Boxingtalk learned that St. Louis-based junior middleweight Tim “Irish Pride” Connors (10-3, 7 KOs) passed away at the age of thirty-six.  The cause of death has not yet been confirmed by Boxingtalk. Known as a quiet and mild mannered teenager by his classmates, Connors got involved with combat sports after high school at Finney’s MMA, Kickboxing, Boxing and Jiu-Jitsu, then located in Crestwood  Plaza in Crestwood, Missouri.  Whether he was competing as a boxer or a kick boxer, Connors was a standout from the start.  In 2005, he won the novice Golden Gloves at 152 pounds and received an award for being the outstanding boxer of that tournament.  He turned professional as a boxer in 2006 and built up a record of 6-0 before facing Jose Adelaydo Gonzalez (8-1) in July 2007.  The common perception among Connors’s inner circle was that he underestimated Gonzalez, then abandoned his ring intelligence and was suckered into a brawl, in what turned out to be a very tough, physical fight.  Connors lost via sixth-round knockout, bounced back against modest competition, then faced Gonzalez in an October 2010 rematch.  This time, Connors used his skills and boxed, winning the bout via split decision.

 

That same month, I ran into Connors at a local boxing event and congratulated him on his victory.  When I asked him what was next, he shrugged his shoulders and said that he might be fighting some “Cuban hotshot.”  That Cuban hotshot turned out to be a future junior middleweight champion, Erislandy Lara, who TKO’d Connors in the first round.  Connors fought once more after the Lara bout, losing to Vladine Biosse (10-0) via fifth round TKO in April 2011.  During the Biosse fight, which was broadcast on Friday Night Fights, commentator Teddy Atlas complimented Connors because of his tremendous heart.  After his career in the ring, Connors began training fighters himself and passed his ring knowledge on to a new generation.  Based on my time knowing Tim Connors, which was only in passing, I can say that he was a great guy who was tough as nails, always willing to fight anybody, anywhere, anytime.  Boxingtalk sends its thoughts and prayers to Tim Connors’s family and friends, as well as the St. Louis fight community who lost one of the good guys.

 

 

NOTE: Doveed Linder is the author of RINGSIDE: INTERVIEWS WITH 24 FIGHTERS AND BOXING INSIDERS, a trilogy of books, each consisting of 24 in depth interviews with various fighters, trainers, corner men, promoters, commentators, and officials, including “Sugar” Ray Leonard, Roy Jones, Jr., Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Kathy Duva, Angelo Dundee, Bob Arum, Emanuel Steward, Larry Merchant, Lou DiBella, Ann Wolfe, Joe Souza, J Russell Peltz, Gerry Cooney, Leon Spinks, Al Bernstein, Naazim Richardson, George Chuvalo, Steve Smoger, Winky Wright, Ronnie Shields, Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Duane Ford, and Jackie Kallen.  The foreword for the first RINGSIDE book was written by Boxingtalk publisher Greg Leon, and is available on Amazon.com.