By Terence Dooley

Over a year after his death, an inquest that took place late last week has ruled that Dean Powell, Frank Warren’s former matchmaker, took his own life at London’s Cross Gate railway station on September 10 2013 and died of “multiple injuries”.  The inquest heard that Powell, 47, threw himself under a train after a long battle with depression.  Powell had shaped many boxing careers during his time in the trade, most recently matching Joe Calzaghe and Amir Khan to the peak of their divisions.

The Dudley-born fight figure entered boxing at a young age, quickly earning himself the prestigious role of manager at the world famous Thomas A Beckett gym in London.  Powell loved London, he was a long-time mod and often spoke of how his love for the city, it’s thriving music scene, and its boxing pubs and gyms.

Southwark Coroner’s Court heard that Powell, who also worked with Lennox Lewis and Ricky Hatton, had previously taken anti-depressants in a bid to overcome depression.  Powell was determined to fight and beat his illness without medication, though, so he had decided to stop taking them shortly before his death.

Coroner Lorna Tagliavini listened to the evidence presented by the officer who attended the scene before ruling that: “I conclude that Dean Powell took his own life,” (The Telegraph).

His partner, Lisa Rose, was at the inquest and often attended fights with Powell, who was a regular fixture at boxing shows up and down the country during his time in the sport.  BoxingScene's thoughts go out to her and the rest of his family.

Despite being one of the busiest men in the game, Powell was generous with his time, always ready to offer words of advice to those close to him.  The very definition of an aficionado, the hard-working, dedicated and enthusiastic long-time fight figure has left a gaping hole in the sport he loved.

As a boy, Powell would look at the posters of singers and boxers and dream about meeting them.  He achieved this goal as an adult, leaving a lasting impression on boxing, London's mod music scene, and those he guided and advised.

Powell’s death once again highlighted the dangers of depression and the need to seek help.  His fight against the disease may have took its toll, but his loss was a rallying call to the sport of boxing, highlighting the plight of those who suffer in silence rather than talking to the people around them.

It’s traditional to remember a person’s death on the anniversary of their passing, but Powell is remembered each and every day by many within the trade.  His death a constant reminder that we need to be vigilant and always bear in mind that someone somewhere may be suffering silently under the yoke of this terrible illness.

We should also remember to rejoice in Powell’s achievements, gaining inspiration from them and honouring him by acknowledging  his huge contribution to boxing.  Few of us get to make all of our dreams come true and reach the top of our chosen profession.  Powell did it all in his time in boxing; his life should be as celebrated as it is mourned and his path from a bedroom in Dudley to the top of the boxing ladder is an inspirational tale, one of many legacies of his life in boxing.

Click here for BoxingScene's Dean Powell obituary and quotes from the man himself about his time in boxing:

If you know someone with depression, or suffer from it yourself, you can call the Samaritans in confidence on 08457 90 90 90.

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