Glenn Foot’s reign as Commonwealth champion is over and the Sunderland star now says so too is his career.
The 30-year-old gave it everything in his British and Commonwealth light-welterweight title confrontation with Robbie Davies Jnr in Newcastle on Saturday night, only to lose by a unanimous decision to a fine performance by the Liverpool boxer.
Davies won on all three scorecards with Foot having no complaints about the defeat.
However, after a career which has brought him glory in the Prizefighter, at English and Commonwealth levels, he feels the time has come to hang up his gloves, despite having enjoyed a terrific 12 months.
On the wrong end of a points result last November against Josh Leather (many observers felt the Marley Pots hard man deserved the decision in the IBF European title derby) the Phil Jeffries and Dave Binns fighter showed the hunger was still there with an 11th round stoppage of unbeaten Jason Easton in Glasgow for the Commonwealth crown in March.
“That’s it, I’m retired, I’m done,” Foot told punch-lines.
“There are no regrets. I’ve put everything into my boxing over the last year.
“When I lost to Akeem Ennis Brown [at the 2017 Summer Rumble] I never prepared properly, I was probably fighting at 40 per cent.
“Before the Josh Leather bout, Dave said ‘if you don’t do it properly I’m pulling you out’ and since then I’ve done everything right.
“Beating Jason Easton was a brilliant night but Robbie Davies was better on the night.
“I’m 30, so my best days are probably behind me so I think now is the right time to call it a day.
“I’ve had a great year and I’ve loved my career. I’ve been away and fought and beaten a lot of good fighters, won Prizefighter, won the English title and won the Commonwealth, all away from home.
“I’ve no regrets.”
A couple of the score cards appeared too wide at the Metro Radio Arena, Steve Gray saw it 119-109 and Howard Foster 118-110. Mike Alexander’s 117-112 looked more realistic, but Foot admitted he just could not land the shots he was after.
“Robbie was very slippery southpaw, I just couldn’t pin him down and get my shots off,” added Glenn who retires with a fine record of 22-4 with seven stoppage wins.
“I tried my best and that’s all I could do.”
Foot is spot on in his assessment. A tremendous fighter, who was very rarely in a bad bout, ‘The Hammer’ brought great glory to Marley Pots and Sunderland and to the East Durham gym in Peterlee. Boxing will miss him.
Words: Roy Kelly Pictures: Jennifer Charlton
