Greg Page.....why on Earth was he still fighting?!

I just read that Page was paid $1500 (£1025) for his last, doomed fight.

How sad that a once decent fighter, who shared the square ring with such luminaries as Jimmy Young, Trevor Berbick, Tim Witherspoon, Gerrie Coetzee, and, in later years the likes of Buster Douglas, Joe Bugner and Orlin Norris, should be reduced to the role of professional punch bag for boxers who, (in the infamous words of Larry Holmes) would not have been fit to carry his jockstrap in days gone by.

One could argue that after about 1992 (at the very latest), his services were used just to pad out the 'W' column of mediocre fighters, save for an 18 month period between 1996/97 when he was fed a dozen 'tomato cans' to knock over in the early rounds.

However, being hit repeatedly in the head by big guys over a 20+ year span cannot be good for anyones health, and this sad story highlights the perils of fighting on way, way past a boxers' prime.

I sometimes feel that boxers' licences should be withdrawn sooner, to protect them from themselves, and I fear the likes of Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe will be risking serious damage to themselves if they are allowed to pursue glory in what is, fundamentally, a young mans' sport.

RIP Greg Page.

 

And who were his 'wins' against?
Like I said, for 18 months he was fed a dozen or so 'fighters' with barely a 'win' between them.
I stick to my assertion that, in the main, he was just a paid punch bag - a 'name' fighter to look good on some up-and-comer's resume.

 

Hey, c'mon man......Get real, will ya?!

GP stopped fighting at 'World' level after 1986, and at 'Gatekeeper' level after 1992.

Countless old pugs have had their records padded late in their careers, (Tyson, Tony Ayala, Jorge Paez, Yory Boy Campas, JC Chavez etc etc)

Sure, they still have a rudimentary grasp of the basics, even in their late 30's and beyond, but fighting guys with considerably more 'L's than 'W's beside their names doesn't make you a 'live' contender still.

So forget the 20-5-1 bullsh*t, if GP had managed to keep hold of some of his ring takings, it would have been better for all concerned if he'd retired 25 fights short of his final tally.

And what's more, perhaps he'd still be walking among us today........

 

I doubt whether fighting for the 'Kentucky State Heavyweight Title' in front of 300 or so fans was much of a thrill.

More likely, he didn't have a pot to p*ss in, and didn't have any other means to support his family.

It's about time boxers were forced to pay a percentage of their ring earnings into some sort of trust fund, to which they have no access until they're, say, 50 years old.

I don't wish to be over simplistic, but there are too many guys getting needlessly beat up because they've squandered all their purses, and they reach the end of their careers with nothing to show for it.

These guys need to have professional advisers as mandatory, who look out for the boxers interests and not just those of the fat promoters.