Spencer Oliver (boxer)
Spencer Oliver | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) | |||||||||||||||
| Born | 27 March 1975 London United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||
| Nationality | British / English | ||||||||||||||
| Other names | The Omen | ||||||||||||||
| Statistics | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||
| Boxing record | |||||||||||||||
| Total fights | 15 | ||||||||||||||
| Wins | 14 | ||||||||||||||
| Wins by KO | 9 | ||||||||||||||
| Losses | 1 | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||
Spencer Oliver (born 27 March 1975) is an English former professional boxer. He was nicknamed "The Omen".
Oliver won a silver medal for England in the bantamweight division at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada.[1]
Professional career
[edit]From 1995 to 1998, Oliver competed as a professional. When he defeated Bulgaria's Martin Krastev in May 1997 he became the European (EBU) super bantamweight champion. He held onto the title for a year, defending it on three occasions with wins over Serge Poilblan, Vincenzo Belcastro and Fabrice Benichou.[2]
Injury
[edit]In May 1998 he sought to defend his title again with a bout against Sergey Devakov at Royal Albert Hall in London, which ended with Oliver suffering life-threatening injuries. Two minutes into the 10th round, Oliver was felled by a right hook and was counted out, the first loss of his career.[3] It then became apparent that Spencer was seriously injured, a blood clot had formed in his brain, caused by a blood vessel that had been torn from a blow he received earlier in the fight.[4] Spencer's cutman, Eddie Carter, is credited for saving his life, by instructing the paramedics to sedate the boxer in order to minimise the damage.[5] For 15 minutes he was treated in the ring by paramedics and supplied with oxygen, before being taken unconscious to Charing Cross Hospital. He was later transferred to a specialist neurology hospital and underwent a successful operation to remove the blood clot.[6]
Later life
[edit]Oliver now works as a pundit for Sky Sports and Talksport, and runs a boxing school in Edgware, London. He also hosts a boxing podcast with Jake Wood called Pound for Pound.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "Pugilist declares gold is for his parents". The Canberra Times. 29 August 1994. p. 27. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
- ^ "Boxing: Champion Thompson looks ahead to Nelson showdown". The Independent. 6 October 1997. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
- ^ Jones, Ken (4 May 1998). "Boxing: Why Oliver's plight is so shocking". The Independent. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
- ^ "Surgeon's fears for boxer". BBC News. 4 May 1998. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
- ^ "Oliver's good omens". Sky Sports. 11 February 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
- ^ "Boxing champ 'out of danger'". BBC News. 6 May 1998. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
- ^ "Boxing Training School". boxingschool.co.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
External links
[edit]- Boxing record for Spencer Oliver from BoxRec (registration required)
- Spencer Oliver at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
- 1975 births
- Living people
- English male boxers
- Bantamweight boxers
- Commonwealth Games silver medallists for England
- Commonwealth Games medallists in boxing
- Boxers at the 1994 Commonwealth Games
- European Boxing Union champions
- Boxers from London
- Sky Sports presenters and reporters
- English sports broadcasters
- Medallists at the 1994 Commonwealth Games