It isn’t Audley Harrison’s fault Martin Rogan has been forced to withdraw at the eleventh hour but there is an air of inevitability about the doom and gloom surrounding Harrison’s attempt at a comeback. Harrison cannot complain of his misfortune too much, he’s a wealthy man who has lost every fight of meaning in his professional career and aged 36 is very fortunate to be afforded the attention he still attracts. Continue reading “Audley Harrison and the search for a foe”
Don King signs Barrera, does it still matter?
In any consideration of those who transcended boxing over the past 30 years and found a place in the consciousness of the general public; Ali, Foreman and Tyson would surely stand head and shoulders above even Sugar Ray Leonard, Prince Naseem Hamed and Oscar DeLaHoya. Though not strictly a sporting figure, having never seen combat inside the ring, I think the man who stood between Ali and Foreman back in 1974 and who oversaw much of the money-making period of Mike Tyson’s career is arguably boxing’s fourth most recognisable face, Don King. Does this week’s signing of Barrera show an ebbing significance or the beginning of a renaissance for boxing’s most infamous promoter?
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August Fighter of the Month: Cedric Boswell
It may appear a theme or pattern is being established in the selection of the BoxingWriter.co.uk fighter of the month, the first winner Monte Barrett was selected for extinguishing the flicker of respect Tye Fields had ignited by rubbing the two sticks of his talent together and last month Antonio Margarito triumphed having snapped the unbeaten record of Miguel Cotto. August’s victor, Detroit born Cedric Boswell trumps Joshua Clottey for the most eye-catching performance of the month by destroying pampered heavyweight protege Roman Greenberg in two rounds. I had custard with my humble pie. Continue reading “August Fighter of the Month: Cedric Boswell”
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Green horn Greenberg dumped by Boswell
Having spent a great deal of Friday lampooning the American heavyweight picture and in particular Cedric Boswell, the 39-year-old recruited to provide a benchmark for Roman Greenberg’s often soporific progress as a heavyweight, it is with humility I report that the veteran, despite age, and the lack of anything other than a TKO defeat to Jameel McCline in 2003 on his record, proved too much for Greenberg.
Boswell demolished the highly touted prospect in the second round.
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Gammer succumbs to Pianeta and broken hand
Welsh hard-man Scott Gammer was forced to retire from his absorbing contest with German based prospect, Francesco Pianeta, due to a suspected broken hand. An injury he must have sustained very earlier in the fight as he threw precious few during the 8 completed rounds. It was particularly hard on the returning former British Heavyweight champion, as he looked well placed following 3 or 4 rounds to get the job done. Pianeta looked pleased not to be forced to accrue any further damage to his right eye, left damaged by Gammer’s meaty left hook.
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Archive: Holyfield ignores the lessons of King Canute
August 23rd 2005
Three years on from the first publication of this article on thesweetscience.com, its hard to comprehend that the career of Evander Holyfield should still be an active topic. He had been consigned to the scrap heap innumerable times already by 2005 and yet still steadfastly refused to yield to the dieing of the light. At the time of release the first formal steps to forcible retire the proud warrior had been taken, they proved pointless and rightfully so.
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Boxing: Greenberg, Boswell and the old smoke and mirrors trick
To casual fans of the sport in polite conversation in the office or across the pool table I can appear to know everything about boxing. Of course I don’t, in fact I can barely scratch the surface if really pushed on fighters of the modern era or times gone by in comparison with true boxing historians. I just appear, in comparison to those for whom boxing is a by-gone curiosity or a console game, to be the Obi-Wan Kenobi of the noble art. I state this to alleviate the disappointment I felt on realising Cedric Boswell would not be the dangerous watershed for Roman Greenberg I presumed he would.
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Guest: In Thailand, there is no PPV
“There is no such thing as bad publicity, except your own obituary.” Irish author Brendan Behan once wrote and despite his celtic roots suggesting a pre-disposition to the noble art, I’ve no idea where he stood on the great PPV debate. However, the announcement Amir Khan is to feature on the premium format has so enraged boxing’s keenest observers one wonders whether their collective outbursts has served only to further promote the show?. In the meantime, guest writer Oliver Fennell provides a stiff retort to Andrew Mullinder’s prose of yesterday from his new home in a far more humble Thailand.
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There is no such thing as a free punch; the PPV debate
Guest writer Andrew Mullinder comments on the furore surrounding the announcement Amir Khan’s next bout is to cost SKY subscribers an additional £14.99 to watch, despite featuring an unknown Colombian and lacking the global significance typically found at the core of most pay-per view contests. An astonishing step, and one Frank Warren appeared aware, looks opportunisitic and premature. Mullinder however, has grown a little tired of the boxing fans’ bluster and bleating about PPV and while it doesn’t have the withering zing of Terry Dooley’s article this morning, Andrew makes an interesting point. Continue reading “There is no such thing as a free punch; the PPV debate”
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Video of Amir Khan foe Breidis Prescott in action
I’ll not be indulging SKY next month, there is no hope what so ever of the satellite broadcaster’s flashy advertising campaigns convincing me that Amir Khan is a PPV attraction. Nor will I succumb to the overt and subliminal suggestion his opponent, Colombian Breidis Prescott, is a foe of such brilliance that to miss the PPV could mean I miss Khan being beaten. Continue reading “Video of Amir Khan foe Breidis Prescott in action”
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Boxing: Rugged Simpkin joins Prizefighter
I first saw Luke Simpkin fight in 2001 against future British title challenger John McDermott in, if memory serves, the walk-out bout on the Danny Williams v Kali Meehan show at Bethnal Green. Dogged and willful the bearded brawler belied his tender years and gave a solid account of himself against the then unbeaten Essex man. Britishboxing.net report the Derbyshire trier has replaced Ian Millarvie in the second installment of the Prizefighter series next month. Continue reading “Boxing: Rugged Simpkin joins Prizefighter”
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The Odd Couple: Oscar and Pacquaio meet Dec 6th
According to a number of reports this evening, tomorrow will bring the announcement Oscar De La Hoya is to spurn the physically bigger tests of Paul Williams, Sergio Mora and Antonio Margarito to face Filipino shark Manny Pacquiao on December 6th in his farewell fight. Mooted for several days, the clash had divided fans. The size disparity of the former Super-Flyweight (Pacquiao) and former Middleweight titlist (Oscar) bewilders cynics, but the strength of the potential PPV has proven too much to resist for both parties.
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Boxing: Acquiring a taste for Rocky Marciano
Rewind five years; amid the period of heavyweight history dominated by Lennox Lewis and Vitali Klitschko, with towering contenders like Jameel McCline, Wladimir Klitschko, Michael Grant, Henry Akinwande, Hasim Rahman, Nicolay Valuev and Andrew Golota and it was increasingly easy to dismiss the chances of bygone greats like Rocky Marciano and Gene Tunney, or even through to Joe Frazier, emerging victorious in any fantasy match-up. Continue reading “Boxing: Acquiring a taste for Rocky Marciano”
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Golota v Briggs in Poland?
Polish boxing site, www.boxingnews.pl, is reporting colourful heavyweight veterans Andrew Golota and 
Shannon Briggs are set to clash in October on the under-card of Tomasz Adamek‘s next fight. My Polish is a little rusty, i.e. non-existent but that seems to be the thrust of the piece. Its an intriguing contest and while of only peripheral significance to the main heavyweight picture, Golota is never more than one knockout away from a world-title shot.
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Moore’s mythical shot becomes reality
Precious few fighters boast the universal respect afforded to blue-collar banger Jamie Moore. The Salford Light-Middleweight is one of British boxing’s most well-respected professionals and the news his challenge to Zaurbek Baysangurov for the European title at 154 pounds has finally been confirmed will be widely welcomed. Delayed by Moore’s career threatening shoulder injury and a late nose injury to the champion back in December, the fight began to sound like an urban legend – everyone talked about it, but nobody could prove it was real.
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Awkward as ever, Junior Witter speaks out
Defining Junior Witter’s style has stumped greater minds than mine. Unorthodox is the ubiquitous descriptive and through generic, probably the most accurate. The former WBC Light-Welterweight champion is almost impossible to pigeon-hole, once the slippery, pitter-patter runner he blossomed into a destructive two fisted puncher but threw in enough disjointed performances to never fully engage the Yorkshire public or television audiences. Now as a former, rather than current World champion the one thing he is, without fear of contradiction, is avoidable. Continue reading “Awkward as ever, Junior Witter speaks out”
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Venerable Manuel Medina fights on
For all the criticism I aim at the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones and Evander Holyfield for their unwillingness to accept the passing of time and talent and for all the disappointment I feel hearing Marco Antonio Barrera and Chris Byrd are set to return to action it conversely provides great comfort to learn plucky veteran Manuel Medina is still performing close to his best well into his thirties. James Toney and Vitali Klitschko may garner more attention but neither has contested the number of world-titles the 37 year old Mexican has.
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Valuev v Ruiz II; Impossible to miss
It may seem condescending or ungracious to suggest Nicolay Valuev is a hard fighter to ignore, or perhaps overlook. At 7ft and over 300lbs the Russian is a man of almost mythical proportions but even though his contest with America’s John Ruiz is very unlikely to induce high-blood pressure moments, I will find the broadcast impossible to ignore. Continue reading “Valuev v Ruiz II; Impossible to miss”
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Chunky Gold Medina; Degale to go pro?
James Degale’s success in the Beijing Olympics has left the young Londoner with a difficult decision to make about his fistic future. Capitalise on his gold medal and accept one of the presumably numerous offers from promoters trying to tempt him into the professional sport, or hold on until 2012 to try and repeat the triumph in his hometown. Continue reading “Chunky Gold Medina; Degale to go pro?”
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I’ve tried, Oscar, but Paul Williams doesn’t excite me
Much though there is to admire in Oscar De LaHoya’s glistening career and despite the perfect role model he represents for any aspiring pugilist his status as boxing’s Golden Boy, and the enormous cheques his crossover appeal allows him to accept and write, is beginning to leave me a little nauseous. Oscar isn’t the Light-Middleweight champion, nor is he a Welterweight titleist – you need to go back to 2002-2003 for the last time he won and defended a belt – and yet he remains the ultimate goal of every fighter from 130 to 160 pounds. With this financial luster comes responsibility. One he will ignore if he opts for Paul Williams.
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Klitschko persistence; Peter in October
Vitali Klitschko, 37, was never a great fighter. He certainly wasn’t a great heavyweight champion. In fact, I’d go further I’d say he was a poor heavyweight champion and little more than a mediocre fighter. Like many in the curious, contrary world of boxing his repute grew more in gritty defeat to an ageing Lennox Lewis than in any of his victories, of which I would struggle to summon a single performance of historic significance.
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Price dumped out of Olympics
Big David Price, all 6ft 8 of him, took two standing 8 counts and failed to score in his semi final contest with Italian Roberto Cammarelle. Price appeared to land more than one scoring shot but without the clarity for the five ringside observers to press their blue buttons together. Bronze remains a solid achievement for the giant Brit but for once aggression and combination punching prevailed. The Italian, the betting favourite according to the BBC’s Jim Neilly, was the more aggressive, positive fighter from the first bell.
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Boxing: Usain Bolt, Muhammad Ali and the impossible comparison
The astonishing performances of Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt broke the consciousness of almost the entire population of the world this week. Only the Olympics and perhaps the football World Cup offer such global exposure [alas the heavyweight championship has long lost this broad appeal], and though I doubt he could run backwards as fast as his contemporaries in the Olympic boxing ring, the question of his place amongst the greats of the track is unquestionable. The clock doesn’t lie. Bolt is faster than anyone who ever lived. Such cross generation comparison in boxing, provides no such clarity.
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Guest Article: A score needs settling in the Olympic ring
Guest writer Andrew Mullinder gets hot under the collar about the peculiarities and weaknesses of scoring in Amateur boxing, suggesting the quest to eradicate the blatant favouritism displayed in Seoul 88 has actually diluted the sport to such an extent it has become little more than a be-gloved version of fencing. As always, Andrew thinks its time somebody did something about it.
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Guest Article: Mayweather’s retirement a pretty pass
Guest writer Andrew Mullinder muses on Floyd Mayweather’s potentially misleading pristine professional record and the less public statistics that strongly suggest he truly is the once in a lifetime fighter he proclaims to be. Either way, Andrew suggests, his recent retirement is both frustrating and deserved.
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Pitt and Aniston, Charles and Diana, now Hatton and Graham…it happens to ’em all in the end
Avert your gaze from boxing for too long and the constants, the equilibrium on which your perspective of the sport was founded can quickly be disconnected and deconstructed. The notion that the gnarled, sinewy frame of gravel-voiced trainer Billy Graham will no longer be strapped into the renown body belt (pictured left) for 15 rounds of torment from Ricky Hatton is hard to believe. OK, Graham and Hatton were never Morecombe and Wise, but together they’ve moulded and tuned Hatton’s natural physical prowess and thirst for combat to make both wealthy and respected. Curious timing? Perhaps. Continue reading “Pitt and Aniston, Charles and Diana, now Hatton and Graham…it happens to ’em all in the end”
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Mayweather, Lennox, Hamed, Hopkins; you can never win.
A few disparate references got me thinking this week. First it was the retirement of 
Floyd Mayweather, brought into sharper focus by this weekend’s Welterweight face off between Cotto and Margarito, then it was a YouTube compilation of Prince Naseem getting battered from pillar to post with super slow-mo’s to make the former Featherweight king look like a clown. And finally, it was the news Bernard Hopkins, the veteran determined not to fight beyond 40 to keep a promise to his mother, apparently signing to fight Kelly Pavlik just shy of his 45th birthday. Too early, too late, boxing fans will crucify you either way.
Continue reading “Mayweather, Lennox, Hamed, Hopkins; you can never win.”
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“Verbal contracts aren’t worth the paper they’re written on”
Voicing an opinion without concrete foundation on a legal case involving Frank Warren is rather like smothering your tongue in honey, sticking your head in a bees nest and trying to sing “Are you lonesome tonight”, bottom line is, you’re going to get stung. With that reality in mind, I’ll tip-toe through the news he has brought a case against departed superstar Joe Calzaghe for Breach of Contract.
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Welter Wars: A New Hope
The thrust of the following piece is flawed. I’ll concede that before I begin. 
A post Mayweather era only exists in a world where the Pretty Boy is genuinely retired, like most observers I cannot accept the sport’s most gifted exponent will fail to push his frail hands inside leather gloves at least once more. A man with the self adorned ‘Money’ moniker will find it hard to resist the whisper of the millions his return would generate in 2009. But for now a new Welterweight dawn has broken and boy is it starting with a belter.
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Hope grows for Froch v Pascal
A quick note to connect up the stories and theories currently swirling around the Super-Middleweight division. Interesting to record Jean Pascal has withdrawn from the purse process for his proposed fight with Karoly Balzsay for the Interim WBO title – the belt Calzaghe is porbably keenest to remain custodian of. As mentioned in conversation on Steve Bunce’s boxing hour on Setanta, Pascal is the next most likely opponent for Carl Froch if the much maligned preference of Lou DiBella and HBO to match Jermain Taylor with Jeff Lacy comes to pass. Continue reading “Hope grows for Froch v Pascal”
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