The SMW WBSS & Why It Epitomizes Boxing’s Frailties

Image: The SMW WBSS & Why It Epitomizes Boxing's Frailties

By The Commissioner: A tournament you say?

Everyone loves a knockout tournament, am I right or am I right?

Back in 2009 we were blessed with a super middleweight tournament which contained six elite fighters; Andre Ward, Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler, Jermain Taylor, Arthur Abraham and Andre Dirrell. The tournament was called The Super Six World Boxing Classic and was the brainchild of Sauerland Promotions in conjunction with Richard Schaefer and Showtime. The format was a group stage where each fighter was to take part in 3 bouts, points were to be awarded for wins, bonuses for knockouts with the top 4 eventually going through to take the semi-final berths.

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Big Time Bellew

Image: Big Time Bellew

By The Commissioner: So Thursday just gone I wrote a piece on the upcoming Haye v Bellew match up, giving my thoughts, analysis and opinion. Before we go any further, I would like to pat myself on the back for bucking the trend and warning of the dangers of writing off Tony Bellew.

I can’t gloat too much though, I did think Haye would eventually prove too much for ‘The Bomber’ Bellew to handle although I did state that the fight would be decided by whether or not Bellew could take David Haye into the later rounds. This he did. And in my opinion he did it very well.

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Haye V Bellew – My Thoughts, Analysis & Prediction

Image: Haye V Bellew - My Thoughts, Analysis & Prediction

By The Commissioner: An all British heavyweight Pay-Per-View spectacular is almost upon us and casual boxing fans – I’d like to say ‘everywhere’ but really it’s mainly in the U.K. – are excited at the prospect of this Saturdays match up between Bermondsey’s ex-WBA Heavyweight Champion David ‘The Hayemaker’ Haye and Liverpool’s WBC Cruiserweight Champion Tony ‘The Bomber’ Bellew at the O2 Arena in London. In a fight which bookies heavily favour the home fighter David Haye, the casual boxing fan is hoping to see fireworks whereas the more hardcore fight aficionados are just hoping to see some competitive action.

I personally believe that writing off Tony Bellew is unwise, I can’t argue with the logic of that view but I would suggest that persons who hold this belief remember a couple of fighters from yesteryear; Michael Spinks and Evander Holyfield.

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The Cowardly Lion & The Barometer of Talent

Image: The Cowardly Lion & The Barometer of Talent

By The Commissioner: There’s a myth that promulgates amongst boxing fans that’s almost as old as prize fighting itself. This myth has gone unchallenged and unsubstantiated over and over again every time it’s spoken. In the boxing gyms, bars, workplaces and fight venues worldwide it is accepted as truth and it’s theory validated by its re-use by those who put forth their argument against a fighter who they believe to have weaknesses waiting to be exposed.

The myth? That a boxers talent is intrinsically linked to the quality of their previous opposition.

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The Best Boxing Can Offer?

1-CANELO ALVAREZ 05By The Commissioner: The date is May 1st 2015, the stage is set for the most anticipated fight of all time. The ‘fight of the century’, the fight of all fights, the fight that has dominated sports media for near on a decade. Floyd Mayweather Jr, Pretty Boy Floyd, Money Mayweather finally squares off against the people’s champion; Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino Whirlwind, whom to many observers, is Floyd’s kryptonite.

Fast forward to May 3rd 2015 and social media is awash with negative opinion regarding the supposed ‘Fight of the Century’, many labeling it boring and devoid of any real engagement. The bout came to a predictable ending, at least to the unbiased eye, one uninfluenced by matters of the heart and solely based on logical thinking. Personally, I had always believed that Mayweather was too skilled a boxer to be beaten, or even troubled by Manny but I still tuned in, more to see if Pac-Man could be prove me wrong rather than to see Mayweather prove me right.

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