RingSide Report

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British Boxing News: Amir Khan, Audley Harrison, Olympic Boxing and MORE

By Donald C. Stewart

Audley Harrison 28-5, 21KO’s is back! Liverpool Heavyweight David Price 13-0, 11KO’s has announced that he will put his British and Commonwealth straps on the line for a dust up with Harrison in October at the Liverpool Echo Arena.

Following his announcement that he may be looking at changing trainers, Amir Khan 26-3, 18KO’s has heard that Welsh trainer Enzo Calzaghe would be willing to help out. The father of former World Title Holder, Joe Calzaghe has offered his services whilst promoting his film! Following his son’s retirement Enzo let his licence lapse and wrote, directed and cast his son in a low budget boxing film. Stitched Up has now been produced for public consumption so Enzo has got his licence back and is available to help young Khan get back in his grove! Khan has yet to respond.

Calzaghe may need to get into the ring with young Khan soon as Amir believes it is still possible that he could get a rematch with Danny Garcia 24-0, 15KO’s for December. The Garcia camp has announced a rematch – with Erik Morales 52-8, 36KO’s for October! If Khan had needed any encouragement that things may not always be what they seem in the boxing world then the Klitschko camp could provide it. Wladimir told Sky Sports this week that, after months of denials, put downs and silence there actually have been negotiations ongoing with David Haye 26-2, 24KO’s for a bust up in Germany – this time in the ring!

FLASHBACK

Last weekend over in Belfast, Kiko Martinez 27-3, 19KO’s won on points over 6 rounds against Dougie Curran 5-14, 2KO’s. It served as a decent warm up for the Frampton EBU bout in September which will be in a different venue, but in the same city! In Newport, Gary Buckland 26-2, 8KO’s also put up a decent show in preparation for his title fight in October for the British Super Featherweight title against Stephen Foster 30-3-1, 18KO’s by beating Innocent Anyanwa 21-5-2, 13KO’s on points over 8 rounds. Worrying though for Buckland was the count he was given in the 6th!

FAST FORWARD

This coming weekend sees Francisco Sierra 25-5-1, 22KO’s Vs George Groves 14-0, 11KO’s in the States. The unbeaten Super Middleweight has not fought in some months and needs the exercise! His promoter Frank Warren has also announced Groves will fight again – in September as a headliner against an unnamed opponent. It is likely to be new rival Kenny Anderson 17-1, 12KO’s! This will be a stern test for Groves, but we in the UK think he should come back having impressed everyone Stateside and clearly he is seen as a potential prospect in the States.

It’s Olympics time! This coming weekend is the start of the men’s boxing. Although no medals will be won this coming week the bouts will sort out the wheat from the chaff. The British Olympic squad has been highly praise and the results from four years ago – from there came Nathan Cleverly 24-0, 11KO’s, James DeGale 12-1, 9KO’s and David Price – has heaped some pressure on the UK boxers. This is where the British boxers will be fighting – apologies for the UK bias – we will update on the Rest of the World as things progress…. promise! Note though that countries were limited to the numbers of boxers that could be entered into the competition. It means that each country will not be able to compete at every weight category – hence the gaps!

Saturday 28th July
Bantamweight (56kg)

In Bantamweight Luke Campbell has been given a bye into the last 16 to meet either Namibian Jonas Matheus or Italian Jahyn Parrinello.

Middleweight (75kg)

Middleweight and media starlet, Anthony Ogogo has it tough – though it is an Olympics! – with a first round fight against Dominican Junior Castillo and then World Champion Ukranian Levgen Khtrov awaiting!

Sunday 29th July
Lightweight (60kg)

Lochend Lightweight, and Scotland’s only representation on the GB Boxing Team has the toughest of all draws. He has Brazilian Robson Conceicao in the first round and then former World Champion Italian Domenico Valentino in the last 16 if he gets through.

Welterweight (69kg)

Welterweight Fred Evans has a tough first round against Algerian Ilyas Abbadi to progress to the last 16.

Monday 30th July
Flyweight (52kg)

In the Flyweight category, Andrew Selby has been given a bye in the first round, so he will be in the last 16 to face either Sweden’s Salamo Ntuve or Kazakhstan’s Ilayan Suleimenov.
 Light Heavyweight (81kg)
No British boxer this time round!

Tuesday 31st July
Light flyweight (49kg)

No British boxer this time round!

Light Welterweight (64kg)

At Light Welterweight Thomas Stalker is awaiting either Indian Manoi Kumar or Turkmenistan’s Serdar Hudayberdiyev in the last 16.

Wednesday 1st August
Heavyweight (91kg)

No British boxer this time round!

Super Heavyweight (+91kg)

Principal amongst the highly lauded fighters is Super Heavyweight Anthony Joshua. He has been handed an exceptionally tough start – against a Cuban! 2008 World Youth Champion, Erislandy Savon will be his opponent, nephew of Olympic legendary fighter Felix Savon. Joshua, a late starter at boxing – at age 18 just after the Beijing Olympics – is already a World silver medallist so his pedigree ought to see him through to the next round.

FUTURE HISTORY

With the Olympics in August and the UK Boxing season taking a breather as it stops for the month there is not much on the horizon except some decent fixing for the future going on. Principal amongst these are the announcements of a new Prizefighter for October 6th. Gary Sykes 20-2, 5KO’s and Derry Mathews 30-7-1, 16KO’s will headline the Lightweights competition and this is the second time they have fought on the same Prizefighter bill. They were present in the November 2010 edition of the Super Featherweights Prizefighter though neither won that. Once again, following the format that was agreed in Belfast there will be a Championship bout on in the same arena at the same time but this time round it will be for a domestic belt – keep coming back to find out what!

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