Good Jennings Piece

Good for NOTW anyway .....



MICHAEL JENNINGS: MY TORMENT

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TRAGIC - Michael Jennings' brother Raymond, who died from heroin addiction in December 2000



14/02/2009
MICHAEL JENNINGS will pay a poignant visit to the graves of his two brothers this week and then board a plane to try and become a most unlikely world champion.


The 31-year-old British welterweight star has seen his older brothers suffer painful deaths — Stephen to leukaemia and Raymond to heroin addiction.

Then, in October, it became a triple tragedy when his close friend Neil Hardy died after being hit by a lorry.
Stabbed

Jennings himself cheated death when he was stabbed in the back by a thug on a moped as he walked through Manchester’s Chinatown.

And the Chorley scrapper admits: “My life is filled with tragedies. I must have a black cloud above my head.”

His once-in-a-lifetime WBO title fight in New York’s Madison Square Garden later this month is against formidable Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto.

Jennings is an 8-1 underdog to beat a man destined for boxing’s Hall of Fame.

And the Brit adds: “Even when I get a world title chance it’s against bloody Cotto! No worries, though. To be the best you have to beat the best.”
Cemetery

Jennings, the second youngest of eight children, was just five when Stephen died at the age of 19. Raymond was beaten by his demons just over eight years ago.

And before Jennings jets off to the Big Apple on Saturday, he will visit the cemetery in Chorley.

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TRAGIC - Stephen Jennings died of leukaemia at just 19

He said: “On the day of each fight, or as close as I can if I’m fighting away, I visit the graves of our Stephen and our Raymond.

“When we found out Raymond was on drugs, it was like someone had died. At the time I’d only ever heard about heroin through the film Sid and Nancy.

“There was a few of his mates on the gear and they all fell into it after being into the rave scene. He got into heavy drugs and it evolved from there, getting worse and worse.
Illness

"He boxed and was a really good footballer but he had to give up because of a bad knee and that is when he fell into that horrible world.

“People don’t realise it’s an illness like alcoholism. A lot of people don’t see it like that and think you’re just a smack head. I’m still proud of him.

“My parents, Margaret and Raymond, have had it really hard. When I beat Cotto I’m going to buy mum a new house — although knowing her she won’t want one.”

Jennings had known Neil Hardy — known as Ned — since school days. They were both members of punk band The Shoks.

Former British and WBU champ Jennings added: “With Ned it was mad. When I found out he’d been killed it was devastating.”
Curse

The curse struck again in 2001 on night out in Manchester with fellow fighter Michael Gomez and older brother Dave in May.

Jennings recalled: “Two lads on mopeds started shining their lights on us. We just kept walking and thought nothing of it.

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TRAGIC - Punk band The Shoks, with Michael Jennings (in cap) and crash victim Neil 'Ned' Hardy (second from right)


“Next thing I felt something in my back and I thought I’d been punched. I turned round and there were these guys with helmets.

“I was ready to say, ‘Let’s have it’, but before I could do that I was covered in blood.

“Before I knew it Gomez had been slashed and my brother was hit on the head with a truncheon.To this day I don’t know what it was about.
Knife

“The doctors thought the stabbing had punctured my lung because the knife went in a couple of inches, but I was fine after having eight stitches.”

Jennings’ torrid life makes facing Cotto, 28, appear easy, but few give him much hope. However, the man who wants to become a greyhound trainer when he retires is in the mood to pull off one of boxing’s greatest upsets.

He said: “People are writing me off completely, but anything’s possible. He’s like any other man — he has two hands, two legs and a head.”

 

I like Jennings he's a good honest pro fighter. His fight with Ross Minter was one of my favourite fights of last year, he showed a lot of heart and class to stop him that night.

It's gonna be an emotional night for Jennings in New York. I hope he is able to use that emotion to his advantage. I also hope he keeps his head and doesn't get overawed by the whole occasion. I know he's a real underdog but it really would be fantastic if he won.

I wish him all the luck in the world.

 

Already have, they've been going on since the fight was announced about how they've never heard of him but hardly any yanks have posted on the thread.