SECONDSOUT McCrory’s new fight to break boxing’s ‘taboo’

TYNESIDE’S only world champion Glenn McCrory is challenging boxing’s authorities to tackle its “last taboo.”

McCrory has approached the British Boxing Board of Control and plans to address the World Boxing Council’s annual convention in Kiev this October on the problematic issue of dehydration.

Fighters regularly put their lives at risk by trying to make an impossible weight for top fights. McCrory himself did it when he was the IBF world cruiserweight champion and he wants to see the deadly gamble stopped in its tracks.

“When I defended my world title against Jeff Lampkin in 1990 I was so dehydrated making the weight that I knew I was going to lose the fight even before I got into the ring,” revealed McCrory.

“I was so weak and exhausted that my biggest fear wasn’t losing the title – I feared for my life. I genuinely mean that.

“Nothing has changed since then though. The problem has never gone away.

“People have talked about Lee Selby struggling to make the weight being a factor in his defeat to Josh Warrington recently and there’s Jamie McDonnell who lost his WBA bantamweight title in the first round after a lot of controversy about him making the weight before supposedly piling the pounds on after the weigh-in.

“The consequences of dehydration can be much more severe though than just losing a fight. “You’re playing Russian roulette with your health. “It’s natural to take risks. Fighters are always looking for an advantage and are prepared to go to great lengths to get it. As a consequence they are routinely taking risks in terms of dehydration to get down to certain weights and we need to look at that including hydration levels generally in the run-up to fights and post-fight too.

“The obvious dangers of dehydration is the the elephant in the room when it comes to boxing. It’s the last taboo and the sport needs to have an honest conversation about it.

“There has been so much focus on safety in boxing in recent decades and no end of examination of things like the size, weight, design and make-up of boxing gloves, but the subject of hydration seems to go under the radar.

“And yet in some ways it is the most important safety issue of all. It has damaged careers and lives and although you might never completely phase it out of the sport there are steps you can take to counteract it.”

McCrory has in his fight for safety taken up a role as global ambassador for mineral and hydration supplement specialists Totum Sport.

It’s in that role that he will raise the subject at the World Boxing Council’s annual convention in Kiev.

“I’m looking forward to that,” said Glenn. “I see it as a case for improvement in the sport that everyone can unite behind and I’m sure that I’ll get a sympathetic hearing because it’s something that the top people in boxing know remains an issue.

“I’ve already been in contact with Robert Smith, the British Boxing Board secretary, and received an encouraging response.”

John Kelleher, Totum Sport CEO, added: “Our product has helped elite athletes including recent Commonwealth gold medalists, swimmer Aimee Wilmott and sprinter Richard Kilty, achieve peak hydration in their sport, but with boxing there is an added safety element not just enhanced performance.

“We’re delighted Glenn has agreed to be an ambassador for us and is campaigning for greater emphasis on hydration in the sport, which is perhaps the most critical health issue that boxing needs to address.”

I was so weak and exhausted (from dehydration) that my biggest fear wasn’t losing the title – I feared for my life Glenn McCrory