Since I picked up the pencil again last month the invitations to contribute to other outlets have arrived much quicker than I anticipated. One such venue is the digital publication Knockout London. The concept of digital magazines was not something I’d encountered during my last ‘run’, however, the opportunity to frame the career of Clinton McKenzie for readers was too good to turn down. Continue reading “Clinton McKenzie; one of a neglected generation”
End of the line for Stalker, Dodd wins widely
His captaincy of the Great Britain boxing team at the 2012 Olympics ultimately created expectation too heavy for Tom Stalker to fulfil in the professional ranks. Unanimously outpointed by Sean Dodd in Liverpool tonight his career as a potential domestic titleist is likely at an end. It wasn’t just the loss, but the nature of the defeat. Continue reading “End of the line for Stalker, Dodd wins widely”
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Ward retires undefeated and he will beat the comeback call too
The fact Andre Ward’s retirement leaves a bittersweet taste shouldn’t surprise those of us who could appreciate his skill and yet felt infuriated by his inactivity. His scripted departure message was as deft and well crafted as some of his performances. It was a professional career that began in December 2004 and followed an unbeaten run that stretched back to his teens.
He will tease but he will stay retired.
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Yes M’Lady. Parker retains title
Joseph Parker, the World Boxing Organisation’s World Heavyweight Champion – a top-10 contender in old money, secured a Majority Decision against Hughie Fury at the Manchester Arena tonight.
In a turgid affair, the Kiwi champion was rewarded for landing a mere handful of heavier right hands and forcing the pace throughout. The scorecards, which included two 118-110 returns, one from the same Terry O’Connor Parker’s team had rejected as the appointed referee, appeared unduly wide. Continue reading “Yes M’Lady. Parker retains title”
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Canelo, Golovkin and the luck of the draw
“To me judges seem the well paid watch-dogs of Capitalism, making things safe and easy for the devil Mammon.”
Maud Gonne, Irish philanthropist (1865-1953)
Sunday was a long day. Tired from the all-nighter that stretched between my back row seat at the CopperBox Arena in London, where I saw Billy Joe Saunders retain his WBO bauble in a soporific engagement with a subdued, and at times motionless, Willie Monroe Jr., through to 5am back on the sofa for a thudding, if not exhilarating, bout between Gennady Golovkin and Saul Alvarez for the real Middleweight title.
I’d risen after three hours sleep, sought comfort in tea and the balm of contemplating Adalaide Byrd opening her eyes, and blinking her way in to a morning of regret. Perhaps permitting herself the hint of a smile at the word play of her husband Robert, a decorated boxing referee, asking if she wanted him to draw the curtains. Continue reading “Canelo, Golovkin and the luck of the draw”
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Saunders remains unbeaten. No more, no less.
Billy Joe Saunders confirmed his status as a leading contender in the middleweight division tonight with a unanimous decision victory over Willie Monroe Junior at the Copperbox Arena, London.
By keeping his unbeaten record and custody of the World Boxing Organisation’s version of the 160 pound division title, Saunders maintains his leverage in the race to face the winner of tonight’s Golovkin v Alvarez super-fight in Las Vegas. Continue reading “Saunders remains unbeaten. No more, no less.”
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One hundred percent. How do fighters hit their peak?
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In the immediate aftermath of his win over fellow Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and to the delight of the 20,000 fans in attendance, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez announced his next bout would be against the undefeated Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin on September 16th. Continue reading “One hundred percent. How do fighters hit their peak?”
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Nerves; Golovkin, Canelo, Dodge and Laight…
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
Nelson Mandela, 1918-2013
On Saturday night, most eyes will be on on the seminal, potentially era-defining bout between Gennady Golovkin, the piston-powered champion from Kazakhstan and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, the quiet, scowling Mexican, his number one contender. A few more will be keeping abreast of the preceding middleweight clash between Billy Joe Saunders and Willie Monroe Jnr. from London, and Callum Smith will pique interest against the Swedish heft of Erik Skoglund in the first fight of the World Boxing Super Series Super-Middleweight tournament too.
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Golovkin v Alvarez: Boxing returns to its Middleweight touchstone
Every mans got to figure to get beat sometime
Joe Louis, 1914-1981
The weekend super-fight between Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez from the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, returns boxing to the bosom of those who embrace it through the good times and the bad. A type of ardent disciple that nods and purses lips at the mention of James Toney or smiles and rub his or her hands together at the memory of Smokin’ Bert Cooper or Paul ‘Scrap Iron’ Ryan.
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Amir Khan: Silver, Shades and Tom Sayers
“The sun shone, having no alternative, on the nothing new.”
Samuel Beckett (Murphy 1938)
Amir Khan is a frequent and willing interviewee. As a fighter in the modern communication age he’s fielded more questions, or perhaps half a dozen repeated infinitum, than a hundred of his predecessors, even those of greater luminosity than his.
None of those fighting forefathers shone so brightly they needed to wear sunglasses inside as Khan has a predisposition to, certainly not when the extent of their preceding exertion was a mere fall out with their spouse. One might presume Johnny Tapia or Jake LaMotta could make a case for an exception.
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VIP Boxing: Rehman impresses in stoppage win
Rochdale’s Bilal ‘Billy The Kid’ Rehman won the battle of the unbeaten 10-stone prospects on the entertaining Steve Wood card in Manchester tonight, stopping Ashley Peyton in the last of eight rounds. He is a fighter to look out for, he certainly relished the opportunity to fight an opponent with ambition and a low guard.
Continue reading “VIP Boxing: Rehman impresses in stoppage win”
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Guest Blog: Mayweather v McGregor – Who’s next?
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While it may seem rather silly to overlook the potentially explosive meeting between Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather and Connor ‘The Notorious’ McGregor either result will throw up more questions than answers. The biggest questions will undoubtedly be who each man intends to fight next and should McGregor upset the pundits and the Mayweather McGregor odds and come away with victory there will more than likely be a rematch. Continue reading “Guest Blog: Mayweather v McGregor – Who’s next?”
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Boxing: Mind games; O’Sullivan and Eubank Junior seek an ‘edge’
“Inside his head”, “gotten under his skin”, “psychological advantage”. The mental aspect of success in sport has never been more widely acknowledged, nor has the quest to attain an ‘edge’ ever been more widely contested.
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Boxing: Can we really expect ‘vanilla’ role models from boxing?
George Foreman once said; “Boxing was the sport to which all others aspire.” Oh how the sport’s followers love to trot that line out. The average fight fan yearns for boxing to meet Foreman’s validation. On occasion it does, too often it is merely wistful nostalgia.
Tyson Fury’s ascension to the throne in Germany rekindled that debate once more as boxing was pushed to the front of the news agenda. Continue reading “Boxing: Can we really expect ‘vanilla’ role models from boxing?”
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Boxing: Tyson Fury and the impossible search for context
True, there were those who hoped, a few stifled an instinctive inclination and one or two were willing to believe, rarely publicly for fear of the subsequent denouement of their opinion, but on the whole the consensus among the great and good of the boxing reportage was – ‘Fury is out of his depth.’ It was the obvious patter. Continue reading “Boxing: Tyson Fury and the impossible search for context”
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Boxing: Tyson Fury will topple a Klitschko first – BoxingWriter Reader’s Vote
Three years ago the audience of BoxingWriter.co.uk plumped for young Tyson Fury in a poll which asked the question; Who will one of the Klitschko’s lose to first? Time moved slowly in between and it seems a life time ago in retrospect; both Povetkin and Thompson were, at the time, the Klitschko’s next two opponents. Continue reading “Boxing: Tyson Fury will topple a Klitschko first – BoxingWriter Reader’s Vote”
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Audley Harrison. The importance of the man who wouldn’t be King.
Photo: Dave Shopland
Lennox Lewis strode languidly down the aisle. A glow of certainty and phosphorous bulbs surrounding him. Assurance emanated from his tall, imposing frame. His stillness, the type which led him to sleep in the dressing room before a big fight, serving to amplify the latent power beneath.
Lewis the slumbering lion, on a high rock, stealing shade behind dark glasses and offering verification to proceedings merely by being present.
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Wladimir Klitschko, dominance and the burden of proof
Historically, dominance is a fleeting experience in the heavyweight division. Perhaps, thankfully fleeting. In the last century we’ve seen a number of periods in which one fighter reigned over the sports blue ribbon division. Louis, Marciano, Holmes, Tyson. An exalted list of greatness. Once in a generation fighters who destroyed their contemporaries and illuminated their respective eras. Something else unified those luminaries; the lack of a defining opponent.
Wladimir Klitschko, who turns 38 ahead of his next defence, is in the Autumn of a career even by today’s extended measure. Like those illustrious greats he finds himself searching for an opponent who will offer triumphant definition to his manicured statistics. Without one he is at risk of being remembered for a defeat to Lamon Brewster in 2004 or a slew of moribund victories similar to the one he will accrue in April when he tackles the over-matched Alex Leapai.
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Boxing: “Just wave Joe, you’re beautiful baby. God bless ya champ.”
Lennox Lewis simply isn’t celebrated enough. Now before you depart, mistaking this statement as a prelude to a tired hit-chasing argument about Lennox always beating Tyson – even in 1993 – or whooping Vitali in the never seen rematch, it points instead to his well timed retirement; faculties in tact, money safe and talent fulfilled.
Too few have the wisdom and foresight to resist the public or personal clamour to continue or, worst still, return. Great, good and those no more than game very rarely depart from boxing on their own terms, and if they do, they are frequently drawn back. Invited or not.
Joe Louis, for some the greatest heavyweight of all, was reduced to welcoming tourists to Caeser’s Palace before an equally humble turn as a wrestler and wrestling referee following his second retirement. For fifty years it remained the most visible and documented example of a fall from greatness. Until now.
Continue reading “Boxing: “Just wave Joe, you’re beautiful baby. God bless ya champ.””
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Boxing: Derry Across the Mercy; Mathews stops Crolla- Round by Round Report
Derry Mathews won the famous British Lightweight title tonight, stopping Anthony Crolla with just 4 seconds of the 6th round remaining. Referee John Keane jumping to the champion’s aide. Crolla felt the stoppage premature and with so little time until the round end and in the context of a championship fight I have some sympathy, but Mathews twice had his foe in trouble and on the canvas once too. I for one, would relish the prospect of watching a rematch. You will find hastily typed round by round coverage below.
Live, round by round coverage of the classic Lightweight clash between British champion Anthony Crolla and challenger Derry Matthews. Keep clicking refresh for round updates. Continue reading “Boxing: Derry Across the Mercy; Mathews stops Crolla- Round by Round Report”
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Boxing: Dickinson wins the English Cruiserweight title
John-Lewis Dickinson fulfilled the suspicions of those cute judges who felt he may have the qualities required to upset Matty Askin for the English Cruiserweight title tonight, defeating the champion by unanimous decision. The bout provided chief support to Anthony Crolla’s British Lightweight clash with Derry Mathews. Continue reading “Boxing: Dickinson wins the English Cruiserweight title”
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Boxing: Tyson Fury career lightest at 245 pounds
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Boxing: Haye, Ron Boddy and all that Chazz
September 10th 2004 was a seminal night in British Boxing. For the curious, this was the day David Haye learned the priceless lessons only defeat can impart in his stoppage loss to the venerable Carl Thompson. Without a loss at that juncture, one wonders if Haye would have rallied to hit the heights he did. Had the loss come later, it may have been too late for the rededication he employed post-Thompson. It was a memorable event for those in attendance too. My own enjoyment of proceedings was enhanced by a chance introduction to a stalwart observer of the fight game, and now regular on Steve Bunce’s BBC London show, Ron Boddy.
Continue reading “Boxing: Haye, Ron Boddy and all that Chazz”
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Boxing: DeMarcus gets the Corley never expected; disappointing for McCloskey
Continue reading “Boxing: DeMarcus gets the Corley never expected; disappointing for McCloskey”
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Boxing: Frank Warren – “It would be a tough fight but even if he got beat, so what?”
I cannot think of a statement of more significance, if it is upheld, than the one Frank Warren delivered to the BBC in his attempt to substantiate the suggestion Nathan Cleverly is being primed for a ‘unification’ fight with Bernard Hopkins later this year. Followers of the noble art are well versed in the model Warren usually employs in his promotion of an unbeaten fighter like Cleverly; offer the fighter every advantage through shrewd matchmaking via the vagaries of the WBO’s ranking system and home comforts while simultaneously tantalising the public with tales of forthcoming opponents. Continue reading “Boxing: Frank Warren – “It would be a tough fight but even if he got beat, so what?””
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Boxing: March of Time for Light-Welter and Welterweight veterans
It strikes me as strangely poetic that three of the most significant fighters of their generation should all be pursuing relevance and redemption this weekend. Erik Morales, Jose Luis Castillo and Zab Judah all hope to eek one last hurrah from their respective careers. Most notable is Morales’ attempt to defend the WBC’s Light-Welterweight belt, followed by Judah’s eliminator bout with Vernon Paris and lastly Castillo, who looked jaded 5 years ago against Ricky Hatton, mixing it up with Jose Miguel Cotto. The oldest among them, Castillo, will be furthest from the top of the bill. Continue reading “Boxing: March of Time for Light-Welter and Welterweight veterans”
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Boxing: Heavyweight Poll – Who will one of the Klitschko’s lose to first?
There are precious few negative descriptives left unemployed by those who try to define the current heavyweight scene. From the shallow to the lamentable, to the drab and forgettable the current crop of heavyweights and those still clinging to credibility from the last generation have largely all been exposed or dismantled at the hands of the Brothers Ukraine. Those thought to have the tools to upset their duopoly; Povetkin and Haye have proven lacking in the ability or willingness to execute the required strategy. So who will find a way to beat them? Continue reading “Boxing: Heavyweight Poll – Who will one of the Klitschko’s lose to first?”
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Boxing: In form and active; the path less trodden to the Klitschkos
Fifty-five thousand people gathered at the weekend to watch Wladimir Klitschko render the once proud Cruiserweight Champion of the World, Jean Marc-Mormeck, even more ineffective than those with some foresight believed he’d prove when the fight was signed. Size is not the only currency in the heavyweight division, it is important to remember Jess Willard, at 6ft 6 inches and 235 pounds, was pounded to defeat by Jack Dempsey and later Primo Carnera who weighed 270 pounds and was of comparably lofty perspective when Max Baer inflicted a similar drubbing. At nearly 40 years of age, inactive for 15 months and struggling to stretch the tape even to six feet, Mormeck was however, spectacularly unqualified for the adventure he signed up for. Continue reading “Boxing: In form and active; the path less trodden to the Klitschkos”
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Boxing: Bobby Gunn and James Toney in a room. Never going to be tea and biscuits.
It may surprise some readers to learn Bobby Gunn causes the biggest spike in readership whenever I cobble (do you see what I did there) together a news or opinion piece on the plucky prizefighter. Avoyd Mayweather holds nothing on the scrapper once spectacularly referred to as “the most ferocious fighter since Jack Dempsey”. The outlandishness of the claim further enhanced by the one round mauling at the fists of Enzo Maccarinelli that followed shortly after the words were uttered. Gunn also fought Tomasz Adamek for another portion of the Cruiserweight title, so his notoriety isn’t entirely hollow. I ducked any coverage of his bare-knuckle contests on principle but I must confess to a curious interest in his next bout following a heated press conference.
A clash with James Toney. Yes, the real one.
Continue reading “Boxing: Bobby Gunn and James Toney in a room. Never going to be tea and biscuits.”Share this:
Boxing: Povetkin still looking for the World but now without an Atlas.
Muhammad Ali was 32 years old when he Rumbled in the Jungle in 1974. His victory considered all the more miraculous given his veteran status and the power of youth presumed to reside with George Foreman. There are many who feel he should have retired at that zenith. How times change. On Saturday night another 32-year-old, Alexander Povetkin, he of the callow face and quiet demeanour, will belatedly try to step from the shadows of the brothers Ukraine. Continue reading “Boxing: Povetkin still looking for the World but now without an Atlas.”
