Natural Born Fighter
Professional Light-Welterweight boxer Rocking Robin Deakin opens his heart to; it is a remarkable, unbelievable, but true insight into a man who holds back no punches about his life and career.
Robin was born 3 to 4 months premature, he died when he was a baby and had to be brought back to life. He didn’t even start to begin to walk until he was 6 years old and even then he had to use crutches taking baby steps; he was in a wheelchair with his leg in plaster due to numerous operations because he was born with a medical condition called Talipes, in layman’s terms, a clubfoot, he was born with his left foot twisted and pointing backwards, most people would crumble at the very thought but this was just the start of the fight for Robin Deakin.
Robin’s leg was constantly in plaster and the plaster cast that had to stay in place for a certain amount of months at a time according to the doctors, however, on one occasion his leg went gangrene, he was crying his eyes out with the pain and there was a funny smell coming from the cast, his dad took him to the doctors and demanded they take the cast off but the doctors refused on the grounds it had not been on long enough, so, his dad decided to cut the plaster cast off himself. As his dad cut the plaster away part of his leg came away, the Achilles tendon on the back of his leg was being eaten away by maggots, Robin said, “I have no calf muscle on the back of my left leg, it was the doctors fault, I was young and just had to get on with it”. Robin’s dad took him along to a boxing club to help strengthen his legs and says, “My dad was never a boxer but he learned through taking me, he trained me and I really did enjoy it. Boxing was a lifesaver, if it had not been for boxing I would never have been able to walk; I carried on boxing even though I was actually classed as disabled”. I had a very close family until I was 15 years old, my mum never supported me in any way regarding boxing and from that age my dad just left me to get on with it. When he left me I had no one to look up to, I really looked up to my dad although he had been in and out of prison, not only did he get me into boxing, he got me the respect that I needed”.
Robin’s condition does not really affect him these days although the cold weather can leave his joints a bit tender but he can still walk, he says, “I have to warm up when I’m getting out of bed, stretch the legs to warm the body, I get cramp at night but I deal with it”.
Attending school was the hardest for Robin, he got called names like, cripple, spastic, go away flipper and go away clubfoot, he got called lots of names but when he started making a name for himself in boxing it all stopped, Robin continues to say “I hardly went to school, it pissed me off really, I got kicked out at 14 years old. I was always getting into trouble and getting called all the names under the sun, it ruined my childhood”.
Robin had a successful amateur career winning 40 out of his 75 bouts. He made it to the semi-finals of the British Youth Championships and semi-final of the senior British ABA’s.
I asked Robin how it came about him turning professional, he recalls with great fondness, “I was scouted by former World Champion Steve Collins, he took my number and we kept in touch. Steve touted me, he said I was a quality fighter, the showman, and that boxing needs fighters like me, Steve said, “I will get you a deal with Frank Warren”, I thought he was talking shit, he told me Frank Warren would snap me up, so, 3 months down the line I met up with Steve Collins and Frank Warren at St Albans and signed the deal, I was buzzing, on top of the world. I had just signed a 3 year deal with Frank Warren”.
Due to a few bad decisions Robin phoned Dean Powell to get his contract back from Warren, he then signed with a good friend of his Graeme Errol because he wanted to try and progress with his career but after 12 fights he said “it just felt like he was doing it for the money “he left Graeme on good terms and he remains friends with him to this day.
Robin went to America and was going to sign with legendary manager Lou Duva, and be trained by Gus Curran but didn’t sign because he fell in love with a girl but the love affair didn’t last.
He went on to sign with boxing manager Michael Helliet, Robin says this turned out to be the worst move he ever made in boxing. During Robin’s time spent with his last manager he fought 19 times in 24 weeks, Robin says, “10% going to the trainer and 25% going to Helliet that equals a lot of money going to a man who cannot even drive and has to be picked up and driven to fights by his fighters”. Robin said “I asked Mickey Helliet for my contract back, Helliet said I would have to pay him £2.5k”. Robin says in a recent interview with Boxing News, Helliet’s aim was to manage 100 boxers all across Europe, where is his duty of care? This man promised me wins but didn’t get me nothing.
On the subject of manager’s Robin goes on to say, “If I had signed with Steve Goodwin or Carl Greaves, I would have went on to become English Champion at least, they are the nicest people in boxing, they really look after their boxers”. Robin says his ideal trainer would be Enzo Calzaghe as he really looks up to him.
Robin Deakin is 26 years old; he made his debut on the 28th of October 2006, at London’s world famous York hall, Bethnal green, outpointing Shaun Walton in 4 rounds, he has had 50 professional fights but his boxing record on paper does not paint a true reflection of the boxer he is. He has shared the ring with lots of cracking fighters such as Anthony Crolla, Stephen Smith, Patrick Hyland, Scotland’s Jason Hastie and Jon Slowey, the list goes on and on. Robin says 39 of his opponents have gone on to become champions at all levels.
I asked him about a few of the boxers he’s fought. Anthony Crolla is a boxer who has his eyes on the prize and is looking to make it all the way to the top, he is fighting for the Commonwealth Title on the 30th March, Robin says, “He’s very clever, very skilful and quick, he’s a good fighter”. I went on to mention he fought Scotland’s Jason Hastie 3 times, he replied, “Lovely guy, I put him down once but it was not classed as a knockdown, I lost but I mugged him off, he didn’t lay a glove on me, I was too slick”. I also asked him about Scotland’s rising star Jon Slowey, he said, “Nice kid, very talented, I think he’s gonna be the next big thing in Scotland, not a hard puncher, very quick, he’s a really nice guy”. However, his hardest fight was against Stephen Smith, former British and Commonwealth Champion, he said, “His eyes killed me straight away and they looked straight through you. I was trying to stick my tongue out but I knew straight away he meant business, he is a powerhouse and it was a privilege to lose to him”. Robin reckoned he was robbed in many fights as the referee would give his opponent the decision, in Robins words, “Referees stick with the promoters, they need the prospects”, Robin thinks his record should read more like 50/50, half wins, half loss’s.
In a cruel twist fate boxing gave him the confidence and the tools to survive in life but on the other hand boxing is taking away everything Robin Deakin has ever worked for. Robin has had his licence taken away last August by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBB of C). This has emotionally and financially drained him, he says, “I am now 3 k in debt, I’ve lost my house, I’m sleeping on my mum’s sofa, she lives in a 2 bedroom flat with my brother, the board just haven’t taken away my licence they have taken away my life and my dignity. I also lost my Job because I had to take a day off to go to the board meeting, I was told by the board if I didn’t attend the meeting I would lose my licence. My world has collapsed all around me; all I want to do is get my licence back”.
Robin recalls getting an e-mail informing him of the board’s decision to withdraw his licence, Robin says, “It was nothing to do with my medical as I had previously just passed one. I went along to a meeting with the board with my manager Michael Helliet, it was my manager’s duty of care to support me and act in my interests but during the meeting he was on his mobile phone continually texting and I was left to defend myself. He does not care about his boxers, he only cares about money. The board said it was down to me to get the wins but this is down to my manager”. Robin says “why is the board allowing this manager to keep his licence when he clearly does not fulfil his contractual obligations to me as his boxer?” On the subject of loss’s a British Welterweight called Peter Buckley lost 256 fights and the BBB of C awarded him a belt. Robin went on to say, “There is a Light-Welterweight boxer called Johnny Greaves - who is fighting in 3 weeks time he has lost 91 fights.
Robin now plans to reapply for his boxing licence with the BBB of C and is confident with the right trainer and management he will have a successful boxing career.
On a lighter note Robin is a male model with Cody’s Model Agency, he says, “There’s not a lot of money in it but its good fun and you get to meet the girlies”.
Robin is due to appear shortly on the TV screens in a programme called Almost, but can’t say much more because he’s duty bound.
Robin likes to keep in touch with his friends and chill out with close friends Michael Jennings and Mark Byrne, he tells me, “I am the funniest man you will ever meet, I can be serious too, but I will make you laugh all day long, that’s why I get respect. Michael Jennings, he treats me like family which is nice and when I go to stay at his family’s house they also treat me like family, also, my mate Mark Byrne who has just got his pro licence, boxing is one big happy family”.
I asked Robin if he still trains, he replied, “I still train with Michael Jennings, he is a world title contender, most underrated fighter in Britain and he boxed Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden’s”.
On the subject of films Robin says “The Fighter is my favourite because that’s what I am”, and when it comes to Rocky movies he’s a connoisseur, a man after my own heart, none other than Rocky 4. He said “As an amateur I used to watch rocky movies for inspiration and I feel I am the real Rocky”.
Robin says, “All I want to do is fight, the TV work is just for publicity, I really want to fight again, it’s been the biggest part of my life, I want to inspire people who suffer from a disability”. Robin is a real character and has 5,405 followers on Twitter.
Robin Deakin was not only a boxer, he was an entertainer, a crowd pleaser and a real showman but now the BBB of C want to close the curtains on him. Boxing needs more characters like Rocking Robin Deakin.
Every time my finger hits the keyboard I feel the pain just writing about Robin, he is a true Champion and inspiration to everyone, in many ways Robin Deakin is a natural born fighter.
By Raymond Fraser Buchanan
The link below is a Rihanna mix; lyrics written by his mate Franko Fraize and dedicated to Robin, it’s a touching tribute to a true fighter.
http://205.196.120.118/1d7ofz95l12g/5ax68au5ema2kd2/Robin+Deakin+-+Diamonds+Final.mp3
Follow Robin on Twitter@RockinRobinBox
Follow Franko on Twitter@frankofraize
Professional Light-Welterweight boxer Rocking Robin Deakin opens his heart to; it is a remarkable, unbelievable, but true insight into a man who holds back no punches about his life and career.
Robin was born 3 to 4 months premature, he died when he was a baby and had to be brought back to life. He didn’t even start to begin to walk until he was 6 years old and even then he had to use crutches taking baby steps; he was in a wheelchair with his leg in plaster due to numerous operations because he was born with a medical condition called Talipes, in layman’s terms, a clubfoot, he was born with his left foot twisted and pointing backwards, most people would crumble at the very thought but this was just the start of the fight for Robin Deakin.
Robin’s leg was constantly in plaster and the plaster cast that had to stay in place for a certain amount of months at a time according to the doctors, however, on one occasion his leg went gangrene, he was crying his eyes out with the pain and there was a funny smell coming from the cast, his dad took him to the doctors and demanded they take the cast off but the doctors refused on the grounds it had not been on long enough, so, his dad decided to cut the plaster cast off himself. As his dad cut the plaster away part of his leg came away, the Achilles tendon on the back of his leg was being eaten away by maggots, Robin said, “I have no calf muscle on the back of my left leg, it was the doctors fault, I was young and just had to get on with it”. Robin’s dad took him along to a boxing club to help strengthen his legs and says, “My dad was never a boxer but he learned through taking me, he trained me and I really did enjoy it. Boxing was a lifesaver, if it had not been for boxing I would never have been able to walk; I carried on boxing even though I was actually classed as disabled”. I had a very close family until I was 15 years old, my mum never supported me in any way regarding boxing and from that age my dad just left me to get on with it. When he left me I had no one to look up to, I really looked up to my dad although he had been in and out of prison, not only did he get me into boxing, he got me the respect that I needed”.
Robin’s condition does not really affect him these days although the cold weather can leave his joints a bit tender but he can still walk, he says, “I have to warm up when I’m getting out of bed, stretch the legs to warm the body, I get cramp at night but I deal with it”.
Attending school was the hardest for Robin, he got called names like, cripple, spastic, go away flipper and go away clubfoot, he got called lots of names but when he started making a name for himself in boxing it all stopped, Robin continues to say “I hardly went to school, it pissed me off really, I got kicked out at 14 years old. I was always getting into trouble and getting called all the names under the sun, it ruined my childhood”.
Robin had a successful amateur career winning 40 out of his 75 bouts. He made it to the semi-finals of the British Youth Championships and semi-final of the senior British ABA’s.
I asked Robin how it came about him turning professional, he recalls with great fondness, “I was scouted by former World Champion Steve Collins, he took my number and we kept in touch. Steve touted me, he said I was a quality fighter, the showman, and that boxing needs fighters like me, Steve said, “I will get you a deal with Frank Warren”, I thought he was talking shit, he told me Frank Warren would snap me up, so, 3 months down the line I met up with Steve Collins and Frank Warren at St Albans and signed the deal, I was buzzing, on top of the world. I had just signed a 3 year deal with Frank Warren”.
Due to a few bad decisions Robin phoned Dean Powell to get his contract back from Warren, he then signed with a good friend of his Graeme Errol because he wanted to try and progress with his career but after 12 fights he said “it just felt like he was doing it for the money “he left Graeme on good terms and he remains friends with him to this day.
Robin went to America and was going to sign with legendary manager Lou Duva, and be trained by Gus Curran but didn’t sign because he fell in love with a girl but the love affair didn’t last.
He went on to sign with boxing manager Michael Helliet, Robin says this turned out to be the worst move he ever made in boxing. During Robin’s time spent with his last manager he fought 19 times in 24 weeks, Robin says, “10% going to the trainer and 25% going to Helliet that equals a lot of money going to a man who cannot even drive and has to be picked up and driven to fights by his fighters”. Robin said “I asked Mickey Helliet for my contract back, Helliet said I would have to pay him £2.5k”. Robin says in a recent interview with Boxing News, Helliet’s aim was to manage 100 boxers all across Europe, where is his duty of care? This man promised me wins but didn’t get me nothing.
On the subject of manager’s Robin goes on to say, “If I had signed with Steve Goodwin or Carl Greaves, I would have went on to become English Champion at least, they are the nicest people in boxing, they really look after their boxers”. Robin says his ideal trainer would be Enzo Calzaghe as he really looks up to him.
Robin Deakin is 26 years old; he made his debut on the 28th of October 2006, at London’s world famous York hall, Bethnal green, outpointing Shaun Walton in 4 rounds, he has had 50 professional fights but his boxing record on paper does not paint a true reflection of the boxer he is. He has shared the ring with lots of cracking fighters such as Anthony Crolla, Stephen Smith, Patrick Hyland, Scotland’s Jason Hastie and Jon Slowey, the list goes on and on. Robin says 39 of his opponents have gone on to become champions at all levels.
I asked him about a few of the boxers he’s fought. Anthony Crolla is a boxer who has his eyes on the prize and is looking to make it all the way to the top, he is fighting for the Commonwealth Title on the 30th March, Robin says, “He’s very clever, very skilful and quick, he’s a good fighter”. I went on to mention he fought Scotland’s Jason Hastie 3 times, he replied, “Lovely guy, I put him down once but it was not classed as a knockdown, I lost but I mugged him off, he didn’t lay a glove on me, I was too slick”. I also asked him about Scotland’s rising star Jon Slowey, he said, “Nice kid, very talented, I think he’s gonna be the next big thing in Scotland, not a hard puncher, very quick, he’s a really nice guy”. However, his hardest fight was against Stephen Smith, former British and Commonwealth Champion, he said, “His eyes killed me straight away and they looked straight through you. I was trying to stick my tongue out but I knew straight away he meant business, he is a powerhouse and it was a privilege to lose to him”. Robin reckoned he was robbed in many fights as the referee would give his opponent the decision, in Robins words, “Referees stick with the promoters, they need the prospects”, Robin thinks his record should read more like 50/50, half wins, half loss’s.
In a cruel twist fate boxing gave him the confidence and the tools to survive in life but on the other hand boxing is taking away everything Robin Deakin has ever worked for. Robin has had his licence taken away last August by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBB of C). This has emotionally and financially drained him, he says, “I am now 3 k in debt, I’ve lost my house, I’m sleeping on my mum’s sofa, she lives in a 2 bedroom flat with my brother, the board just haven’t taken away my licence they have taken away my life and my dignity. I also lost my Job because I had to take a day off to go to the board meeting, I was told by the board if I didn’t attend the meeting I would lose my licence. My world has collapsed all around me; all I want to do is get my licence back”.
Robin recalls getting an e-mail informing him of the board’s decision to withdraw his licence, Robin says, “It was nothing to do with my medical as I had previously just passed one. I went along to a meeting with the board with my manager Michael Helliet, it was my manager’s duty of care to support me and act in my interests but during the meeting he was on his mobile phone continually texting and I was left to defend myself. He does not care about his boxers, he only cares about money. The board said it was down to me to get the wins but this is down to my manager”. Robin says “why is the board allowing this manager to keep his licence when he clearly does not fulfil his contractual obligations to me as his boxer?” On the subject of loss’s a British Welterweight called Peter Buckley lost 256 fights and the BBB of C awarded him a belt. Robin went on to say, “There is a Light-Welterweight boxer called Johnny Greaves - who is fighting in 3 weeks time he has lost 91 fights.
Robin now plans to reapply for his boxing licence with the BBB of C and is confident with the right trainer and management he will have a successful boxing career.
On a lighter note Robin is a male model with Cody’s Model Agency, he says, “There’s not a lot of money in it but its good fun and you get to meet the girlies”.
Robin is due to appear shortly on the TV screens in a programme called Almost, but can’t say much more because he’s duty bound.
Robin likes to keep in touch with his friends and chill out with close friends Michael Jennings and Mark Byrne, he tells me, “I am the funniest man you will ever meet, I can be serious too, but I will make you laugh all day long, that’s why I get respect. Michael Jennings, he treats me like family which is nice and when I go to stay at his family’s house they also treat me like family, also, my mate Mark Byrne who has just got his pro licence, boxing is one big happy family”.
I asked Robin if he still trains, he replied, “I still train with Michael Jennings, he is a world title contender, most underrated fighter in Britain and he boxed Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden’s”.
On the subject of films Robin says “The Fighter is my favourite because that’s what I am”, and when it comes to Rocky movies he’s a connoisseur, a man after my own heart, none other than Rocky 4. He said “As an amateur I used to watch rocky movies for inspiration and I feel I am the real Rocky”.
Robin says, “All I want to do is fight, the TV work is just for publicity, I really want to fight again, it’s been the biggest part of my life, I want to inspire people who suffer from a disability”. Robin is a real character and has 5,405 followers on Twitter.
Robin Deakin was not only a boxer, he was an entertainer, a crowd pleaser and a real showman but now the BBB of C want to close the curtains on him. Boxing needs more characters like Rocking Robin Deakin.
Every time my finger hits the keyboard I feel the pain just writing about Robin, he is a true Champion and inspiration to everyone, in many ways Robin Deakin is a natural born fighter.
By Raymond Fraser Buchanan
The link below is a Rihanna mix; lyrics written by his mate Franko Fraize and dedicated to Robin, it’s a touching tribute to a true fighter.
http://205.196.120.118/1d7ofz95l12g/5ax68au5ema2kd2/Robin+Deakin+-+Diamonds+Final.mp3
Follow Robin on Twitter@RockinRobinBox
Follow Franko on Twitter@frankofraize
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