A year in the life of Frank Maloney
Both boxers and promoters would agree on one matter: boxing is a tough game in which you can both win and lose, but setbacks can set up comebacks.
And there can be few in the world of boxing more deserving of an award for comeback of the year than promoter Frank Maloney. The story could even have a fairytale ending if the Maloney promoted Jason Booth captures the IBF world bantamweight title against Canada's Steve Molitor on 11 September.
It would be quite fitting as both boxer and promoter alike know the meaning of coming back from the brink with Booth’s well documented battle and subsequent victory over alcohol addiction.
While you expect a boxer to be ready for ‘life on the ropes,’ how does a top promoter respond when adversity shows up at his door?
“Life is full of adversity,” Maloney concludes. “The problem is mine is more high profile than most because of the position I’m in and the job I do. Plenty of other people have found someone who has committed suicide and have had a heart attack and whose company has gone skint. People don’t get to know that because they’re not in the public eye, but I just get on with it.”
September 2009 was the month when the pint-sized South Londoner showed all his fighting spirit after observing a shocking points decision going against his heavyweight John McDermott against Tyson Fury and 72 hours later discovering the hot prospect of his stable Darren Sutherland hanging from a ceiling. It was enough to literally break Maloney's heart as he suffered a mild heart attack.
But in the midst of the storm Maloney refused to quit and even continued working from his hospital bed, while surrounded and supported by what he describes as ‘a fantastic team.’
A month later as Frank's heart was beginning to mend, more pain followed. Jamie Moore’s tussle with Ryan Rhodes for the European light-middleweight title is remembered as a dream and was voted British fight of 2009. However for Frank it was a night of double defeat with his man Moore going down in nine, while Maloney himself was hit by a painful blow in the pocket, losing money through what he now admits to being ‘a badly promoted show.’
Maloney is a self confessed early riser, climbing out of his bed most mornings while it’s still dark to scan the numerous boxing websites and keep up with all pugilism particulars.
But it’s not a chore for him and he has a simple answer to the question of why he’s been promoting for more than two decades. “I enjoy it,” he admits, briefly raising his head away from the laptop in his welcoming Chislehurst office.
Above him sits the reminders of just how high Maloney has sat, with pictures and names like Lennox Lewis, Don King and Nelson Mandela fixed to the wall. With the new boxing season on the horizon Frank reflected on several successes in 2010 despite his tribulations.
“The highlight is obviously Rendall Munroe and Jason Booth getting world title shots and then you sit back and think well it aint all been bad.The other highlight has been young Jamie McDonnell (current European bantamweight champion) coming through which has been quite a surprise. It’s a fresh face and a fresh name in the bantamweight division.”
And Maloney admits he has just one remaining yet burning ambition.
“Another heavyweight champion.”
No small thing for the little man with a big heart.
