RIP Jonathan Rendall

[Bodyshot3]

Very sad to hear about the death of the gifted Jonathan Rendall in what seems to be sad circumstances.....found dead at the age of 48 in Ipswich.

Rendall was an extremely talented and vivid boxing writer, author, bon viveur and the former manager of the decent featherweight champion Colin McMillan.

All the Brit papers he wrote for have come out and shown him a real level of respect not usually reserved for a boxing hack. Jonathan wrote for The Independent, The Guardian, The Observer, Esquire and The Times and covered the deadly sins of boxing, gambling and drinking in his articles.

He was trying to sell a book about Mike Tyson before he died which could and should have been a classic, let's hope it goes into print now.

[taansend]

I heard his book was pretty good. Anyone read it?

[Bodyshot3]

Rendall was an extremely gifted writer.....trouble is he also drank like a fish and was a gambling man as well. That's not a good combo in anyone's book.

Real shame he has gone.....he's perhaps one of the last generation of really talented writers to be attracted to cover boxing.

[thetruthwillout]

I knew Jon personally and would like to dispel one small myth, while his ultimate downfall was the drink and cigarettes, he was not a gambler. He had a knowledge and huge interest in gambling and having a small wager, but gambling never got under his skin. Despite the book Twelve Grand and the three-part program it subsequently inspired (called The Gambler being repeated on More4 at midnight on March 3 or 4 I have been told), the one thing he kept completely in check was the betting. As a result he was an amazing tipster on boxing, something I benefited from on occasion as often he knew more than the bookies and he could spot where the value lay. He was a truly charismatic guy with an incredible intelligence and people loved him, but things just went downhill in later years. Such a shame because he was such a talent in so many ways.

[Bodyshot3]

@thetruthwillout....

thank you for your contribution and correction, which is greatly appreciated.

Personally, I am slightly disappointed that this thread about JR has not received a stronger response because he was a great and unique writer - perhaps the best the UK has produced for two decades - and he almost certainly put a great many unknown fighters in the limelight.

As a middle class kid, at university and playing rugby, JR sparked my interest in boxing with his great features and very different, strking fight reports.

[Kilrain]

This Bloody Mary... is an outstanding book. RIP

[Bodyshot3]

@Kilrain.....agreed. Rendall had a unique style.

[HughJass]

I knew Jon personally and would like to dispel one small myth, while his ultimate downfall was the drink and cigarettes, he was not a gambler. He had a knowledge and huge interest in gambling and having a small wager, but gambling never got under his skin. Despite the book Twelve Grand and the three-part program it subsequently inspired (called The Gambler being repeated on More4 at midnight on March 3 or 4 I have been told), the one thing he kept completely in check was the betting. As a result he was an amazing tipster on boxing, something I benefited from on occasion as often he knew more than the bookies and he could spot where the value lay. He was a truly charismatic guy with an incredible intelligence and people loved him, but things just went downhill in later years. Such a shame because he was such a talent in so many ways.

thank you for sharing that information sir! it truly is a big loss to are aspiring writers like myself , rip sir!