Arnie still has the buzz!!! - FightGame Boxing & MMA Forums News & Discussion

**the_godslayer** · 08-08-2008, 10:39 AM

Everything Anthony Farnell earned as a fighter he grafted for. By his own admission he wasn't born with the natural ability of a Sugar Ray Leonard or a Floyd Mayweather. But he put the hours in and reaped the rewards during his reign as one of Manchester's best loved champions in the 1990s.
'Arnie' has applied that same work ethic to training fighters and he is gaining a deserved reputation as one of the best young trainers in the business.
If ever there was a man who truly eats, sleeps and breaths the game it's Farnell and Derek Bilton caught up with him recently as he spoke about the hopes he has for his charges and why he always knew he was destined to become a trainer.

ITV: Arnie it's been a while since we last spoke and while most of your lads have kept winning Anthony Crolla suffered that setback against Youssef Al Hamidi on ITV a while back. It was a close one that I actually had him winning but having seen him fight before it was obvious he didn't box like we know he can?
AF: Oh no no. We just knew it wasn't him that day. No disrespect to Al Hamidi who is a very tough lad but he's not in the same class as Crolla. it was just one of them nights. No excuses. It just didn't happen for him. Last week he sparred Ricky Burns and he looked great though so he seems back to his normal self.
ITV: Defeat is hardly the end of the world though. Look at Margarito going in with Cotto this weekend he lost 3 of his first 12. Do you think there is too much emphasis in this country placed on a fighter keeping their unbeaten record sometimes?
AF: I do definitely. You're spot on about Margarito and if you look at some of the names over here, like Michael Gomez for example. He lost two out of his first three fights and I think three out of his first seven but he stuck at it and look what he achieved. Gomez won a British title, he won a WBU title and ended up knocking out Alex Arthur in one of the best fights over here for years so I reckon there is too much emphasis on unbeaten records like you say. Unbeaten records are all well and good if you are learning and being tested fight on fight. A lot of the time that doesn't happen though with prospects being fed knockovers to pad their records out. But when the time comes when they are in a real test that can backfire on them. It sort of happened to me in a way. I was blowing people away, walking through them and then I came up against a really good kid in Takaloo and look what happened there (laughs)! (Farnell was beaten in a round by Takaloo in a stunning upset in 2001). So you just have to learn from these sort of things, learn from your mistakes and as long as Crolla has done he'll be OK as he's got all the ability in the world like I say.
ITV: The mark of a good fighter is always how they respond to a setback. Have you noticed any extra determination in Crolla in the gym since the fight?
AF: Oh aye yeah (Laughing). You know he has always been a nice lad and stuff but this has got his back up now. He's looking really mean and serious. Not that he wasn't serious about the sport before but I've noticed an extra determination there now without a doubt. A bit of a nasty streak if you like. He wants to prove people wrong and prove he is the real deal and that can only be a good thing I think.
ITV: Stevie Bell of course has bounced back from his close loss to Femi Fehintola with a couple of solid wins and I understand there might be a big fight on the horizon for him in September?
AF: Hopefully yes he'll get a big fight on the Khan bill at the MEN. Nothing has been confrmed yet but there have been a few names mentioned with people like Choi and Derry Matthews possibly. We'd take either fight no problem because you know something he is 32-year-old now and he's boxing wicked. He's looking really really good and hopefully he's got one last chance now to have a run and do something special as a pro. He was a class amateur and it would be nice if he won a few things as a pro as we al know about is quality. He's fighting at the MEN along with Crolla and Tony Bellew so it should be a good night.
ITV: And Tony Bellew is also on that Manchester bill I understand? You must be happy with his progress.
AF: He's looking realy good. He boxed Ayitey Powers last time out and handled him pretty well. Powers has been in with some good names, men like Matthew Barney and Tony Oakey. He's got loads of experience and considering it was only Bellew's fifth fight he did great. Honestly he has the power to knock anyone out but in the Powers fight I had to actually calm him down a bit. I told him listen it's only a four-rounder so box and move, box and move. Make it easy. He listened and it turned out an easy night. It's going to be hard for Sports Network to match him as I've had him sparring some top lads already so he is well developed for only having five fights.
ITV: Those fighst will be taking place at the MEN Arnie, a venue that I'm sure is very close to your heart. You had some fantastic nights there as a pro. Do you still get he same buzz as a trainer it completely diferent?
AF: It's the same sort of buzz. If I'm being honest it's even better really. I can relax more as I'm not actually fighting but you know I'm living it all with them. It's like me winning a fight when they win one and me losing a fight when they get beat. The buzz is totally still the same though. It's funny though because when I first turned professional my main ambition was obviously to become a world champion like anyone but the main thing was, thinking long term, to become a trainer. I've always wanted to be a trainer right from say about 20-years-old. I love the game. I'm always on the internet, alway reading books trying to improve my knowledge. It's non stop boxing and I think my wife gets a bit p*ssed off at time but there you go.

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**TommyGunn** · 08-08-2008, 11:04 AM

Farnell seems to be gaining a good rep as a trainer and fast, i liked him as a fighter he had a huge heart. I wish him well with the training.

**the_godslayer** · 08-08-2008, 12:41 PM

Arnie is a great guy ... saw him up in Manchester a few times ... good luck to him i say

50_PENCE_HeaD · 08-13-2008, 06:30 PM

Yep... Farnell was quite an exciting fighter to watch in his day, good luck to him!

08-08-2008, 10:39 AM	#1 (permalink)
the_godslayer Moderator Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 982	Arnie still has the buzz!!! Everything Anthony Farnell earned as a fighter he grafted for. By his own admission he wasn't born with the natural ability of a Sugar Ray Leonard or a Floyd Mayweather. But he put the hours in and reaped the rewards during his reign as one of Manchester's best loved champions in the 1990s. 'Arnie' has applied that same work ethic to training fighters and he is gaining a deserved reputation as one of the best young trainers in the business. If ever there was a man who truly eats, sleeps and breaths the game it's Farnell and Derek Bilton caught up with him recently as he spoke about the hopes he has for his charges and why he always knew he was destined to become a trainer. ITV: Arnie it's been a while since we last spoke and while most of your lads have kept winning Anthony Crolla suffered that setback against Youssef Al Hamidi on ITV a while back. It was a close one that I actually had him winning but having seen him fight before it was obvious he didn't box like we know he can? AF: Oh no no. We just knew it wasn't him that day. No disrespect to Al Hamidi who is a very tough lad but he's not in the same class as Crolla. it was just one of them nights. No excuses. It just didn't happen for him. Last week he sparred Ricky Burns and he looked great though so he seems back to his normal self. ITV: Defeat is hardly the end of the world though. Look at Margarito going in with Cotto this weekend he lost 3 of his first 12. Do you think there is too much emphasis in this country placed on a fighter keeping their unbeaten record sometimes? AF: I do definitely. You're spot on about Margarito and if you look at some of the names over here, like Michael Gomez for example. He lost two out of his first three fights and I think three out of his first seven but he stuck at it and look what he achieved. Gomez won a British title, he won a WBU title and ended up knocking out Alex Arthur in one of the best fights over here for years so I reckon there is too much emphasis on unbeaten records like you say. Unbeaten records are all well and good if you are learning and being tested fight on fight. A lot of the time that doesn't happen though with prospects being fed knockovers to pad their records out. But when the time comes when they are in a real test that can backfire on them. It sort of happened to me in a way. I was blowing people away, walking through them and then I came up against a really good kid in Takaloo and look what happened there (laughs)! (Farnell was beaten in a round by Takaloo in a stunning upset in 2001). So you just have to learn from these sort of things, learn from your mistakes and as long as Crolla has done he'll be OK as he's got all the ability in the world like I say. ITV: The mark of a good fighter is always how they respond to a setback. Have you noticed any extra determination in Crolla in the gym since the fight? AF: Oh aye yeah (Laughing). You know he has always been a nice lad and stuff but this has got his back up now. He's looking really mean and serious. Not that he wasn't serious about the sport before but I've noticed an extra determination there now without a doubt. A bit of a nasty streak if you like. He wants to prove people wrong and prove he is the real deal and that can only be a good thing I think. ITV: Stevie Bell of course has bounced back from his close loss to Femi Fehintola with a couple of solid wins and I understand there might be a big fight on the horizon for him in September? AF: Hopefully yes he'll get a big fight on the Khan bill at the MEN. Nothing has been confrmed yet but there have been a few names mentioned with people like Choi and Derry Matthews possibly. We'd take either fight no problem because you know something he is 32-year-old now and he's boxing wicked. He's looking really really good and hopefully he's got one last chance now to have a run and do something special as a pro. He was a class amateur and it would be nice if he won a few things as a pro as we al know about is quality. He's fighting at the MEN along with Crolla and Tony Bellew so it should be a good night. ITV: And Tony Bellew is also on that Manchester bill I understand? You must be happy with his progress. AF: He's looking realy good. He boxed Ayitey Powers last time out and handled him pretty well. Powers has been in with some good names, men like Matthew Barney and Tony Oakey. He's got loads of experience and considering it was only Bellew's fifth fight he did great. Honestly he has the power to knock anyone out but in the Powers fight I had to actually calm him down a bit. I told him listen it's only a four-rounder so box and move, box and move. Make it easy. He listened and it turned out an easy night. It's going to be hard for Sports Network to match him as I've had him sparring some top lads already so he is well developed for only having five fights. ITV: Those fighst will be taking place at the MEN Arnie, a venue that I'm sure is very close to your heart. You had some fantastic nights there as a pro. Do you still get he same buzz as a trainer it completely diferent? AF: It's the same sort of buzz. If I'm being honest it's even better really. I can relax more as I'm not actually fighting but you know I'm living it all with them. It's like me winning a fight when they win one and me losing a fight when they get beat. The buzz is totally still the same though. It's funny though because when I first turned professional my main ambition was obviously to become a world champion like anyone but the main thing was, thinking long term, to become a trainer. I've always wanted to be a trainer right from say about 20-years-old. I love the game. I'm always on the internet, alway reading books trying to improve my knowledge. It's non stop boxing and I think my wife gets a bit p*ssed off at time but there you go. source - - - ????????????????????????????????????? __________________ Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone

08-08-2008, 11:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
TommyGunn Administrator Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 2,317	Re: Arnie still has the buzz!!! Farnell seems to be gaining a good rep as a trainer and fast, i liked him as a fighter he had a huge heart. I wish him well with the training.

08-08-2008, 12:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
the_godslayer Moderator Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 982	Re: Arnie still has the buzz!!! Arnie is a great guy ... saw him up in Manchester a few times ... good luck to him i say __________________ Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone

08-13-2008, 06:30 PM	#4 (permalink)
50_PENCE_HeaD Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 57	Re: Arnie still has the buzz!!! Yep... Farnell was quite an exciting fighter to watch in his day, good luck to him! __________________ Information is not knowledge; knowledge is not wisdom; wisdom is not truth; Truth MUST be absolute, otherwise it is merely an opinion.

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