It was 36 years ago today we lost this great!
Fri Nov 04, 2016 9:40 pm
Johnny Owen
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-11334993
In the firmament of Welsh boxing legends, no star has burned so brightly, or for such a tragically short time, as the "Merthyr Matchstick", Johnny Owen.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-11334993
In the firmament of Welsh boxing legends, no star has burned so brightly, or for such a tragically short time, as the "Merthyr Matchstick", Johnny Owen.
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Re: It was 36 years ago today we lost this great!
Sat Nov 05, 2016 9:28 am
My father was one of the bearers. He was his main sparring partner in the lead up to the fight. Sports night come to do a feature in the gym and they had me as a 4 year old punching the bag and Harry Carpenter asked "Could this be the next Jonny Owen" 
My old man was meant to go to LA but last minute there was an issue and they had to keep one of the sponsors sweet so Dick was apologetic and promised he would take him with them to Italy for the next fight they had planned. Sadly Jonny never returned.
First and one of only times I seen my old man cry when my gransha come to our house (we didn't have a telephone in those days) to break the news.
RIP Jonny
My old man was meant to go to LA but last minute there was an issue and they had to keep one of the sponsors sweet so Dick was apologetic and promised he would take him with them to Italy for the next fight they had planned. Sadly Jonny never returned.
First and one of only times I seen my old man cry when my gransha come to our house (we didn't have a telephone in those days) to break the news.
RIP Jonny
Re: It was 36 years ago today we lost this great!
Sat Nov 05, 2016 9:32 am
I use to love his fights,it was a sad day when he died and especially how he died.
RIP Johnny Owen
Re: It was 36 years ago today we lost this great!
Sat Nov 05, 2016 11:42 am
Rip jonny ring legend
Re: It was 36 years ago today we lost this great!
Sat Nov 05, 2016 12:08 pm
polo wrote:My father was one of the bearers. He was his main sparring partner in the lead up to the fight. Sports night come to do a feature in the gym and they had me as a 4 year old punching the bag and Harry Carpenter asked "Could this be the next Jonny Owen"
My old man was meant to go to LA but last minute there was an issue and they had to keep one of the sponsors sweet so Dick was apologetic and promised he would take him with them to Italy for the next fight they had planned. Sadly Jonny never returned.
First and one of only times I seen my old man cry when my gransha come to our house (we didn't have a telephone in those days) to break the news.
RIP Jonny
Sad story mate and remember your old man telling me one day down the club on one our drunken afternoons.
I know Jonny's brother Dilwyn very well and have chatted with him a lot about his brother. He and all his family is very proud of what he achieved in his short life and also said if he was in the sport these days he'd have never had a boxing licence due to his condition. It's because of what happened to Jonny that started the process to screening for such things in the sport to make it safer.
RIP Jonny.