Friends, family gather to remember Tim Hague
BOYLE Friends, family members and fighters closest to Tim Hague packed into a community centre Monday in his northern Alberta hometown to remember the boxer’s life in sadness and in pride.
More than 600 people filled the main hall in Boyle (pop. 880), the final standing-room-only event of Hague’s short, tumultuous life.
Hague, 34, died June 18 after getting knocked out by Adam Braidwood in a heavyweight boxing match in Edmonton.
All aspects of the fight are being reviewed by a third-party investigator, with some of Hague’s friends and fellow fighters alleging it was a mismatch and should never have been sanctioned. Some also said it should have been stopped earlier as Braidwood pounded Hague repeatedly to the ground.
But at Hague’s “celebration of life” ceremony in Boyle, his older sister, Jackie Neil, made a point of saying her brother died engaged in the sport he loved: “We just wish it wasn’t this soon. He has made us all so profoundly sad, but so profoundly proud of him.”
Added his uncle, Clint Magnus: “Even though Tim’s life was cut short, he packed more into that life than most people do in twice that time.”
Hague, at six-foot-four and 270 pounds, was remembered as a caring elementary school teacher, a devoted friend, a dedicated dad to his son, Brady, and a gentle giant.
His fighting career took him from Las Vegas to Sochi, Russia; from mixed martial arts (MMA) cage fights in Alberta malls and bars to the famed octagon of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the greatest stage of a most brutal sport.
Neil recalled how her brother unexpectedly won his first UFC fight in 2009.
“The video of him winning after that fight still gives me goose bumps,” Neil said.
“He was so happy. He had achieved a dream.”
But Hague lost his next four UFC matches. He was relegated to the minor leagues of MMA, where he got knocked out as much as he did the knocking.
“In the last year or so, we knew it was time for Tim to stop,” Neil said.
“And I think Tim knew, too, but he just couldn’t stop. He would retire and then two weeks later make a triumphant comeback. He just loved it too much. He loved the crowds, he loved the people and he loved putting on a good show.”
On Hague’s death in the ring, Neil said: “No one saw this coming, but yet we all saw it coming.”