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Tyson Fury, Carl Froch & The British Boxing Scene: Flash Back, Fast Forward and Future History

By Donald C. Stewart

As Scotland gets ready to decide whether or not it wants to be part of the United Kingdom – they are having a referendum to decide in 2014 – we at RSR will attempt to bring unity where there is discord, hope where there is pain (Not much cos Boxing has a lot of pain and at times there aint too much hope) and clarity where there is confusion with a weekly look at what’s occurred – the flash back, what’s occurring – the fast forward and what will occur on the UK horizon – future history (c) Ali.

The first six months of the year have been nothing but eventful here in Britain. With the year of the Olympics in the UK as well as Her Majesty the Queen’s 60th Anniversary boxing could have had a quiet night in… instead it decided to have quite the riot!

Amir Khan 26-2, 18KO’s, nearly fought against Lamont Peterson before Petersen 30-1-1, 15 KO’s was outed as a cheat – apparently. The Khan camp thinks that Peterson should not have the belts he got in Washington. Feeling suddenly smug is a terribly British thing to feel! Khan will be back in the ring very soon.

Derrick Chisora 15-3, 9 KO’s and David Haye 25-2, 23 KO’s fought, then decided to fight again. The Luxembourg Board sanctioned the fight and set itself up to fight with the British Board. Then the British Board of Boxing Control started a fight with everyone involved in the fight. The promoter, Frank Warren then drew up the fighting lines with the British Board and fellow promoters. Then the European Boxing Union decided to threaten the Luxembourg Board with expulsion and they responded with… stuff you! (At least that is what I think they said!) Finally the WBA and the WBO have sanctioned the fight – the WBC aint interested. British boxing fans certainly are interested and the biggest fight in the recent past. We all hope it is more Haye-Valuev than Haye-Harrison…

So is there anything we missed or anything else we should be looking forward to?

FLASHBACK

The month of March was one full of promise and ended with some interesting results. As expected Wladimir Klitschko 57-3, 50 KO’s managed by a 4th round knockout to retain his WBA/IBF/WBO belts. Beating Jean-Marc Mormeck 36-5, 22 KO’s – a hyped up cruiserweight may have been seen as sending a message to another fighter that has been described thus – Mr. David Haye.

On the same evening Jamie McDonnell 19-2-1,8 KO’s beat Ivan Pozo 32-7-1,20 KO’s comfortably in another 4th round stoppage to take the European Bantamweight belt. A few defences and maybe that’s a name you will hear in the US before long.

One week later Scotland’s Ricky Burns 34-2, 9 KO’s retained that WBO lightweight title by unanimous decision against Paulus Moses 28-2, 19 KO’s. It was yet another accomplished performance that has seen Ricky being called out by Kevin Mitchell 33-1, 24 KO’s. Mitchell is an English fighter and former sparring partner of Burns. A trip across to the USA for Ricky has never been contemplated and the number of domestic fighters at lightweight at the cusp of a world title chance has clearly decreased the likelihood that Burns will travel.

Scotland’s other wee man – Scott Harrison 26-2-2, 15 KO’s got in the ring at last and managed a 4th round stoppage in his comeback fight against Gyorgy Mizsei JR., 7-1, 3 KO’s. Harrison managed an impressive return and has made it quite clear that he wants a World Title chance as soon as possible!

On the 18th, in Madison Square Gardens a brave Mathew Macklin 28-4, 19 KO’s failed to take The Ring Middleweight crown from Sergio Martinez 49-2-2, 28 KO’s. Although stopped in the 11th Macklin again put in a very creditable performance and would have headed confidently to the scoring had Martinez not just been too durable. After the Felix Sturm 37-1-2, 16 KO’s defeat Macklin might have been thought as being yesterday’s news but not so. This could lead to a third World title fight. One fighter looking for his first world title opportunity is Kell Brook 27-0, 18 KO’s. Brook defeated Mathew Hatton 42-6-2, 16KO’s comfortably by unanimous decision in Sheffield. This was a fight of domestic significance and Hatton’s 50th fight looked like a man heading closer to retirement. Brook is a special fighter and will be over quick enough to challenge everyone at Middleweight soon. This coming Saturday though – the 7th he has business to take care of!

Welsh Lightweight Gavin Rees 36-1-1, 17 KO’s went to Paris and came back with the European title having beaten Anthony Mezaache 21-6-3, 6 KO’s in the 7th round. On the same evening – the 23rd – Enzo Maccarinelli 35-5, 27KO’s claimed the British Cruiserweight title against Shane McPhilbin 8-3, 5KO’s by unanimous decision in Wolverhampton. Maccarinelli came back after some bad defeats so it was good to see the Welshman with his hand raised in victory. Meanwhile in Sheffield Gary Buckland 25-2, 8KO’s took the British Super-Featherweight title managing to overcome Paul Truscott 18-3, 3KO’s by unanimous decision. Finally in March we saw Brian Rose 20-1-1, 5KO’s take the British Lightweight title by beating Max Maxwell 15-11-3, 3 KO’s in Blackpool on the 31st. Rose then went on to defend his title against Kris Carslaw 15-2, 3KO’s.

April saw James DeGale 21-1, 9 KO’s defend his European super middleweight crown in Denmark with a fourth round stoppage against Christian Savana 45-6-1, 13 KO’s. It was a very creditable performance and puts DeGale’s career very much back on track and perhaps a rematch with Groves or a World title fight is round the corner.

On the same night in April – the 21st – Derry Mathews 30-6-1, 6 KO’s was in Liverpool beating Anthony Crolla 23-3, 9KO’s to take the British Lightweight belt. On the 27th, in the same city, Tony “Bomber” Bellew 17-1, 11 KO’s destroyed Danny McIntosh 13-3, 7 KO’sin the fifth round. One of Bellew’s eyes was certainly on Chad Dawson’s 31-1, 17 KO’s victory the following night and Bellew will be mentioned soon as the UK’s second Light Heavyweight World Champion if his progress continues.

On the 28th Billy Joe Saunders 14-0, 9 KO’s took the Commonwealth middleweight crown by first round stoppage.

May saw some incredible results for British boxing. Junior Witter 41-5-2, 22 KO’s took the British Welterweight belt against Colin Lynes 36-10, 12 KO’s. David Price 13-0, 11 KO’s demolished Sam Sexton 15-2, 6 KO’s who claimed that Price is a future World Heavyweight Champion. Darren Hamilton 12-2, 3 KO’s beat Ashley Theophane 31-5-1, 9 KO’s for the British Light Welterweight title whilst Carl Froch 29-2, 21KO’s took Lucian Bute 30-1, 24 KO’s apart in five rounds. It was an exceptional performance and one which had The Cobra back on track in ways you couldn’t imagine or predict. It was consummate. It was incredible. It was awe inspiring.

Of course it was in June that saw Billy Joe Saunders return to the ring to retain his Commonwealth belt whilst Brian Rose beat Kris Carslaw to retain his British Light Middleweight title. But that only tells part of the story of another explosive month. The rest of June was vibrant. On the 16th Scott Quigg 24-0-1, 17KO’s dramatically drew with Rendall Munroe 24-2-1, 10KO’s for the WBA interim Super Bantamweight title after a head clash in the 3rd round. Ryan Rhodes 46-6, 31KO’s was well beaten on the same bill by Sergey Rabchenko 21-0, 16KO’s for the vacant European Light Middleweight title.

FAST FORWARD

This weekend has a couple of crackers – on the Saturday (7th) we have Derrry Mathews and Gavin Rees in the ring for the British and European Lightweight titles. Kell Brook, on the same card, takes on Carson Jones 34-8-2, 24 KO’s for the IBF International Welterweight belt.

In Somerset, meanwhile Tyson Fury 18-0, 13 KO’s takes on Vinny Maddalone 35-7, 26 KO’s and Chris Eubank Jr 4-0 (Remember his dad?) is in with another journeyman to continue his development. Lee Haskins 25-2, 11KO’s will also take on Stuart Hall 12-1-1, 7 KO’s for the vacant European Bantamweight belt.

FUTURE HISTORY

July has the 14th in London and Derrick Chisora and David Haye…. oh and also… Amir Khan will be in Las Vegas for the WBC Light – welterweight crown against Danny Garcia 23-0, 14KO’s. One week later Jason Booth 36-9, 15 KO’s takes on Willie Casey 12-1, 8 KO’s for the WBO Intercontinental title in Sunderland, England.

A year ago we had riots on the streets of London. This year boxing has provided one in the ring at Upton Park, West Ham, London with Haye and Chisora… watch this space…

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