Billy Graham: "My sacking led to retirement"!

Discussion in 'British Boxing Forum' started by ishy, Jul 29, 2008.


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  1. ishy

    ishy Loyal Member Full Member

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    Written by our own Terry D on BBN:

    As the reports of Billy Graham's retirement – announced exclusively to BBN last night – hit the mainstream press today a few questions were left in the minds of many people. Notable amongst them was the question of whether Graham had jumped, or whether he was pushed. BBN can confirm, again exclusively, that Graham's retirement announcement was hastened due to the fact that he had been sacked as Ricky Hatton's trainer.

    Graham has indeed been suffering from ill health brought on by his involvement in boxing, this ill health was widely, and erroneously, cited as the official reason for his retirement by many outlets today, yet the trainer has had these health problems for well over a decade – notably problems with his hands after years holding the pads – and had made the commitment of seeing out Ricky Hatton's boxing career, a career Graham has been involved with from the start.

    Claims that Graham had left the sport solely for the good of his health belie the fact that the trainer had stated, in 2007, that he would continue in the sport as long as his most famous charge was an active fighter.

    Graham has recently lost another of his fighters, Matthew Hatton, and had returned from a trip to America unsure about his position with Ricky Hatton. This position was made clear to Graham, and it left the trainer with no option but to bring forward his planned retirement. In the event this means that Graham's involvement in Ojay Abrahams final fight will become Graham's own boxing epitaph. Graham's pleasure at closing out his career with Ojay is tempered by the fact that his participation in the sport of boxing has been brought to a premature end. As Graham explained:

    “I had said that it was always my intention to see out my time in boxing as Ricky Hatton's trainer. I made the decision to accept the injuries that come with the role in order to retire with the fighter who I will always be remembered for. My retirement was brought forward because I was sacked from my role. I said I would leave (boxing) with Ricky and (I) wouldn't carry on in the sport after he had retired. The way things have panned out means I have brought my own retirement forward…in the end it worked out well because it means working with Ojay for his (Ojay's) final fight has more meaning.”

    Graham's pure involvement with his most famous fighter's career has long been documented; Graham is one of Hatton's most ardent fans, he is one of the few people who believes that Hatton could beat Floyd Mayweather if they fought again. Talk that it is fitting that Billy bowed out after the Hatton homecoming, against Juan Lazcano in May, glosses over the fact that the trainer was still enthused about Hatton's ability to become the greatest British fighter of all time.

    In the event Graham will miss out on the final stages of Hatton's career, yet he still maintains, as he has done since the Kostya Tszyu fight, that his former charge is the greatest British boxer to ever lace on gloves. Graham's aim is to ensure that the fans realise that he had no intention of jumping ship, his retirement had been planned for a long time but its timing was the direct result of the ending of his professional relationship with Hatton, a fighter whom he still rates as one of the best boxers in the world.

    For this writer Graham's sober analysis of Hatton's last fight represented the thoughts of a man who still cared deeply about guiding his fighter to the top of the mythical pound-for-pound rankings.

    After Hatton's win over Juan Lazcano Graham had stressed, in the post-fight press conference, that Hatton needed to ditch his recent harum-scarum style, Graham went as far as stating that the risks Hatton takes in the ring were making the trainer ill. It was a comment many agreed with at the time.

    In the event they were the trainer's final words of advice to his charge, they are also words that Hatton may need to heed in order to continue his top-level career. They are also words that were taken a little too literally.
     
    ishy, Jul 29, 2008
    ishy, Jul 29, 2008
    #1
  2. dan-b

    dan-b Guest

    Touching stuff, Graham is a good guy, but I think he is some what delusional about what Hatton is/was capable of. They will certainly be joined in history & it's clear that Graham is genuinely sad about not being able to see his charge through to the end of his career. I hope he can tackle his health problems, whatever they are, and enjoy his retirement. He's earned it.
     
    dan-b, Jul 29, 2008
    dan-b, Jul 29, 2008
    #2
  3. hitman_hatton1

    hitman_hatton1 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    shame it's come to an end.

    graham earned plenty out of it though.

    even if joey barton was training hatton for this upcoming malignaggi fight he'd kick the kids ass. :yep
     
    hitman_hatton1, Jul 30, 2008
    hitman_hatton1, Jul 30, 2008
    #3
  4. robpalmer135

    robpalmer135 Obsessed with Boxing banned

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    Jun 29, 2007
    [url]http://sport.setanta.com/en/Sport/News/Other-sports/2008/07/30/Boxing-Graham-on-Hatton-split/[/url]

    I told everyone yesterday theres no way this was mutual. The Hattons are so full of **** its unreal, trying to calim Vegas is cheaper than New York, then saying Billy is retiring thinking Graham would let them get away with lies. Absolutley discraceful.

    We will see if Hatton gets as much stick as Khan did, he s done the same thing but worse, they were together for 11 years. Hatton would still be fighting for the WBU in Machester if it wasnt for Billy pushing him.
     
    robpalmer135, Jul 30, 2008
    robpalmer135, Jul 30, 2008
    #4
  5. Beeston Brawler

    Beeston Brawler Comical Ali-egedly Full Member

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    I think the board of control should refuse to sanction WBU fights :deal
     
    Beeston Brawler, Jul 30, 2008
    Beeston Brawler, Jul 30, 2008
    #5
  6. dan-b

    dan-b Guest

    That would be great. The stupidest thing they ever did was NOT allow these belts to be held alongside domestic belts. The idea was that people would not fight for them, however, in a perverse way it gave them a kind of elevated status. They should save the embargo for the big three only.
     
    dan-b, Jul 30, 2008
    dan-b, Jul 30, 2008
    #6
  7. Max Molyneux

    Max Molyneux Liverpool Liver Tickler Full Member

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    The board refused to recognise the IBF In the 80's till Frank got Marsh his shot I think.
     
    Max Molyneux, Jul 30, 2008
    Max Molyneux, Jul 30, 2008
    #7
  8. Beeston Brawler

    Beeston Brawler Comical Ali-egedly Full Member

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    And Marsh returned the favour :deal

    I think they should allow world titles (IBF, WBA, WBC) to be held alongside domestic belts - that way if a fighter loses his world title he has the domestic belt to fall back on, and also gives the domestic level fighters a shot at the title against a proper opponent.

    That way the cream (Hatton, Calzaghe, Haye, Witter, Woods et al) rise to the top whilst the rest (Maccarinelli, Lockett, Rees, etc) fall by the wayside and find their level - as opposed to getting world title shots or being gifted belts for them to hide behind.

    Refusing to sanction WBU fights would be great - the press don't help though by saying 'Lee McAllister (or whoever) will be putting his two world titles on the line' whilst totally ignoring the fact that he isn't even top 10 domestically, or top 50 P4P domestically.

    I would also like to see the back of the Commonwealth title - it doesn't mean **** all anymore, merely another belt for people to hide behind.
     
    Beeston Brawler, Jul 30, 2008
    Beeston Brawler, Jul 30, 2008
    #8
  9. icemax

    icemax Indian Red Full Member

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    :rofl :lol: Allegedly
     
    icemax, Jul 30, 2008
    icemax, Jul 30, 2008
    #9
  10. Beeston Brawler

    Beeston Brawler Comical Ali-egedly Full Member

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    I think only 12 people believed that it wasn't Terry Marsh who shot Frank.

    Ladies & gentelmen of the jury.........

    How do you find the defendant........

    Guilty.......

    or not guilty.......

    They should have just found him guilty because he failed to do the job properly - if he had done the job let him off.
     
    Beeston Brawler, Jul 30, 2008
    Beeston Brawler, Jul 30, 2008
    #10
  11. FLINT ISLAND

    FLINT ISLAND PENYRHEOL Full Member

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    Ray Hatton probaly wanted to cut him out of the pension fight for Ricky Hatton

    We dont need Graham anymore - **** him - despite Grahams years of hard work helping Ricky get to the top

    Ray is more concerned now about bagging maxium cash

    they dont need to put in the years of hard graft anymore - its all been done

    Cut Warrens share first

    Now Grahams share

    all the pie now goes to the Hatton family

    try to make it look like Graham is retiring

    just so they dont look like ****S that they are

    if the De La Hoya fight came off Graham might of a earned $1000000 it would be such a huge purse his percentage might come to seven figures

    why pay Graham that

    when Dad Ray reasons if they show Graham no loyalty and reward for his years of commitment - **** him off

    and that £1000000 can go into son Campbells saving account for when he is older

    **** Graham - he is not family

    we dont need him anymore

    he put the hard work in - its done

    lets bag all the cash for ourselves

    even though Graham desrves to be rewarded for all his years of hard work

    we dont want to give Graham that

    lets bag the cash so all our family is better off and Graham misses out on the biggest finicial reward of his carrer v De La Hoya
     
    FLINT ISLAND, Jul 30, 2008
    FLINT ISLAND, Jul 30, 2008
    #11
  12. GazOC

    GazOC Guest Star for Team Taff Full Member

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    For Flint Island:

    [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3MHptWvC-s&feature=related[/url]
     
    GazOC, Jul 30, 2008
    GazOC, Jul 30, 2008
    #12
  13. JonOli

    JonOli Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Does anyone have any sort of Idea what sort of cut other trainers take?
     
    JonOli, Jul 30, 2008
    JonOli, Jul 30, 2008
    #13
  14. GazOC

    GazOC Guest Star for Team Taff Full Member

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    10% is standard, but boxers (and their management} tend to try re-negotiate the figure at the next contract renewal if and when the fighter hits the really purses.
     
    GazOC, Jul 30, 2008
    GazOC, Jul 30, 2008
    #14
  15. JonOli

    JonOli Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Cheers.
     
    JonOli, Jul 30, 2008
    JonOli, Jul 30, 2008
    #15
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