Johnny Owen vs Paul Ferreri (Video)

G'day Russ, mate Ferrari was a tall southpaw mover who's only weakness in my opinion was alack of punching power. He was physically strong and had the stamina to move for 15 rounds.

He was the kind of fighter who we used to say was " European - Commonwealth champion- world championship contender " level in other words just short of the absolute cream of the crop but still absolutely world class. I also reckon he was the last guy to reach world class from Ambrose Palmer's " hit and not be hit in return " school of boxing.

Johnny Famechon was Palmer's masterpiece.

Ferrari along with Rocky Mattioli was the best of the Italian born - Aussie raised fighters who emerged in the early 70s due to the large number of Italian immigrants to Oz.

Ferrari was also unfortunate enough to be involved in one of Sydney boxing's worst days when the Gattellari brothers ( Rocky and Lucky ) made a comeback after nearly a decade out of the ring on a hugely promoted card in Sydney.

Both Gattellari brothers took a dive and some people still claim they had big money on themselves to lose. The thing set boxing back years here.

Lucky Gattellari has been in a fair bit of strife over the last few years.

[url]https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/ron-medich-trial-lucky-gattellari-the-witness-who-split-a-jury-20170330-gv9mwj.html[/url]

Here is a blast from the past featuring Rocky Gattellari.

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Cheers Mate, hope yer having a good one.

 

A pleasure amigo, I am very well thanks but I am doing some house renovations at the moment which take up up most of my free time so I havent been able to watch many fights lately damn it. I did get to watch Wilder vs Ortiz on cable for free which was very enjoyable.

Cheers Mate.

 

Paul Ferreri when he took on Carlos Zarate was fighting a feared champion and
he had destroyed his opponents with speed and ease. When they fought only
Martinez had lasted as long as 9 rds. Ferreri lasted until the 12th. Ferreri sadly
passed away last year.
Johnny Owen victory was considered a upset over Ferreri and was considered one
of his best in a short but tragic career. When these two fought for the Commonwealth
Title it was very prestigious . Not like now where it has been diluted by multiple regional
and international meaningless belts.

 

One of my favourite fighters ever. Hugh McIlvanney's piece on him was among the best pieces of boxing writing the great man produced. Not just any fighter could inspire him to hit such heights.

Heres one

[url]https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/mar/05/hugh-mcilvanney-johnny-owen-last-fight-vault[/url]

There's another piece, I think, written after Johnny had died which is even more emotional. Johnny was a wonder because he wasn't explosively powerful, nor supremely agile. He had solid skills but, with respect, nothing extraordinary. He was just a well-schooled good fighter who pushed himself to be better than that. I can't believe the way he extended Pintor who was a hell of a fighter. He moved up to Gomez' natural weight class and gave him hell after this fight. Maybe he was never the same after the Owen tragedy which makes his showing vs Gonez even more remarkable.

Anyway, that's another story for another thread which Russell will either start or bump, no doubt. This is all about Johnny, the poster boy for over-achievement and decency, a young man who just wanted to buy his family a better home with his purse. What he was prepared to do and go through for such a seemingly small personal reward beggars belief when we are surrounded by the entitled multi-millionaire egomaniacs that are everywhere in pro sport these days.

 

Hugh is my opinion was the greatest boxing writer ever and i bought that book for the Ken Buchanan stories and the piece on Johnny Owen .
Great boxing writer .

 

Excellent post.

Johnny Owen is exhibit A of why this sport is so great and heartbreaking too. And Hugh Mcilvanney's piece was just a beautiful piece of literature.

Paul Ferreri is one of the few fighters I've actually met. His first wife was best friends with one of my childhood friends Mum and they came to stay with them in the country town I'm from. It was a big deal having a great boxer like that in my little hick town and I was chuffed to meet him and play with his kids also. He was a nice quiet bloke and surprisingly small in my mind for a very tough guy (not knowing boxing much then).

There was talk of Ferreri fighting Jeff Fenech for his bantam title before he lost to Tony "Mad Dog" Miller but thankfully that never occured, Fenech would have annihilated a past his best Ferreri. A prime Paul Ferreri though was an excellent boxer who would have acquitted himself well in any company.

A good fight and a great thread Russ. Thanks!

 

Johnny Owen will always be remembered as the Welsh Warrior with a dragons heart. Fought like one too.