When Mike Tyson doesn't fight but pays homage ...

Boxer Mike Tyson was mobbed by fans at a shopping centre in Merthyr Tydfit in Wales as he made a pilgimage to the statues of two local boxing legends, including that of Johnny Owen. Mike said he believed it was important for fighters visiting Wales to pay homage to boxers who had gone before them.

Johnny Owen

He was born in 1956 and died in 1980 during a fight. He is famous for being a boxing champion who met a tragic end.


Known as the Matchstick man, Owen's nickname was the result of his skinny frame which belied his power and aggression in the ring.
Owen's professional career spanned 28 contests with 25 victories, one draw and two defeats. The final, ultimately fatal, fight being a contest for the WBC world bantamweight title.
Two minutes into the twelth round Owen was floored by a right to the head that knocked him out.
He never regained consciousness and died in a Los Angeles Hospital on November 4th 1980.