| John Feeney JOHN FEENEY is fond of saying "life is all about being in the right place at the right time" and few boxers know the value of the phrase better than this former bantamweight pro. Feeney was a two-time British champion in the 1980s but will probably best be remembered for the near misses. He fought seven times for the domestic title at both bantam and featherweight. And four times he went to Italy to fight for the European bantamweight title only to lose on points each time. Coming from the "backwater" town of Hartlepool also meant John spent the bulk of his career travelling to face boxers in their backyards. Not for him the advantage of boxing at home the way current Hartlepool pro Michael Hunter does. Surprisingly, the 48-year-old is not bitter. "I have no complaints," says this straight talker. "If you're good enough to win you can go anywhere." One of his toughest assignments was travelling Down Under in 1982 to take on Paul Ferreri for the Commonwealth bantam title at Sydney Opera House. The Aussie stopped him in 13 rounds - one of only two times Feeney was stopped in his career. John smiles at the memory. "[Manager] Dennie Mancini was always good at convincing you to take fights away from home. He told me that because I was fighting in the Australian winter, it would be just the same as an English summer. "It was that hot I remember having to suck ice cubes before the fight to keep cool! "But Dennie was a brilliant manager. Whether I won or lost, he always asked if I was all right." In 1981, his fifth year as a pro, Feeney won the British bantamweight title against Dave Smith to cap a memorable 12 months. "It was the best year of my life. I passed my driving test, got married to a Hartlepool beauty queen [he divorced Julie 10 years ago] and won my first British title." The following year George Feeney matched his brother's achievement by becoming British champ at lightweight. "Our George was a lazy git," says John with a grin. "The only time he wanted to train properly was when he saw I'd got my title. But he did it. He went out and got one." The four EBU defeats in Italy still rankle, though. "I definitely won three. My first fight against Valerio Nati I had him down in the second and I murdered him. Giuseppe Fossati was the only awkward customer, in my last attempt. He knocked me down in the fourth." Today John works on the belt at a recycling plant and lives on his own in a three-bedroom house in the town's fashionable marina area. He has three children aged 18 to 23 and one grandchild, yet he still runs three times a week, going eight or nine miles each time. He keeps one eye on the game and has been to see Hunter box at the local Borough Hall several times. He must have been thinking while watching, "If only..." But he insists:?"Boxing was the best job in the world. I should have won a Lonsdale Belt outright and should have won a European title, but that's life. My main objectives now are to have a job and look after my family. "I thoroughly enjoy going to work, I've got a car and I'm happy. Life is all about being in the right place at the right time." He rates Joe Calzaghe as the best British boxer right now. He rates another Welshman, Johnny Owen, as his toughest opponent. The "Merthyr Matchstick" died tragically after a November 1980 world title fight against Lupe Pintor but earlier that year had beaten John in a bruising 15-rounder at Wembley. "That guy just never stopped punching," said Feeney of Owen. "He looked like a bag of bones but he could punch and was so strong." |
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