Iron maiden Ali has a screw loose
It was the beard that made a first impression – then the barbarity of his words.
“It happens as though in slow motion, you keep getting in the shots. Maybe the referee will step in and bring the fight to an end. Maybe he’ll give your opponent a standing count.
“But for me it’s about no mercy. Seek and destroy, you just can’t leave anything to chance.”
A graphically descriptive approach to boxing through the eyes of Mike Towell as we spoke days before he tragically lost his battle for life on Friday night. His attitude to the ring was cold and calculating, it was also a contradiction to Towell the man.
During the half hour we chatted in the days leading up to the biggest moment of his career at Glasgow’s Radisson Blu on Thursday, I threw questions like punches and they were all about the future.
Mike’s manner bobbed and weaved from smiles and laughter then the eyes narrowed when he spoke about his driving forces. It was about working for his family – two-year-old son Rocco and his partner Chloe, who was by his side when we met up.
The tone was all about moving forward, confidence, optimism and lessons learned from his previous 11 professional fights.
It’s hardly comprehendible that days later I’d be writing about the Dundonian’s death.
I sat ringside as the full horror of the welterweight’s British title eliminator with Dale Evans was played out – when the end came, Mike’s words f looded back. He couldn’t have been more right.
It all happened as though in slow motion as he slumped to the canvas after a big hit in the fifth. The count to eight by referee Victor Loughlin seemed to take an eternity, that vacant look in Mike’s eyes as he was allowed to continue before it was brought to a halt.
Nobody knew the deal better than Mike, if the gloves had been on the other hands nothing would have been left to chance. But even so, everything seemed to stand still, the frantic medical assistance inside the ring, the sight of distraught Chloe and the confusion of it all as we stood just a few feet away from Mike’s fight for life.
Mike was a warrior, his spare time was often spent watching old fights of his hero Roberto Duran.
He knew the dangers, he embraced the brutality of the sport.
There was also a lightening quick wit, capable of lacerating opponents.
He was also someone with warmth and compassion. The Dundonian accent, mischievous laugh and an open and frank approach made an impression on me as someone destined for bigger and better, a guy who was ready to earn his reward for huge sacrifices over recent years. Tragically it’s not going to be.
Condolences to Chloe and Mike’s family and to Tommy Gilmour and St Andrews Sporting Club.
Devastating news about Mike Towell. Thoughts and prayers to his family. Kris Commons Sad to read #miketowell had a young boy who will grow up without his dad. Ricky Hatton MBE Ali Rowatt admits she’s got a screw loose as she starts final preparations for the world’s toughest triathlon.
The Edinburgh lawyer, 35, i s prepa r ing for Saturday’s Ironman world championship in Hawaii.
Rowatt finished second in her age group at Kona last year, completing the 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride and marathon to finish in just under 10 hours (9:57:4).
But the former Scotland hockey international knows the peri ls after almost failing to f inish in 2014. She said: “You probably need to have a screw loose to get out of bed and do this.
“It’s brutal. You get to a stage where you just want to stop.
“Coming off the bike, knowing you still have to do a marathon – it’s not a good place to be. You have to break it down to survive.”
Rowatt will complete her training along with fellow Scottish competitor Dav id McNamee in America this week.