DEAN FRANCIS, 19742018
Cancer steals another life yet what came before will de ne the former ghter
DEAN FRANCIS’ death to cancer at the age of 44 was cruel and premature but allows his memory to shine brightly and his considerable talents to be remembered.
The Bristol fighter, who retired four years ago, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in January last year and was given just months to live. Showing typical stubbornness and courageousness, he rejected doctors’ advice and sought alternative medicines in an effort to beat the odds.
Francis campaigned at supermiddleweight, light-heavyweight and cruiserweight during a 20-year professional career, but fell foul to bad luck and incessant injuries. His haul of English, British, European and Commonwealth titles certainly deserved a world belt.
As an amateur he was trained by his father, Trevor Francis, and he caught the eye of top professional coaches.
“I first saw Dean in the amateurs,” Chris Sanigar reflected to Boxing News. “When it was time to turn professional he worked with us and right from the off, he was an outstanding talent. I always thought he was the best British boxer
since John Conteh, he had that much talent and charisma.
“He should have been a world champion. He sparred against Chris Eubank, Nigel Benn, Sven Ottke, Graciano Rocchigiani and he was never out of his depth. In fact, a lot of times he was sparring world champions I had to tell him to go steady.”
While always appearing in supreme shape, his broad physique never anything less than pristine, he struggled to make 168lbs during those early years.
“His discipline was not 100 per cent, you had to be on top of him all the time” Sanigar explained. “He overdid it when he lost to Jaffa Ballogou [in his 10th fight,
‘HE HAD THAT AURA OF A CHAMPION YET HE WAS DOWN TO EARTH’
in 1995]. He hadn’t done the weight properly, and he ran out of gas.”
Yet the dislocated shoulder was his true weakness. It was the reason for a 1998 defeat to Undra White and never really fixed.
“The problem with that is you never know it’s healed properly,” Sanigar continued. “Everything is alright one minute and then the next it’s popped and it’s hanging down.”
But Francis halted the likes of Frederic Seillier, David Starie, Ovil Mckenzie and in the British fight of 2008, Tony Oakey. He would name his seventh round victory over Cornelius Carr in 1997 as his most impressive performance.
“He was very heavyhanded,” Carr told Boxing
News this week. “He was the hardest puncher I fought, without doubt. He caught me with a left hook early on which nearly took my head off. I don’t know how I survived until the seventh round.
“He should have been a world champion. I’m very sad for his family, yet he showed the type of man he was, the fighter he was and how brave he was, with the way that he battled this horrible disease. As a fighter and as a person, he was great. I always got on with him.”
In the days leading to that thrilling British light-heavyweight and Commonwealth title victory over Oakey in Portsmouth, Francis met his future
wife, Ghalia, with whom he would later have a son, Rocco.
He embarked on a comeback in 2012, which culminated two years later in a painful 12-round loss to Bob Ajisafe in a bid for the vacant British 175lb title. Francis would later say he knew as early as the second round of that bout that his days as a boxer were over, and he would retire with a record of 34-5-1 (26).
“I’m chuffed that I lasted 12 rounds because that mindset – knowing I had no control, that it was all over for me – is horrific to have in the ring,” Francis explained. “I was in a bad way afterwards, one pupil was bigger than the other for about six months. The worst thing about that fight was the way that I looked and felt, not that I retired afterwards.”
“He was a character,” Sanigar added. “He had that aura of a champion yet he was down to earth and would always take the kids on the pads in the gym. He will be very sadly missed.”
In retirement he was haunted by his failure to contest a world title, until last year, when the news of cancer put everything into crystal clear perspective. Yet Francis was a fighter until the end, refusing to give up on life as he said goodbye on his own terms. In his final days he was visited by Eubank, Joe Calzaghe and Nigel Benn.
Our thoughts are with Ghalia and Rocco, and all his friends and family.