A Boxing Memory - Howard Rainey

As some of you will know, Howard Rainey (Scrap) passed away just before Christmas. Howards wife Lorna posted a link to a beautifully written piece about Howard by Garry White.

A Boxing Memory: Howard Rainey – FightPost: Boxing & MMA News

As you'll see from the piece, Howard loved talking boxing, to anyone likeminded or that would stay still for long enough at times. Our little darkened corner of the interweb was one of many places 'Scrap' liked to chew the fat. It's only really after learning more about the man that you realise how lucky we were. To have someone who gave their whole life to boxing, asking for the bare minimum (If that) in return, choose to give us his time and counsel was something special. In a dirty dirty sport, Scrap was the genuine article and his generosity spread far beyond the squared circle or gym.

RIP 'Scrap'

rip scrap. i never got the chance to communicate with him but learned a lot from many of his posts in the training section

A piece of genuine depth and respect there :-\. Scrap was a brilliant heart and mind and truly respected in our corner. Rest easy now Sir and continue to shine down.

A lovely respectful piece there about a good man.

An absolute pleasure to have crossed paths with him.

RIP Scrap

I did not know about Howard passing away but knew he was not well.

I interacted with him and he was always respectful and knowledgeable about boxing and life.

RIP Scrap been a pleasure to have known you.

H was a top man and loved to poke fun at times. I remember on the Ask the Trainer board, a place originally made for him (Scrap/Howard), we had a topic about left hooks.

I added my two cents after some wonderful posters chimed in, and then later I get a private message from Howard. He says do you have any idea who that bloke is? I tell him that I don't have the slightest idea. He says, that's David Tua! ;D



It so happened that David Tua was posting incognito on our message board, and H couldn't help but let me in on it when I wrote after the Lord of Left Hooks gave advice. 😉

Terms like 'Breaking the mould' are thrown about too easily at times but you could certainly use it to describe Howard (Scrap) and his innovative approach to training and life in general. He was utilising wobble boards and resistance bands way before they became mainstream staples in gyms and physiotherapist treatment rooms across the world. I can remember a few private chats with him about exploring the idea of using a vertical treadmill for my wife's left-side paralysis and it was this willingness to think outside of the box and do things differently that gave him such a unique approach to training.

Unfortunately, like a lot of the boxing family he was let down and forgotten by many at the end of his life when he most needed them. Brilliant piece by BN's Matt Christie here - https://boxingnewsonline.net/editors...u-not-ashamed/


Ten Bells

RIP Scrap