Owen was renowned for his dedication to boxing, training relentlessly and often doing more work than his trainers asked of him. His dedication was such that he never drank alcohol and it is widely believed that he abstained from romantic relationships. This led to Hugh McIlvanney of "The Observer" labelling Owen as "The Virgin Soldier" in 1979. Owen's training involved running considerable distances, between on normal days, contributing to his thin physique. Owen's manager, Dai Gardiner, was accused of starving Owen to maintain his lean physique and allow him to compete at bantamweight.