Your experience meeting boxers/boxing personnel (good and bad)

Woke up in my hotel room in New York the night after Joshua v Ruiz. Was the Champions League final between Liverpool and Spurs the day before too so we’d had a full day on the ale. Hungover as anything and still in shock at what we’d witnessed at MSG just hours earlier. 4 of us arguing who was doing the McD’s breakfast run. I got the short straw..

Coming out of McDonalds with 4 bags and 4 drinks, I saw none other than Oleksandr Usyk literally skipping down the road towards who I presume was his wife who was stood behind me. He was one of my favourite fighters even back then so I thought I can’t waste this opportunity. I blurted out ‘Usyk!’ as he approached me and he replied ‘ahh yes’. Asked for a photo and lowered all the McD’s to the floor was that starstruck I typed my phone passcode in wrong 3 times but finally got the photo. Sent it to my mates in the group chat on the way back to the hotel and they were all devastated they didn’t do the breakfast run when I got back to the room with the biggest smile on my face ever. Topped off an unbelievable trip meeting one of my heroes who has since gone on to become an all time great.

 

Earnie Shavers used to be greeter on one of the pubs in town - absolute gent, and absolutely terrifying at the same time.

Met all the Smith brothers, all sound.

Bellew was sound too.

Was in school with Derry Mathews he was a decent lad then.

Used to go to loads of small/local cards around the city and there were always local boxers.

Last one I met was Martin Murray and he had all the time in the world, really nice guy too.

 

The forum should have a whip round and see if we could organise a meet and greet for @ash234 with the legendary Sam Jones!!!!

 

Have a whip round for the ambulance’s petrol money after whilst you’re at it.

 

What was it like in the arena that night? Was it full of brits on tour or locals?

 

I was in New York a few weeks after Lewis-Holyfield and was told that some of the big clothing stores had been virtually stripped by Brits making the most of cheap prices and a $1.80 exchange rate.

 

I met Fury in my local Iceland. I'd gone there for some pizza pockets and then I saw this giant of a man and he offered me a siparoo of a beverage that had himself plastered on the can! It tasted nice and i felt uplifted and then i felt angry. Like furiously angry. He then told me about why he was there and what he had in the pipeline for when he retires. He knows his business that'sfor certain. Cool guy, never met him though.

 

Good. Carl Froch, David Haye, Tony Bellew, Darren barker, Kell Brook.
Bad. Amir Khan.

 

Darren Barker is the human equivalent of a sleeping tablet. Zzz. Bore.

 

8000 Brits went over apparently. Wasn’t a rowdy bunch though. Lots of couples, families etc.

You’d be forgiven for forgetting there was actually a fight on in New York that weekend. I barely saw any Brits outside of the weigh in & fight and it wasn’t advertised on any of the billboards in Times Square for example.

I don’t think the Champions League final helped. Loads of American Liverpool fans over there so that seemed to get all the spotlight during the build up to Saturday. The streets were packed with Liverpool fans singing after they beat Spurs, especially around a pub called Carragher’s.

 

Not many I haven't met or worked with in boxing , Darren Barker is hands down top 3 nicest and funniest of the 100's and 100's maybe even 1000's that I have dealt with through my work, top top man.

 

.... comedy and wit definitely not your thing mate.

 

I thought you were about to tell us Ruiz was in McD's and gave you one of his burgers.

You meeting Usyk was fate mate - sometimes life throws us some very good surprises.

 

Ian Beale