British Boxing Scene: Thoughts and Predictions…

By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

Last weekend was a poor weekend for British Championship boxing but a rich one for variety as halls up and down the UK were heard to ring to bells and canvas. Though there were few belts on the line reputations and training camps were tested and men groaned heavily as they won, lost or drew.

I reported last week that I was all set up for my weekend of boxing with a pass to the Bellahouston Sports Arena to see the Lock Stock Promotions big night of boxing… Turns out I would have been a week early…

My plea in mitigation was that it said on Boxrec it was the 19th… Lame excuse? Ooopps! And so it turns out it is this weekend and on top of nearly going too early I am now also not going to see Willie Limond, 39-4-0, 11KO’s in the ring. With his massive British title fight against Tyrone Nurse in Glasgow in May, he is clearly saving himself to make sure he gets his UK belt back.

We have a long list of decent fighters on the bill who are the cream of the Scottish crop under the tutelage and guidance of Limond, trainer Billy Nelson and James White. You can rest assured that I shall be telling you all about them next week.

Top of the bill though aint a Scot, but Englishman Lewis Ritson, 8-0-0, 3KOs who is fighting for the WBC super lightweight youth title against the Hungarian Bence Molnar 15-6-0, 8KOs. A win for Ritson would see him race up the rankings and getting access to bigger fights.
The evening shall not only see Scottish boxing in focus but we have Antonio Margarito, Erik Morales and Raul Robles in the arena to support the work of Lock, Stock. I think it is safe to say I am a wee bit excited by it all…

It does mean that my focus and attention shall not be down in Sheffield where Kell Brook 35-0-0, 24KOs is back in action against Kevin Bizier, 25-2-0, 17KO’s. The IBF welterweight title is on the line and Brook has made it quite clear that this is a fight he has to take whilst the fight he wants is sitting waiting for him.

There has been a massive campaign behind the scenes to get Kell Brook in the ring against Amir Khan 31-3-0, 19KO’s. This is a massive summer fight in the outdoors in the UK and promoter Eddie Hearn knows that this fight would sell out in seconds and has been trying hard to get it on. He has claimed progress one month, disappointment the next and frustration the day after that.

Brook has been a very frustrated spectator at a number of big fights here in the UK as he has sat ringside wishing he was in the centre of it all. Inactivity has come due to a rib injury that meant his fight with Diego Chaves, 23-2-1, 19KO’s in October got called off.

Few believe that Brook shall be troubled by the Canadian, in fact the one fighter both have faced, Ionut Dan Ion 35-3-0, 18KO’s beat Bizier not once but twice whilst Brook was able to stop him almost a year ago exactly.

As long as Brook can safely negotiate Saturday there shall be a fantastic summer show with him – but who shall be in the other corner. The danger for Brook is that he looks beyond this fight and imagines his next bout against Khan in the summer, not giving Bizier the respect he deserves and then paying for it with his title.

Brook, though 2 years younger has had the most fights, is unbeaten and managed a significant higher number of competitive rounds than Bizier. It ought to be a big bust up with Bizier saying he shall come to fight and give no quarter. That will suit Brook as he can mix it with the best. It’s a return to his home town and the crowd should be able to see something that is between special and unbelievable; Brook has the opportunity to showcase, not showboat his abilities. If he takes this opportunity against a North American candidate, then surely people will clamour not only for Brook to face Khan but other names shall become mentioned. Khan has to be careful that he does not end up being the forgotten man of a number of weight divisions.

On the other hand, Brook has to be careful that he does not end up missing out on a powerful domestic clash that could define his career. With Brook facing Bizier and then Khan up against Saul Canelo Alvarez 46-1-1, 32KO’s in May there is a temptation for both camps to view the late summer as the time to savour; UK boxing fans have been salivating at the prospect for long enough – it is time to deliver or else fans will start to look elsewhere to sort their hunger…

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