JOHNNY OWEN - THE MATCHSTICK MAN

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=32073892919 IT WILL BE 30 YEARS TOMORROW THAT JOHNNY OWENS LOST HIS LIFE. PLEASE JOIN THIS GROUP IN HONOUR OF THE GREAT MAN! ALSO ON ITV TOMORROW AT 10.35 THERES THE "JONNY OWEN STORY" TO WATCH! WELSH LEGEND!

Welsh legend.

if i remember right i dont think lupe pinter has fought since that dreadful night

if i remember right i dont think lupe pinter has fought since that dreadful night

He retired in 1995

RIP Johnny

Remember that night and the days when he was in a coma. Very sad am i right in saying he owned a pub opposite the Prince Of Wales Hospital ? which is now some sort of youth club.
One for Fishy

I was ten when he died and my teacher was hls best friend mr rees grest teacher.
Johnny owen came to my school many a time to meet the kids.
I remember ahat a nice man he was and he brought his gloves for us to try on. I can always remember
When he died my dad was crying because he also knew him. My teacher was deverstated fkr week and when he told
The class some kids were crying to. What l am saying is he touched the nation and was loved by all.
A great fighter and a great man.
Thank you fir the memories Johnny.

RIP JOHNNY OWEN

My Aunty knew Dai Gardener, Johnnys manager and i went to watch him fight at Rhydycar Sports centre he had the heart of a lion and when i met him after the fight he was a very quiet and humble person. The pub opposite Prince Charles Hospital was called the Matchstick Man named after Johnnys nickname and i believe it's now some kind of youth or community centre.


RIP Johnny a true Welsh boxing legend

Johnny Owen's death ripped Dai Gardner to bits. He gave up boxing that day and sort of stayed away from the game for a good few years. He had a lot of good talented lads about to turn pro at the time. One in particular was Carl Moore who I remember going to watch. I can't think of one fight that didn't last longer than the first round, he was very good and would probably of ended in the heavy weight group. He was one of a few though that were rocked so badly by Johnny's death that they just gave up the game and never went back to it.

Dai Gardner is one of the nicest blokes you could ever know. He lives in the next street to me and I grew up with his family etc. He gave boxing to Cefn Hengoed and welcomed everyone to his gym in Fleur. He's probably had more champions than anyone else in Wales yet he's never ever been recognised for any of the work he's done.

Remember that night and the days when he was in a coma. Very sad am i right in saying he owned a pub opposite the Prince Of Wales Hospital ? which is now some sort of youth club.
One for Fishy

the pub was called The Matchstick Man and was opened as a tribute to him , nowadays its closed and boarded up and is quite an eyesore sitting at the top of the Gurnos in Merthyr !

ITV TONIGHT 10.35 ... DONT MISS OUT!

ITV TONIGHT 10.35 ... DONT MISS OUT!

Berwyn, you are rignt about Dai he has been ill too lately, I am from Hengoed too and us to go up to fleur to see the boxers train and met Johnny Owen a few times I was about 12, Dai Gardner always had lots of time for the local kids including me and I was no boxer just loved having a go but Dai would give any kid the time that was needed and treated all the kids the same.

As you said He finished and many good upcoming boxers finished after Johnny died it was so sad.

RIP the matchstick man Johnny Owen