RingSide Report

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By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

As easy as 1, 2, 3 or A, B, C here we have what happened, what is about to happen and what is due to happen in the boxing world from the perspective of a fan with a laptop, in the heart of Scotland. Three fights, all being talked about and talked up and not all for obvious reasons.

Flash Back – Ringside Report’s Rear View Mirror – one fight from the week past from a Scottish angle (Look it up on a map…)

UK – biggest and most notable – what should be the biggest news in the UK boxing scene.

Saturday 21st January 2023

In Manchester, Chris Eubank Jr L Liam Smith KO4.

In the end, it was the Smith family who walked away happy. The Eubanks seemed to have left Junior at the venue and forgotten to turn up as he walked to the ring alone, fought without his father in his corner and then shook the hands of the Smith family after offering congratulations, without an entourage. It was a classy end to one of the biggest and ugliest fight weeks for some time.

Chris Eubank Jr rolled the dice and lost his way, whilst the story of the fight was simple. Liam Smith took the first round in what was a cagey opening. Eubank and Smith probably shared the second and then Eubank took control of the third. At the end of the third, all those people suggesting Eubank would dominate the early rounds were content to see that this looked like it was about to happen: but it didn’t.

In the fourth, and final round of the fight, Smith caught Eubank and wobbled him, leaving him on the floor. Eubank got up, danced across the canvas and was ready to go again. His legs were not. Looking for all the world like they belonged to somebody else, listening to mood music in a lift rather than the crowd in a sold-out arena, Eubank was pounced upon by Smith and finished.

The crowd rose, the atmosphere built to a crescendo and we all nodded sagely. What we saw was possible, but we had thought, unlikely. It was a potential result, but not in this way. Those of us who were hoping for a Smith win, thought Eubank would take the first five or six and then gas. Smith would head in to nick it and as long as the twelfth was not overly dangerous, a points win would be sweet. Nobody saw a stoppage of Eubank by Smith.

But boxing, eh?

My View

Having battled verbally, with Smith questioning Eubank’s sexuality, and Eubank questioning Smith’s marital fidelity, this had all the hallmarks of a grudge match. It did not ignite into that type of fight because it was over so quickly. They hugged, exchanged words and apologies and the world spun on.

Inevitably, a rematch was mentioned as there is a rematch clause. People shook their heads and asked more questions. Was there an appetite for one? This was a convincing win. Would Eubank not have to work towards redemption in some other way? Could he be bothered? Was his world title dream over? Should he retire?

As for Smith, the rematch clause, though contractually unavoidable, harbors other dangers. He would love a massive headlining fight at the soccer stadium of his beloved Liverpool – Anfield. There are some great Liverpudlian boxers who would be added in support. It would be a tremendous night in a fantastic fighting city. But against who? Eubank Jr. again? Kell Brook coming out of retirement? GGG? The answer is probably, whichever brings Smith the most money at the tail end of his career.

But then came a suggestion that Smith used an elbow in the attack, which had first floored Eubank, and this had scrambled him into a place where an ending was in sight for Smith. The accusation is, that Smith used an illegal tactic for which he should have been disqualified. Eubank, at time of writing, was thinking about an appeal to the British Boxing Board of Control.

Aye, boxing…

Fast Forward – the week to come as viewed from one side of the Atlantic

UK – biggest and most notable – what should be the biggest news in the UK boxing scene

Saturday 28th January

In Wembley, BT Sport have light heavyweight Anthony Yarde in against Artur Beterbiev for the IBF, WBC and WBO titles.

Artur Beterbiev lost twice in the amateurs – once being the last time he fought in London – and both times to Oleksandr Usyk. He has never lost in the professional ring. He has never been taken the distance in the professional ring so, of his 18 opponents, all 18 have been stopped.

Anthony Yarde hardly boxed as an amateur. He has lost twice as a professional – once to an ageing Sergei Kovalev and once to Lyndon Arthur in a domestic bust up he since avenged. Of the two, his opponents hardly register against those of Beterbiev.

There are quite a few who think this is a mismatch.

But Yarde has tremendous faith. His training, unconventional to say the least, does not apparently include weights or sparring. He has youth and has fantastic speed, which adds to the accuracy he possesses to make him dangerous. Beterbiev is just a beast. Yarde has said that he shall be too quick for Beterbiev and outbox and outsmart him. For that, he has to be lucky all the time, Beterbiev needs luck just once; to catch him cleanly.

My View

There are very few, if any outside of Yarde’s training camp, who think he can do it. Beterbiev is 38 and he has been idle for 7 months. Those facts are nowhere near good enough to make this a fight worth watching for an upset. I cannot see past Beterbiev, and the problem is that Yarde’s training regime has been constantly questioned because it is not just unique but eschewed by almost every other trainer. Fair play to Yarde, however, he has really managed to work his way into this position with some skill. However, his loss to Lyndon Arthur saw a disinterested but able boxer try and stroll through someone who was better than he expected. Judging by some of the things being said in fight week, it could be argued that Yarde may be repeating that mistake. This, I do not think gets beyond halfway. My attention shall therefore be on the undercard where another light heavyweight, Scot Willy Hutchinson returns!

Future History – and the week to follow…

UK – biggest and most notable – what should be the biggest news in the UK boxing scene

Saturday 4th February

In Madison Square Gardens, featherweight Amanda Serrano seeks to break more records against Erika Cruz Hernandez for the IBF, IBO, WBC, WBA and WBO titles. We also have super featherweight Alycia Baumgardner up against Elhem Mekhaled for their IBF, IBO, WBC, WBA and WBO titles!

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