Darren McDermott hails Wayne Elcock
Dudley's Darren McDermott thinks of his old nemesis Wayne Elcock every time he looks into the mirror after the heartbreak of their British title clash three years ago.
Dudley's Darren McDermott thinks of his old nemesis Wayne Elcock every time he looks into the mirror after the heartbreak of their British title clash three years ago.
McDermott was pulled out of the fight in June 2008 after suffering a wide gash under his right eye from a clash of heads, after just two rounds of the contest at Wolverhampton Civic Hall.
Elcock was declared the winner and McDermott never got the chance to avenge that defeat, as his own career was cut short last year due to undergoing brain surgery, after being hurt in sparring.
'The Black Country Bodysnatcher' freely admits he will always consider himself a competitor to Elcock, even now both have hung up the gloves.
But the 33-year-old admits 'Mad Dog' left his mark after a fight that still cuts deep with the beaten challenger.
He said: "We have that rivalry between us that will probably never go away, like Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn back in the day.
"I run that fight over and over in my head every time I think about it and every time I look in the mirror I see that scar under my eye!"
McDermott, like Elcock, has now turned his attentions to passing on his experiences to potential boxing stars of tomorrow and is about to start his own amateur club, Brooklands ABC.
The whole operation will be run from the home gym in McDermott's backyard and the club, which is recognised by the ABA as of last week, is named after his house.
McDermott used to train fighters at Priory Park ABC while he was still boxing himself and with Elcock also gaining ABA club status for his business, 'Box Clever,' the two could meet in the corner one day.
And how McDermott would love the chance to get a measure of revenge against his former rival in that scenario.
He said: "Fair play to him and I know how he feels, when I came out of boxing I thought I was going to crack up.
"Wayne does a lot with the kids now and you never know, he could be in the other corner when I take a fighter in one day.
"But he wouldn't beat me again, that would be my revenge!"
