I was delighted to hear that the promoter of Canada’s undiscovered gem Steve Molitor, plans to project the accomplished IBF Super-Bantamweight to the world. And even more interesting is the unfamiliar twist on the traditional promotional path they’re planning. His next defence, presuming he beats Ndluvo at the weekend, will be held in the war-torn wilds of Afghanistan in front of the brave Canadian troops currently deployed there. Molitor, the nation’s hero, is the aspiration. “Wrapping the kid in the flag”, summarises promoter Allan Tremblay in conversation with the Toronto Sun. Building his Canadian fanbase is they key to building Molitor as an exportable brand. Continue reading “Molitor Cocktail”
ITV and Warren Reach Agreement
ITV’s schedule for Saturday night suggests the network and Sports Network, Frank Warren’s promotional company, has finally reached at least a short term agreement. Following weeks of debate on various boxing forums and presumably hours of negotiation between the two sides it is a relief for British boxing in general that Saturday’s bill will be widely available to the British public. Continue reading “ITV and Warren Reach Agreement”
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Taylor Needs a New Suit
Middleweight champion Jermaine Taylor is looking likely to move up in weight to the Super-Middleweight division, and dependent on opportunities one could assume he could yet jump straight to the Light-Heavyweight division where a host of beatable veterans presently reside. The most obvious outcome of the move is, of course, the much discussed clash with Joe Calzaghe. Calzaghe destroys him if the fight comes off. There I said it. Continue reading “Taylor Needs a New Suit”
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The Irrepressible Glen Johnson
At the top of the Light-Heavyweight division; old is the new young. I cannot think of another era or weight class in which so many ageing fighters remain in control of the paydays and belts. Not even the moribund heavyweight division can match the 175 pounders for supporting the elderly. I’m reminded of the old eighties buddy flick ‘Tough Guys’; a film in which two vintage gangsters; Bert Lancaster and Kirk Douglas, are released from prison to discover they could still out think, out hustle and out punch their modern day counterparts.
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Warren and ITV both holding their nerve
Even in these multi-channel, multi-media times the importance of terrestrial television to the future health of boxing in the UK cannot be underestimated. Sure, boxing survived a long period in the satellite wilderness in the nineties, but with so many exciting fighters currently competing; Hatton, Witter, Calzaghe, Haye, Woods, Froch and Moore it would be a great travesty were their immediate futures consigned to the marginal world of Satellite only viewing.
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Holyfield Beats Italian Meatball Savarese
The headline is cruel. And it’s cruel on two levels, firstly because Big Lou was a vegetarian for a number of years and secondly because it demeans the effort Savarese put forth throughout his career and did once more last weekend. But that said, Holyfield’s victory proved nothing to the interested observer and less to his detractors; Holyfield would always be quicker to the punch than the ponderous Savarese and in his 41 year old opponent he found a foe even more rusty than himself. So why am I still nurturing the first shoots of belief in Evander’s quest for another portion of the heavyweight title? Nostalgia? Apathy with the current crop of champions?
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Hatton – Ten Days On
A brief sabbatical denied me opportunity to opine on the Ricky Hatton v Jose Luis Castillo bout, but those with whom I debate the boxing issues of the day on the various boxing forums will know I fancied Hatton to demolish Castillo early from the day the bout was signed. I’m aware this whiffs of convenient revisionism but the evidence is there in black and white (or whatever background colour the site in question defaults to).
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Happy Days – Haye to Face Mormeck
OK, so big-punching David Haye couldn’t crack Ismael Abdoul and true he was decked by Super-Middleweight Lolenga Mock but despite those apparent limitations he remains a crucial piece of the British Boxing jigsaw. In fact, his importance could reach further. Boxing needs a charismatic, heavy handed heavyweight contender. Haye is one of a precariously short list of applicants for that role. Only Alexander Povetkin ranks ahead of him as a heavyweight youngster with punch power. The difference with Haye? He has obligations at 200 pounds to fulfil first.
Continue reading “Happy Days – Haye to Face Mormeck”
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In the footsteps of Dodson
The fact aspiring Light-Middleweight Jamie Moore is unable to fulfil his match with the magnificently named Vincent Vuma due to a viral infection is undoubtedly frustrating. The Salford banger is on the cusp of a world-title shot and any interruption to his upward momentum is laden with risk. At 28, with a series of wars behind him, Moore cannot afford wasted time. However, his enforced absence provides an opportunity for raw British contender Mark Thompson to leap into the consciousness of the British fight public. Continue reading “In the footsteps of Dodson”
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BoxingWriter.co.uk Tribute Wear
Begun on an idle whim, the BoxingWriter .co.uk Tribute Wear has proved tremendously popular and exceeded expectation. Sales of t-shirts featuring the likes of Marciano, Hearns and Tapia have been well received and dispatched to satisfied customers within 2-3 days of order receipt and the feedback on quality has been favourable too. Check them out… Continue reading “BoxingWriter.co.uk Tribute Wear”
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The Return of the Enigma
The fact a 35 year old fighter is still consider unfulfilled and news of his latest comeback remains newsworthy is a damning endictment of a 2007 heavyweight division unable to summon a decisive fighter to render these veteran retreads redundant. But in an era where Evander Holyfield, Oliver McCall and Henry Akinwande are all arguably only one victory from a title shot, perhaps Audley Harrison has every right to believe he still has time to deliver on the potential his 2000 Olympic Gold suggested he had – the latest news on Big Aud still, despite everything, carries weight. Continue reading “The Return of the Enigma”
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