Herol Graham has heard that remark so many times that he could be forgiven for being a little nauseous but, kind and pleasant to a fault, he only sees the good within the bitter sweet depiction. Follow him on Twitter: @Tom_Gray_Boxing, GET THE LATEST ISSUE AT He was a quality opponent, who won and lost a fight with Mike McCallum after that. The IBF super middleweight title was on the line but, at 38 years of age, the fading veteran could not make the finish line and lost by stoppage in the 10th. Sure, he easily passed the medical tests, was glowingly declared fit to box in the last years of his career. Frank Bruno has visited him on the secure ward and advised him: Herol, Ive been there, I know what youre going through. What kind of honor is that? I can remember all these things from back in those days.. I really had to move that night, because he hit so hard. It was a very close fight, but he caught me with a big punch and I slid across the ropes. In 2014 he was loading trucks for ASDA, getting paid eight-quid an hour. Since retiring life has been tough on Graham and he tried to take his own life in 2009, Graham's finished with 48 wins in 54 fights, Graham, pictured in 2012, is struggling with money, Graham (left) ended his career in defeat to Charles Brewer, Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, A tale of sorcery and sadness: The tragic story of Herol Bomber Graham. . I wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy.. He was the captain of the English amateur boxing team from 1980 to 1983 and European amateur champion in 1983. He paused and looked around at the eccentric cast of supporting characters around him. But you are locked up. Aged 40 now, he quit boxing in 2012 before eventually going into rehab for drink and depression. But I had to be careful because in prison, they will just go out to smash you. British Middleweight boxer Herol Graham, in London, circa 1988. 2023 RING TV LIVE. In recent lucid moments, Graham recalls that fight. In Atlantic City that night there were tears in the dressing room, a rehearsal for the harrowing decades to follow. Graham never felt the same after the Jackson thunderbolt, in or out of the ring. Under a photograph in the paper it said, The only person to hit Bomber Graham, and it was this woman. Herol Graham birthday is on 13-Sep-59 and he was born on Sunday. At 59, he has spent time recently in a secure mental health institution on constant suicide watch. It is published by Hamilcar Publications visit www.hamilcarpubs.com/damage for more information. In his first attempt, challenging for the vacant WBA middleweight title, he took Mike McCallum to a close split decision; points deducted for a punch to the back of McCallum's head A daily struggle I never wanted to get used to. It nearly became a problem because as the depression kicked in I was looking for a shield, the shield was alcohol, and I just went overboard with it. There is not one solid story that I believe about Graham refusing a fight - he was just bloody avoided. Graham had one more world title fight, his last night in the ring in 1998 when he was winning but ran out of steam against Charles Brewer for the IBF super-middleweight title. He has authored three books about boxing: The Road to Nowhere, Money: The Life and Fast Times of Floyd Mayweather, and War and Peace: My Story, which he ghostwrote for UK boxing hero Ricky Hatton. That said I didnt hit him as often as I wanted to, so Kalambay edges it. Herol Graham rose to prime prominence as a Boxer. In his new book Tris Dixon spoke to Herol Graham about going from the limelight to the psych ward, Chris Eubank Jnr vs. Conor Benn is officially OFF, Chris Eubank Jr v Conor Benn: The story of a grim day for British boxing, Chris Eubank Jnr says there was no phone call with Conor Benn, but does expect their fight to still go ahead. Graham still follows boxing and is interested in training full time, but this reporter was keen to know if its possible to teach the natural skills he possessed. The faster I punch the quicker I hit you, right? Every day one of the lads says to me 'Come on Bomber' and pretends to put his fists up.". But I wasnt the same because that was in my head., At the time, he believed he could carry on his fine career at a decent level. You need help but you dont want to tell anyone. Following a strong amateur boxing career where he won championships in the welterweight and middleweight ranks, Graham made his pro debut in 1978. Ringside Rest and Care launched with a donation of 1,000 by Bruno, who was himself sectioned in his post-career life aims to raise 10million to provide a 36-bed residential home for ex-boxers, with medical facilities and a cinema screening old boxing bouts. In the end, it just wasnt meant to be.. Other Works | Publicity Listings | Official Sites. Tris Dixon has covered boxing at all levels for more than two decades. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. It was not a fun place, but he was there because he was damaged. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Your destination for the best boxing news, videos and live streams! Herol Graham has spent time in a mental health institution on suicide watch The Bomber, as he was known, is now facing the biggest fight of his life The fame and adulation for Herol ended overnight, along with his boxing career Graham admits he never really recovered from defeat by Julian Jackson in 1990 I was out before I hit the floor.. They do not have the funding or the resources. Its great that people are setting up a care home for them in retirement.. He was forced to hustle and bustle with me, because boxing wasnt working for him. Sometimes there were women doing it and I remember I was moving away andbamshe hit me with a backhand. If they did, I would have gone in for them, He laughed heartily, again a mischievous smile crossing his lips. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Herol Graham will celebrate 64rd birthday on a Wednesday 13th of September 2023. Oliver knows of other former boxers too ashamed to be named. Were trying to get a gym organized in or around the London area, said the 54-year-old. herol graham Latest Breaking News, Pictures, Videos, and Special Reports from The Economic Times. Multiple world champion Ricky Hatton has also promised fundraising support for Ringside Rest and Care. However, Graham had that truly brutal fighting affliction: he was gone, not a medical term but as damning as any diagnosis in a sport aimed at wrecking a mans senses. And he says that the job has turned his life around. Below we countdown to Herol Graham upcoming birthday. T&N TV where prevailed to meet British Legend Herol "Bomber" Graham at Worldwide Signings Romford, London. Sweet Herol lost for the first time in a bad-tempered, confusing brawl with the Italian Sumbu Kalambay in May of 1987. More than that, it was one of a number of revealed truths I have experienced in my life. Family: His son was injured in a shooting in February 2009. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Herol Graham - Vintage Photograph 4640393 at the best online prices at eBay! In 1989 Graham lost the closest of split decisions to Jamaicas Mike McCallum at the Royal Albert Hall for the vacant WBA middleweight title. Mai 1950) war ein Boxer im Halbmittelgewicht, ursprnglich aus Saint Kitts und Nevis, der die britische Staatsbrgerschaft annahm und in den 1970er und 80er Jahren zwei britische Boxtitel gewann. It means a lot to me, said Graham without a hint of pretense. Champion: Graham was one of the most dominant British boxers of the 80s, Dominant: Graham during a fight with Rod Douglas, On top of the world: Graham at the height of his career. Hagler and his people ignored Graham, even when Barney Eastwood, the Belfast bookie and boxing manager, offered the American a million pounds for a fight in January of 1987. Graham had spent eight months on a north London psych unit. It does do that to you.. He survived a five-and-a-half hour operation but afterwards doctors warned us he wasnt going to live. Rosemary Ellmore, who for some years cared for East End hero Terry Babyface Spinks until his death in 2012, says she would have loved to run a care home where he could have shared his last years with boxing mates. Herol Graham (born 13 September 1959) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1978 to 1998. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. He continued: The rules were they could touch me anywhere above my waist so all I did was put my hands down and moved around. God, it was terrible. His story goes something like this. In later years Graham battled depression but has emerged from the darkness to enjoy a great family life. "It's given me a sense of purpose. After repeated concussions, many professionals have been left on the scrapheap at a young age, alone and traumatised without any structure inside the sport to help them. Graham paused to look around at the wards brick walls. Mr Graham was found dead on 20 June 2018. [2], Graham has ongoing mental health issues from boxing injuries. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. He was for too long the number one contender for Marvin Haglers world middleweight title; Graham stopped or knocked out 18 of the 24 men he beat during Haglers reign. I wasnt ready to come out. The Herol Graham you remember, the bewitching ring magician, has long gone because Herol Graham, perhaps the greatest British fighter to never win a world title, is desperately ill. Tragically, his much-loved partner Karen Neville died last year after a long battle with cancer and Herols depression returned a hundredfold. My husband trained Mark and his brother, Wayne. For what that is worth. I didnt win a world title but I came mighty close and Im respected within the sport. A daily struggle I never wanted to get used to. Graham is back in a locked room, sectioned again and even further away from his finest fighting days; he finished his boxing career long after his beautiful skills had faded, replaced by the bravery that left him in his present state. I know that drink and alcohol is a killer. Ringside Rest and Care has some of boxings greats on board to hopefully take up the slack. Thanks for signing up! Theyd [announce where we were going] on the radio, they would say Bomber Graham will be at Pine Grove Country Club, that sort of thing, and we did it all over Sheffield. When he wrote his life story several years ago, he called it tellingly Bomber: Behind the Laughter. Herol Graham (born 13 September 1959) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1978 to 1998. Herol Graham, the legendary British, European and Commonwealth boxing champion, was rarely beaten in the ring during his heyday in the 80s and 90s but today he has been brought to the depths of despair by his own demons. On Saturdays and Sundays, they got out of the gym and tried to avoid being struck in the head. We had to be on our best behaviour and on our best form, otherwise youd get caught. Herol Graham Montrose Road: Four teens arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after stabbing left boy, 16, seriously injured News Boy, aged four, dies in incident at Center Parcs, confirm. "I didn't win a world title but I came mighty close and I'm respected within the sport. I hope they dont get out before me, he said. Herol Graham : 48(28)-6-0. by Nico the gman Fri 6 Apr - 2:26. He drifted like so many boxers, attached himself to bad causes, struggled in retirement and, like other lost souls from the ring, always believed something good would happen. Oliver described how the need for intervention came home to him on a recent visit to a former champion in his care home. My cousin worked with him and tried to make sure that Herol did nothing. Brewer dropped twice before rallying to stop Graham 1997-12-06: Vinny Pazienza: 41 6 0: Wembley Arena, Wembley W-UD. In the past 33 years, says Oliver, six ex-boxers have died from injuries in the ring, two died in mental hospitals and three in care homes. In 1990 Graham was just seconds away from winning the vacant WBC middleweight title when he met Julian Jackson of the Virgin Islands in Spain. The wise old trainer would put Graham in jails, in working mens social clubs, and he even took them to nightspots where he let anyone interested try and hit his boys. He turned pro and won 41 of his 49 fights but all those blows to the head ruined his life. He is the former editor of Boxing News and has written for the publication since 2002. For them, the referee, rather than embracing the fantasy of reaching the top and ignoring the possibility of pain and disappointment, they must instead confront reality early [] A few weeks ago, he was cheered when former world champion Chris Eubank tweeted: In three weeks of sparring in 1989 with Herol Graham I only struck the Bomber one time. Get all the boxing & MMA updates you need with our Mirror Fighting email update - sign up here. In the build up to a championship fight something always seemed to happen, whether it was girl trouble, or trouble in training camp. FASTEST HANDS Decisions to Jamaicas Mike McCallum at the Royal Albert Hall for the publication 2002. A daily struggle I never wanted to get used to and his brother, Wayne publication since 2002 split to... 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