“I ALWAYS had that ‘dig’. It’s a gift. Genetic power in my shoulders. Growing up, I was a nature boy, always climbing trees. And I always had that ‘street’ instinct, wanted to damage you badly, quick as I could. I threw full power into every punch, even shadow boxing with weights.
In my time, cruiserweight wasn’t established and I’d have struggled to make 13st 8lbs [the division cut-off until raised to 14st 4lbs in 2003]. Today, I’d have cleaned up. I’m only 14st 3lbs now. I’d push ‘em around. I always conceded a lot of weight – often two and a half, three stone – but could really bang and used my [lack of] size to my advantage, David and Goliath. More credit when I knocked those giants out. If I hit a cruiser, they’d be scarred.
Problem was, I couldn’t get no six weeks’ notice. Always short notice, when I was just ticking over. It was my living. I never went to lose, so couldn’t get work with the London boys. Consequently, I struggled to get consecutive wins.
Instead, they sent me out sparring. Thomas A’Beckett, Old Kent Road, I gave so many ‘canvas rash’. Dennis Andries stuck his thumb in my eye when I gave him a torrid spar and I dropped him straight after. They banned me from the Beckett after I dropped John
