Popular heavyweight Stan Allen, passes in Las Vegas..

Today brought the terribly sad news that my friend and former promising heavyweight prospect Stanley Allen had passed away in Las Vegas at the premature age of 47.. I first had the fortune of meeting Stan when he was part of the training camp of former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in 1996, along with longtime friends, Nate Tubbs, John Bray and Leroy Seals.. I was originally introduced to him by extrovert photographer Kirk Newman, and spent the best part of the following 3 weeks in hysterical laughter at his dry humour.. Stan was undeniably tough, I witnessed first hand how he could hang in there with Tyson through tough sessions leading up to both Holyfield fights, but Stan had a softer side, a mellow guy who loved his family.. Allen found boxing as a teen in Gary Indiana, boxing out of the Gary Pal Gym.. By 1989 he was a member of the US team and in the same year became the Chicago Novice Golden Gloves heavyweight champion.. Stan turned pro in 1996, racking up 5 straight wins in his first 18 months, finishing the year with an appearance on a double world championship Top Rank promoted card in Tijuana, Mexico, knocking out the huge Anthony Curry in 3 rounds.. Unfortunately it appeared that his work as a top drawer sparring partner for a legendary champion would take precedence over his own career, he would lose his first bout on the Vince Philips v Alfonso Sánchez world super lightweight championship fight undercard in 1998 to Philadelphia’s Ron McCarthy in Atlantic City, before dropping a points decision to rising prospect Harold Sconiers 6 months later on a heavyweight Explosion card in Connecticut.. Stan returned to the ring a couple more times, most recently in 2012, taking on 24 year old son of another former Tyson sparring partner Elijah McCall, falling short for the final time.. Nobody that Stanley crossed paths with forgot him, when he travelled to the Uk for Mike Tyson’s visits to fight both Julius Francis and Lou Savarese, Stan made an impression on everyone he met, a colourful charming man who had a calming presence.. A loyal man who put his family and friends first, whom is going to be missed immensely.. RIP Stan.. affectionately known as Corky.. Stanley Allen, you were loved..