ionigeria.com Nigerian Newspaper
AN adopted sports fan was stunned to discover his long-lost dad is a legendary US boxing commentator – making him sole heir to a £200million fortune.
Simon Edwards, 40, tracked down his extended birth family in Galway, Ireland, who told him his birth dad is American household name ‘The Colonel’ Bob Sheridan, 76.
Simon Edwards, who lives with his adoptive parents in Hertfordshire, made the incredible discovery after tracking down his extended family in Galway, Ireland.
They told him his mother Rosemary, who passed away in 1985, had a fling with Mr. Sheridan while working at a hotel he was visiting in 1980.
The 40-year-old contacted Mr. Sheridan, nicknamed ‘The Colonel’, through an agency the same day the journalist laid his wife of 26 years, Annie, to rest.
He now speaks with his famous father every day and is due to fly out to Las Vegas to stay with him at his £145 million mansion.
The famous boxing commentator told The Sun: ‘The first time I spoke to him I knew he was my boy. He sounds like me, he talks the same way as me.
‘It’s just been such a blessing, I can’t wait to meet him and take him to meet my brother’s family in Boston.
‘It is an inspiration in life for me. They took away my wife and the same day they gave me my long-lost son. I had no idea this boy existed.’
Simon works as a steward at local non-league side Hitchin Town FC (Picture: Facebook)
He has covered more than 10,000 bouts, including 100 heavyweight title fights. Those include the Rumble in the Jungle and Thrilla in Manila where Muhammad Ali defeated George Foreman and Joe Frazier respectively, as well as the notorious ‘Bite Fight’ between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.
He was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.
Simon was born in Newham, East London, and handed to a Catholic charity.
He told his local newspaper the Hitchin Comet he is blown away by what has happened, adding: ‘My adopted parents are from Irish and Liverpool backgrounds, and I grew up in Hitchin. I hadn’t really looked at getting in touch with my birth parents.
‘I took a trip to Galway in 2019, and it was through a genealogy site I tracked some family down.
‘My birth mum passed away in 1985, she had nine sisters and one brother – huge family out there – and they filled me in. It was a lovely trip, they really accepted me as part of the family.’
It was while he was over there that he discovered who his famous father was, along with the fact he had just become a widower.
Simon said: ‘I just emailed him to say I was sorry for his loss. From there, he asked for my number and we have been speaking on the phone every day.
‘To other people, it must seem amazing that this famous person is my dad, but for me, it’s amazing to just know who my dad is and be in touch with him.
‘I’d probably still be as blown-away if he was a plumber from down the road.’ He is now set to jet out to the States to meet him.
Mr Sheridan was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004 (Picture: Getty)
Simon, who now calls himself ‘Colonel Jnr’, added: ‘It’s all very exciting – but I’m trying to take it all in my stride.
My mum and dad here are over the moon – they’ve always said if I wanted to find them they would be behind me.’
His relationship with Mr. Sheridan has been confirmed by DNA and since The Colonel did not have any children with his wife, Simon looks set to inherit his vast fortune.
Mr. Sheridan said he is looking forward to meeting his new grandchildren, Keira, nine, and Scarlette, four.
