Thoughts on Bartley Gorman... Educate me.

I don’t know that much about Berwick, apart from that he’s well respected by Brian Cockerill and Richie Horsley, and that he’s regarded as a legend in Sunderland.

He was an ex boxer who was a doorman for years in Sunderland.

Apparently, he was an awesome fighter.

There’s a chapter on him in Julian David’ book - ‘Street Fighters’ (A great book)


I don’t know anything about the life of Ian Freeman.

 

Ian Freeman was a pioneer in the UK MMA scene

 

Both guys had the utmost respect for each other.

They never fought, simply because Dan Rooney never challenged him. And in the travelling world, the onus is on the challenger.

There was a significant age gap between them though.

By the time Dan Rooney had fought Aney McGinley in 1990, Bartley was 46/47. Whereas Dan Rooney was in his early 30’s, or even 30.

Dan then moved from Ireland and lived in Luton, yet never challenged Bartley who lived in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire.

Then in 1991, Bartley knocked out Dan’s brother, John Rooney, after an argument at the wake of Bartley’s brother, Sam. John Rooney and another one of his relations, Ned Rooney, both attended the funeral after going over from Ireland. After a few drinks, Ned Rooney told Bartley that in his opinion, Aney McGinley would beat Bartley. Bartley then scoffed at the notion and told Ned that he’d knock McGinley out if they ever fought. Ned disagreed and said that their Dan couldn’t knock him out, and that if Dan couldn’t, then neither could Bartley. Bartley then said that in his opinion, he could also knock out Dan too if they ever fought. And that comment drove John Rooney to attack Bartley, where they then fought. Bartley was drunk, but he ended up beating John up and knocking him out.

So: Bartley knocked out John Rooney, and told Ned Rooney that he could beat and knock out both Dan Rooney and Aney McGinley. Yet despite that, Dan still didn’t challenge him.

When Bartley was dying in hospital of cancer around 10 years later, Dan Rooney went to visit him in hospital. They both had huge respect for each other and chatted for a few hours. But Dan had given up fighting by then and had become a preacher.

 

I’ve never heard of Geoff Thompson.

I’ll have to look into him.

 

Where I am living now, a lot of guys are doing bare knuckle fights. Mostly because they get paid pretty good for the fights. I am training a guy and he is 3-0 in these fights; I work with him in the gym, put together the fight plan and teach it, but I can't work the corner. That would be a stupid thing to do on my part.
But it is fascinating to me, and fighting is fighting. You really start to understand the point behind the styles you see guys using in the early 1900s because you have to defend yourself differently when you don't have big gloves to hide behind. The guy I train, he made 3000 for his last fight and it lasted just under a minute- he threw 3 jabs and landed all 3, then a hook that ended the fight. But he cut his knuckle on the guy's teeth and it got infected. Two surgeries later...

 

all i know about it was from the pic i saw of Bartley and Don in Bartley's book. They seemed pretty pally in the picture after the fight

 

Was a soft touch who was fed up of life and being scared of everything, wrote a list down of things that scared him and top of the list was confrontation. Became a bouncer, toughened up, goes from there. A thoroughly decent and genuine chap is Geoff. His books are great.

 

Great post mate. You're a wealth of knowledge.

How tough was Dan in his prime? Who did he beat that were good men?

 

And Lee Hadsell. He even had a colum in the News of the World back in the 90's!

 

Yeah I've heard nothing but good things about him. Either that part of the country is full of blaggers or genuine hard men. I'll buy that book over the weekend.

 

They did? Manchester was absolutely mental back then by all accounts.

 

Yes it's riveting tbh. The "Elephant and the twig" is another great book of his but is more about psychology.

 

I saw a documentary on him and was familiar with his boxing background .. and from the little I know about BK .. He seemed to be the real deal.. It was very hard for them to match fights because it basically became out lawed and sanctioned. from what I remember

 

That was after Don had fought on one of Bartley’s unlicensed shows back in the mid 70’s.

They were friends, but they had a few fall outs over the years.

 

That’s amazing.

I’ll definitely look into that.

Thanks.