In praise of John Dennen, a man of integrity – Boxing News

THERE are quite a few issues I might write about this week. Devin Haney being topped the brand new light-weight king, Joe Cordina’s beautiful one-punch end in Cardiff, Stephen Fulton’s clever beatdown of Daniel Roman or Naoya Inoue walloping Nonito Donaire of their rematch. However what strikes me essentially the most is John Dennen’s departure from Boxing Information.

We return a good distance, John and I. A lot so it’s tough for me to recollect a time when he wasn’t each a good friend and a colleague. We began at BN at roughly the identical time, John strolling by the doorways of the outdated Cannon Avenue workplace in January 2010 and me following a fortnight later. From that time, apart from the odd vacation right here and there, we now have spoken to one another just about day-after-day.

Anybody who reads this journal or web site commonly may have cherished John’s glorious writing expertise. He can bang out a top quality ‘on the whistle’ combat report in mere minutes or spend somewhat longer cultivating an award-winning characteristic. Anybody who’s met him, or follows his endearing ramblings on Twitter, will know what a humorous, proficient and really real human being he’s. To say he’ll be missed is an enormous understatement.

There have after all been highs and lows in these 12 years. When John began he went by a horrible run when it got here to previews, getting all of his predictions unsuitable, the odd one spectacularly so. Anybody within the enterprise of selecting winners in a boxing match will be capable of empathise. However in these early days he was understandably desirous to make an excellent impression. When he received his first one proper –  Herbie Conceal to win a Prizefighter event in April 2010 – the entire BN workplace reacted like Manchester United followers celebrating an finish to their league championship drought in 1993.

John actually discovered his toes when he turned editor of the newbie part. He’s at all times at his happiest at newbie golf equipment and competitions. When he returned to the workplace after weeks of being camped out at London 2012, he endured an immense comedown, sitting forlornly at his desk, carrying his Olympics cap and looking at his large foam hand, determined to show again the clock. From that time on, a couple of yr earlier than each main event, he would bend my ear (or that of my predecessor, Tris Dixon) about why we needed to discover some cash within the finances to attend.

He gave voices to golf equipment, personalities and causes that deserved to be heard. He received to know the fighters, spending time with them lengthy earlier than most had even heard their names. I keep in mind him coming into the workplace sooner or later speaking about Anthony Joshua, this uncooked however proficient heavyweight who might go locations. Joshua’s identify is certainly one of many he picked for the highest.

Now, in 2022, John is definitely essentially the most educated journalist in terms of newbie boxing. A number of esteemed figures within the media will drop John a line to test info or get his standpoint on the vested code. And for sure, he’s at all times comfortable to assist.

I labored alongside John at quite a few occasions world wide. Alongside the best way we drank in lots of pubs and sank too many beers, over which we’d speak about all method of nonsense, like our receding hairlines and advancing years. His means to eat copious quantities of bar snacks, whereas ingesting by the aspect of his mouth, is one other of his many skills. He was and can stay great firm. In his new place as a author with Sky Sports activities Digital, I’m positive our paths will cross commonly.

Once I turned the editor in 2015, John turned on-line editor. In 2019, our web site was named because the Greatest Sports activities Web site on the SJA British Sports activities Journalism Awards, the gold commonplace in our trade. John performed an enormous half in that triumph.

Maybe the largest praise I will pay to John is his sense of integrity. For me, it’s the most vital element in an excellent journalist and one sadly missing in too many. Though he as soon as sat down with Wladimir Klitschko for 45 minutes, and didn’t report a single second of the interview, John has carried out his job with Boxing Information in a method that John Murray, the founder and first editor of this publication in 1909, would have been immensely proud.

Thanks for all the things, JD.