This Week’s Boxing With Donald C Stewart
Full Stop
Embed from Getty ImagesBy DONALD C STEWART (@CommuneArts)
There is positivity aplenty coming from Ricky Burns’ camp as he moves up to 140lbs and light welterweight. There are continued reports that he is looking slick and sharp in the gym but his performances in the ring don’t yet reflect that.
We all hope that the Rickster will carry that form from his training camp into fights as he starts his quest to be Scotland’s first three weight world champion.
It has to be said that his last few fights have been disappointing because of his performance and because he is held with such affection.
Embed from Getty ImagesOne man without a say is apparently Tyson Fury. As some mothers are apt to tell you, if you have nothing positive to say… say nothing at all.
An example of this could be Fury attending the latest press conference to promote his rematch with Derrick Chisora and having his mouth taped up.
In protest at the British Board of Boxing Control who fined him £15,000 for his foul mouthed rant at the last conference he has taken offence himself.
Unfortunately the tape and the stunt will wear thin on a fight that is NOT getting the same attention as other rematches.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt certainly is not getting the same press as the Nathan Cleverly/Tony Bellew contest that is now due to be in Liverpool at the end of November.
It had been suggested that the fight would have been in Sheffield on the undercard of Kell Brook’s first defence but Brook’s stabbing abroad has put paid to that.
As one fight is made another seems to be falling apart.
The Chris Eubank Jr/Billy Joe Saunders fight was due to be on the Fury/Chisora undercard but when Eubank did not turn up for a press conference with Frank Warren confusion reigned.
Saunders sent out a warning and a deadline for Eubank to sign; Eubank ignored it and says he won’t be rushed by no one no how…
There is certainly no rush to get back in the gym for Kell Brook – apart from, from Brook himself. Reporting on his boxer’s recovery, Eddie Hearn has suggested that Brook will be resuming light training within the month.
Brook was supposed to be having a warm up defence of his IBF welterweight belt in Sheffield this year but being assaulted as he was has clearly put paid to that.
It may mean that UK fight fans will get to see Brook face Amir Khan in February/March. Hearn is confident that this match will be made and that Khan will be fighting AFTER he has fought Floyd Mayweather…
Heartily congratulations are to be expressed in the general direction of the British, European, Commonwealth and now IBF Youth Champion, Kid Galahad.
Unsurprisingly this super bantamweight superstar has just been anointed young boxer of the year. He has spoken of his next target being either Carl Frampton or Scott Quigg – both of whom he claims he would beat in the same night…
In terms of title fights domestically one of the ones under the radar has to be the British and Commonwealth scrap between Matty Askin and Ovill McKenzie.
McKenzie is having a bit of a renaissance just now but Askin not only believes he can beat him but he also has vowed to stop him in the process. On the 25th October in Liverpool we shall find out…
Finally as I reported last week boxer Jerome Wilson was in a bad way and in hospital following being knocked out. It is good to hear that he has awoken from his medically induced coma and is aware of what is going on around him.
Flash Back
Embed from Getty ImagesAs if the super bantamweight division was not exciting enough the new young boxer of the year, Kid Galahad remained unbeaten against Adeilon Dos Santos to take the IBF youth title.
It is now added to the British, Commonwealth and European titles he holds. His target is now for a world title fight against Scott Quigg or Carl Frampton.
The IBF international middleweight strap went to Adam Etches who stopped Samir Santos Barbosa in the third round. Etches is from Ricky Hatton’s stable and he should start to see his name mentioned in line for more serious titles in the months ahead.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhilst all of that was going off in Sheffield we were treated to the major show at Wembley.
George Groves returned to the ring and to the world stage as he beat Christopher Rebrasse for the European and WBC Silver middleweight titles.
There was a bit of panto afterwards when Groves suggested that he could beat Carl Froch in a third contest but the serious way in which Groves went about the business against a very game Frenchman in Rebrasse means he is now the WBC mandatory and looks like he will be Andre Dirrell’s next opponent.
That would be step up from Rebrasse, but not unlike a Froch fight, Groves believes he is destined for it.
Also at Wembley super featherweight Khalid Yafai stopped Herald Molina in the second whilst lightweights Martin Joseph Ward and Luke Campbell both got stoppages. Ward beat Kakhabar Avetisian in the eighth whilst Campbell stopped Krzystof Szot in the seventh.
In Kilmarnock super featherweight Ryan Collins lost to Abdon Cesar on points which was not on the cards, lightweight Ryan Smith beat Yousef Al Hamadi on points over four rounds, whilst welterweight Michael Jameson got his third professional win over Luke Kelahar on points, bantamweight Scott McCormack matched him with his own professional third win over Robbie Forster on points and lightweight Jamie McGuire was in the fight of the night apparently, triumphing over Brad Botham on points.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn York Hall the WBA intercontinental welterweight belt went to Bradley Skeete who stopped Leandro Mendes Punto in the second round of a scheduled ten.
Last Sunday, in Cleland, we had a massive shock as super middleweight Kenny Davidson was stopped in the fourth round to Borislav Zankov. This was not in the script and Davidson looked shocked – as were the rest in the hall.
In the rest of the bill, light middleweight Lee Gallacher beat Danny Simpson on points, light middleweight Rhys Pagan dispatched Samet Hyuseinov on points and welterweight Lee Redpath got a points victory over late replacement Kristian Laight.
Fast Forward
Embed from Getty ImagesThis Saturday in Kiel, Germany we have the WBA super middleweight showdown between Arthur Abraham and Paul Smith.
Smith has worked hard to get into contention and there is no doubt he deserves a shot. Of all the super middleweight world title holders, Abraham is the weakest so Smith is in the ring with a tremendous chance.
Why is it then that most people are not so sure that Smith will win? I remember tipping Kell Brook to fail in his world title attempt because I thought he was too inexperienced and I got it spectacularly wrong.
I have to say that I have that same feeling again and once again, hope against all hope that I am wrong – spectacular or not. Whether it will be the German judges or an inability to stop Abraham I expect Smith to fall just short.
Many predict that Abraham will win by a stoppage in the later rounds as his superior experience shall tell; I struggle to disagree.
On the same night, in York Hall super middleweight Lee Markham is expected to have a tough fight but get past Bradley Pryce for the vacant British Gold Masters title.
In Bedworth the long awaited and much anticipated super featherweight battle between Troy James and Scotland’s own Ronnie The Shark Clark takes place. All eyes from Scotland are on a Shark attack!
There are also 13 contests in Liverpool on Saturday evening.
The following night on Sunday at Whitwick we have the super middleweight contest between Samir Smyle and Cello Renda. Smyle is my pick for this.
Next Friday, the 3rd of October, in Queensferry there are 8 bouts, whilst in Birmingham, 3.
Future History
Saturday 4th October
Kent
We have the light heavyweight clash between Bob Ajisafe and Travis Dickinson for the British title, the EBU light welterweight battle between Chaquib Fadli and Lenny Daws and the heavyweight battle between Eddie Chambers and Marcelo Luis Nascimento
Leeds
EBU featherweight battle between Josh Warrington and Davide Deili, the Commonwealth light welterweight title on the line for Dave Ryan who has stepped up to fight Tyrone Nurse, light middleweight Brian Rose takes on Juan Manuel Bonanni, cruiserweight Stephen Simmons will face Courtney Richards, Ricky Burns is back in the ring at his new weight – light welterweight – against Esteban Gonzalez and light middleweight Callum Smith is in the ring to fight for the WBC international super middleweight title whilst David Brophy has a super middleweight fight all of his own
Cannock
5 bouts
Belfast
11 contests
Sunday 5th
Derby
10 fights
Monday 6th
Glasgow
Light middleweight Mike Towell, welterweight Gary Murray and the debut of Connor Law
Friday 10th
London
1 fight…
Saturday 11th
02 Arena
Anthony Joshua v Denis Bakhtov for the WBA international heavyweight belt; featherweight Lee Selby v Joel Brunker; WBA international middleweight contest between John Ryder and Sergey Khomitsky
York Hall
13 fights
Bristol
2 fights
Sunday 12th
Gisburn
2 fights
South Shields
English super flyweight title contest – Anthony Nelson v Terry Broadbent
Saturday 18th
Manchester
7 contests
Southampton
7 fights
Friday 24th
Merthyr Tydfil
12 fights
Wolverhampton
Welterweight Frankie Gavin will be in the ring
Cheltenham
2 fights
Saturday 25th October
Middleton
5 contests
Hull
We have Gavin McDonnell v Vusi Malinga for the WBA international super bantamweight title and Luke Campbell v Daniel Eduardo Brizueia for the WBC intercontinental lightweight belt
York Hall
13 contests
Liverpool
It’s a massive night with –
Zolat Tete v Paul Butler for the IBF super flyweight belt
Derry Matthews v Adan Dingsdale for the WBA intercontinental lightweight belt
Ovill McKenzie v Matty Askin for the British and Commonwealth cruiserweight belts
Valery Yanchy v Kevin Satchell for the EBU flyweight belt
Also light welterweight contest between Tom Stalker and Chris Jenkins, middleweight contest between Chris Eubank Jr and Billy Joe Saunders – if it is still on – and the IBF intercontinental light middleweight belt on the line for Liam Smith
Sunday 26th
Plymouth
5 contests
