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 Interesting to record Jean Pascal has withdrawn from the purse process for his proposed fight with Karoly Balzsay for the Interim WBO title – the belt Calzaghe is porbably keenest to remain custodian of.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”
Boxing: Broken men; Froch and Lacy
As children, we all pushed our noses to the shop windows, whether it be sweets, a BMX or a Scalectrix set. 
We’ve all steamed up the glass to try and get closer to our dream. Poor old Carl Froch must still feel like the child on the wrong side of the glass watching the rich kids tucking into mountains of Fruit Salads, Gobstoppers and Coconut mushrooms. Despite a long unbeaten record, status as the WBC number one contender and victories over peripheral players like Brian Magee, Robin Reid, Henry Porras and Matthew Barney he remains sweet less, friendless and excluded in the Super-Middleweight scene. The news Jeff Lacy laboured to another points victory last night will not have cheered the spirits of the confident puncher. Continue reading “Boxing: Broken men; Froch and Lacy”
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Standing room only; the Calzaghe bandwagon
The only thing quicker than Joe Calzaghe’s fists on Saturday night, aside from how quickly one could predict the outcome of the entire under card, was the alacrity post-fight pundits demonstrated hoisting the Welshmen from ‘over-protected’, ‘unfulfilled veteran’ to ‘all-time great’. I cannot extract myself entirely from the criticism of such unsavoury haste having maligned Calzaghe more than once for the injuries and timid matchmaking that wasted much of his youth. I was never guilty of saying he couldn’t fight though. Continue reading “Standing room only; the Calzaghe bandwagon”
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Calzaghe Hungrier Than Ever
Doubts about Calzaghe’s hunger for competition as he approaches his 36th birthday were at least partially dispelled today as he weighed in over a pound under the 168 pound limit. A limit the WBO and Ring champion has spent seven years complaining is very hard for him to squeeze his six foot frame into. Kessler, need to strip naked – save the tattoos – to make the limit having originally weighed 2 ounces over. Continue reading “Calzaghe Hungrier Than Ever”
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Slowly, slowly catchy monkey; Froch still wants Calzaghe
It would be hard to conjure an argument against Carl Froch’s merits as a fighter. Hard-hitting, good selection of shots, fit, brave with quick hands. On the evidence this far, he’s a rounded contender and a stand-out challenger for the winner of Joe Calzaghe and Mikkel Kessler’s clash tomorrow night. But I can’t help thinking I’ve been hearing how good Froch is for an awfully long time.
Continue reading “Slowly, slowly catchy monkey; Froch still wants Calzaghe”
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Final Step For Calzaghe?
One of the finest fighters of his generation and certainly, one of the most unflinchingly dedicated professionals boxing has ever produced, Joe Calzaghe enters the ring on Saturday to complete the final step in his decade long journey to unify the Super-Middleweight division. It has been a long time coming for the 35 year old. Continue reading “Final Step For Calzaghe?”
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Best of Big Fight Live: Michael Watson, the forgotten gem
A rare treat on ITV4 last night, Jim Rosenthal and Barry McGuigan hosted a wander down memory lane. Using footage from ITV’s impressive archives, action from Hagler v Hearns, Mark Kaylor, Benn, Eubank, Tyson and Hamed were inter-spersed with ‘talking head’ contributions from Colin Hart, John Rawling, Duke McKenzie, a very nervous Ron Lewis from the Times and most treasured of all, Reg Gutteridge. I miss Reg’s wisdom on the mic. However, for me, the biggest thrill was being reminded of Michael Watson’s excellence. Continue reading “Best of Big Fight Live: Michael Watson, the forgotten gem”
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Come Back and Finish What You Started
Don’t leave me hanging on, hanging on. As the song goes.
On Saturday night Runcorn veteran Robin Reid returns to competitive action against Jesse Brinkley, the former Contender contestant, on the Newcastle bill that pits British fighters against Contender series fighters later this month. It hurts me to describe the former WBC World Champion as a veteran, mainly because it reminds me that the first generation of fighters to whom I gravitated as a younger fan are all but retired – Lewis, Benn, Prince Naseem, Watson, my beloved Herol, ‘Sweet C’ McMillan they’re all gone.
This fight now represents the last hurrah for the 36-year-old as he seeks to squeeze either paydays or meaning from the last embers of his career.
Continue reading “Come Back and Finish What You Started”
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