Thoughts with Nick Blackwell

[Master]

Chris Eubank Jr offers Nick Blackwell title belt as 'goodwill gesture'



British middleweight champion Chris Eubank Jr has offered to give his title belt to retired opponent Nick Blackwell as a "goodwill gesture".

Blackwell, 25, suffered a bleed on the brain in a loss to Eubank in March and was put in an induced coma.

The offer comes despite Blackwell saying Eubank and his father were "inhuman" in how they reacted to his life-threatening injuries post-fight.

"I ended the guy's career," Eubank Jr told ITV's Good Morning Britain.

"He said everything was OK and that there were no hard feelings, but I've stopped him being able to make a living.

"I wanted to come and see him because I had something for him, and that something is my British title belt."

Blackwell woke from his coma a week after the fight, which was stopped in the 10th round, without requiring an operation.

Speaking to the Sun on Monday, Blackwell was critical of the Eubanks' decision to hold a news conference while he was still in hospital.

"I was shocked when I first heard the things he had been saying because we had a little talk on social media," added Eubank Jr.

"I believe that the belt is a goodwill gesture - I'm still ready to come and give it to him.

"The guy's a true warrior, regardless of what's been said, the only thing that's important is that he is now OK, he's with his family and he can live a normal life with no restrictions."

Chris Eubank Jr offers Nick Blackwell title belt as 'goodwill gesture' - BBC Sport

[Master]

Nick Blackwell's trainer Gary Lockett on toughest time of his life



"The weeks since the fight have definitely been the worst time in my life. Everyone says boxers know the risks. But do they, do they really?"

On 26 March 2016, boxer Nick Blackwell collapsed in the boxing ring he had shared with Chris Eubank Jr following a gruelling British title contest.

It would be over two weeks before Blackwell would open his eyes again, as family and friends were left with no alternative but to sit at his bedside and wait... and wait.

Blackwell won his most important battle, that for life, having suffered a bleed to the skull and being put into an induced coma, but at just 26 years old and theoretically in the prime of his career, he will never again lace up a glove as he ponders a life without boxing.

However, for his trainer Gary Lockett, it has to be business as usual as he resumes the responsibility of guiding an entire stable of fighters.

A former world title contender as a boxer and part of the famed team which oversaw the undefeated career of Joe Calzaghe, Lockett admits the experience of the past months have fundamentally changed him as a person.

"I could really see no light at the end of the tunnel, even if Nick made a full recovery. At the time, I could think about nothing but negatives," Lockett told BBC Wales Sport in his first interview since the fight.

"Things aren't always as bad as they seem at the beginning and I just thank God that he is OK.

"I am pretty old school and don't like to talk about my feelings too much. But let's just say it was very easily the worst two weeks of my life, by a long, long way.

"Nick's best friends, Jake and Gareth, they didn't leave the hospital for nine days.

"I decided to stay back and I was at my in-laws in Mumbles. But I was just useless, totally useless and I decided I would be better off travelling up to the hospital every day.

"I think I went up about 11 days out of the next two weeks.

"At home, I felt useless. At the hospital, with his friends, with his family, with the people who loved him, I don't know what it was, but I felt like maybe I was helping him, maybe he knew I was there, even though he was in an induced coma.



"Nick has a very good core of friends, they were in there most days, his dad John, his brother Dan, his sister Hannah; they were there every single day.

"We took over a whole waiting room at the hospital and I think as a group, we upset a lot of people taking up so much space. But it was only out of love for Nick.

"It makes me feel selfish for saying that it was the worst time of my life. Because imagine what Nick's family were going through. Worse than what I was dealing with. It's horrendous."

'Do we really know the risks?'

Lockett utterly rejects the notion that boxers are 'prepared' for what can go wrong in the ring, insisting that understanding that something is dangerous and being ready to deal with the consequences are two very different things.

"Everyone says that same sentence when something like this happens - 'they knew the risks when they got in there'," he said.

"Do they? Do they really?

"When you see a kid you are in the gym with every day, who you have a very good relationship with, when you see them on a life support machine for the first time, it is like being hit by a tonne of bricks.

"I don't think I have ever seen anything that shocked me as much as that and it will never leave me, it will always haunt me.

"Even talking about it five weeks later is really difficult.

"One of my boxers, a younger boy and I won't say who it is, he came up to visit Nick and I said to him, 'you need to prepare yourself'.

"He went in without me and nearly fainted, walked out and couldn't get hold of himself afterwards. It was very, very hard to deal with.

"To see them like that, someone that I suppose you love in a way, you know, I love Nick in a way, not like a child of mine, but I am spending time with him day after day.

"You see someone that you love propped up, with tubes down their throat; God knows how many drugs going into his body, wires coming out of everywhere and a screw in his head, with his hair cut off, a shadow of himself. It's very, very hard to see."

Support of Blackwell's family meant everything

Lockett, who deleted his social media accounts following the fight as certain critics looked to blame him for not stopping the contest, says the support of the Blackwell family meant a great deal.

"The other people, the ones criticising, either don't know what they are talking about, or they are people with an axe to grind," he said.

"So people who I have fallen out with over the years, they would have been rubbing their hands together.

"But what do I care? The main thing for me is I had the support of Nick's family and that was unquestionable, unwavering.

"That made me feel at ease, all his friends, his family, no one mentioned the fight being stopped until Nick collapsed.

"I have not watched the fight back and I never, ever will.

"But I am told that nobody even mentions the fight being stopped, even in the seventh round when Nick was under a barrage."

'I wanted to walk away'

Lockett admits he did want to leave the sport completely, but has since had a change of heart.

"Of course I did [want to quit], of course I did," he said.

"But then as Nick gets better, you start to consider the other boys in the gym.

"There are guys in that gym - Enzo Maccarinelli for example - who I have absolutely huge admiration for.

"Enzo, Liam Williams, a load of guys coming through, I could not consider walking away and letting them down."

A happy ending?

Lockett is hopeful Blackwell in time will complete a course that allows him to help train fighters and work their corners and has promised him a role with the team if he wishes.

"Nick did say a couple of weeks ago 'what am I going to do now?'

"Well whatever he does decide to do, he's got a bloody good head start, financially.

"He's a happy-go-lucky guy and shrewd with his cash and whatever he decides to do, I am sure he will be a big success.

"I would like to see him get his training license as he's got a lot to offer.

"Liam Williams world champion, with Nick and I in his corner? It is definitely a possibility and what a story that would make. It would be the icing on the cake."

Nick Blackwell's trainer Gary Lockett on toughest time of his life - BBC Sport

[Primo Carnera]

Chris Eubank Jr offers Nick Blackwell title belt as 'goodwill gesture'



British middleweight champion Chris Eubank Jr has offered to give his title belt to retired opponent Nick Blackwell as a "goodwill gesture".

Blackwell, 25, suffered a bleed on the brain in a loss to Eubank in March and was put in an induced coma.

The offer comes despite Blackwell saying Eubank and his father were "inhuman" in how they reacted to his life-threatening injuries post-fight.

"I ended the guy's career," Eubank Jr told ITV's Good Morning Britain.

"He said everything was OK and that there were no hard feelings, but I've stopped him being able to make a living.

"I wanted to come and see him because I had something for him, and that something is my British title belt."

Blackwell woke from his coma a week after the fight, which was stopped in the 10th round, without requiring an operation.

Speaking to the Sun on Monday, Blackwell was critical of the Eubanks' decision to hold a news conference while he was still in hospital.

"I was shocked when I first heard the things he had been saying because we had a little talk on social media," added Eubank Jr.

"I believe that the belt is a goodwill gesture - I'm still ready to come and give it to him.

"The guy's a true warrior, regardless of what's been said, the only thing that's important is that he is now OK, he's with his family and he can live a normal life with no restrictions."

Chris Eubank Jr offers Nick Blackwell title belt as 'goodwill gesture' - BBC Sport

Primo Carnera
Posts: 2,570 04-06-2016
03:12 AM


Quote Tam Seddon
Eubank Jr. Pleased With News of Blackwell's Continued Recovery - Boxing News
"as everyone knows, I detest Eubank Jr. but I bet you he gives Blackwell his British title belt. Ultimately , that will be a lovely gesture. He's still a cunt though. "

I really don't want to sound like a smug cunt, but I did predict this on page 8 of this thread. 😎

[Primo Carnera]

Furthermore, although I am not a fan of Eubank Jr. I genuinely believe that this was his intention all along .
I hope Nick Blackwell doesn't snub this and accepts the Olive branch. I hope he doesn't think this a publicity stunt because I don't believe it is.
Life too short and too precious for hate and making enemies.

[Master]

Blackwell Calls Eubank Coma Reaction 'Inhuman'



Nick Blackwell has said that if he had one more punch in him he would land it on Chris Eubank Snr's jaw after a fight that left him in a coma.

The ex-boxer is furious that Eubank and his son Chris Jnr held a news conference while he was in the "induced" state.

He told The Sun the pair's action, which took place against the wishes of his family, was "inhuman".

The 25-year-old, who last month tweeted he was "very lucky" to be "on the mend" after collapsing in the ring, said: "If I could have one more knockout shot, I'd love to land it on the jaw of Chris Eubank.

"I haven't any hard feelings about the fight ... it's just the stuff he has done after. It's inhuman. It's disgusting.

"They were trying to make themselves look like the good guys when they are the opposite.

"My family and friends were begging them not to talk but they ignored it.

"I've only just been shown the press conference. I was still in a coma but they went ahead and did it."

The 25-year-old did not require surgery, but did not wake until a week after the British middleweight title fight on 26 March.

When the fight was stopped in the 10th round, Blackwell initially did not show signs something serious had occurred.

But, after his collapse, he was taken away from the arena on a stretcher while receiving oxygen and rushed to St Mary's Hospital in London.

Eubank Jnr told the news conference he was "glad the doctor stopped the fight because the referee wasn't going to".

He told Sky News on the Tuesday after the fight that when he realised Blackwell was struggling, he backed off, hoping the referee would stop the bout.

Eubank Snr, who was in the corner of the ring during his son's fight, told the conference he had feared for Blackwell and told Chris Jnr to attack his body in order to protect the fighter.

"Even in sparring, I tell Junior to stay away from the head because his punching is fast, powerful and dangerous," he said.

Blackwell told The Sun: "The people who saved my life were the referee, the person who put me in the coma and the people at St Mary's Hospital. The Eubanks didn't save my life."

He was later told his injuries had been so severe that if he was to box again he would die, so he has had to retire.

In response, Eubank Jnr told The Sun: "People and the media demanded that we speak to them. If I we had just said 'No comment', it would have come off as cold.

"If he was in our position he would have done the same thing. If Nick is part of the small percentage that took offence, that's unfortunate. It's sad for me to hear. All I have ever wanted for Nick has been the best.

"Anything that happened after was not for our gain. People deserve ... our perspective on things - that's all it was."

Blackwell Calls Eubank Coma Reaction 'Inhuman'

[denilson200]

Screw Nick Blackwell. The Eubanks have bent over backwards for them. I also think had he been black. Would he have got the best medical care ? No. Apparently he died in the Ambulance but the docs bent over backwards to save him.

I believe if he was not white. The docs would have let him die. If he was Eubank. The docs would have let him die. Or he would have more than likely ended up Gerald McClellan or a Micheal Watson. Now he's going on TV show in the UK slagging the Eubanks off.

Fucking Idiot.

[p4pking]

Screw Nick Blackwell. The Eubanks have bent over backwards for them. I also think had he been black. Would he have got the best medical care ? No. Apparently he died in the Ambulance but the docs bent over backwards to save him.

I believe if he was not white. The docs would have let him die. If he was Eubank. The docs would have let him die. Or he would have more than likely ended up Gerald McClellan or a Micheal Watson. Now he's going on TV show in the UK slagging the Eubanks off.

Fucking Idiot.

Totally. If it happened to Eubank, the same doctors who treated Blackwell would have stayed in their seats and ordered some drinks, while someone would nonchalantly call the negro ambulance and take him to a hospital miles into the country on an old dirt road. The paramedics would only have rusty scalpels and expired prescription drugs to treat him with, then nobody would bat an eye.

[Batman]

Denilson you are really letting me down mate, your posts used to wind me up with the racist shit that you come out with but your last few efforts have been crap, I mean really poor attempts at trolling.

Come on you know you can do better than this, it's as if you ain't even trying

Is everything alright at home? Are you depressed? Are you having problems?

I want the old Denilson back not this half hearted watered down version

[Fenster]

Eubank Jr offering the belt to Blackwell is more self-serving bollocks as it's not his. He's not even defended it once yet let alone three times

[superheavyrhun]

Eubank Jr offering the belt to Blackwell is more self-serving bollocks as it's not his. He's not even defended it once yet let alone three times

How dare you let puny things like facts get in the way of a headline and some positive spin.

[Primo Carnera]

Eubank Jr offering the belt to Blackwell is more self-serving bollocks as it's not his. He's not even defended it once yet let alone three times

Bit harsh I think . Nobody hates Eubank Jr more than me, and he's a bit naive thinking he can give the belt away because it ain't his, but as soon as Blackwell came out of the coma, he distinctly said " Great news, let me know when it's a good time to see you, I've got something for you."
I think Hennessy has gone a bit over the top with the hating on this occasion unfortunately, which is a shame.
Like I said, I can't stand him, but you have to tell it as it is.

[ross]

Hennesey could even be a saddo moderator

[Fenster]

I don't dislike Eubank Jr or snr. I'm criticising their behaviour post the Blackwell fight. It's called an opinion, I am telling it as it is, nobody has to agree.

I will praise the actions of people i'm not fond of just as I will slate those that I like.

[Mark TKO]

I must have missed something. Thought the Eubanks were nothing but fair and genuine after the fight. Surprised by this.

Also is Denilson just a wind up merchant or proper tool ?

[superheavyrhun]

I must have missed something. Thought the Eubanks were nothing but fair and genuine after the fight. Surprised by this.

Also is Denilson just a wind up merchant or proper tool ?

Surely if he is used for winding things up, like a crank, that would technically make him a tool?