought it was OK. And unfortunately a lot of us went along with it." Majeski hadnt been paid in several fights.
"I guess Kostya didnt want to pay me either. I dont know what it is. Ive been paid up until the fight with CHavez and Sharmba Mitchell, so i cant say i havent made money. But i never got an explanation. Vlad said Kostya didnt want to pay me. Id like to know his response."
Johnny weighed what to do. On the one hand, he wanted to walk away. Now he had to stay two more fights, at least, to get the money he was owed. And he was fifty-eight, and he needed that money. Oddly because he had no choice but to stay he now found it easier to contuine working with Tszyu.

Initally he sensed that Tszyu was a little embarassed, even remorsefull, at having been caught out. But things soon returned to normal, Johnny talking him through the pads as if it had never happened.

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htmonaro · Aug 18, 2010

I guess he got revenge throwing the towel in with the hatton fight!3 more mins for the rest of his life was too much to ask ay,Kostya wasn't getting pummeled at the time,it was a hard fight but hardly worth throwing it in,One last rnd and jonny couldn't help himself!Mess as far as i'm concerned.

ipswich express · Aug 18, 2010

KT had had enough. He barely moved a muscle after it was over.

Kegsy · Aug 18, 2010

ipswich express said: ↑

KT had had enough. He barely moved a muscle after it was over.
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Agree Ippy KT was finished.:deal

TCboxa · Aug 18, 2010

htmonaro said: ↑

I guess he got revenge throwing the towel in with the hatton fight!3 more mins for the rest of his life was too much to ask ay,Kostya wasn't getting pummeled at the time,it was a hard fight but hardly worth throwing it in,One last rnd and jonny couldn't help himself!Mess as far as i'm concerned.
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Kostyas got no one to blame for that loss than himself, he failed to make weight, wouldnt listen to Johnnys tactic for the fight, wouldnt pull up when he looked over trained and failed to finish road work days leading upto the fight with suspect liver problems. Kostya needed a knockout to win, he was lossing on all score cards and lets not forget the comment made by the doctor to lewis after the fight. "DEAD!" (post #81)

Page 297

When the Bell ended the eleventh, Tszyu sat down and Johnny leaned through the ropes, resting his hand over Kostyas heart.
"Are you OK?"
He failed to answer, looking blankly out in front. Johnny cupped his cheek and turned his head to get his attention. "Are you OK?"
Again there was no answer.
Johnny turned and looked for Parris. The referee walked towards their corner and Johnny shook his head. Parris turned and waved his big arms above his head, waving Tszyu out.
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Your other reply about Lewis is shamefull. You should hang your head in shame.

htmonaro · Aug 18, 2010

Far from,everyones entitled to an opinion,I dont have much time for the bloke,and a book somebody else probably wrote isn't gosbel.

TCboxa · Aug 18, 2010

htmonaro said: ↑

Jonny lewis is the most overated piece of **** in the game of boxing,reminds me of angelo hyder,never trained a champion from scratch just jumped on board when the fighter becoming a champ was inevitable,then took the credit.wanker!!
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mate your knowledge on boxing is far fetched to say the least and thats being polite about it.

Johnny lewis trained Jeff Fenech from scratch. The book is worth its weight in gold imo, some of whats been revealed is astounding and Lewis must be commended for finally speaking up. You can see traces of the fued from old articles floating around on variouse websites when news of the split was leaked to the media.

His first fight was a November night at Blacktown Police Boys Club. Johnny found a kid from Fairfeild Police Boys CLub, a kid named Craig Easey, as Fenechs first opponent. Fenech weighed 109lb, just under 49.5kg. So did Easey.
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Johnny also trained Phil McElwaine. Who went on to win Commonwealth Games gold in 1978 in Canada. Middleweight division. His career ended in 1983 from a motorcycle accident.

Johnny trained Tony Madigan, perhaps the best amateur boxer Australia has produced. Madigan lost in the quater finals at the Melbourne Olympics in 1956. He won the Bronze medal at the 1960 Olympics in Rome after being eliminated in the semi-finals by a young American, Cassius Clay.

I think your hate for Lewis stems from your love for Tszyu, you are so blinded that you can not see the truth. I think you need to buy a book or two and learn a little about Australias boxing history, so far you fall very short, not knowing Lewis has trained Fenech from scratch is a fine display of your boxing knowledge, you wouldnt happen to be from the Russian community in Sydney now would you?

kel · Aug 18, 2010

TCboxa said: ↑

mate your knowledge on boxing is far fetched to say the least and thats being polite about it.

Johnny lewis trained Jeff Fenech from scratch. The book is worth its weight in gold imo, some of whats been revealed is astounding and Lewis must be commended for finally speaking up. You can see traces of the fued from old articles floating around on variouse websites when news of the split was leaked to the media.

Johnny also trained Phil McElwaine. Who went on to win Commonwealth Games gold in 1978 in Canada. Middleweight division. His career ended in 1983 from a motorcycle accident.

Johnny trained Tony Madigan, perhaps the best amateur boxer Australia has produced. Madigan lost in the quater finals at the Melbourne Olympics in 1956. He won the Bronze medal at the 1960 Olympics in Rome after being eliminated in the semi-finals by a young American, Cassius Clay.

I think your hate for Lewis stems from your love for Tszyu, you are so blinded that you can not see the truth. I think you need to buy a book or two and learn a little about Australias boxing history, so far you fall very short, not knowing Lewis has trained Fenech from scratch is a fine display of your boxing knowledge, you wouldnt happen to be from the Russian community in Sydney now would you?
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Didn't realise there was a Fairfield Police Boys? I was originally from Fairfield but had to go to Cabramatta to do some boxing as a kid instead.

Can someone clear this up for me?

darkhorse · Aug 18, 2010

COULDHAVEBEEN said: ↑

It was the night Jeff Harding came back to the corner at the end of the eleventh, behind on all three judges' cards and bleeding around both eyes, his nose long broken. As Lewis cleaned the cuts he quickly poured everything that was important into his ear. Then he picked him up from his stool with one last instruction: 'Go out and come back champion of the world ...'

....and the Hitman says'..."I love you Johnny...I'm gunna do it...I'm gunna do it"....

I've never got over this fight....I couldn't stop thinking about it for about 3 years....when I'd watch the replay years later I'd still get goose bumps and get all teary...haha....probably 'the' most inspirational moent in Aussie sports history....for me anyway

Anyway I just got the book today and rolled the first 6 chapters in a couple of hours....I'm back out at work now so it'll probably take 2 weeks to read the next one chapter....haha

So far I love it....I'd highly recommend it...a collectable for sure...I think the first couple of chapters really paint the picture of Johhny Lewis the man the we've all come to love....(well most of us anyway) haha
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TCboxa · Aug 18, 2010

Just want to clear up a mistake ive made in my last post, Lewis didnt train Tony Madigan but rated him one of the best amateurs boxers australia has produced. The dates didnt add up so i re checked and was wrong. Lewis would have been too young to train Madigan.

TCboxa · Aug 18, 2010

kel said: ↑

Didn't realise there was a Fairfield Police Boys? I was originally from Fairfield but had to go to Cabramatta to do some boxing as a kid instead.

Can someone clear this up for me?
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Same gym i think Kel.

Its under the Fairfield/Cabramatta PCYC banner. So i would assume its the same gym you went to. The contact address for that gym is
This content is protected
, im not from Sydney so im unsure as to the suburbs etc., did a quick search for fairfield PCYC and this come up for boxing.

http://www.pcycnsw.org.au/club_cabra_act_boxsocial

kruger · Aug 18, 2010

COULDHAVEBEEN said: ↑

Agree with you Kruger that if the fighter makes the big-time the trainer should be able to come along for the ride - provided the contract % has already been agreed on.

(amateur's don't get paid)
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yeah sorry what i meant was for the first couple of pro fights after the amateur career.... so you have a gold medal winning olympian amateur or something with a lot of support... the first fight might be well paid but 10% is still not a huge amount considering the work that goes in.

most amateurs though that do really well (well enough to consider going pro but are not world beating amateurs) come out and fight for peanuts for their first couple of fights and 10% of a handfull of peanuts is like 3 peanuts.

htmonaro · Aug 18, 2010

TC Boxa I must say I appreciate your retaliation posts being mature and somewhat factual,instead of an immature slurfest,over the years you(as in me) hear things which may not be as factual as the truth and run with them,although you'd have to concur that the book would paint jonny as a saint,I think the information you've put forward has compelled me to get a copy and see for myself,I think this is why forums like this exist,thank for giving me another side of the story,cheers!

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Just finished Johnny Lewis' book. Anybody had a read?

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