A Scots boxer who was 'the picture of health' has died suddenly in Spain. Brian Ferguson passed away on Tuesday, January 4, in his apartment in the coastal town of Manilva, near Málaga.
The 65-year-old from Glasgow, who ran a boxing gym in the area, moved to Andalucía in January last year, having spent 12 years working as a financial advisor in Qatar, where he met his partner of four years, Janine Hayek.
The dad-of-three was a well-known figure in the boxing world and had trained former professionals including Frank Bruno and Gary Jacobs. He was said to have been 'delighted' to return to his 'life-long passion' after a short hiatus.
Partner Janine, 47, told the Record: "Brian died far too soon. He was the picture of health and fitness, he'd never been sick. He was such a good-hearted and generous person. I never met anyone that had a bad word to say about him. He was loved by everyone.
"We had so many plans together. I loved him, still love him and always will love him.
"I can’t believe that he’s gone forever and that I won’t hear his voice or see him again. My life won't be the same without him."
Janine, who currently lives in Qatar, last spoke to Brian on the phone at around 3pm on Tuesday, January 3. He said he felt 'dizzy' but refused Janine's request for him to get a taxi to meet his landlord to pay his monthly rent. Instead, he said he would make the hour's walk as it was a sunny day, and promised to call her when he returned home.
Shortly after 5pm, Janine noticed Brian had stopped replying to her messages. At around 8pm, she began phoning him every second hour on the hour, to no avail. After a sleepless night, on January 4, Janine contacted Brian's twin brother, who also lives in Málaga, to check on him at his home. It was there that Brian was found unresponsive.
Heartbreakingly, Janine is unsure whether she will be able to travel to Glasgow for Brian's funeral in the coming weeks as she is the sole carer for her terminally ill mother. She added that returning to Spain may 'destroy' her as she is haunted by the memories she and her beau shared together in the city.
Janine continued: "It was through boxing that we met. I was having a difficult time and everyone advised me to take it up to release negativity and stress. It was in Qatar that Brian trained me and that's where we fell in love.
"Most of his clients were British and Spanish. He always believed that boxing wasn't just something you took up for a season, but for life.
"Everything reminds me of him. I can't face returning to Spain if he's not there. Making the journey on my own and staring at the spot in the airport where he should have been waiting for me would be dreadful.
"Brian told me that my mum was the priority but I wanted to be with him. I wish I could have gave him my heart to live."
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