Give an example of never meet your heroes you'll only be disappointed

Buster Douglas is always chill and down to Earth. If you didn't know a single thing about boxing or who he was you'd just assume he was some ordinary high school football coach/ymca employee. Even when people compliment him or bring up the Tokyo fight he doesn't eat it up or bask he just accepts it matter of factly and doesn't dwell too long on the subject unless the other person keeps going (not that he isn't proud of his achievement, he just isn't an egomaniac). Very easy to talk to and a strict but reasonable trainer.

 

Yes Somali. Frank O'Sullivan was and still is Head Coach at Birmingham City. The Lynch Brothers' Professional stable also trained there, Pro's 4.00 - 6.00, Amateurs 6.00 - 8.00 or later. I was there when it was based in Fore St. and the at the old BAI in John Bright St. I used to train with Young Wally and Tony and sparred with both of them and as you say, they were both absolute gentlemen.
To be fair to Wally Snr, he was obviously a good Dad, Both the lads had to get their degrees before he'd let them box professionally. He was also very calm with them in the gym, where he rather than Frank supervised most of their training. After they turned pro, I saw Wally Snr work the corner and he wasn't like most Dad's you see. He never raised his voice or chastised them and was always positive and encouraging.
It's just the way he came across. As I say surly and often dismissive of others. It was just a general thing in the gym, don't get in Old Wally's way.

 

Yes, agreed...Buster Douglas has always been a favorite of mine...seems like a totally likeable guy...I think he distinguishes boxing.

 

I trained there a few times when he was at mole st mate, you remember that gym ? Do you know of a fella named Sean Keenan ? He lived in the gyms around that time, he took me to Ladywood boxing club when I was just a kid, that's when I started to follow it going to amateur shows at the Tower, Irish Centre with the older lot. Great memories. I remember when he won the commonwealth Forde, would I be right in saying he worked the markets for a bit while boxing ?? Jim Smith(heavyweight) had a few stalls, I don't know if you remember him ?? Im sure he had Forde working for him. The Mulvey brothers Jumbo and Mickey, Lawlers, all older than me, you remember them ??

 

Do you remember it above the shops on Corporation street ?? Going back very early 80's ??

 

Never went up to him and talked to him but I saw Kovalev through the window about 10 feet from me while going down an escalator at LAX on the way to Camp Pen. I think he was sitting across from his manager Egis Klimas. Didn't have a mean look on his face but looked like a d-bag.

 

I was on the fence, but that settles it.

 

I totally agree, Cobra. Buster is a great guy. I think you messaged me a few years ago asking where Buster was training kids. Sounds like you found him. Wish I could take more boxing lessons with him. But, I have 3 young kids now, so time is hard to come by lately.

 

Mole St. might be after my time Somali but I knew Sean. He was a regular at Fore St and later he worked on the building of the Hiatt Hotel. He looked after a lad called Winston Walters who turned pro as Kid Milo and was picked up by Mike Barrett and was seen as a real prospect. Lovely fella Sean.
Hughie used to do a bit for cash in hand on the markets, yeah. He was a bright lad. I don't know what he ended up doing.
Jim Smith's not a name I recognize but I did know Vince Smith, the Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist from 74. He used to train at Fore St. and used to sell Boxing gear at the Lynch Brothers' shows.
I remember Jimmy Mulvey, (Jumbo), and of course I knew Rocky and James Lawler.
As you say, great memories.

 

Absolutely Somali, above the Billiard Hall. That was Fore St. Massive space with 2 full sized rings. John Bright St. was even bigger.

 

Small world mate..Seans bad at the moment, Lung cancer, never smoked and as u know kept very fit. Hughie works for Transco with my ex brother in law, loves his football is all I hear lol. Vince, was he a market trader ??

 

The new Victoria Hotel was opposite, I used to look across watching sean and the rest going in to train as the old man had the bar there, they'd come in for an orange after, Sean was my fathers best mate since they were kids fresh off the boat

 

Me and his son were little feckers in our teens early 20's, I know the family well, Jumbo is in bad health too. The last time I heard of Jimmy Lawler he'd been shot, going back a good few years

 

Rupert Christie was another one that I remembered

 

Sorry to hear that Somali. Sean is one of the good guys. More times than often with Winston and any other pro he had, he wouldn't take his cut. Good to hear Hughie is doing OK. Again, a really nice lad.
Not sure whether Vince did the markets. He may well have done, if so he would have been selling Boxing gear, mostly Lonsdale. He never went pro because back then there was no money in it but I saw him spar Antonio Harris and you could tell he must have been class in his day.