David Haye, Dereck Chisora, Carl Froch & British Boxing Review
By Donald C. Stewart
British boxing will over this weekend and beyond pick itself up and try and show the world that it is worthy of well… something. Last weekend it brought the lights, cameras and even tripods crashing down about the ears of the world media but this weekend it’s mainly domestic rather than a world stage on which it is licking its wounds.
What the controversy surrounding Dereck Chisora 15-3, 9 KO’s, versus David Haye in a bar did was to mask some of the controversy that followed Carl Froch’s 28-2, 20 KO’s, alleged revelation that he had prolonged a Commonwealth fight so that his family could win money on him…. Mind you apparently… or allegedly… the Klitschkos have been making a killing on money from ad breaks during their fights so … which is it that is the worst offense… making money from your family betting on you or money off the commerce of prolonging a fight to get as many ad breaks as possible.
We can start to look forward in the heavyweight field as former Prizefighter winner, Martin Rogan 14-2,7 KO’s, will take on British heavyweight sensation – a genuine one – Tyson Fury 17-0, 12 KO’s, in Belfast. Fury has given up the Commonwealth and British belts this month so this is a curiosity fight and one that should lead to Fury being touted as a world title contender if he escapes unscathed. The fight is due on the 14th of April. The Commonwealth and British titles meanwhile will be decided between Sam Sexton 15-2, 6 KO’s, and David Price 12-0, 10 KO’s, sometime before the end of June this year.
Also fighting in Belfast, this time on the 5th May, is Paul McCloskey 23-1, 12 KO’s, who wants to get back to pressing for a World title shot as he takes on Julio Diaz 38-7,27 KO’s, at light welterweight. On the same night and at the same venue we shall have the next Prizefighter this time with the Welterweights in the ring!
It was also announced that European lightweight champion, Gavin Rees 35-1-1, 16KOs that he will defend his title in Paris against Anthony Mezaache 21-6-3, 6 KO’s, on the 23rd of March.
Meanwhile European bantamweight champ, Jamie McDonnell 18-2, 7 KO’s, has had his opponent for the 3rd March pull out citing injury. The replacement is the Spaniard Ivan Pozo 32-6-1, 20 KO’s. He will be on the same card as heavyweight Tom Dallas’s 15-1, 11 KO’s, return to the ring against Matt Skelton 25-6, 20 KO’s.
The Past
In the past two weeks, highly fancied lightweight Kevin Mitchell 33-1, 24 KO’s, won his bout on the 10th February at Bethnal Green against Felix Lora 14-9-5, with a points victory; there was another Prizefighter tournament, this time at Light Welterweight. Adil Anwar 16-1, 7KOs walked away with the title; on the 18th February a very confident Dereck “Del Boy” Chisora took on Vitali Klitschko 44-2, 40 KO’s, for the latter’s WBC title. He lost; on the same night Chris Eubank Jr 2-0 had his second professional fight against Jason Ball 5-6-2, 4 KO’s, in Rotherham. He on the other hand won.
The Near Future
As you read this Wales have an amazing sporting weekend. The national rugby union team takes on old enemy England, Cardiff City is at Wembley to take on Liverpool in the first Soccer Cup Final of the season and Nathan Cleverly 23-0, 11 KO’s, comes home to Cardiff to take on Tommy Karpency 21-2-1, 14 KO’s, to defend his WBO Lightweight title. Fellow Welshman Enzo Maccaranelli 33-5, 26 KO’s, will take on Ciaran Healy 13-17-1, 4 KO’s, in preparation for his tilt at the British Cruiserweight title match in March whilst Frankie Gavin 11-0, 8KOs will take on Kevin McIntyre, 30-8, 9 KO’s.
Also this weekend there are bouts on bills in Wishaw, Grimsby, Kings Cross, Hove, Oldham and Belfast.
Future History
It is nearly Easter time and oh the madness of it all has some cracking events lined up!
We know that on the 3rd of March Matt Skelton and Tom Dallas are in the ring in Sheffield as well as Jamie McDonnell and Ivan Pozo going head to head for the European bantamweight title as the headliner.
The 10th of March sees Ricky Burns 33-2, 9 KO’s defend his new title against Paulus Moses 28-1, 19 KO’s in Braehead. On the same bill is the Celtic Super Featherweight title battle between Paul Appleby 17-3,11 KO’s and Steve Ormond 11-0, 5 KO’s.
On the 16th of March, George Groves 14-0, 11 KO’s enters the ring in Wembley in a tricky fight to defend his British Super Middleweight title against Kenny Anderson 15-1, 11KOs. Billy Joe Saunders 12-0, 8 KO’s is also on that bill. Sam Webb 17-2, 5KOs takes on Mathew Hall 24-4, 16 KO’s that night in Wembley too.
One night later Mathew Macklin 28-3, 9 KO’s takes on Sergio Martinez 48-2-2, 27 KO’s in Madison Square Gardens for the WBC Diamond Championship. Kell Brook 26-0, 18 KO’s will be in Sheffield with Matthew Hatton 42-5-2, 16 KO’s. Carl Frampton 12-0, 8 KO’s is also on that bill.
As we now know European lightweight champion, Gavin Rees will defend in Paris against Anthony Mezaache in Paris on the 23rd of March.
On the 24th of March Gary Buckland 24-2, 8 KO’s will take on Paul Truscott 18-2, 3 KO’s for the British Super Flyweight title at Sheffield whilst Brian Rose 18-1-1, 5 KO’s returns to the ring with the British Light Middleweight belt on the line against Max Maxwell 15-10-3, 3 KO’s. Ryan Rhodes 46-5, 31 KO’s returns to the ring that night against undefeated Sergey Rabchenko 19-0, 14 KO’s. Richard Towers 12-0, 9 KO’s features on the bill as well.
The 14th of April will have Tony Bellew 16-1, 10 KO’s defending his European Light heavyweight title against Danny McIntosh13-2, 7KOs.
James Degale will be back…– there is still no announcement of when and how…
