Eamon Magee betting scandal

[gingeralbino]

Eamon Magee has fallen on hard times. He's on bail for beating his girlfriend, which he denies, he only working at Breens gym volintarily and can barely afford his bus fare to and from the gym each day, and has gambled all his money away.

Now rumours have emerged about the reasons why Rogan left Breen and Magee, rumour Magee denies. These rumours suggest Magee bet money on Sexton to win their first fight. Also there are rumours suggesting he threw his fight with Ricky Hatton, with putting 10 grand on Hatton to win on points (which Hatton did). He says he wishes this rumour was true!!!!

Anyway, here's the full article by Ciaran Barnes for the Belfast telegraph. There's a couple of mistakes in it (like Rogan being cruiserweight and Magee being the best irish boxer of this generation)

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/su...-14528219.html

Troubled boxing idol Eamonn Magee has admitted blowing hundreds of thousands of pounds at the bookies. The former WBU world welterweight champion says he has no idea how much cash he has lost but reckons it could be as much as £500,000.



“I've gambled all my life, I am a compulsive gambler,” Magee told Sunday Life.

“I've been going to the bookies since I was 16, I've bet big sums and lost big sums — that's the truth.”

Magee, 38, raked in a fortune from prime-time fights that included a 2002 clash with Ricky ‘The Hitman' Hatton, which was watched on Sky TV by an audience of millions.

But the Belfast boxer, who is considered by many as the best Irish fighter of his generation, is now jobless and on income support having gambled hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Magee, from the Ardoyne district in the north of the city, was charged last month with beating up his ex-girlfriend — an accusation he strongly denies.

As part of the 38-year-old's strict bail conditions he has to live with his brother in Newcastle, Co Down.

Magee, who was nicknamed ‘The Terminator', says he can hardly afford the bus fare to and from Breen's gym in Belfast where he works voluntarily as a trainer.

He raged: “I'm on income support, how am I supposed to get from Newcastle to the gym in Belfast each day?

“I've heard of people accused of murder who have been given better bail conditions.”

Magee says his gambling problems began as a teenager.

Close pals of the fighter told Sunday Life he has lost up to £500,000 and that his biggest single bet was £30,000.

Magee did not deny the claims, shrugging his shoulders as he added: “If that's what people say, let them say it.

“Everyone thinks I've made a mint from boxing and I'm rolling in it but I’ve lost an awful lot.”

Since retiring from the ring two years ago Magee has been training fighters. The boxers he has worked with include former Commonwealth Cruiserweight champion Martin Rogan.

Magee was in Rogan's corner when he lost his title to Sam Sexton at the Odyssey Arena in May.

After the fight Rogan ditched Breen and Magee as trainers amid rumours Magee had bet £7,000 on Sexton to win.

Magee admits he had a bet on the Rogan fight — but says his money was firmly on his man.

“I've heard rumours that I had money on Sexton, but that's total crap,” he said.

“I had £1,000 on Martin and that's the last time I’ll have money on any on my fighters in case I scud them and they get beat again.

“It's true that I haven't spoken to Martin since the fight, but as far as I am concerned there has been no fall out.”

Seven years ago Magee shocked the world when he floored hot favourite Ricky Hatton in the first round of their world title fight in Manchester.

The Belfast boxer had his opponent in major trouble again in the second round before taking his foot off the gas and eventually losing on points.

Within days of the clash it was rumoured Magee had thrown the fight because he had £10,000 riding on Hatton to win on points.

“I've heard the rumours about the Hatton fight too, but they are a load of crap,” fumed Magee.

“Actually they make me laugh — looking back I wish I had put money on Hatton to win on points.

“The only fight where I put money on myself was to beat Allan Vester in the King's Hall in 2005.

“I had £50 on myself at 10/1 to stop him in the third round and I did.”

[gingeralbino]

At least there is a reason for Rogan not trainging with Breen anymore becasue of this, i thought he was just being tight not wanting to give him a percentage of the purse.

Doesnt actually matter if the rumour is true, if it put any doubt in Rogan's mind that Magee might not have been onside he had to leave. U have to have 100% trust in the ment training u to do the job to the best of their abilities. Even a little bit of doubt is too much.

[Clegg]

Ginger, I remember when there was that really bad attack on him by one of the NI groups. He was the innocent victim there and hasn't done anything wrong, right? That's the way I remember it, but reading more about him in the last month or so it sounds as if he's been involved in some dodgy stuff.

Not that I'm accusing him of anything, just asking what you might've heard.

[gingeralbino]

Ginger, I remember when there was that really bad attack on him by one of the NI groups. He was the innocent victim there and hasn't done anything wrong, right? That's the way I remember it, but reading more about him in the last month or so it sounds as if he's been involved in some dodgy stuff.

Not that I'm accusing him of anything, just asking what you might've heard.

he got his legs broken by a hard nut/physco the falls road.
I lived in England at the time and when i read it in the paper i assumed he refused to take a dive in a fight or some **** like that, but when i moved back home and spoke to a few people who live on the falls who drink in the same pub as the nutjob and they all say it was about **** all.

The official story is that Magees kids destroyed a snowman (thats right, a snowman) built by the other guys kids, and then their 2 birds had a row. Magee headbutted the guy, and legged it. The guy then followed him in his car and dragged him out of it beating seven shades of **** out of him with a baton.

The story i heard was Magee was shouting of when he was drunk to a local heavy, who decided to make an example out of him and send a message out to everyone in the area that it doesnt matter how tough u are, i'll **** u up if u mess with me kind of thing.

The same guy still drinks in the falls road and laughs about it today, boasting how he made Magee cry as he was being dragged out of his car and beaten with a baton. The guy that did it was/is connected to the paramilitaries, but they werent actually involved in the Magee attack.

I've always been suspicious about it tbh. Like i said i assumed he refused to fix a fight (he was meant to fight sharmba Mitchell i think at the time) when i heard about it. And he has admitted gambling all his money away so he may have gotten into debt with the IRA and they might have told him to take a dive to pay of the debt but i doubt it cos he wouldnt be dumb enough NOT to fix a fight if he got into debt with them and they told him to take a dive (cos lets be honest, they dont ask, they tell u). And it wouldnt be him they'd threaten wth violence if he refused, it would be his family so i dont think his gambling had anything to do with it.

The only way i see the paras getting involved and attacking him like that is if he refused to pay "protection" money to them.

In reality i think the stories i heard about the local hard nut wanting to send out a message was true, he's meant to be a bit of a physco who enjoys that kind of thing. And the two familes had apparently been arguing with each other for years.

[paul750]

I've never personally met Magee, but I think it's safe to say the guy is a bit of a hood, and not a great human being. It's hard to have any sympathy for someone like that. The same goes for that Scott Harrison idiot as well, and other people like that. Although only a very naive person would think all boxers and combat sportsmen are decent people, I think the bad eggs are in the minority, otherwise we'd hear more bad stories than we actually do.

[sonnyboyx2]

he got his legs broken by a hard nut/physco the falls road.
I lived in England at the time and when i read it in the paper i assumed he refused to take a dive in a fight or some **** like that, but when i moved back home and spoke to a few people who live on the falls who drink in the same pub as the nutjob and they all say it was about **** all.

The official story is that Magees kids destroyed a snowman (thats right, a snowman) built by the other guys kids, and then their 2 birds had a row. Magee headbutted the guy, and legged it. The guy then followed him in his car and dragged him out of it beating seven shades of **** out of him with a baton.

The story i heard was Magee was shouting of when he was drunk to a local heavy, who decided to make an example out of him and send a message out to everyone in the area that it doesnt matter how tough u are, i'll **** u up if u mess with me kind of thing.

The same guy still drinks in the falls road and laughs about it today, boasting how he made Magee cry as he was being dragged out of his car and beaten with a baton. The guy that did it was/is connected to the paramilitaries, but they werent actually involved in the Magee attack.

I've always been suspicious about it tbh. Like i said i assumed he refused to fix a fight (he was meant to fight sharmba Mitchell i think at the time) when i heard about it. And he has admitted gambling all his money away so he may have gotten into debt with the IRA and they might have told him to take a dive to pay of the debt but i doubt it cos he wouldnt be dumb enough NOT to fix a fight if he got into debt with them and they told him to take a dive (cos lets be honest, they dont ask, they tell u). And it wouldnt be him they'd threaten wth violence if he refused, it would be his family so i dont think his gambling had anything to do with it.

The only way i see the paras getting involved and attacking him like that is if he refused to pay "protection" money to them.

In reality i think the stories i heard about the local hard nut wanting to send out a message was true, he's meant to be a bit of a physco who enjoys that kind of thing. And the two familes had apparently been arguing with each other for years.

jackanory....

[gingeralbino]

jackanory....

great summary, especially as i stated it was all rumours and stories.

[paul750]

I remember working with a bloke called Magee from Ardoyne [I'm not sure if he's related to Eamonn Magee or not], and he was one of the cheekiest people I've ever come across. It got to the point where I was either going to say something very bluntly, or just leave him to do the job himself. Really, really horrible atmosphere, like you could cut it with a knife.

[gingeralbino]

I remember working with a bloke called Magee from Ardoyne [I'm not sure if he's related to Eamonn Magee or not], and he was one of the cheekiest people I've ever come across. It got to the point where I was either going to say something very bluntly, or just leave him to do the job himself. Really, really horrible atmosphere, like you could cut it with a knife.

should've just cut him with a knife.....just a litle cut, to see if he threatened to get uncle eamon on u!
Pretty common surname though.

[shade darkar]

i thought you were not allowed to bet on something that you are taking part in?