Pompey's Boxing Past by Andrew Fairley

Author:Andrew Fairley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pitch Publishing
Published: 2016-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

Paul Dyer: Don’t Look Back In Anger

Born: 11 July 1970. Active: 1991 – 2009

29 W: 18 L: 11 – Welter, Light-Middle

FROM his first to last fight the career of Portsmouth welterweight Paul Dyer ran for almost eighteen years, one of the longest careers of any boxer from our region. Along with Tony Oakey, Paul Morby and Floyd Moore he became one of only four of our fighters to win the Southern Area title, but perhaps surpassing even that highly creditable achievement Paul also took part in one of the most stunning small-hall fights seen in a British ring when in 2002 he went to war with the rising star of British boxing, Sidcup’s David Walker. No one who witnessed the tremendous battle either live at London’s York Hall or on BBC’s Grandstand could ever forget Dyer’s bravery in the face of profound adversity. Quite simply it was that rarest of fights, one that represents everything that is so enthralling about boxing at its very finest, and is definitely one of the most gutsy and admirable performances by a Portsmouth boxer ever. In addition Paul’s performances at the Mountbatten heralded the return of professional shows to Pompey after a drought of many years, and to this day many people remember his career with fondness. That’s a lot to be proud of for any boxer, yet strangely the deep and mercurial Dyer reflects on his boxing career and successes not with the abundance of pride and satisfaction that it unquestionably warrants, but with a tangible sense of regret, and even anger.

Not an obviously heavy puncher Dyer nonetheless carried respectable power, but it is the sum of his skills that made him what he was; a tall, clever southpaw with decent speed who came to have a row – mostly. Paul would be the first to admit that he could blow hot and cold at times and the consistency of his performances reflects that, but equally when on form Dyer was a stern test for any welterweight in the country and he came agonisingly close to reaching British title level. Some-where inside that contrast lie the reasons for Dyer’s frustration with his career, but his journey is a fascinating one with many highs and lows that brought him amateur glory, Southern Area victory and defeat, and of course that rousing battle with Walker. Now a married father of one who is still involved with the game but admits he doesn’t enjoy talking about his career, Dyer nonetheless bared his soul to share his experiences.

“I was born at St Mary’s in Portsmouth, and as there are travellers on my mother’s side of the family I lived all over the place really, Paulsgrove, then Waterlooville, back to Paulsgrove, but I mainly grew up in Cosham. I first went to Medina school then King Richard’s. I loved junior school but did struggle a bit when I went to the seniors. I was a skinny young kid and got picked on a few times, but after I got in with the right people that stopped.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.