By Gav Duthie: If we needed any further confirmation of the state of Asian boxing after Thailand’s Sod Kokietgym 63-3-1 (28) pathetic attempt to dethrone Guillermo Rigondeaux 14-0 (9) then look no further than Yemenis Minimumweight Ali Raymi 21-0 (21).
Gavin Duthie
Deontay Wilder should use his time wisely
By Gav Duthie: This site possibly more than any other has done much to promote the powerful but as yet untested Deontay Wilder 31-0 (31). We should find out by the end of the year if he is worth all the hype. Wilder’s title challenge against Haiti’s Bermaine Stiverne 24-1-1 (21) has been delayed due to a pinched nerve in Stiverne’s hand which means it is likely to take place in November/December 2014.
Use this time wisely Deontay. This article attempts to deliver a balanced view of what we’ve seen so far of the giant American and what he should be doing between now and his fight with Stiverne.
Mayweather-Maidana 2 press conference dominated by Pacquiao questions
(Photo credit: Idris Erba) By Gav Duthie: Floyd Mayweather Jr 46-0 (26) should have detected a hint of indifference at his rematch with Marcos Maidana 35-3 (31) by the worlds media as questions of Manny Pacquiao dominated his press conference. When asked about the Filipino he responded:
“Don’t talk to me about that [expletive]. That [expletive] still got [Juan Manuel] Marquez problems”.
Mayweather’s answer can be construed one of two ways.
Tyson Fury v Dereck Chisora: Undercard Preview
By Gav Duthie: Many have said there piece on Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora but Frank Warren has put on a pretty decent undercard as he continues to promote his Boxnation TV network and competes with Eddie Hearn. Warren has joined forces with Mick Hennessey (providing Tyson Fury and Chris Eubank Jnr) to entertain the fans. This post focuses on the undercard including predictions.
Terry Flanagan 24-0 (8) v Martin Gethin 24-5-1 (11)
The forgotten prospect
Britain has more fighters than anyone else in the top 10-30 region of the lightweight division. After Burns there’s both Kevin Mitchell and Anthony Crolla chasing world titles, Derry Matthews, Tommy Coyle, Scott Harrison, John Murray, Stephen Ormand, Martin Gethin, Liam Walsh and Stephen Foster Jnr who are all competitive At British level.
Fights of the decades: 100 years of boxing history
By Gav Duthie: If as expected we miss out on the biggest fight of the current era between Floyd Mayweather Jr 46-0 (26) and Manny Pacquiao 56-5-2 (38) a part of my love of boxing will die.
Since the conception of the sport there have been so many great fight nights but there is always one fight in a generation that defines the era. I decided to have a look at the biggest bouts by decade in over 100 years of boxing history to convey what we are missing out on if Mayweather and Pacquiao never meet.
Pound for Pound
The concept of pound for pound was created to compare boxers through the weight divisions. It isn’t very often two of the best p4p fighters actually occupy the same division. When it happens and they do fight it can define a generation. These aren’t always the best spectacles but they still live long in the memory.
Chisora-Fury 2 and Jennings-Perez next Saturday
By Gav Duthie: On July 26 four heavyweight title prospects will lock horns. In an all British affair Dereck Chisora 20-4 (13) will take on Tyson Fury 22-0 (16) in Manchester and a few hours later Cuban Mike Perez 20-0-1 (12) will face American Bryant Jennings 18-0 (10) in New York. For the winners of both fights imminent title challenges await.
The winner of Chisora-Fury will become Wladimir Klitschko’s mandatory WBO challenger and although less is at stake for Jennings and Perez they are ranked #2 and #3 respectively with the WBC behind Deontay Wilder so a challenge against the winner of Wilder-Stiverne is highly probable.
The must have fights of 2015
By Gav Duthie: Every year I hope that the biggest fights in boxing will happen. I’m pretty much always disappointed but it doesn’t stop me dreaming. I am not a fan of MMA/UFC at all, never watch it but in some ways boxing could learn from it.
With all their fighters centrally contracted the best fights always happen. Boxing has been going on so long and has become such a monster we feel lucky if any big fights happen year on year. The mafia were the ones who ran the sport in the 30s through the 50s. These days the problems are more covert but no less awkward.
Boxing’s biggest need career defining fights
By Gav Duthie: Wladimir Klitschko has dominated the heavyweight division for almost a decade. Floyd Mayweather has dominated boxing ever since he scraped past Jose Luis Castillo. Both are very much in the twilight of their careers and have more fight earnings than you could spend in a lifetime.
In their next fights Wlad faces yet another mandatory challenger in Kubrat Pulev while Mayweather is covering old ground against Marcos Maidana. At 38 and 37 respectively I am waiting for those career defining fights that they both need to cement their legacies. For Wladimir up to now his biggest win would have to be David Haye, but I don’t see that as career defining.
Could Erislandy Lara be finished at the top level?
By Gav Duthie: Erislandy Lara 19-2-2 (12), you tried and you failed. You can forget a rematch against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (44-1-1, 31 KOs), you can forget another big payday, your life at the top table of boxing could be all but over. This opinion is no reflection on Lara’s ability, some of the shots he picked against Canelo on Saturday were brilliant.
At times he even made Canelo look worse than Floyd Mayweather Jr did in his 12 round majority decision win over him last September. This is not about ability its about ‘marketability’ and Lara lost that on Saturday night as well as the fight.
Potential Adrien Broner opponents for September 6th
By Gav Duthie: Any excitement that we had in hearing that Adrien Broner 28-1 (22) and Lucas Matthysse 35-3 (33) were both fighting on September 6 was quickly destroyed when it was confirmed they wouldn’t be fighting each other. The fact that Golden Boy Promotions aren’t putting these two together and Broner won’t be fighting on the Floyd Mayweather Jr – Marcos Maidana II bill the next week on September 13th suggests the whole card will be a pretty low key affair.
I’ve had a look into Golden Boy’s stable of fighters at Light Welterweight to speculate on who Broner may be put up against. Its pretty clear that they are still not yet comfortable putting him in at top level in his new division. It is quite likely they will put someone in there relatively similar to his last opponent Carlos Molina.