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Contents November 9, 2017

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I’M COMING FOR YOU! Deontay Wilder calls out Anthony Joshua after destroying old foe Bermane Stiverne Photos: SHOWTIME/AMANDA WESTCOTT & ACTION IMAGES

DON’T MISS

>> 14 ‘HE WANTED OUT’

34

Liam Smith questions Liam Williams’ heart ahead of their grudge rematch

>> 18 ‘I OUTBOXED HIM’

Williams hits back at Smith’s assertions, and says his skills will prove superior

>> 22 AND THE WINNER IS...

We analyse Smith-Williams II and make our prediction on who will be victorious

>> 34 INSIDE CAMP DAVID

Exclusive access as Haye trains for his return clash with rival Tony Bellew

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HIGHLIGHTS

>> 4 EDITOR’S LETTER

Why Joshua-Wilder is a must

>> 5 GUEST COLUMN

Surprising take from America

>> 10 FEAR? WHAT FEAR?

Guillermo Rigondeaux tells us that he is not intimidated by Vasyl Lomachenko

>> 24 STEPPING UP

Rising Josh Taylor moves up in class to meet Miguel Vazquez in Edinburgh

>> 25 THE AMERICAN DREAM

Matchroom USA stages its first event, as Daniel Jacobs performs in New York

>> 40 AMATEURS

We speak to a new national champ

>> 46 60-SECOND INTERVIEW ‘I HAVEN’T CRIED SINCE I WAS 10.

ONE OF MY BROTHERS PROBABLY PUNCHED ME OR SOMETHING!’ Gary Corcoran NOVEMBER 9, 2017 l BOXING NEWS l 3

EDITOR’S LETTER

Photo: SHOWTIME/TOM CASINO

Coming next time

WHAT A MESS: Stiverne had no business being in a world title fight

Cover photography Main: ED DILLER/ DiBELLA ENTERTAINMENT, QUEENSBERRY PROMOTIONS/ MARK ROBINSON & HUW FAIRCLOUGH

TIME TO CROWN A KING It’s time for the best to meet the best at heavyweight, even if the sanctioning bodies don’t agree LL it takes is one buttery heavyweight to be smeared all over the ring and everything is forgiven. Forget that Bermane Stiverne had done nothing to deserve a shot at the WBC heavyweight title. Forget that Stiverne was in no condition to be allowed anywhere Matt near a boxing ring, let Christie alone plonked in one @MattCBoxingNews where a powerful slugger like Deontay Editor Wilder could take a run up and smash his face in. Forget all that.

Because we got to see a massive knockout in a ‘world’ heavyweight title fight and it makes Wilder versus IBF and WBA boss Anthony Joshua all the more marketable.

And that’s just what we wanted, right?

To an extent, yes, but quenching some fans’ thirst for a brutal slaying covers up all manner of sins. Granted, it was absolutely imperative that Wilder – cruelly denied a date with Luis Ortiz after the Cuban flunked a drugs test – won emphatically against the undeserving Stiverne. Another struggle like those endured in previous defences would not have helped his cause, nor would it have done anything for the sport or the division. But should we just ignore that Stiverne was dangerously out of his depth, both physically and mentally? We should certainly put the victory into perspective before getting carried away, that’s for sure.

The WBC, still deciding whether or not Ortiz will be banished from their rankings

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due to multiple drug offences, should be made to explain why Stiverne was their No.1 contender - despite being inactive since 2015, and testing positive for banned substances the following year.

Absolutely we want to see Joshua-Wilder as soon as possible because the alternatives for both men, with the exception of WBO titlist Joseph Parker, make grim reading.

Stiverne isn’t the only poster boy for sanctioning bodies behaving badly. Having despatched the sturdy but unspectacular Carlos Takam at the end of October to fulfil his IBF mandatory commitment, Joshua could soon be ordered to take on Russian Alexander Ustinov – the WBA’s leading contender. Below Ustinov in the WBA charts, in descending order, are Fres Oquendo (inactive since failing a postfight drug test in 2014), Manuel Charr (stopped in five rounds by cruiserweight Maris Briedis in his most recent contest against a known opponent, and set to take on Ustinov in an eliminator) and Performance Enhancing Drugs connoisseur, Alexander Povetkin.

The WBO too highly regard Povetkin (unranked by the WBC and IBF due to his crimes against the sport) and have matched him with the mediocre Christian Hammer in a December eliminator. Povetkin, whether illegally enhanced or not, should be far too skilled for Hammer and will then find himself in pole position for a crack at a major belt. If it wasn’t so sad, the lunacy of it all would be hilarious.

All of the above highlights how

impossible it will be for any fighter to reside over all four titles for any length of time. Both Joshua and Wilder have spoken of their dreams to be the undisputed king but to do so – for more than one night only – would mean juggling an unworkable schedule of mandatory commitments.

Not only that, they will have to grant numerous drug offenders a shot at their hard-earned gold. While it all seems like a lovely idea, romantic almost, to unify the banner division, perhaps the likes of Joshua, Wilder and Parker should just focus on fighting each other and sort out the true champion between them. Given that each is only likely to fight twice a year in today’s climate, spending six months building up for a Ustinov-type or a juiced-up fraud seems like a horrible waste of time.

The power should be with the leaders to ensure a true king is recognised, and not the sanctioning bodies with their ridiculous rules and rankings. It’s wholly understandable, given the division’s rich history, why the leaders want that undisputed tagline, but anyone disputing the claims of the last man standing from Joshua, Wilder and Parker will have their sanity scrutinised. In turn, blue sky thinking though it might be, the WBC, the WBA, the IBF and the WBO should then be scrambling to be associated with the true world heavyweight champion, rather than the king being eager for their approval.

STIVERNE ISN’T THE ONLY POSTER BOY FOR SANCTIONING BODIES BEHAVING BADLY

l THERE have been plenty of controversial scorecards collated in 2017 - we examine the reasons why, and wonder if there’s a solution to the controversy. l WE look ahead to Carl Frampton’s homecoming bout in Belfast, and go in-depth with his new trainer Jamie Moore to find out how his life changed since being shot three years ago. l WE’LL be ringside in Newcastle for what promises to be a heated return between Liam Smith and Liam Williams, in Uniondale for Danny JacobsLuis Arias and up in Edinburgh for Josh Taylor’s next test. l AVAILABLE to download via iTunes and Google Play from November 14, 2017, and the print edition is in stores on November 16, 2017.

Follow us and keep up to date @BoxingNewsED

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GUEST COLUMN

JOSHUA-WILDER: NO SUPERFIGHT Photo: ACTION IMAGES/ANDREW COULDRIDGE

WORLD IN HIS HANDS: But America are slow to recognise Joshua as the leading heavyweight

Why a Joshua-Wilder showdown will not capture the imagination of the American public HE only time you really hear boxing people discussing Deontay Wilder in America these days is on the weekends that his fights take place. I think among people who really follow the game closely John there is interest Scully in Deontay, but Ex-light-heavy not so much as a frequent topic contender throughout the year, like Anthony Joshua is to fans in the UK. The sad fact is, I truly believe that if you were to ask most boxing fans and even boxers, to name 10 legitimate top active heavyweights, they would have a hard time putting a competent list together.

The buzz has strongly drifted away from heavyweight boxing in America towards the more interesting clashes in the lower weight classes.

Why? I think Wilder is, in many

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ways, still a work in progress. He’s still developing and there is room for that improvement. His power and his range along with his sometimes blind willingness to engage in warfare has taken him a long way, but he has also been improving in certain areas over the last year or so. His power is obviously a huge asset and his willingness to let the bombs fly has worked well for him thus far, although that could ultimately prove to be a mistake rather than an advantage.

I’m sure his trainer Mark Breland is working with him to set up those bombs accurately, as opposed to just winging them and hoping they find their mark. He’s exciting to watch, of course, but as boxing purists we also want to see the heavyweight champions getting the job done with great precision and technique, too.

As for who the American boxing public view as the ‘world heavyweight champion’ I believe most subconsciously see Wilder as the man to beat because that’s who they are most familiar with. Tyson Fury was on his way towards entering that stream of American consciousness in a big way but his out-of-ring antics have

destroyed that for the time being. So it’s Joshua who is the next guy that Americans know about after Wilder.

Among the boxing die-hard here, Wilder-Joshua has become the next heavyweight fight to see.

But while it is an anticipated fight for the hardcore, it’s lacking the mainstream appeal of a true heavyweight superfight. I believe that over the last couple of decades, with the proliferation of often meaningless world championship belts, the value and the prestige that once automatically came with being world heavyweight champion has diminished in the eyes of many Americans - and even disintegrated in the eyes of others. I would say we are clearly past the glorious days where men like Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson were seen as the most important sporting champions on earth. There was a time

when the heavyweight champion was the leader of the sports world, held in a regard that almost rivalled that of the President, a time when the reigning king of giants was the unspoken, automatic leader of boxing, and when he was in the building every other boxer took a back seat to him.

I remember speaking with Sugar Ray Leonard once several years ago about the first Tommy Hearns fight and he told me that he knew it was time to make the match when grandmothers would come up to him in public settings to tell him they were looking forward to him fighting Hearns. That was an indication in his mind that the time was right for the fight to happen, and be seen and maximsed as a true mega-fight.

In that regard, at this point, I’m very sure there are few American grandmothers clamouring for a Wilder-Joshua fight just yet.

THE BUZZ HAS STRONGLY DRIFTED AWAY FROM HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING IN AMERICA

NOVEMBER 9, 2017 l BOXING NEWS l 5

Fans, fighters and pundits all have their say

OPINION

ON TWITTER @BoxingNewsED

ON FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/boxingnewsonline

LETTER OF THE WEEK TWEETS @BRONZEBOMBER AND STILL…39-0 38 KO. @barclayscenter.

November 4, 2017.

Brooklyn, New York. #historymade.

WBC heavyweight champion DEONTAY WILDER lays out the facts.

@TYSON_FURY Great performance from @ BronzeBomber. Just destroyed a top heavyweight. The big boys better watch out. Whatever he hits he destroys. #bomb Meanwhile, former champ TYSON FURY is impressed by Wilder’s one-round win.

@UNIONSAMURAI Lesson learned. Not everyone could be broken down. And the new.

SERGEY LIPINETS pays tribute to his victim Akihiro Kondo.

@TOMNOTSOLITTLE I will destroy him mentally then physically.

Heavyweight TOM LITTLE has some fighting words for Joe Joyce ahead of their December 17 clash.

@LIAMWILLIAMSKO This Kabayel got plenty of class about him! Very good movement for a heavyweight!

Seven days before his Liam Smith rematch, LIAM WILLIAMS is watching the Monte Carlo action as Agit Kabayel beats Dereck Chisora.

@JAMIEMOORE777 Few birthday beers with lads before watching Man Utd tear Chelsea apart!

Trainer JAMIE MOORE will have enjoyed his 39th birthday more than Chelsea’s 1-0 win…

MANCHESTER MEMORIES IT was sad to read in Boxing News last month that Terry Downes had passed away. I vividly recall as an 18-year-old seeing Terry challenge Willie Pastrano for the WBC and WBA light-heavyweight titles at King’s Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester in November 1964. This actually turned out to be Downes’ final fight. Pastrano’s legendary cornerman Angelo Dundee was instrumental in the belts not changing hands that night, as Pastrano remained champion. King’s Hall had restricted viewing, and it was necessary to lean right or left to avoid the pillars if you wanted to follow the action!

David Hibbert, High Peak SNUBBING PAY-PER-VIEW I DRIVE a nice car. I drink fine wines.

Sometimes I even take my wife out to dine at over £50 per head. However, I refused to pay around £20 to watch Eddie Hearn’s latest offering from Cardiff.

A main event and two supporting fights featuring big favourites against considerable outsiders is simply not good enough. Promoters seem to believe that the public can be fooled. Maybe they are right, but real boxing fans know when they are being ripped off. We had also recently been invited by ITV Box Office to pay to watch George Groves and Chris Eubank Jnr perform against modest opposition on pay-per-view – Not for me, thank you!

Sadly, Hearn has a problem in finding decent opposition for Anthony Joshua.

There is no Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis or Evander Holyfield out there to test “AJ”, so he remains a novice with a knockout

MEMORIES: Downes is consoled by his wife after losing to Paul Pender

punch. However, that does not excuse the failure to provide decent supporting fights at these so called ‘mega’ shows.

Promoters will surely kill the goose that laid the golden egg if PPV is abused like this.

Max Winberg, Gerrards Cross RISE OF THE HEAVIES SO Anthony Joshua has racked up another world heavyweight title defence against a tough foe in Carlos Takam.

I tip my hat to his promoter, Eddie Hearn.

I did, however, cringe when Eddie put “AJ” in a world title match at such an

early stage of his career – I just don’t like champions learning on the job. I can admit, though, that I was completely wrong. Joshua has gained so much in his last two defences. His stamina has a checkmark, and his ability to overcome adversity also has a checkmark.

Heavyweight boxing at the moment is as good as I can remember, with Joseph Parker, Deontay Wilder, Hughie Fury, Tyson Fury (hopefully), Dillian Whyte, Kubrat Pulev, Joe Joyce etc. Things are only going to go from strength to strength in the division.

Mike Hills, Glenwood Springs.

Photo: ACTION IMAGES

W E A S K E D. . .

50/5 0: Fans are split on Haye’s chances of regaining old form

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CAN DAVID HAYE RE-ESTABLISH HIMSELF AS ONE OF THE WORLD’S TOP HEAVYWEIGHTS? NEIL LAMBERT No. He’s pushing 40 and relied on athleticism over technique. He no longer has that athleticism and is a sitting duck without it.

VINCENT DONKIN He will always have a puncher’s chance but I think that’s all he has left.

WINDELL CLARK He must stay active. Long layoffs don’t help athletes that don’t stay active aside from boxing. His window may have closed already.

CHRIS GOLDING If fully fit, yes. He’s still young enough as a heavyweight, it’s just whether his body is too damaged to allow him to get back up there.

JIMMY ANDERSON Of course he can. Very quick, powerful, if his fitness is good and he stays healthy.

RAYMOND MICHAEL RAMOS No he can’t. His body is beat up and ego too fragile to be a top guy. He should retire.

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NEWS

#NotAfraid

Rigondeaux tells Caryn A. Tate that fighting Lomachenko holds no fear for him

N social media, the hashtag used

by Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux when referencing his upcoming fight with Vasyl Lomachenko is #NotAfraid.

There’s a reason for that: once you’ve braved shark-infested waters in a small boat, it’s doubtful you’ll be afraid of another person.

For Rigondeaux, the former scenario isn’t rhetorical. It’s what he had to endure to defect from his home country of Cuba in 2009, in his second attempt.

Now, after dominating the superbantamweight division, WBA champion Rigondeaux is moving up two weight

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classes to face WBO super-featherweight king Lomachenko. The bout will take place on December 9 at Madison Square Garden in New York, and will be televised on ESPN in the US and BoxNation in the UK. Both fighters are two-time Olympic gold medallists with remarkable amateur

‘I HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC ABOUT MY EATING HABITS, BUT THERE WILL BE NO DROP-OFF IN MY EXPLOSIVENESS’

records, and both are known for their superb technique in the boxing ring.

Fans have wanted to see this fascinating matchup for some time.

Moving up two weight categories (with eight pounds between their respective divisions) isn’t a small thing, but Rigondeaux maintains that putting on a few pounds will pose no problems for him. “I just have to be smart and strategic about my eating habits, but there will be no drop-off when it comes to my speed and explosiveness,” he said. “At the end of the day, I asked for this fight and I’m willing to do whatever is necessary to reach the appropriate weight.”

Make no mistake, Guillermo not only wants this fight – he’s downright excited about it. One could argue that his last

Photo: USA TODAY SPORTS

STANDOUT WIN: Rigondeaux fires a jab at Donaire during his best victory to date

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Photo: ACTION IMAGES

truly elite opponent was Nonito Donaire, a then-top pound-for-pound fighter whom Rigondeaux outboxed in 2013.

Since then, “Rigo” has had promotional issues, resulting in some inactivity. But now, with promoter Roc Nation Sports, Rigondeaux finally has another major bout around the bend.

“In order to be recognised as the best in your sport, you need to fight, and defeat, the best,” Rigondeaux said. “For years I’ve been seeking a marquee fight to show the world that I’m one of the top pound-for-pound fighters. I’ve called out several top opponents at different weight classes, but none of them had been willing to fight me until Lomachenko. I’m thrilled that I finally have a formidable opponent and a national platform with ESPN, so I can make a statement and transform the boxing landscape.”

A formidable opponent indeed, yet Rigondeaux does not hold Lomachenko in quite the high regard that some do in the boxing world. “While I respect Lomachenko, the reality is he’s never fought someone with my pedigree and skillset. The fighters he’s gone up against are inferior compared to the ones that I’ve faced throughout my career.”

Part of the intrigue surrounding the Lomachenko-Rigondeaux fight is the size difference. Some feel that Lomachenko may be too big for Rigondeaux, but Guillermo has a hard time understanding that notion. “I keep hearing about analysts that believe Lomachenko’s size will give him an advantage in the fight,” he said. “Honestly, I don’t understand that logic because all of my opponents have been taller than me, yet I’ve remained undefeated. Donaire was much bigger and heavier than me in 2013, but I still recorded a unanimous decision victory.

Regardless, I will continue to rely on my speed and my technical skills to atone for the difference in size. On December 9, I look forward to surprising the doubters and detractors once again.”

Rigondeaux tends to be a quiet individual outside the ring. But recently he has established a highly entertaining presence on social media – one might even speculate that his taunts on Twitter helped secure the Lomachenko fight.

“Although I can be a bit more reserved in public, platforms like Twitter allow me to showcase my playful personality.

At the same time, social media also gives me the opportunity to elevate my brand and dictate my message directly to the public, especially since things can get misconstrued in the media. My manager, Alex Bornote, and my team at

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‘THE REALITY IS HE’S NEVER FOUGHT SOMEONE WITH MY PEDIGREE’

Roc Nation have played a significant role in helping me navigate the world of social media.”

But aside from poking fun at his opponent, Guillermo loves interacting with his fans online. “It’s very important to engage with my fans via social media because, without them, I wouldn’t be in this position. I enjoy having a direct connection with my fans through Twitter – it’s refreshing to give them a sneak peek into my family life, training habits and thoughts on the world of sports. I’ve also been trying to do more Twitter Q&As with my fans to show my appreciation for their support and continue cultivating my relationship with them over time.”

Rigondeaux recently posted a photo on social media of himself with his compatriot Erislandy Lara. Lara and Rigondeaux endured the traumatic experience of defecting from Cuba

together in 2009. When asked what it means to him to still be in touch with Lara, Guillermo said: “It means the world because Erislandy is a dear friend. We’ve bonded through several shared experiences and challenges – we both uprooted our lives in Cuba to further our boxing careers, we both had to adapt to a new culture in the United States and we both endured our share of ups and downs as professional boxers. It’s a blessing to call him a friend because there are very few people in this world that can truly relate to our experiences.”

As Rigondeaux continues to diligently prepare for the Lomachenko fight with his trainer, Pedro Diaz of Mundo Boxing, he has one more message for his fans: “Thank you for all your support and, if you don’t already have a ticket, tune in on December 9 to see a fight for the ages!”

TIME TO SHINE: Rigondeaux is ready to prove his elite-class credentials to the world

NOVEMBER 9, 2017 l BOXING NEWS l 9

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Photos: STACEY VERBEEK

THE FIGHTER: Franco accepts his fighting days are over but admits he still yearns to box

‘I MISS THE RING’ Lee Gormley catches up with Daniel Franco, five months after he almost lost his life to boxing

ON JUNE 10, 2017, American fighter Daniel Franco was knocked out in the eighth round of his 21st professional outing by compatriot Jose Haro. What transpired at the WinnaVegas Casino & Resort in Sloan was another worrying story within the sport involving the young Californian.

At 25 years of age, featherweight prospect Franco was stopped by a walloping overhand right which instantly ended the USBA 126lbs title bout, only his second defeat.

10 l BOXING NEWS l NOVEMBER 9, 2017

“Twitch” was able to gather himself enough to return to his stool in the aftermath, but had to lay back down as the official result was read aloud, leading him to be stretchered out of the squaredcircle and straight to the hospital.

“I remember nothing of that night in June,” explained Franco to Boxing News.

“I remember waking up in the hospital and thought I had a dream about meeting the fighter I was going to fight.

He told me ‘I always think a face-off is weird because you’re about to fight the

other guy.’

“I told my dad this when I awoke from my coma and he told me that that happened at the weigh-ins. I had no idea.

I still have no recollection of the fight or that the fight even happened.”

Upon reaching the hospital that night, Franco was medically placed into a coma and underwent surgery for two brain bleeds. In an intensive care unit he required tubes to breathe. A section of his skull was also later removed. He will never fight again.

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“I feel that God has kept me here for a reason, that reason I am still yet to know,” said the upbeat California native.

“The recovery is going pretty decent.

Personally, I feel like I’m stuck in one place all of the time, though. It’s terrible that my career is over and I am in a place in my life where I am working in between obstacles.”

As is the danger in light of his near-fatal injury, Franco is now forced to don a protective helmet every time he’s on his feet. This is to safeguard his brain from further damage, with a substantial piece of skull, which usually acts as protection, now missing.

A sad souvenir of that life-altering night in June.

With medical bills to pay and a life without professional boxing ahead of him after a seven-year career, he has set up a GoFundMe page in the hope of helping

him along this difficult path. There will no more lacing of the gloves in Franco’s future, something he admits will be a huge absence from his everyday life, but his attention has reverted back towards a more educational route since battling back from his horrific ordeal.

“I’ll definitely miss it! I tweeted about this before,” he continued “‘Truth is, I miss the ring. I miss the gym. The sweat, the dedication, the never ending workouts. I wish this never happened. But, I’m alive!

“I feel that I accomplished one of my main goals in life, to be a professional athlete. Truth is, I’m going to try to pursue my education now and fulfil my first dream when I was growing up. To be a neurologist or a neuropsychologist.”

Boxing News tried to reach his promoters Roc Nation for comment but

‘I REMEMBER WAKING UP IN HOSPITAL AND HAVING A DREAM ABOUT THE FIGHTER I WAS GOING TO FIGHT’

had no joy - it is a problem Franco also claims to have encountered since the accident. He did have people he wanted to thank, though. “[Thanks to] the Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, Mercy Hospital, and Casa Colina Rehab in Pomona.

I’d like to give a huge thank you to Dr. Laverso who was the main director at Casa Colina, he made sure I was well taken care of.

“Also, thank you to my family for always being by my side through it all.

My girlfriend even stayed by my side through all of my recovery. She’s been one of the greatest to support me. Her and my mum. Thank you to all the fans that reached out and kept on pushing me through my rehabilitation and recovery.”

Franco has now got a second chance at life. A chance he’s eternally grateful to have: “I’m happy that I boxed, but I’m even happier that I’m alive and get a second chance.”

To help, visit www.gofundme.com/ DanielTwitchFranco

FATEFUL NIGHT: Franco [left] and Haro exchange before the horrible ending

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NOVEMBER 9, 2017 l BOXING NEWS l 11

Photos: JAYNE KAMIN-ONCEA/USA TODAY SPORTS

DON’T COUNT ME OUT: Arias is expecting to have his arms raised on Saturday night

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Q&A

‘EDDIE HEARN HAS MADE A MISTAKE’ James Slater speaks to the man who is aiming to ruin Daniel Jacobs’ Matchroom debut UIS “CUBA” ARIAS is an unbeaten 27-yearyet, they will be shocked! They will be asking why they haven’t seen old middleweight contender, and he is ultrame before. I have a very fan-friendly style. convinced he will defeat Daniel Jacobs when Eddie Hearn has high hopes and big plans for Jacobs... they meet in Uniondale, New York this Saturday, [ Jumping in] Eddie Hearn just likes the fact that he has a story to November 11 (see page 25). tell with Jacobs, a story he can tell the public. It’s easy to bulls**t the One of the best talkers the game has to offer public if you have a good story. But I tell you, as soon as that bell today, Arias – who has a Cuban father and a rings, I’ll be on his ass. Jacobs will have to see me for all 12 rounds Nicaraguan mother, and was born in Milwaukee – says promoter and sooner or later I’ll catch up with him Eddie Hearn has made a big mistake in matching Jacobs, who Hearn Jacobs is also talking a great fight, of course. recently signed, against him. Here, the 18-0 (9), Arias explains why he We’ll see, we’ll see if he fights the way he’s talking or if he’ll run will “make Jacobs pay” this weekend. on November 11. I know he’s gonna run! After November 11 there will be a new star and it will be me. But as big as this fight is, it’s not You are very confident going into your fight with Daniel a world title fight. I needed a name Jacobs. You feel he has made a to get me there [to fight for a mistake in fighting you, don’t world title], and Jacobs is a name. you?

Do you want a shot at One hundred per cent! He has Golovkin? made a mistake, Eddie Hearn has Yes. It’s not necessarily that I made a mistake – his whole team. want “GGG”, but he has the [WBC, They are facing a young, unbeaten, WBA and IBF] belts and I want dangerous fighter; a decorated those belts. So I’ll fight whoever amateur. I’m very dangerous. Just I have to fight to get those belts, because I don’t yet have the name, and unless that changes, it’s “GGG”. that means nothing. He’s definitely I’ll fight absolutely anyone I have made a mistake and I’m going to to fight. make him pay for it on November What happened when Floyd 11.

Mayweather released you I recently read that you feel from his stable of fighters back Jacobs has a suspect chin. Were when you were 10-0? Was it you not impressed with him due to the Hasim Rahman during his close decision loss to BIG STAGE: Arias tears into James Winchester on the Jnr spar that reportedly went Gennady Golovkin? undercard of Floyd Mayweather-Canelo Alvarez in 2013 on for close to 30 minutes?

He got a lot of credit for that (Some reports suggest fight, where he fought a very that Mayweather watched defensive fight and he made it as Rahman Jnr sparred through all 12 rounds to the final a 31-minute round with bell. But before that fight Sergio Donovan Cameron in 2014, Mora put him down. He’s been and Arias was subsequently let shaken up and hurt numerous go after complaining). times. Who has he really beat?

I have no real idea, you’ll have The only two times he fought an to ask him [Mayweather]. But I don’t really care too much about animal, he lost [to Dmitry Pirog in 2010 and to Golovkin earlier that now. I’ve still made it to [fighting on] HBO, I’m still unbeaten. this year]. He’s not that great at all. Come on, man, let him do Whatever happened in my past, it was just getting me ready for my something before you start calling him the second or third best future. I’m not even thinking about that [the Mayweather episode] middleweight out there. Tell me, who has he beat? Where does he any more, I’m just thinking about knocking out Jacobs. get that credit from? You shouldn’t get credit for losing, come on.

Have you had any tough fights so far as a pro? Has anyone For those fans who have yet to see you fight, how would you hurt or tested you? describe your style?

Nah. I’ve had some good fights, [against] some tough guys, but I’m a boxer-puncher, but I lean more towards [being a] puncher. nothing at all where I’ve come anywhere close to losing. But you I hit hard. I’m aggressive, I can fight you on the inside or on the must pay attention and realise that a lot of my fights were at superoutside, coming forward or going back. I’m a great body-puncher. middleweight, even light-heavyweight. Never forget that.

I have a lot of different weapons. Those fans who have not seen me

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‘IT’S EASY TO BULLS**T THE PUBLIC WITH A GOOD STORY’

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NOVEMBER 9, 2017 l BOXING NEWS l 13

STILL AIMING HIGH: Smith is eager to get another chance to shine in America Photo: ACTION IMAGES

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Liam Smith tells Chris Walker that he is determined to once again sample the biggest stage in the sport, but he knows he must get past fierce rival Williams first me the world title fight that he always said he’d get HE late Glyn Leach knew me and he also went out and got me the fight with boxing. The long-time editor Canelo which, apart from the result, was one of the of Boxing Monthly was not best weeks of my life and I’d do anything to live that perhaps a scholar of statistics whole entire build-up again. Obviously there’s a or dates, but the inner part of me that misses fighting on the same shows workings of a sport where the as my brothers because everyone knows just how cogs rotate whichever way close we are, and the fact I’ve never fought on the they wish were something the same show as our Callum isn’t ideal, but this is my sagacious scribe had an intimate knowledge of. career and I’ve got to put myself first. Pretty much The business was like cherished kin to Leach and everything I’ve wanted from boxing has so far been he was familiar with the majority of its participants; delivered to me.” learning the fabric of a fighter always fascinated The second instalment of the Smith-Williams him. One boxer he did not quite fathom was Liam saga falls seven months after their first Smith, and the Liverpool super-welterweight meeting, when the latter was retired by was the focal point of one of my final cornerman Gary Lockett following a cut conversations with Leach before his caused by Smith’s head in the ninth untimely death during the summer of session of a thrilling encounter. Williams 2014.

BIG FEATURE was ahead on the official scorecards “Angry b*****d” and “lone wolf” with just three rounds remaining and were just two of the vivid descriptions although mutual respect was briefly handed to me by one of boxing’s apparent in the immediate aftermath, the most authoritative voices, and each was animosity of the initial dispute has returned intended as a compliment to Smith. Liam’s ahead of the sequel, with Smith taking several shots decision to chase glory under the guidance of Hall at Williams’ supposed lack of courage, regarding the of Fame promoter Frank Warren while his three nature of his withdrawal. brothers plotted their career maps with rivals “He wanted out and deep down he knows it,” Matchroom, impressed Leach greatly. “Beefy’s” Liam declares and, whatever the truth of the issue, admirable independence has since generated a he certainly believes it. “I’ve been watching the fight world title reign, a marquee showdown with Canelo again and BoxNation put something out on Twitter Alvarez and a starring role in a bitter domestic a few days ago hyping the fight, and he’s doing all rivalry – one that continues on November 11, as he can to show Lockett that he’s hurt and he wants Smith looks to resolve his feud with Welshman Liam out. A cut doesn’t hurt, in fact, let me rephrase that, Williams. a cut hurts the second it happens and then that’s “The decision to stay with Frank has proved to that. Once the damage is done then it just be a good one,” states Smith in his boyish becomes a bit of distraction, but you get on Scouse chirp with the aforementioned stack with it. Watch the video where he’s in ➤ of evidence supporting his claim. “He got

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LIAM ★SMITH ★

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THE DECISION TO STAY WITH FRANK WARREN HAS PROVED A GOOD ONE... PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING I’VE WANTED FROM BOXING HAS BEEN DELIVERED

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Photos: ACTION IMAGES (2) & USA TODAY SPORTS (2)

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: The damage to Williams’ eyebrow [left] is obvious as Smith celebrates

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➤ the corner getting worked on and all he’s doing is squinting and pulling faces, letting the corner know that he’s hurt so they pull him out.

You give your corner enough ways to pull you out, then they’ll do it and Liam Williams wanted his corner to pull him out.”

The fight, a gruelling affair, was, for the most part, dominated by Williams, who made a rapid start and raced into a commanding lead against an opponent who seemed uncharacteristically lacklustre. Smith had been ridiculed viciously on social media in the hours leading up to the fight due to his failure to make weight, and the slog endured in getting his broad frame close to the 154lb limit showed in the bout’s first half. The widespread expectation of a competitive match belatedly came to fruition in the second half, as Smith did all he could to chop down the numerical advantages on the judges’ scorecards. When Williams sustained the brutal laceration at the end of round nine, Smith’s resilience and ruthlessness had paid off.

“Listen, people can say it’s a butt and it doesn’t look good when you watch it back, but whether it’s a butt, elbow or even a kick, it was an injury that he could’ve got on with,” Smith insists, still wholly sincere. “Look at the cut I had, and I fought from round three with that, and I had absolutely nothing going for me in that fight. I couldn’t win the [Interim WBO] world title [due to missing weight], I was behind on the scorecards and I was boxing s**t. How easy would it have been for [trainer] Joe [Gallagher] to just say, ‘You’ve got a bad cut and nothing is going for you so let’s leave it for another day; shall I pull you out?’ There’s not a chance I was pulling out.

I’ve seen Tony Bellew have a worse cut in the

second or third round against [Roberto] Bolonti, or look at our Paul when he fought [Tony] Dodson. You see cuts like his in boxing all the time, but the tide was turning in the fight and I think Williams knew it and his team knew it and that’s why they pulled him out.”

Candid as ever, being true to himself comes naturally to Smith. It was another trait of which Leach was fond of and, in an unforgiving era of political correctness, you will never find Smith retracting statements or deleting posts to prevent damage to his image. His strongminded approach to the rematch, which has included attacking the heart of Williams at every opportunity, is typical of Smith - and the manner in which the first fight

A CUT HURTS THE SECOND IT HAPPENS AND THAT’S THAT”

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ended has given the 2008 ABA champion even more confidence.

“He could’ve been fighting Miguel Cotto in Madison Square Garden,” Smith points out.

“That’s what he gave up when he allowed his corner to pull him out, and if you pull out with everything that he had to gain from that fight then he’ll pull out whenever it gets tough.

I look at that and think I’ve only got to get to him and it’ll come back to him. I can honestly tell you now that if Joe would’ve pulled me out in the same situation then I would’ve just walked out the ring and never stepped foot in his gym again. Look when he had [Anthony] Crolla against [Jorge] Linares, and Crolla was well down on the cards and had been beaten up and Joe was so close to pulling him out.

He knew what the fight meant to Ant and that it was in Manchester so he let him go out to hear the final bell. You’ve always got to go out fighting and I don’t think Liam Williams BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG PITY: Smith takes in the Dallas atmosphere before losing to Canelo

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understands that yet.”

With conflict looming, Smith has put in the hard work, and a frantic 15-month period that began with the sickening body attacks of Canelo leaving him stricken on a Dallas canvas will culminate with Smith hopeful that he can return to that prestigious echelon. After being elevated to the most daunting of platforms, where the spotlight blinds those who are not prepared, Smith is desperate to return there.

“It’s everything you work your entire life for and you watch him and think you can exploit him, but Canelo showed me everything that’s required to be the very best in the sport,” Smith reflects. “When you fight over there, in a fight that size, the attention is on a different level to anything I’ve ever experienced. You’re getting all questions thrown at you from the media and there’s a woman there who moves you along to the next reporter. It really was a massive deal. So many people who I admire were sitting ringside that night watching me fight and I don’t want their only memory of me being stopped by Canelo. They’ve only really had one impression of me but if I win this fight and hopefully get myself another world title shot I can get back over to America and show them just how good a fighter I know I can be.”

The alarming disparity between facing Canelo as a big underdog in Texas and

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IT’S EVERYTHING YOU WORK YOUR ENTIRE LIFE FOR...

BUT CANELO SHOWED ME WHAT’S REQUIRED TO BE THE VERY BEST IN THE SPORT

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meeting Williams as the favourite in an allBritish clash niggled Smith at first. While the Williams fixture was never intended to be a mere exercise in rebuilding Smith’s confidence, there is an admission from the former WBO belt-holder that the appeal of HBO and American stadiums brought into stark contrast the reality of what was waiting

for him in Manchester this past spring.

“It was like when I fought John Thompson a couple of years ago and became world champion and you look at all the other fights that are out there,” Smith recalls. “You’re getting private messages off the likes of Shane Mosley and then you’re fighting Jimmy Kelly. That sounds disrespectful but when the world title comes you expect a big fight every few months, but I had to defend it a few times and wait for the big one with Canelo. It’s just trying to understand the business. Fighting Williams after fighting Canelo was like fighting Kelly after I’d just won the world title. It was a comedown and I don’t know if that was maybe the reason for a slow start, but I won’t be making that mistake this time around.”

The Canelo failure has been a constant annoyance for Smith ever since he left the home of the Dallas Cowboys last September.

The nuisance provided by Williams was briefly extinguished earlier this year, but it has returned to again deter Smith, and there are numerous scenarios in their imminent meeting that could well see the series drag on into a third meeting. Smith, however, is determined to slam the door firmly shut on the quarrel and hopefully open a new one that leads back to the Promised Land Alvarez briefly allowed him to sample, albeit with contrasting results. bn

MASTER AT WORK: Alvarez attacks Smith, who will be stopped in nine

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Photo: ACTION IMAGES

POINT TO PROVE: WIlliams is eager to show he is one of the best superwelterweights in the world

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BRUTAL WAR: Both Williams [right] and Smith suffer injuries during battle

➤ blurs the pain, but this was really burning.

It turned the fight on its head. From that moment everything went downhill for me.”

Smith himself had been leaking the red stuff since the third, but the flow did not seem to impair his vision. After that damage, Mr O’Connor had crossed the ring to inform the fighters that it was the result of a punch.

When the bell rang to end the ninth, the burly Brummie stayed in his neutral corner.

“Gary jumped up and shouted, ‘Ref, that was his head’, but O’Connor just told him to get on with it. I could see from the expressions of Gary and cutman Bob Plant that it was going to be a bad outcome for me,” admits Liam. “The doctor was shaking his head and saying it was too bad, but he didn’t say it to the ref. So when it was time for the next round, O’Connor came over and asked if I was going out and Gary said, ‘No’.

As Williams slumped on his stool, Smith walked across and the pair embraced.

“I can’t remember exactly what he said,” says Williams, “but he seemed genuine enough. Then we were called to the centre of the ring for the formal announcement and he said he’d come and see me after. He didn’t, but that was just as well after the interview he gave BoxNation. I was still in the ring and, while I didn’t hear all of it, I heard enough to get the flavour.”

Those casual followers of the fight game who remember Williams’ British title defence against

Gary Corcoran in July last year may think such animosity is the norm for the valley boy.

But he stresses that the row with the North London traveller was a one-off.

“That was the first time I’d had any real inter-action before a bout – face-to-face press conferences and so on – and from the off we really didn’t like each other,” says Liam. “We still don’t, to this day. I’d like to fight him every day of the week if I could.”

The ill-feeling was obvious from the first bell, with the referee – that man O’Connor again – bringing them together less than 30 seconds into the opening round to warn them to clean up their acts. As rival supporters became infected by the mood, the animosity was intense throughout a battle that ended with Corcoran reeling helplessly around the ring following a knockdown in the 11th.

Afterwards Williams confessed that his temper had taken over, but he insists it is a thing of the past.

“That fight is old news,” he says. “I’m a lot more mature now. I can leave that stuff behind me.”

And he is confident that Smith’s insults will not affect him once jibes give way to jabs. All that is irrelevant to me now,” he maintains. “It’s not personal with me. He’s in my weight division, he’s just in my way. I’ve got to beat him so that I can get on with what I want to do.”

But there was one succinct warning to the Merseysider: “This time around, I’m going to be good – very good!”

WE REALLY DON’T LIKE EACH OTHER. STILL DON’T TO THIS DAY. I’D LIKE TO FIGHT HIM EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK IF I COULD. 20 l BOXING NEWS l NOVEMBER 9, 2016

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Photo: ACTION IMAGES

HAPPY COUPLE: Williams continues to improve under the tutelage of Lockett

ROAR OF THE WILD: Bitter rival Cocoran gets an earful

THE BACKGROUND

Contrary to popular belief outside Wales, the Rhondda is not one valley, but two: the Rhondda Fawr (“Big Rhondda”) and the Rhondda Fach (“Little Rhondda”) flowing into it. Each has a fine fistic heritage.

The smaller valley nurtured the flyweight talents of Jimmy Wilde, arguably the greatest boxer Britain has ever seen. And its larger cousin is best known for Tommy Farr, the heavyweight whose 1937 challenge to Joe Louis is said to have had half the population of Wales staying up all night to listen to the crackling radio commentary from New York.

The coal mines may be long gone, but the Rhondda still produces fighters, with Liam Williams leading the way for the current generation. And he comes from Clydach Vale, the pit village which spawned Farr.

“I grew up near where he lived,” says Liam.

“It was a stone’s throw away, literally. If I threw a stone I could hit it.”

You might think that such proximity to greatness would have been the inspiration that propelled Williams to his own ring successes. Not so.

“I’d heard his name, of course, and bits and bobs about him,” recalls Liam, “but I was never interested enough as a kid to know what he’d achieved. It was only when I was 16 or 17 that I started to take the sport seriously and wanted to find out more.”

By then Liam had already won several of the six British age-group titles he acquired, the only Welshman to achieve such a feat.

“I knew I was good, that I had potential,” he says. “but I was about 17 before I first thought that I could turn professional.”

Having started as an a nine-year-old with Rhondda ABC, he was guided in the early days by one of boxing’s dedicated band of unsung trainers, Ivor Bartlett, known to all and sundry as “Pete”. But he had admirers beyond the valley.

“I was approached by Nathan Cleverly and his father, Vince, to go and join them in Bargoed,” explains Liam. “Obviously, as a

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young boy, that was a dream come true.”

Sparring sessions with the main man no doubt helped Williams win the Welsh senior title at the first attempt and he was invited to train with the GB squad in Sheffield.

“I was there for six months,” he says. “But I felt I was being pushed to one side a bit. I thought that was fair enough, because I didn’t fight in the technical way they like.”

Nevertheless, he was selected to go to an Olympic qualifying tournament in Turkey, only for hopes of appearing at the London Games to be dashed.

“A couple of days before we were due to leave, I had a puncture in my car and was changing the wheel, when another car hit me and ran me over. I couldn’t walk for a month.”

The driver, who was texting on her phone at the time, escaped with a warning. For the 19-year-old Williams, once recovered, it was time to go pro.

“Nathan was world champion and well in with Frank Warren, which opened doors for me,” he points out. “Vince didn’t have a manager’s licence, so he recommended I sign with Gary Lockett. It was the best decision I ever made.”

Ironically, it was to rebound on the senior Cleverly, who initially continued as trainer.

After three bouts, all points wins, it was agreed that Lockett should take over that side as well. The next three outings ended in stoppage triumphs, and the road has so far taken the pair to British and Commonwealth belts.

Victory over Smith could bring the chance to add a world title to that already impressive collection. But it would probably not be against the current champion, with Miguel Cotto vowing to retire after next month’s defence against Sadam Ali. That would be a shame, given that Williams admires the Puerto Rican to such an extent that he has a picture of him tattooed on his back.

“Fighting Cotto would be a dream come true,” he agrees. “But it makes no odds as long as I become a world champion. That’s enough for me.” bn

NOVEMBER 9, 2017 l BOXING NEWS l 21

PREVIEWS

Previewing the best upcoming fights around the world

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ O U T S TA N D I N G ★ ★ ★ ★ G O O D ★ ★ ★ FA I R ★ ★ D I S A P P O I N T I N G ★ RU B B I S H T h e s t a r r a t i n g s i n d i c a t e h o w w e l l t h e w r i t e r b e l i e v e s t h e f i g h t e r s m a t c h u p, t h e f i g h t ( s ) ’ c o n t e x t u a l s i g n i f i c a n c e , a n d h o w g o o d t h e f i g h t ( s ) w i l l b e Photo: ACTION IMAGES/PETER CZIBORRA

KING AT LAST: Groves prepares to make the first defence of his WBA super-middleweight

BAD BLOOD Smith and Williams have unfinished business, writes George Gigney

★★★★ ★★★

MAIN EVENT U N D E RC A R D

OR he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.” So the line goes in William Shakespeare’s Henry V, and it’s one that – usually – can be applied to two boxers after they’ve fought one another.

That doesn’t appear to be the case for British super-welterweights Liam Smith and Liam Williams. Back in April they shared nine enthralling rounds, both suffering nasty cuts, before Williams’ gash was deemed too costly by his trainer Gary Lockett, who pulled his man out before the 10th stanza.

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on his right eyelid, while the Welshman The controversy surrounding that insists Smith intentionally headbutted climax – the cut appeared to have been him and should have been disqualified. caused by a clash of heads and not a Even outside of that gory ninth punch as the referee ruled – is the main round there was more intrigue. reason these two are meeting Williams, unbeaten going this Saturday (November TALKING into that first fight, started 11) at the Metro Radio POINT fast and controlled the Arena in Newcastle, but WITH WBO champ Miguel Cotto first six rounds with the subsequent fallout expected to retire after defending smart boxing and has added a layer of against Sadam Ali in December, the movement. Smith, genuine animosity that winner of Smith-Williams II could who never minds gives fans yet another be matched with No.1 contender giving away rounds enveloping domestic Magomed Kurbanov (if he to get a measure of rivalry. defeats Akinori Watanebe) his opponent, was cut As you will have for the vacant strap. badly in the third and had read, both have to contend with a constant conflicting theories about stream of blood flowing down his that memorable night at the face for the rest of the contest.

Manchester Arena seven months ago.

He burst into life in the seventh, his Smith believes Williams looked for a left hooks to the body paying dividends way out after that grotesque cut opened

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SMITH BELIEVES WILLIAMS LOOKED FOR A WAY OUT AFTER A CUT OPENED ON HIS RIGHT EYELID, WHILE THE WELSHMAN INSISTS SMITH INTENTIONALLY HEADBUTTED HIM and Williams certainly slowed down.

Suddenly, the Liverpudlian was in the ascendency and we had a tantalising finale on our hands – until Williams’ eye burst open. They briefly embraced once the fight was over, both covered in blood, but it didn’t take long for the war of words to start and now, just days away from the rematch, the tension between them is palpable.

Despite nine rounds of evidence, the return is an exceptionally difficult to fight to predict. Smith failed to make weight for the first fight and there’s a solid argument that his struggles with the scales affected his performance.

He admitted that he entered training camp too heavy, and that those final few pounds just wouldn’t budge.

However, he clearly had problems with Williams’ style in the first half of that fight. Williams boxed well on the front foot and back, landing down the middle and with scything hooks round Smith’s high guard. That being said, he shipped a fair bit of punishment himself and, in the seventh and ninth rounds, there were Photo: ACTION IMAGES

HEADS UP: Smith [right] will later be aqccused of deliberately headbutting his rival.

And certainly, when looking back on replays of the ninth round, it’s hard to argue against such charges

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spells where it seemed Smith’s shots were doing more damage.

Clearly, Smith has a decent engine as he was able to come on strong in those later rounds (though it should also be noted his output in the early rounds was fairly low), while Williams needed to take the odd break here and there, perhaps to conserve his stamina. The furthest he’s gone into a fight is the 11th round, and he’s only done that once when he stopped Gary Corcoran last year. Smith has done the full 12 rounds twice before.

The first half of this rematch is likely to be fairly similar, though Smith may

TALE OF THE TAPE LIAM SMITH LIAM WILLIAMS @LiamBeefySmith @liamwilliamsko Jul 27, 1988/29 DOB/AGE May 26, 1992/25 Liverpool HOMETOWN Clydach Vale English NATIONALITY Welsh 5ft 9ins HEIGHT 5ft 10ins 25-1-1 (14) RECORD 16-1-1 (11) Orthodox STANCE Orthodox Oct 10, 2008/20 DEBUT/AGE Nov 19, 2011/19 52 KO PERCENTAGE 61

start a bit faster and make things closer.

Smith’s aggressive, vicious style will always trouble a boxer like Williams, but “The Machine” also showed grit in their first meeting. There’s likely to be more blood spilt before this rivalry is over, and this time Williams should be able to build on his early lead, work his way through some tough and trying stages in the second half of the fight and win on the cards in another close and fiery tussle.

On the undercard of this Queensbery Promotions show, West Rainton’s Thomas Patrick Ward should retain his British super-bantamweight title on points against Birmingham’s Sean Davis. Nantwich heavyweight prospect Nathan Gorman takes on unbeaten Russian-German Mohamed Soltby over 10, while there is also an intriguing super-lightweight 12-rounder between Guisborough’s Josh Leather and Sunderland’s Glenn Foot. BT Sport and BoxNation air the show in the UK. THE VERDICT If he can keep his head, Williams should gain revenge and set up a potential trilogy fight.

MONDAY IN MAYFAIR ON Monday (November 13), Zambiaborn Londoner Matthew Chanda fights Swansea’s Jay Harris for the vacant British super-flyweight crown at the Hilton Hotel in Mayfair, with Queensberry also promoting.

One year ago, Chanda was edged out on a split decision

by Duke Micha for the Commonwealth bantamweight title in what was his most recent fight.

In February of this year, Harris, 27, lifted the Commonwealth flyweight belt when he defeated Thomas Essomba.

Chanda, 31, has fought as high as superbantamweight and so will be the naturally bigger man, but Harris is wellschooled and should have the tools to win this one on points.

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PREVIEWS

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FULL CREDIT: Taylor is proving he’s not afraid to take chances

TALE OF THE TAPE JOSH TAYLOR MIGUEL VAZQUEZ

n/a @JoshTaylorBoxer Jan 2, 1991/26 DOB/AGE Jan 6, 1987/30 Guadalajara Edinburgh HOMETOWN Scottish NATIONALITY Mexican 10-0 (9) RECORD 39-5 (15) 5ft 10ins HEIGHT 5ft 10ins 72ins 69 1/2ins REACH Southpaw STANCE Orthodox July 18, 2005/24 DEBUT/AGE Jan 20, 2006/19 KO PERCENTAGE 34 90

RISKY BUSINESS Taylor faces a tricky test in awkward Vazquez, writes Daniel Herbert

★★★★ ★★★

MAIN EVENT U N D E RC A R D

OXING fans are never happy. They spend most of their time complaining that fighters are matched too softly, then when one takes a tough contest - they criticise that too.

That’s the case with Scotland’s exciting Commonwealth super-lightweight champion Josh Taylor and his 12-rounder on Saturday (November 11) against Mexico’s Miguel Vazquez.

The fight, which tops the Channel Five-televised Cyclone Promotions bill at the Royal Highland Centre in Taylor’s Edinburgh hometown, is accurately billed “Risk vs Reward”.

Criticism surrounds not so much Vazquez’s ability - at 30 and as an ex-world champion (IBF lightweight) he represents a good test for the rising Taylor - as his style, which produces

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boring fights.

At 5ft 10ins and with long limbs, Vazquez boxes in a very awkward manner that is the polar opposite of the traditional Mexican get-stuck-in, lefthook-to-the-liver school. His nickname “Titere” (Puppet) accurately describes the way he boxes like a puppet controlled by strings.

Miguel is the sort who can make an opponent look bad even when they beat him. The bout that saw him lose his IBF 135lbs belt to Mickey Bey in September 2014 is a case in point: Floyd Mayweather protege Bey won a split decision but the action was so dull that he didn’t get much credit and his career never took off.

Vazquez’s six subsequent fights (five wins, one points loss to later Luke Campbell points victim Argenis Mendez) have been low-key affairs that haven’t included one title shot or even eliminator. That underlines the point: few want to fight Miguel unless in a contest ordered by a sanctioning body.

So all credit to Taylor and his team for

accepting an opponent most prospects would swerve. The talented southpaw Scot and trainer Shane McGuigan will surely have been working hard on a strategy to overcome the problems posed

by Vazquez and not only beat him, but also entertain the TV audience.

Saturday’s fight is for the WBC Silver bauble, which earns the winner a high ranking with that organisation. And with the outstanding unified champion Terence Crawford moving up to welterweight, there will be plenty of title opportunities at 140lbs in the near future.

Taylor has already made quick progress considering he turned pro only 26 months ago and has had just 10 fights. In the last year he has won the Commonwealth title by stopping Dave Ryan in five rounds and retained twice, last time (in July) by walloping Ohara Davies into seventh-round defeat in a grudge match.

He also found time to make his US debut in Las Vegas and while it wasn’t his best showing - it was the only time he has been taken the distance - he still outpointed Alfonso Olvera handily in their eight-rounder. It was useful experience for a man who had been knocking over opponents early.

Now Vazquez represents a test of a much higher order. The Guadalajara man has mixed in top class for a long time: amazingly, his debut came against Saul “Canelo’ Alvarez (then 15) was back in 2006. Vazquez lost that four-rounder on a split decision and while Canelo outscored him over 10 in 2008 it’s hardly a black mark given what Alvarez has done since.

The other setback from Vazquez’s pre-world title days was a 10-round loss to Tim Bradley in 2007. Only world class performers have beaten the tough Mexican, and if Taylor is to add his name to that list he must combine the hurtful punching he showed against Davies (whom he floored twice) with the refined skills that made him a top amateur, winning Commonwealth Games silver in 2010 and gold four years later.

The betting here is that Taylor will, although he’ll have to show patience early on before stepping on the gas in the middle rounds to build a lead he will still have come the final bell.

On the undercard, promising local star Jason Easton, 10-0 (6), takes on Czech Republic’s Josef Zahradnik, 9-0 (4), in a super-lightweight 12, Northampton’s Chantelle Cameron, 3-0 (2), fights Mexico’s Edith Ramos, 6-1-1, over 10-twos, while there is a pro debut for Edinburgh bantam Lee McGregor, who competed in this year’s European and World Amateur championships.

THE VERDICT Taylor must be at his best for this gamble to pay off.

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MIRACLE MAN: Jacobs is aiming for another shot at a world title

NEW START For both Daniel Jacobs and promoter Eddie Hearn, writes Daniel Herbert

★★★★ ★★★

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IT’S not often that the promoter is the big story of a fight, but that’s the case when Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn makes his US debut with a card at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York on Saturday (November 11).

The main event is solid enough with former world champion Daniel Jacobs tackling unbeaten Luis Arias in a middleweight 12-rounder, backed by two interesting 10s pitting Jarrell Miller against Mariusz Wach at heavyweight and Cletus Seldin versus Roberto Ortiz at super-light.

HBO televises in the USA, Sky Sports in the UK – and it could prove a watershed if Hearn can reproduce Stateside the sort of British success he has enjoyed in

I

recent years.

Of course, Hearn has taken plenty of his boxers to fights across The Pond, and already expanded his European activities to Monaco. But Saturday marks his first promotion in the US and, just as importantly, his first hook-up with Jacobs, a fighter previously with Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions set-up.

It’s understood other leading American boxers, unhappy at their lack of activity under adviser Haymon and his “front” promoters, have contacted Hearn about jumping ship.

Perhaps it will depend on what TV deals he can strike, and he holds a huge bargaining chip in word heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua.

Yet all that will mean little if he can’t secure his charges meaningful fights and ones they can win while looking good.

So it’s up Jacobs to deliver, and he starts a solid favourite against Arias. The 30-year-old from nearby Brooklyn has held the WBA’s secondary middleweight

title and lost only twice in 34 outings: on a five-round stoppage to Russia’s Dmitry Pirog for the vacant WBO belt in 2010 and on points to Gennady Glolovkin with four belts on the line in March.

That fight saw Jacobs push “GGG” hard, with most observers feeling he came closer to victory than Saul Alvarez would do when getting a draw with the fearsome Kazakh six months later.

Despite holding that WBA belt, the only world class victim of that reign was Peter Quillin (highlighting the spuriousness of the title), whom he shocked with a first-round stoppage in December 2015.

That was one of 29 inside schedule wins (from 32) for Danny, so it’s clear he can bang. However, the Pirog setback - one big right did him in - proved he doesn’t hold a shot so well, although it’s only fair to point out he subsequently underwent (successful) treatment for cancer, earning him the nickname “Miracle Man”.

He certainly stood up to the punches of Golovkin, as feared a puncher as there is in boxing, so logic dictates it’s unlikely that he will get stopped by Arias, who has scored only nine early wins out 18 (one early career points win was changed to a No Decision).

The 27-year-old from Milwaukee is more of a boxer, even if he did show power last time in June, when he dropped Artif Magomedov in the first en route to a five-round stoppage win on the Andre Ward-Sergey Kovalev II undercard in Las Vegas.

That was by far the biggest opportunity of his career, which has generally been low-key because his promoters Roc Nation stage so few major shows; Luis’ other 2017 outing, a 10-round points win over veteran Scott Sigmon, happened at the Carnegie Music Hall in Homestead, Florida.

All of which means Jacobs is by far the more seasoned and the more accustomed to the big stage. After all, this is the first 12-rounder for Arias, who has been 10 only twice.

So expect Jacobs to use his heavy hitting, both to head and body, to earn a clear points victory in an entertaining fight.

THE VERDICT Jacobs will be aiming to shine on his Matchroom debut, while Hearn will be hoping to make a splash on his company’s US bow.

GOLD UP FOR GRABS TOP RANK promote a good-looking show at Save Mart Arena in Fresno, California on Saturday (November 11), when the local attraction is Jose Carlos Ramirez but the official main event pits Montreal-based Russian Artur Beterbiev against Enrico Koelling. This 12-rounder is for the IBF light-heavyweight title vacated by retired Andre Ward and should crown Beterbiev, who has been inactive for 11 months with a shoulder injury and recently left promoter Yvon Michel for Top Rank. Beterbiev has won all 11 fights inside the limit with the sort of crushing power that should bring an early win over Germany’s Koelling, whose 23-1 (6) ledger induces two wins over South African Reno Liebenberg but a loss to unheralded Italian Mirko Ricci. Over 10 rounds London Olympian Ramirez, 20-0 (15), can thrill his numerous fans a with a points victory against Mike Reed, 23-0 (12).

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NOVEMBER 9, 2017 l BOXING NEWS l 25

ACTION

Reports from the best fights around the world

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ O U T S TA N D I N G ★ ★ ★ ★ G O O D ★ ★ ★ FA I R ★ ★ D I S A P P O I N T I N G ★ RU B B I S H Re p o r t e r s ’ s t a r r a t i n g s fo r m a i n e v e n t s a n d u n d e rc a r d s a r e b a s e d o n i n - r i n g e n t e r t a i n m e n t , c o m p e t i t i v e n e s s a n d w h e t h e r o v e r a l l e x p e c t a t i o n w a s m e t

BATTLE CRY Wilder calls out Joshua after obliterating Stiverne

B RO O K LY N N OV E M B E R 4 ★★★ ★★★ ★★★★

EONTAY WILDER turned in one of the most destructive performances the heavyweight division has seen in years, destroying Bermane Stiverne at 2-59 of the first round, then immediately called out Anthony Joshua.

Hopefully Joshua and his team accept the challenge, which would not only result in a universally accepted world heavyweight

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champion, but also answer the question of who is the best man in the division.

On this night, Wilder’s biggest opponent was himself. Winning would not be enough, he had to stop Stiverne who was the only man to ever go the distance with him in his professional career. Wilder promised to do it in style, and so it proved.

Stiverne, who looked flabby compared to the rock-hard Tuscaloosa man, simply never got started. He did have Wilder moving back for most of the first two minutes, but he offered no offence whatsover. All the time, the defending WBC heavyweight champion was carefully measuring his opponent, keeping him on the end of a stiff jab, waiting for an opening to land his first power punch. And when he did the carnage ensued; the devastation of his

attack leaving the close to 11,000 at the Barclays Center in awe of what they were witnessing.

A straight right down the slot sent Stiverne, based in Miami, skidding to the canvas, badly shaken. He got up with a minimum of enthusiasm. For all intents and purposes it was over as Wilder rushed to him, stopped, then dropped his hands in a show of gamesmanship.

Without the slightest concern of any returning fire, Wilder brought up a left hook from the floor that crashed into Stiverne’s jaw, then a massive right that, though blocked, carried such force that the former WBC title holder could not remain upright.

If Stiverne is to be given any credit at all, it would be in the fact that he got up from the second knockdown. It delayed the inevitable, allowing Wilder to end

Photo: PBC/ RYAN HAFEY

ONE-SIDED: Wilder screams as Stiverne hits the deck

26 l BOXING NEWS l NOVEMBER 9, 2017

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Photos: SHOWTIME/TOM CASINO

it in style. Wilder advanced forward, then took a step to the right to get more leverage on the blows. A three-punch combination of a left uppercut, straight right, and left hook sent Stiverne down for the third time in the contest. Referee Arthur Mercante Jnr had a hard time restraining an animated Wilder, grabbing Deontay and walking him across the ring to encourage the big man to calm down.

“No more hiding,” said Wilder referring to Joshua. “Let’s see who’s the best. I’ll go to England to prove it.”

If Joshua does not step up, Wilder’s next contest will probably be against Dominic Breazeale. The Californian put himself into position by stopping Texan Eric Molina after eight rounds of a scheduled 12 in an eliminator that highlighted the lack of depth in the heavyweight class - between them, Breazeale and Molina have already been thrashed three times in bids for titles.

It was a slow-paced bout, that the rangier Breazeale controlled most of the time. Molina landed an occasional hard right and tried to rough up Breazeale, but did not have the talent to get the job done. In the eighth, a pair of rights to the temple dropped Molina for an eight count. He never fully recovered and it was stopped at the end of the round.

Shawn Porter bent down in pain after landing a left hook to the chin of Adrian Granados, during the sixth round of their WBC welterweight title eliminator, later saying the hand was injured. But to say it altered his performance significantly would be a stretch. Porter, from Las Vegas, had an insurmountable lead up to that point, and continued to use the hand until the 11th, when he shut down and coasted to the final bell. All three judges notched him a 117-111 winner as Gary Rosato refereed.

Granados from Chicago, should be given high grades for finishing strongly, but the bottom line is that he rarely landed an effective blow. Next stop for Porter is supposed to be a rematch with

TARGET PRACTICE: Wilder takes aim at the utterly hapless Stiverne

champion Keith Thurman, who probably will be allowed to have a voluntary defence first.

Boos rained down from the rafters after it was announced that Russian Sergey Lipinets had won the vacant IBF super-lightweight title by unanimous decision over Tokyo’s Akihiro Kondo.

But you could not be sure if they were disputing the fairness of the decision or the lopsided scores of judges’ Carlos Ortiz (118-110), Tony Paolillo and John Poturaj (both 117-111). Boxing News had Lipinets winning 116-112. Ricky Gonzalez refereed.

When they butted heads in the sixth round, resulting in Lipinets sustaining a nasty gash on his forehead, it looked like

COME AND GET IT: Wilder shows off a belt missing from Joshua’s collection

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it would not go to the cards. But the cut was kept under control. Lipinets piled up points with his jab and responded to Kondo’s good moments by landing blows of his own.

Kondo, boxing in the United States for the first time, had success and his performance exceeded expectation, but the right man got the decision.

Brooklyn’s Amanda Serrano dropped the Bronx’s Marlyn Hernandez three times in the opening round of a scheduled 10, forcing a stoppage at 2-38 of that session.

THE VERDICT: Wilder destroys Stiverne in brutally one-sided mismatch.

F U L L R E S U LT S Deontay Wilder (220 3/4lbs), 39-0 (38), w rsf 1 Bermane Stiverne (254 3/4lbs), 25-3-1 (21); Shawn Porter (146 1/2lbs), 28-2-1 (17), w pts 12 Adrian Granados (146 lbs), 18-6-2 (11); Sergey Lipinets (139 3/4lbs), 13-0 (10) w pts 12 Akihiro Kondo (139 1/2lbs), 29-7-1 (16); Dominic Breazeale (255 1/2lbs), w rsf 8 Eric Molina (240 1/2lbs), 26-5 (19); Chris Colbert (127 lbs), 7-0 (2), w pts 8 Titus Williams (126 3/4lbs), 7-1 (2); Efe Ajaba (235 lbs), 3-0 (3), w rsf 5 Rodney Hernandez (268 lbs), 10-7-2 (2); Amanda Serrano (127 3/4lbs), 34-1-1 (25), w rsf 1 Marilyn Hernandez (129 lbs), 26-11 (17); Lenroy Thomas (243 1/4lbs), 22-4 (10) w pts 8 Ed Fountain (248 3/4lbs), 12-3 (5); Dylan Price (117 1/4lbs) 4-0 (4) w rsf 1 Trevor Ballinger (117 lbs), 0-3.

RINGSIDE NOTES - WHEN original Wilder opponent Luis Ortiz was pulled out due to failing a drugs test, ticket prices for the show were lowered.

- SOMETHING has to be done about it before it becomes a major problem, but a strong smell of marijuana was going around ringside.

It has happened multiple times before.

- SERRANO who has held multiple women’s titles, has talked of retiring from boxing and going into MMA where she could reportedly make more money.

- THERE was no uproar over Wilder’s comments beforehand of wanting to literally kill Stiverne in the ring. Considering the nature of our sport, and it’s sometimes tragic consequences, Wilder should face some disciplinary action for those distasteful remarks.

NOVEMBER 9, 2017 l BOXING NEWS l 27

ACTION

BIVOL LIGHTS UP MONACO Russian’s missiles strike down Aussie Broadhurst

M O N T E C A R LO , M O N ACO N OV E M B E R 4 ★★★ ★★★ ★★★

MITRY BIVOL astonished a 400-strong capacity crowd of boxing fans, celebrities and gamblers when he knocked out Australia’s Trent Broadhurst in one round at the Salle Medecin of the famous Casino.

Bivol retained the WBA secondary light-heavyweight title (vacated by Badou Jack) on this Matchroom promotion but, more importantly, staked his claim in a division full of talent despite the retirement of Andre Ward.

Born 26 years ago in Tokmak, Kyrgyzstan and now based in St Petersburg, Russia, Bivol drew the

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Thierry Chambefort RINGSIDE

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compliment of “Super!” from ringside spectator Carlos Takam, still unhappy at being stopped against Anthony Joshua a week earlier.

Broadhurst, from Slacks Creek in Queensland, was well prepared but from the opening bell one could not only see but also hear the effectiveness of Bivol’s combinations.

The Australian was quickly floored and counted on from what looked like a push – but if an extremely fast jab was followed by an elbow, the speed and accuracy displayed just might become Bivol’s trademark. The champ never let Broadhurst breathe, positioning his legs to trigger his opponent, then switching his leading shoulder to help launch missiles.

With round one winding down, Bivol controlled his distance with a loose jab before suddenly unleashing a terrific straight right to the jaw. British referee Howard Foster immediately rescued the challenger, who was declared a KO loser at the 3-00 mark.

“My preferred fighter is Sugar Ray Leonard but I don’t try to box like him,”

said Bivol, who already speaks and understands English. “But Ray was unique and I have my own style.”

Doncaster’s WBA secondary bantamweight belt-holder Jamie McDonnell was left frustrated after his three-round No Contest against Panamabased Venezuelan Liborio Solis, whom he had beaten on a contested 12-round verdict here a year ago.

Early in the session Jamie planted his foot in ring centre and bent over his shorter challenger, who was charging in head high; the result was a cut on Jamie’s left eyebrow and Puerto Rican referee Luis Pabon called the doctor, who allowed the fight to continue.

Solis scored with a neat right but a second doctor’s inspection took a little longer before the fighters started again.

Wild exchanges ensued before the doctor called a halt and Pabon stopped the fight at 2-45.

As we had not reached the end of round four, it had to be a No Contest. A pity, as Solis had made weight easily and McDonnell had taken the lead, charging his challenger in a promising second

Photos: LAWRENCE LUSTIG/ MATCHROOM

NOT WASTING TIME: Bivol [left] makes room for his right - the hand that will finish the fight in the opening round

28 l BOXING NEWS l NOVEMBER 9, 2017

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round.

In an eliminator for the WBA featherweight strap, Scott Quigg sometimes had to take sustained attacks from six to 10 blows from seasoned Ukrainian Oleg Yefimovych, notably in the third session.

But if the Bury man answered with only two blows, those were much more efficient – and when Scott realised Oleg could not hurt him, he opened up with heavy rights to the head. Quigg continued his demolishing project by going to the body and the Ukrainian was eventually saved from punishment by ref Pabon after 50 seconds of round six. He complained, but trainer Andrei Sinepupov knew it was the right decision.

Freddie Roach, Quigg’s trainer, stayed in the US to assist Canadian MMA superstar Georges St Pierre.

Dereck Chisora failed to regain the European heavyweight title when outpointed on a majority decision

by Germany’s Agit Kabayel. Judge Ventsislav Nikolov had them level at 114-114, but Francisco Alloza Rosa (115-113) and Smail Alitouche (114-113) both scored for the champion. Belgium’s Daniel Van De Wiele refereed.

“I thought Chisora won,” said Takam, while this reporter had one point in favour of the Finchley man.

Dereck was the brawler and Essenbased Agit the tactician. In round two Chisora subdued Kabayel with vicious combinations including one of a splendid left hook, right uppercut.

In round three Chisora showed experience when he clinched then scored neatly with a left hook late in the session. The backpedalling champion

GROUND ‘EM DOWN: The relentless Quigg forces Yefimovych back

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PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

CUT SHORT: Blood pours from McDonnell following head clash

SAS Prince Albert, who had watched the fights up to 8.03 pm and left, was back ringside at 9.53pm for the sixth session of this intriguing heavyweight encounter.

I asked him, “Did you leave to watch football your Highness?”

“No, we won 6-0 but I had to attend opera,” answered his majesty.

(Monaco beat Guingamp in the French league the same evening).

‘MY PREFERRED FIGHTER IS SUGAR RAY LEONARD BUT I HAVE MY OWN STYLE’

demonstrated ability when he opened up with pure left-rights, but he did this too rarely. He also landed on the move, which rendered him less efficient.

From round six onwards, the capacity crowd was all shouts as Kabayel began the session with a splendid right uppercut. Yet from the 10th, I thought Kabayel had to win all the rounds to keep his crown. Chisora was tired but clever enough to be the aggressor, scoring with a right-left-right in the 11th. Kabayel dominated the last, proving that he could possibly have worked harder earlier - but the man of Turkish origin is young (26), gifted, courageous, can take a punch and will surely be a solid hitter when he’s gained confidence and experience. He can be fast and a good tactician.

Trainer Adam Booth brought Brighton’s exciting super-lightweight Harlem Eubank to the show for a fight against Aboubeker Bechelaghem that was cut from six rounds to four.

Bechelaghem, from Blagnac, was no pushover. Trained by Mohammed Benama, who guided world champion Mahyar Monshipour, he protected himself well and connected with fewer but effective blows.

Cool Harlem landed several combinations but looked like a kid when pressed on the ropes. It ended in a split decision for Eubank who, to the despair of his opponent, was raised on Benama’s shoulder at fight’s end.

FULL R E S U LT S Dmitry Bivol (174 1/4lbs), 12-0 (10), w ko 1 Trent Broadhurst (175lbs), 20-2 (12); Jamie McDonnell (117 1/2lbs), 29-21 (13) 1ND, ND 3 Liborio Solis (117 3/4lbs), 25-5-1 (11) 1ND; Agit Kabayel (237 1/4lbs), 17-0 (12), w pts 12 Dereck Chisora (254 1/4lbs), 27-8 (19); Scott Quigg (125 3/4lbs), 34-1-2 (25), w rsf 6 Oleg Yefimovych (125 3/4lbs), 29-3-1 (16); Harlem Eubank (141 1/4lbs), 3-0 (1), w pts 4 Aboubeker Bechelaghem (139 1/4lbs), 12-9-1.

THE VERDICT- Bivol announces himself as a major player in the 175lb division.

NOVEMBER 9, 2017 l BOXING NEWS l 29

ACTION

RYAN DOES THE DOUBLE Andy Whittle

Photo: STEPHANIE TRAPP/RINGSTAR

EDGING IT: Ryan pips Sharp again but some observers felt the decision was unjust

RINGSIDE MANCHESTER N OV E M B E R 4 ★★★ ★★★ ★★★

MAIN EVENT U N D E RC A R D AT M O S P H E R E

THE score handed down in favour of challenger Matthew Ryan at the conclusion of an all-Middleton Central Area middleweight title bout against old adversary Darryl Sharp fails to give a true reflection of just how close many of the sessions were. It was a point emphasised by the fact a few at ringside thought that gritty Sharp, beaten over eight when the pair clashed previously and who stuck close early on, might just have nicked it. The card of John Latham however, read 98-93 in Matty’s favour, crediting him for his busier pressing tactics behind the jab and it was ultimately the Ryan fans who were rewarded with local bragging rights again.

Having made it quite clear to underfire Bulgarian Tayar Mehmed prior to the fifth and penultimate round of his bout against Manchester light-heavy Lyndon Arthur, that if he lost or spat his gumshield one more time he would be disqualified. Third man Darren Sarginson duly carried out his threat at the very end of the session, an act though maybe a tad harsh, did spare the man from Burgos, who had been forced to endure a steady and prolonged one-sided beating, any further suffering.

Knockout merchant Diego Costa, a Manchester-based Brazilian, was on form once more, needing just half of his four-rounder to overcome Josef Obeslo, the under fire Czech who had already taken something of a shellacking, being counted out by Jamie Kirkpatrick with the clock reading 3-08 after being sent over backwards by a clubbing left as the bell sounded.

Chelmsford first timer Lewis Measom had quite a night, not only did he appear in a pair of borrowed shorts having left his own behind, but he was then defeated in just a round by Sean Ben Mulligan.

The Prestwych man triumphed after flooring the new start on three separate occasions, the third time with a weighty right that sent Lewis over backwards at the close of the round, referee Mr Kirkpatrick aborting his count with an official time of 3-04 recorded.

Leeds pair Reece Cartwright and

30 l BOXING NEWS l NOVEMBER 9, 2017

Matthew beats his fellow Middleton man again – this time for the Central Area belt

Zahid Hussain both ran out winners in their respective bouts against experienced overseas opposition, middleweight Cartwright halting Poland’s Daniel Urbanski 45 seconds from the end of the fourth of a scheduled six - right hooks dropping the visitor to his knees in centre ring - while unbeaten feather Hussain dominated en route to a shut-out 60-54 victory over Barcelona-based Nicaraguan Jose Aguilar.

There was a first inside the distance victory for Hyde’s popular Stacey Copeland who needed just 247 seconds of a scheduled six-twos to account for Hungarian Klaudia Vigh, referee Kirkpatrick intervening with the out-ofher-depth Budapest fighter, who had been down from a body shot late in the opener, under heavy fire.

Two unbeaten Liverpudlian’s dominated their respective superfeatherweight fours, Nick Ball ignoring a bloody nose from an early head clash to mix things up nicely and in so doing bamboozle Croatia’s always tough Antonio Horvatic, while in a slower yet thoughtful showing, Marcel Braithwaite had too much of everything for Barcelona’s Reynaldo Cajina. Both bouts finished 40-36.

Earlier in the evening a third Scouser, Brandon Daord had needed a fraction less than half of a four-rounder against Bulgaria’s Giorgi Andonov to secure his fourth paid victory, trialist referee Kirkpatrick halting proceedings with 15 seconds of the second remaining with the action having simply become too one-sided.

An away boxer who did upset the applecart was tall Latvian Edgars Sniedze. He required only 102 seconds of a four to dispose of Newcastle novice

Dean Laing, who having been dropped backwards by a left cross was still unsteady on rising and was duly counted out by Mr Sarginson.

After losing 23 on the bounce, I thought London-based Italian Victor Edagha had done just enough to edge his four against Liverpool’s Mick Phillips, referee Latham couldn’t split them though and turned in a card reading 38-38.

With midnight just having gone, former Commonwealth welterweight champ Denton Vassell closed the show out with a 39-37 success against Islington’s Jordan Grannum, third man being Mr Latham.

THE VERDICT A veritable League of Nations on show at Bowlers Exhibition Centre.

F U L L R E S U LT S Matthew Ryan (156lbs 6oz), 15-2 (2), w pts 10 Darryl Sharp (158 1/2lbs), 5-25; Lyndon Arthur (179lbs 10oz), 9-0 (7), w dq 5 Tayar Mehmed (183lbs 6oz), 6-29-2 (1); Denton Vassell (156 1/2lbs), 25-4 (11), w pts 4 Jordan Grannum (160 1/4lbs), 2-12; Diego Costa (179lbs 2oz), 3-0 (3), w ko 2 Josef Obeslo (175 1/2lbs), 7-41-3 (4); Marcel Braithwaite (131lbs 14oz), 5-0, w pts 4 Reynaldo Cajina (129 1/2lbs), 14-45-4 (10); Nick Ball (131 3/4lbs), 4-0, w pts 4 Antonio Horvatic (132 1/2lbs), 10-43 (5); Mick Phillips (154lbs 14oz) 2-0-1, d pts 4 Victor Edagha (156 3/4lbs), 0-23-1; Brandon Daord (119lbs), 4-0 (1), w rsf 2 Giorgi Andonov (117lbs 14oz), 3-7 (1); Edgars Sniedze (172 3/4lbs), 6-20 (6), w ko 1 Dean Laing (179lbs 2oz), 1-1; Sean Ben Mulligan (162 1/4lbs), 6-1 (2), w tco 1 Lewis Measom (161lbs), 0-1; Zahid Hussain (125 1/4lbs), 12-0 (2), w pts 6 Jose Aguilar (124lbs), 16-41-4 (6); Reece Cartwright (161lbs), 19-1 (11), w rsf 4 Daniel Urbanski (163 1/4lbs), 21-22-3 (5); Stacey Copeland (154lbs 5oz), 3-0 (1), w rsf 2 Klaudia Vigh (152 1/4lbs), 2-21-1 (1).

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ACTION

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS: Mulcahy is now 10-0 after impressive display Photo: ACTION IMAGES

MATURE MULCAHY Local Ryan shuts out Puplauskas over eight rounds

Chris Walker RINGSIDE LIVERPOOL N OV E M B E R 4 ★★ ★★

WHOLE SHOW AT M O S P H E R E

IT was Steve Wood’s VIP promotional group that brought professional boxing to the Liverpool Convention Centre for the first time, and those who came along were treated to a mature performance from Central Area 140lb champion Ryan Mulcahy.

The local tried a variety of attacks against awkward Lithuanian Edvinas Puplauskas. As the fight wore on, Mulcahy grew more confident and a well-placed body shot in the seventh session was enough for Mark Lyson to hand an eight-count to the stricken Puplauskas. Instead of dishing out further punishment, Mulcahy remained reserved in the final round and was handed an 80-72 result from the official.

Jack Arnfield took a routine six-round verdict against Denaby Main’s Adam Jones. Occupying a comfortable position within the WBA rankings, Arnfield will seek much more lucrative opportunities in 2018, but he was happy enough to just keep himself in front against Jones, as he landed the more telling shots throughout.

Steve Gray scored 60-54 in the Blackpool man’s favour.

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Liverpool’s Jay Farrell was explosive from the opening bell as he stalked Jamie Ambler with menacing purpose for the majority of the first round. His perseverance was rewarded when a stunning left hook rocked the Welshman.

Referee Gray intervened moments later with only 2-31 on the clock.

Steve Brogan from nearby Skelmersdale recorded a much needed win against Ibrar Riyaz, but he was made to work hard in the fight’s second half for the 60-55 card. Brogan dominated the first three rounds, but a right hand from Riyaz in the fourth momentarily troubled him and it raised the Reading boxer’s confidence. The final two sessions saw both fighters enjoy success, but there was no doubt who the victor was as Brogan had his hand raised

by Mr Lyson.

Two Liverpool fighters got their careers off to the best possible starts as Sean Cairns and Nathan Bennett arrived on the pro scene with well-deserved points wins. Cairns became the latest name to tackle Sheffield’s much-travelled Anwar Alfadli and he handled the experience well by being aggressive from the beginning. Mr Lyson’s scorecard of 39-38 will tell readers that this was a tightly contested affair, but Cairns was far more dominant than the tally suggested.

The difference between Bennett and Lithuania’s Andrej Cepur was a lot wider, as the former Kirkdale ABC star left an impression on those in attendance.

A student at Derry Mathew’s gym, Bennett excelled in the first two rounds

with a number of right uppercuts and left hooks that repeatedly found the exposed target of Cepur. The wise veteran became accustomed to the tactics of Bennett halfway through the fight and it was at this point that the success previously enjoyed by the Merseysider was becoming hard to find. Bennett still did enough to win though, and the 40-36 provided to him from Mr Gray was an accurate reflection.

There were high hopes that the fourrounder pitting Colin Day against Chris Adaway would excite, but a solid right cross from the former in round one made Adaway retreat for the reminder. Day cut off the ring expertly for someone who was only having his fourth fight, and he unleashed a number of heavy shots whenever he got close to his opponent.

Mr Lyson scored 40-36 for Day. Ulvertson’s Ryan Watson went the distance with Nuneaton’s Kristian Laight before being declared a 40-36 winner by Mr Gray. Watson landed the more telling punches without ever bothering Laight, and it was evident early on that whatever assaults he did attempt, Laight would always find a way to deter him.

This pattern was also demonstrated when Chorley’s Mark Jeffers went the six-round duration against Plymouth’s Christian Hoskin Gomez. Jeffers began superbly but could not find enough to dampen the enthusiasm of his opponent, who finished quite strongly. Despite the spirited efforts of Hoskin Gomez, he was still deemed to be on the wrong side of a 59-55 decision from Mr Gray.

Callum Pearson, of Barrow in Furness, and Blackburn’s Naheem Chaudhry granted their supporters enough activity to leave them satisfied as the pair participated in a decent affair. Pearson seemed to have the last word on every exchange and that was more than likely the reason he collected a 40-36 result from Mr Lyson.

THE VERDICT- Promoter Wood continues to do the very best he can to keep his bulging stable of North West fighters as busy as possible.

F U L L R E S U LT S Ryan Mulcahy (143lbs), 10-0, w pts 8 Edvinas Puplauskas (141lbs), 5-13; Ryan Watson (148lbs), 2-1, w pts 4 Kristian Laight (143lbs), 12-257-8; Sean Cairns (125lbs), 1-0, w pts 4 Anwar Alfadli (123lbs), 2-71-5; Jay Farrell (199lbs), 4-0, w rsf 1 Jamie Ambler (189lbs), 12-72-2; Callum Pearson (140lbs), 2-1, w pts 4 Naheem Chaudhry (142lbs), 0-4; Nathan Bennett (143lbs), 1-0, w pts 4 Andrej Cepur (153lbs), 9-43-2; Steve Brogan (140lbs), 11-1-2, w pts 6 Ibrar Riyaz (142lbs), 6-129-4; Jack Arnfield (166lbs), 25-2, w pts 6 Adam Jones (168lbs), 6-27-5; Colin Day (142lbs), 4-0, w pts 4 Chris Adaway (142lbs), 8-40-4; Mark Jeffers (166lbs), 6-0, w pts 6 Christian Hoskin Gomez (161lbs), 6-27-4.

NOVEMBER 9, 2017 l BOXING NEWS l 31

ACTION

BARCLAY BAGS WIN Simon returns to winning ways against Kalinovskij

Andy Whittle RINGSIDE CO R B Y N OV E M B E R 3 ★★★ ★★★

WHOLE SHOW AT M O S P H E R E

CORBY cruiser Simon Barclay, a points loser over 12 against Edinburgh’s Stephen Simmons just over a month earlier, returned to more familiar surroundings and to the Rockingham Forest Hotel where over the much shorter four-round distance he registered win number 10.

Referee-for-the-night Shaun Messer scored him a 39-37 winner over tall Lithuanian Dmitrij Kalinovskij who, in as an 11th-hour sub for Ilkeston’s Photo: RICK WILKS

DETERMINED: Sugden [right] finds a gap in Borisov’s defence

FULL R E S U LT S

Russ Henshaw, almost always goes the distance.

Barclay, upping the pace with every passing round, saved his best work for the last, and he looks set to return in March with a 10-rounder in the offing.

The only inside-the-distance winner of the night was Newark’s Chad Sugden who, with the bit firmly between his teeth, secured a seventh career win by dropping usually durable Sofia native Daniel Borisov to his knees on no less than four occasions in a particularly onesided third round. Mr Messer, by that stage presumably tired of counting, called a halt with 10 seconds of the round still to go. It had been set for six.

Local Darren Murray returned after a couple of years out and was looking for his third paid victory when he went in against Lydney’s Lewis van Poetsch.

It was the Gloucestershire man’s arm

that was rightly raised by Mr Messer though, a 39-38 verdict in van Poetsch’s favour being just reward against the crowd favourite who, tiring down the stretch, finished with a cut above the left eyebrow.

Two further fours saw Drew Brown and Dominic Specchio maintain their 100 per cent records. Brown, of Northampton, claimed a 40-35 success over Manchester’s Sam Omidi who, conceding more weight than he would have liked, was counted after walking onto a counter right late in the second.

Meanwhile, Kettering’s Specchio impressed in only his second paid outing, taking every session against Newark’s Fonz Alexander.

THE VERDICT- A decent show in Corby, with just one 4444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444444444

Simon Barclay (198 3/4lbs), 10-2 (1), w pts 4 Dmitrij Kalinovskij (191lbs 2oz), 11-37-4 (5); Chad Sugden (173lbs 10oz), 7-1 (3), w rsf 3 Daniel Borisov (174 1/2lbs), 6-20-2; Drew Brown (158lbs 2oz), 7-0, w pts 4 Sam Omidi (153lbs 14oz), 4-6-2; Dominic Specchio (141 1/4lbs), 2-0, w pts 4 Fonz Alexander (140lbs 10oz), 5-67 (3); Lewis van Poetsch (164lbs 6oz), 7-54-1 (1), w pts 4 Darren Murray (160 1/4lbs), 2-1.

32 l BOXING NEWS l NOVEMBER 9, 2017

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ACTION

Photo: LAWRENCE HYNE/GREENBEANZ PHOTOGRAPHY

HARD FOUGHT: Newton swipes at Evans with his right

DES DECISIONS DEAN FULL R E S U LT S Des Newton (133lbs), 7-0 (2), w pts 8 Dean Evans (136lbs), 6-162 (4); Brad Pauls (163lbs), 8-0 (5), w rsf 4 Emmanuel Moussinga (159lbs), 1-9; Louis Aitken (138lbs), 2-0, w pts 4 Liam Richards (141lbs), 12-42 (1); Darren Townley (140lbs), 7-2 (1), w pts 4 Michael Mooney (137lbs), 8-41-1 (3); Nathan Holton (162lbs), d pts 4 Callum Ide (167lbs), 0-5-1.

There is a points victory for Newton in his hometown Will Hale RINGSIDE P LY M O U T H N OV E M B E R 5 ★★★ ★★★

WHOLE SHOW AT M O S P H E R E

PLYMOUTH’S Des Newton took a 79-74 decision from the evening’s referee Lee Every over Hereford’s Dean Evans in headlining a Black Country Boxing card at the city’s Guildhall.

After a split opener, the unbeaten Newton was on unsteady legs in the second session as the more experienced

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Evans hurt him with a number of hard right hands upstairs. The sizeable crowd quietened, and it looked like a fight that the local could easily lose.

But Des pulled his boxing together in the next and landed with some thumping bodywork to re-establish his credentials.

Newton both grew in confidence and gained momentum over the second half of the fight. Dean played his part in the highly charged affair, but Newton was increasingly able to bully and cuff Evans en route to his seventh straight win.

Newquay-based Brad Pauls forced Mr Every to rescue Switzerland-based Cameroonian Emmanuel Moussinga at 0-28 of the fourth of a scheduled sixthrees. The visitor was game and in shape but technically open and hittable. He had lost the three prior sessions when his legs were stiffened and a stream of follow-up shots with no reply forced an excellent

intervention.

Worcester “Mad Man” Michael Mooney pushed Plymouth’s Darren Townley all the way but ultimately lost out by 39-38 over four-threes. Townley chopped down with scything punches and folded in some draining body shots to claim the victory.

Louis Aitken, also from the Ocean City, shut out Melksham’s Liam Richards over the same duration. Aitken showed speed and good technique to clip Richards as he was closing the gap.

Finally, Torquay’s Nathan Halton and Bognor Regis’ Callum Ide boxed to a four-threes 38-38 draw. Nathan attempted to hook around Callum’s straight shots in a nip-and-tuck encounter.

THE VERDICT Newton regroups well to stay unbeaten in a decent test.

NOVEMBER 9, 2017 l BOXING NEWS l 33

★STEVE★ BROUGHTON BIG INTERVIEW

‘IT WILL BE REMINISCENT OF A PRIME HAYEMAKER’ A key member of Team Hayemaker tells Matt Christie what went wrong against Tony Bellew last time, and why it won’t happen again HEAD of his grudge rematch with fellow British Firstly, David arrived at the start of training camp in much better heavyweight contender Tony Bellew, former condition than he did before the first Bellew fight. He always trains two-weight world champion David Haye has hard, but this time he arrived with 11 weeks to go and already been training intensely in order to had a solid foundation. So we focus more on tactics and gain revenge on the man who technique rather than fitness. Secondly, and most sensationally stopped him in importantly, I don’t believe there was enough 11 rounds back in March. sparring in preparation for the first Bellew fight.

Here, Steve Broughton – who is a vital member of David obviously knows how to fight, as he’s been the “Hayemaker’s” training team – provides an a professional for 15 years, a veteran of over inside look at the Londoner’s preparations for his 30 pro fights, winning multiple world titles in a December 17 date with Bellew at the O2 Arena couple weight of divisions. Despite having all this in Greenwich. experience, Salas and I feel sparring is essential What is your role in the David Haye camp? to bring a certain ring conditioning that no other I am [main trainer] Ismael Salas’ second, training can substitute. What was lacking in the and oversee all the training for David and the first fight – from David’s side – was rhythm, timing Hayemaker Ringstar fighters. So on a day-to-day and distance-control. These are all aspects that can’t basis I schedule all the training sessions and then be improved without substantial rounds of sparring. help Salas with punching and sparring sessions Salas made sure sparring was the priority in TRAIN HARD: Broughton [left] is confident in addition to delivering the strength and this camp, and with eight weeks to go until fight Haye will be a different fighter this time conditioning sessions with the fighters also. night, David had already sparred more rounds How did it come about? during this camp than he did in total for the Originally I was working for the McGuigan first fight. Salas was adamant that skipping was camp and performed a similar role as assistant re-introduced into David’s daily training routine. boxing coach to Shane, and then delivering Additionally, Salas has brought his Cuban strength and conditioning sessions along flavour to the Hayemaker Gym, and David is with Daryl Richards, who was the other S&C doing lots of Salsa dancing and clever rhythmic guy there. I was with those guys for about footwork drills. Salas has amassed plenty of three years, which is when I met David, as his knowledge over his 40-plus years in the game comeback was under Shane McGuigan. I left and has many useful training tools. David is like McGuigan’s in December 2016, but Shane and a kid in a candy story everyday learning from his I both still worked together for the first Haye new teacher. versus Tony Bellew fight. After that I worked for Outside of the above, I personally believe with myself for a while before David asked me to the changes in David’s diet, mindset, recovery work for him full time, and now here I am. and sleep protocols, we will see a very different performance from Besides the change of personnel, what differences will Haye him on December 17. If all goes to plan, it will be reminiscent of a make to his training for this rematch? prime “Hayemaker”. ➤

A

‘ASPECTS CAN’T BE IMPROVED WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL SPARRING’

34 l BOXING NEWS l NOVEMBER 9, 2017

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IMPENDING DISASTER: Haye looks to the sky just days before the Bellew defeat Photos: ACTION IMAGES

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NOVEMBER 9, 2017 l BOXING NEWS l 35

➤ Given the amount of injuries he’s suffered over his career, is it fair to say his body could break down again – before or during the fight?

I mean, it’s possible, yes. But it’s as likely as Bellew – who said he hurt his right hand in the last fight – getting injured. We are doing everything possible in this camp to ensure that he arrives on fight night injury-free. His doctors are extremely happy with how his injury has healed, and the rest of his body feels great. He’s 37 now and we are ensuring his sessions are tough enough that he gets the desired adaptations, but not so tough that it compromises his body.

He doesn’t need to push his body to the limit every session, so we are taking care to make sure he continually operates at a high level but is recovering well between sessions. We are working on increasing his work capacity by steadily increasing the volume of quality work he does.

Was there any injury to Haye before the first fight?

David had niggles and knocks coming into the fight, but this is common to all fighters on fight night. I’m sure Tony was the same, as this is just part of the game. I can honestly say that none of us expected an injury of that nature to occur during the fight.

What was it like being in the corner when Haye showed extreme bravery round-after-round following the injury?

It was intense. Hard to describe. At first it was, ‘Does he need to be pulled out? Can he continue?’ Then after he went back in for the seventh and Bellew came forward, it was, ‘Can he stay in and survive?’

But David has great reactions and survival instincts and he was able to ride and glance a lot of the blows off of his shoulders and gloves.

The difficulty was he couldn’t really mount any offence. But he wasn’t going to quit and I think he wanted to stay in and show he had that grit and resolve when the odds were against him, and I think he did

that. That was a bad injury and I think he deserves respect for what he did.

What is your most treasured memory from your career so far?

I think it has to be either Carl Frampton winning his first world title [IBF super-bantamweight] against Kiko Martinez outdoors in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, or when he beat Leo Santa Cruz in New York. The first one was obviously a home event for Frampton, so the atmosphere and venue was electric. It was the first world title for him and Shane, and it was just an unbelievable thing to be a part of. The Santa Cruz fight was also great. It was a bit of history being 30 years after Barry [McGuigan] had held the same title [WBA featherweight], and a huge fight against a great fighter. Although I wasn’t part of the team at the time, it was great to see George Groves lift the [WBA super-middleweight] title in Sheffield. He’s one of the nicest guys in boxing and he deserves to be where he is now, so I was happy to see that.

What are your own ambitions in the sport?

I think to train some of my own fighters eventually and maybe win some world titles with those guys. I’ve been extremely fortunate in the apprenticeship I’ve had.

Firstly with Shaun Holmes at Gloucester ABC where I first got started.

Next I got to learn the pro game under 2016 Boxing News Trainer of the Year Shane McGuigan, where I got the opportunity to work alongside the likes of Frampton, Conrad Cummings, Josh Taylor, and most recently Groves and Haye. Now I’m working under Ismael Salas – one of the best coaches in the world – and am more involved with David, as well as Jorge Linares and the new guys coming through at Hayemaker Ringstar. So I couldn’t have had much better experience and hopefully I can take that and develop my own style and my own fighters one day. bn

‘HAYE HAD NIGGLES AND KNOCKS... BUT NO ONE EXPECTED THE INJURY’

36 l BOXING NEWS l NOVEMBER 9, 2017

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RANKINGS

HEAVYWEIGHT over 200lbs/14st 4lbs 1. ANTHONY JOSHUA 20-0 (ENG) 2. DEONTAY WILDER 39-0 (USA) 3. KUBRAT PULEV 25-1 (BGR) 4. LUIS ORTIZ 27-0 (CUB) 5. JOSEPH PARKER 23-0 (NZL) 6. ANDY RUIZ JNR 29-1 (USA) 7. HUGHIE FURY 20-1 (ENG) 8. CARLOS TAKAM 35-4-1 (CMR) 9. TONY BELLEW 29-2-1 (ENG) 10. DILLIAN WHYTE 22-1 (ENG)

MIDDLEWEIGHT 160lbs/11st 6lbs 1. GENNADY GOLOVKIN 37-0-1 (KAZ) 2. CANELO ALVAREZ 49-1-2 (MEX) 3. DANIEL JACOBS 32-2 (USA) 4. BILLY JOE SAUNDERS 25-0 (ENG) 5. DAVID LEMIEUX 38-3 (CAN) 6. ANDY LEE 35-3-1 (IRL) 7. JERMALL CHARLO 26-0 (USA) 8. RYOTA MURATA 13-1 (JPN) 9. WILLIE MONROE JNR 21-3 (USA) 10. SERGIY DEREVYANCHENKO 11-0 (UKR)

LIGHTWEIGHT 135lbs/9st 9lbs 1. JORGE LINARES 43-3 (VEN) 2. TERRY FLANAGAN 33-0 (ENG) 3. ROBERT EASTER JNR 20-0 (USA) 4. LUKE CAMPBELL 17-2 (ENG) 5. ANTHONY CROLLA 32-6-3 (ENG) 6. DEJAN ZLATICANIN 22-1 (MNE) 7. YVAN MENDY 39-4-1 (FRA) 8. RAYMUNDO BELTRAN 34-7-1 (MEX) 9. DENIS SHAFIKOV 38-3-1 (RUS) 10. RICHARD COMMEY 25-2 (GHA)

SUPER-FLYWEIGHT 115lbs/8st 3lbs 1. SRISAKET SOR RUNGVISAI 44-4-1 (THA) 2. NAOYA INOUE 14-0 (JPN) 3. ROMAN GONZALEZ 46-2 (NIC) 4. JUAN FRANCISCO ESTRADA 36-2 (MEX) 5. CARLOS CUADRAS 36-2-1 (MEX) 6. KAL YAFAI 23-0 (ENG) 7. REX TSO 22-0 (CHN) 8. KOHEI KONO 33-11-1 (JPN) 9. JERWIN ANCAJAS 27-1-1 (PHL) 10. RAU’SHEE WARREN 15-2 (USA)

CRUISERWEIGHT 200lbs/14st 4lbs 1. OLEKSANDR USYK 13-0 (UKR) 2. KRZYSZTOF GLOWACKI 28-1 (POL) 3. MAIRIS BRIEDIS 23-0 (LVA) 4. MURAT GASSIEV 25-0 (RUS) 5. DENIS LEBEDEV 30-3 (RUS) 6. KRZYSZTOF WLODARCZYK 53-4-1 (POL) 7. FIRAT ARSLAN 41-8-2 (GER) 8. ILUNGA MAKABU 21-2 (COD) 9. MAKSIM VLASOV 39-2 (RUS) 10. YUNIER DORTICOS 22-0 (CUB)

SUPER-WELTERWEIGHT 154lbs/11st 1. ERISLANDY LARA 25-2-2 (CUB) 2. MIGUEL COTTO 41-5 (PRI) 3. JERMELL CHARLO 30-0 (USA) 4. JARRETT HURD 21-0 (USA) 5. LIAM SMITH 25-1-1 (ENG) 6. LIAM WILLIAMS 16-1-1 (WAL) 7. BRIAN CARLOS CASTANO 14-0 (ARG) 8. MACIEJ SULECKI 26-0 (POL) 9. TERRELL GAUSHA 20-1 (USA) 10. JULIAN WILLIAMS 23-1-1 (USA)

SUPER-FEATHERWEIGHT 130lbs/9st 4lbs 1. VASYL LOMACHENKO 9-1 (UKR) 2. ALBERTO MACHADO 19-0 (PRI) 3. JEZREEL CORRALES 22-2 (PAN) 4. MIGUEL BERCHELT 32-1 (MEX) 5. FRANCISCO VARGAS 23-1-2 (MEX) 6. GERVONTA DAVIS 19-0 (USA) 7. JASON SOSA 20-2-4 (USA) 8. ROBINSON CASTELLANOS 24-13 (MEX) 9. TEVIN FARMER 25-4-1 (USA) 10. JOSE PEDRAZA 22-1 (PRI)

FLYWEIGHT 112lbs/8st 1. KAZUTO IOKA 22-1 (JPN) 2. JUAN CARLOS REVECO 39-3 (ARG) 3. DAIGO HIGA 14-0 (JPN) 4. DONNIE NIETES 40-1-4 (PHL) 5. JUAN HERNANDEZ NAVARRETE 34-3 (MEX) 6. MORUTI MTHALANE 35-2 (RSA) 7. SHO KIMURA 15-1-2 (JPN) 8. YODMONGKOL VOR SAENGTHEP 47-3 (THA) 9. VINCENT LEGRAND 25-0 (FRA) 10. ANDREW SELBY 10-0 (WAL)

LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT 175lbs/12st 7lbs 1. SERGEY KOVALEV 30-2-1 (RUS) 2. ADONIS STEVENSON 29-1 (CAN) 3. ELEIDER ALVAREZ 23-0 (COL) [above] 4. BADOU JACK 22-1-2 (SWE) 5. ARTUR BETERBIEV 11-0 (RUS) 6. SULLIVAN BARRERA 20-1 (CUB) 7. JOE SMITH JNR 23-2 (USA) 8. OLEKSANDR GVOZDYK 14-0 (UKR) 9. IGOR MIKHALKIN 20-1 (RUS) 10. DMITRY BIVOL 12-0 (RUS)

WELTERWEIGHT 147lbs/10st 7lbs 1. KEITH THURMAN 28-0 (USA) 2. ERROL SPENCE JNR 22-0 (USA) 3. KELL BROOK 36-2 (ENG) 4. JEFF HORN 17-0-1 (AUS) 5. MANNY PACQUIAO 59-7-2 (PHL) 6. SHAWN PORTER 28-2-1 (USA) 7. DANNY GARCIA 33-1 (USA) 8. KONSTANTIN PONOMAREV 32-0 (RUS) 9. LAMONT PETERSON 35-3-1 (USA) 10. KUDRATILLO ABDUKAKHOROV 12-0 (UZB)

FEATHERWEIGHT 126lbs/9st 1. GARY RUSSELL JNR 28-1 (USA) [above] 2. LEO SANTA CRUZ 34-1-1 (MEX) 3. CARL FRAMPTON 23-1 (NIR) 4. LEE SELBY 25-1 (WAL) 5. ABNER MARES 31-2-1 (MEX) 6. JESUS CUELLAR 28-2 (ARG) 7. OSCAR VALDEZ 23-0 (MEX) 8. JOSEPH DIAZ 25-0 (USA) 9. JESUS M ROJAS 26-1-2 (PRI) 10. LERATO DLAMINI 10-1 (RSA)

LIGHT-FLYWEIGHT 108lbs/7st 10lbs 1. KEN SHIRO 11-0 (JPN) 2. GANIGAN LOPEZ 28-7 (MEX) 3. PEDRO GUEVARA 30-3-1 (MEX) 4. MILAN MELINDO 37-2 (PHL) 5. RYOICHI TAGUCHI 26-2-2 (JPN) 6. KOSEI TANAKA 10-0 (JPN) 7. JESSE ESPINAS 16-2 (PHL) 8. RANDY PETALCORIN 27-2-1 (PHL) 9. FELIX ALVARADO 30-2 (NIC) 10. HEKKIE BUDLER 31-3 (RSA)

SUPER-MIDDLEWEIGHT 168lbs/12st 1. JAMES DeGALE 23-1-1 (ENG) 2. GILBERTO RAMIREZ 36-0 (MEX) 3. GEORGE GROVES 27-3 (ENG) 4. CHRIS EUBANK JNR 26-1 (ENG) 5. ANTHONY DIRRELL 30-1-1 (USA) 6. ANDRE DIRRELL 26-2 (USA) 7. CALLUM SMITH 23-0 (ENG) 8. TYRON ZEUGE 21-0-1 (GER) 9. DAVID BENAVIDEZ 19-0 (USA) 10. JUERGEN BRAEHMER 49-3 (GER)

SUPER-LIGHTWEIGHT 140lbs/10st 1. TERENCE CRAWFORD 32-0 (USA) 2. MIKEY GARCIA 37-0 (USA) 3. VIKTOR POSTOL 29-1 (UKR) 4. JULIUS INDONGO 22-1 (NAM) 5. ANTONIO OROZCO 26-0 (MEX) 6. RANCES BARTHELEMY 26-0 (CUB) 7. SERGEY LIPINETS 13-0 (RUS) 8. JOHN MOLINA JNR 29-7 (USA) [above] 9. REGIS PROGRAIS 20-0 (USA) 10. ADRIEN BRONER 33-3 (USA)

SUPER-BANTAMWEIGHT 122lbs/8st 10lbs 1. GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX 17-0 (CUB) 2. JESSIE MAGDALENO 25-0 (USA) 3. CESAR JUAREZ 20-5 (MEX) 4. REY VARGAS 30-0 (MEX) 5. MOISES FLORES 25-0 (MEX) 6. RYOSUKE IWASA 24-2 (JPN) 7. DANIEL ROMAN 23-2-1 (USA) 8. DIEGO DE LA HOYA 20-0 (MEX) 9. JULIO CEJA 31-2 (MEX) 10. PAULUS AMBUNDA 25-2 (NAM)

STRAWWEIGHT 105lbs/7st 7lbs 1. KNOCKOUT CP FRESHMART 16-0 (THA) 2. BYRON ROJAS 20-3-3 (NIC) 3. WANHENG MENAYOTHIN 48-0 (THA) 4. HIROTO KYOGUCHI 8-0 (JPN) 5. JOSE ARGUMEDO 20-4-1 (MEX) 6. SIMPHIWE KHONCO 18-5 (RSA) 7. LEROY ESTRADA 16-2 (PAN) 8. RYUYA YAMANAKA 15-2 (JPN) 9. TATSUYA FUKUHARA 19-5-6 (JPN) 10. JOEY CANOY 13-3-1 (PHL)

BANTAMWEIGHT 118lbs/8st 6lbs 1. LUIS NERY 25-0 (MEX) 2. SHINSUKE YAMANAKA 27-1-2 (JPN) 3. RYAN BURNETT 18-0 (NIR) 4. ZHANAT ZHAKIYANOV 27-2 (KAZ) 5. JUAN CARLOS PAYANO 19-1 (DOM) 6. JAMIE McDONNELL 29-2-1 (ENG) 7. MARLON TAPALES 30-2 (PHL) 8. ZOLANI TETE 25-3 (RSA) 9. LEE HASKINS 34-4 (ENG) 10. PAUL BUTLER 25-1 (ENG)

POUND-FOR-POUND The best of the best 1. GENNADY GOLOVKIN 37-0-1 (KAZ) [above] 2. CANELO ALVAREZ 49-1-2 (MEX) 3. TERENCE CRAWFORD 32-0 (USA) 4. VASYL LOMACHENKO 9-1 (UKR) 5. SRISAKET SOR RUNGVISAI 44-4-1 (THA) 6. MIKEY GARCIA 37-0 (USA) 7. MIGUEL COTTO 41-5 (PRI) 8. GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX 18-0 (CUB) 9. LEO SANTA CRUZ 34-1-1 (MEX) 10. KEITH THURMAN 28-0 (USA)

l If a fighter has been inactive for over a year, he will be removed from the rankings, unless he has a fight officially scheduled. Once removed due to inactivity, a fighter cannot be reinstated until he has fought again. l Each fighter is ranked on the results they have achieved in their own specific weight division (excluding the pound-for-pound list). l Each fighter is ranked in the weight division in which their most recent significant fight took place. With regards to catchweight fights, common sense will (hopefully) prevail.

38 l BOXING NEWS l NOVEMBER 9, 2017

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DIARY

Photo: ACTION IMAGES

NOVEMBER FRIDAY 10 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester Craig Cunningham v Lukas Ndafoluma; Joe Murray v Nkululeko Venganayi; Mark Thompson v Emmany Kalombo; Jordan McCorry v Abraham Ndauendapo; Mark Leach v s/o; John Telford v s/o; Ben Sheedy v s/o; Jack Cullen v s/o.

(Promoter: VIP Promotions).

York Hall, Bethnal Green Kirk Garvey v Sam Smith; Hannah Rankin v Esther Konecna; Lloyd Ellett v Mario Petrov; Elvis Makoda v Fonz Alexander; Chris Kongo v s/o; Ricky Coker v Lewis van Poetsch; Darren Gibson v s/o; Mohammed Karimzadeh v Justin Johnson; Adam Barker v s/o; Muheeb Fazeldin v s/o; Ryan Charles v s/o; Samuel Antwi v s/o; Joel Ducille v s/o. (Promoter: British Warrior Boxing Promotions).

Powerade Centre, Brampton, Canada Samuel Vargas v Jussi Koivula; Alex Dilmaghani v Tuomo Eronen; Staynslav Skorokhod v Fernando Silva.

Masonic Temple & Performing Arts Center, Cleveland, Ohio (Showtime) Luis Rosa v Yuandale Evans; Radzhab Butaev v Janer Gonzalez; Junior Fa v Fred Latham; Willie Nelson v s/o; Charles Conwell v Roque Zapata. (Promoter: Lou DiBella).

Malvern, Australia Randy Petalcorin v Oscar Raknafa.

Coronel Moldes, Argentina Luis Emanuel Cusolito (holder) v Lucas Antonio Carranza (South American superbantamweight title).

Calais, France Joffrey Jacob v Maxime Beaussuire (vacant EU super-welterweight title).

Le Mans, France Affif Belghecham v Matiouze Royer.

Salgotarjan, Hungary Imre Szello v Robert Hall Jnr; Richard Baranyi v Mate Kis (vacant Hungarian light-heavyweight title); Balazs Bacskai v Joseph Sinkala.

SATURDAY 11 Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle (BT Sport 1 & BoxNation) Liam Smith v Liam Williams; Thomas

Patrick Ward (holder) v Sean Davis (British super-bantamweight title); Josh Leather v Glen Foot; Nathan Gorman v Mohamed Soltby; Mark Heffron v Lewis Taylor; Joe Maphosa v Craig Derbyshire; Kalam Leather v Michael Mooney; Michael Watson v Daniel Kocsomba; Troy Williamson v s/o.

(Promoter: Queensberry Promotions).

Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh (Channel 5) Josh Taylor v Miguel Vazquez; Jason Easton v Jozsef Zahradnik; Chantelle Cameron v Edith Ramos; Martin Bakole Ilunga v Ali Baghouz; Michael McGurk v Filip Rzadek; Lee McGregor v s/o; Chris Billam-Smith v Jan Hrazdira; Iain Trotter v Leopold Krzeszewski; Craig McIntyre v Michal Vosyka; Aston Brown v Martin Kabrhel. (Promoter: Cyclone Promotions).

North Notts Community Arena, Worksop Hassan Ahmed v Michael Barnor; Darren

BOXING ON THE BOX SATURDAY 11 7.45pm BT Sport 1 & BoxNation LIVE Liam Smith v Liam Williams

SUNDAY 12 2am BoxNation LIVE Artur Beterbiev v Enrico Koelling

9.45pm Channel 5 LIVE Josh Taylor v Miguel Vazquez

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3am Sky Sports Action/Main Event LIVE Daniel Jacobs v Luis Arias

Snow v Istvan Orsos; Kyle Fox v Geiboord Omier; Omari Grant v Youssef Al Hamidi; Ryan Stevenson v s/o; Sahib Mann v Ibrar Riyaz; Chris Reyes v Ricky Leach; Mark Bennett v Ferenc Zsalek; Sonny Price v s/o; Rod Smith v Victor Edagha.

(Promoter: JE Promotions).

Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York (Sky Sports Action/Main Event & HBO) Daniel Jacobs v Luis Arias; Jarrell Miller v Mariusz Wach; Cletus Seldin v Roberto Ortiz; Conor Benn v s/o. (Promoter: Matchroom & Star Boxing & Salita Promotions).

Save Mart Arena, Fresno, California (BoxNation & Showtime) Artur Beterbiev v Enrico Koelling (vacant IBF light-heavyweight title); Jose Carlos Ramirez v Mike Reed; Alex Saucedo v Gustavo David Vitori; Johnny Garcia v Amir Imam. (Promoter: Top Rank).

Mexico Carlos Ocampo v Konstantin Ponomarev.

Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France Hadillah Mohoumadi (holder) v Christopher Rebrasse (European supermiddleweight title); Cyril Leonet (holder) v Raphael Tronche (French heavyweight title); Hakim Zoulikha v Nadjib Mohammedi.

Gaillard, France Newfel Ouatah v Jakov Gospic.

Zwevezele, Belgium Delfine Persoon (holder) v Myriam Dellal (WBC female lightweight title).

SUNDAY 12 Hatherley Manor Hotel, Gloucester Adam Harper v s/o; Tommy Ghent v s/o; Alex Florence v s/o. (Promoter: Black Country Boxing Promotions).

MONDAY 13 Hilton Hotel, Mayfair Matthew Chanda v Jay Harris (vacant British super-flyweight title). (Promoter: Queensberry Promotions).

FRIDAY 17 Platinum Suite, Bramall Lane, Sheffield Atif Shafiq v s/o; Kyle Yousaf v s/o; Loua Nassa v s/o; Sam O’maison v s/o; Razaq Najib v s/o.

Dort Federal Event Center, Flint, Michigan (FOX Sports 1) Anthony Dirrell v Denis Douglin; Jamontay Clark v Domonique Dolton. (Promoter: Tom Brown & Salita Promotions).

Hotel Jaragua, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Guillermo Jones v Ytalo Perea.

SATURDAY 18 SSE Arena, Belfast (BT Sport 1 & BoxNation) Carl Frampton [pictured] v Horacio Garcia; Jerwin Ancajas (holder) v Jamie Conlan (IBF super-flyweight title); Zolani Tete (holder) v Siboniso Gonya (WBO bantamweight title); Darryll Williams (holder) v Lennox Clarke (English supermiddleweight title); Jono Carroll v Declan Geraghty; Paddy Barnes v s/o; David Oliver Joyce v s/o; Steven Ward v s/o; Lewis Crocker v s/o; Alex Dickinson v s/o; Gary Cully v s/o; Marco McCullough v s/o; Tommy McCarthy v s/o. (Promoter: Queensberry Promotions).

Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester George Brennan v Jules Phillips.

(Promoter: Kieran Farrell).

Winter Gardens, Weston-super-Mare Liam Hunt v Emmanuel Moussinga.

(Promoter: Black Country Boxing Promotions).

Cosmopolitan Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada (Bounce TV) Julian Williams v Ishe Smith. (Promoter: Mayweather Promotions & Tom Brown).

NOVEMBER 9, 2017 l BOXING NEWS l 39

AMATEURS

VESTED INTEREST

Meet the personalities at the heart of the sport With JOHN DENNEN

SUDDEN SUCCESS Shona Whitwell has had a tremendous 2017

John Dennen

@BoxingNewsJD Amateur Editor

NOWING she beat Katie Taylor walking out to the ring, it was just madness.”

Rising from relative obscurity, with only a handful of senior contests behind her, in August at the EU championships, she was facing Olympic bronze medallist Mira Potkonen.

“That put me to the test, not as bad as I thought it went. But you could tell the difference in experience,” Whitwell reflects.

“She was just too clever for me on the day.

I know that once I build my strength up, if I get on GB full time, I know I’ll be able to improve to beat these people.”

She did though pick up an impressive win over Agnes Alexiusson on her way to a bronze medal in Italy. “My first senior international, I beat Agnes, a three time World champion as a Youth and European champion so that was a really good win,”

K

Whitwell added.

Her breakthrough came earlier this year when she took a shock win over Sandy Ryan in the semi-finals of the England Boxing Elite championships. “I won my first fight, the quarter-final and then knowing I had the GB number one, you can’t really explain how I felt... I went out there. I thought I won two rounds out of three, so it was really good,” Shona said.

“It was something like my third senior bout. That was the first one where I had to proper work for it. She’s really strong, it was a close bout. You’re not going to get as tough as that. It was close but I thought I had two rounds out of three. Four judges went for me.”

“It was the big upset of the tournament,” the St. Ives boxer continued. “It was a good win.

“Beating her was like winning the tournament. I was bothered about winning the title. But that proved everything from winning that fight. Because no one was looking at me in the Elites. No one was thinking, ‘Oh Shona’s there.’ But obviously it got them talking after that.”

After that result Whitwell couldn’t allow herself to slip up in the final. “The year before Sandy had beaten Louise Orton, who I had in the final. So I felt like I had to win it now. So that was the icing on the cake,” she continued. “She’s tough as well Louise, I boxed her twice now. It wasn’t as close as the one between me and Sandy. It was still tough. That was my third fight in three days.”

Becoming national champion Whitwell went on to the Three Nations, where she beat Scotland’s Lynn Calder. “She’s about 30. I gave her a standing count, I could have stopped her, to be honest but I didn’t push myself that far. I’ve got the GBs coming up in December. I should be boxing her again,” Whitwell said.

It has taken her a long time to become an overnight success. She started at the age of five so has been boxing for fifteen years, winning six national titles in the process.

But she notes, “This year has been the best year of my career so far. First year of being a senior and winning what I have. It is hard. The sport is hard itself. But winning is the best feeling. It pays off sometimes.”

FLYING HIGH: Whitwell [left] celebrates winning her first senior national title Photo: CHRIS BEVAN/ ENGLAND BOXING

‘IT IS HARD. BUT WINNING IS THE BEST FEELING’ 40 l BOXING NEWS l NOVEMBER 9, 2017

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STALWART: Gharib has had an extensive amateur career

THE INSPIRATION Q U I C K- F I R E Q & A

What Mo Gharib learned from training alongside DeGale, Groves and Joshua You’ve had a long amateur career, you’ve been around a few years, how long have you been boxing?

I started when I was eight, but I wasn’t boxing properly, I was just learning. I had my first fight was 14. I’m 24 now.

Do you know how many amateur bouts you’ve had?

90. I was tempted to stick around for 100. But when you get to elite level, I’ve had a lot of pullouts. People get injured and they don’t want to fight and that, so usually I get eight fights a season, maybe nine, 10. Last season I only got 11, but won nine.

Does that get frustrating?

Yes, you train for fights but they pull out.

So you’re making weight and they pull out.

It’s frustrating.

Is that what pushed you to leave amateur boxing?

I went to Morocco for six weeks and I was thinking is there a point of me doing

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one more ABAs when I’ve got two people in my club, Islington, both at 60kgs and I’ll end up fighting them. Is there a point in me waiting around to box them and go through that awkwardness of training with my team-mates to box them? There’s no point.

I’ve got my [professional] debut on December 2, if everything goes to plan, on a Goodwin show. It’s in London York Hall.

I’m looking forward to it a lot because it’s

MISSION 2017

WEB WISDOM

ONLINE www.boxingnewsonline.net

My punch will go on... Work hard and NEVER GIVE UP. Indian boxing star MARY KOM will be an ambassador for the forthcoming Youth World championships.

something new. It’s a different motivation now.

Who are the best people you’ve boxed?

I got a cut in the [Haringey] Box Cup against Gary Culley, from Ireland. He got the best boxer of the tournament. He’s had 120 fights or something, won 100, European [Youth] champion.

I boxed Pat McCormack in the ABA quarter-finals in 2014 and he’s obviously won the ABAs twice and gone to the Olympics for Great Britain. He won it unanimous but it was close. If I had thrown more punches… I respected him because he was on the Great Britain squad. He is talented. It was more of a technical match between me and him, trying to outsmart each other. I made him miss a lot.

Even winning the London regional stage is a real achievement, how proud were you to do that?

I was proud because I had four hard fights to win London and then I had to box in the pre-quarters to get to the quarterfinal, so I was actually quite happy. That was the first time they done the London belt, the Ringside one, and I was the first one to win it.

Was most of your amateur career at Finchley?

I started off at All Stars, then I went to Dale Youth so I was training with James DeGale and George Groves, then I went to Finchley when Anthony Joshua was there and then last season I went to Islington because of the split with England Boxing.

What was it like seeing people like James DeGale, George Groves and Anthony Joshua right at the start of their careers?

You’re training with them and they’re nothing different to you. If they can go far, you can go far. Anyone can do it. They proved that.

Great weekend at the home of GB Boxing with great coaches and talented boxers.

Always learning (both me and the boxers!).

A fact finding mission for RACHEL BOWER, a former champion now an amateur boxing coach.

Who else is exited?!

LONDON COMMUNITY BOXING has an open show at the Harris Academy Peckham sports all, on Saturday November 18, starting at 4pm.

Once a world champ, always a world champ.

Congratulations Katie Taylor.

Amateur boxing federation AIBA extend their congratulations to Katie Taylor after the five-time amateur World gold medallist wins a professional world title.

We pick out a boxer who’s planning on making an impact this year

LISA WHITESIDE THE next event for the Olympic squad will be the GB championships, which takes place in Sheffield. These will take place at the English Institute of Sport on Thursday December 7.

It gives top internationals like Lisa Whiteside, a European and World medallist who takes over Nicola Adams’ flyweight spot, a welcome chance to box in the UK. For tickets see: http://www.ticketsdirect.org.uk/gbchamps/EntryForm.aspx.

A dual match between Britain and China had been scheduled to take place in Sheffield on November 7, but this had to be postponed.

That was due to the Chinese Boxing Federation being unable to send their team for that date. GB Boxing understands that this was due to internal issues within the Chinese Federation. They are trying to reschedule the fixture.

FAST FACTS Age: 32 From: England Division: 51kgs Stance: Orthodox Titles: England Elite, European & World silvers

NOVEMBER 9, 2017 l BOXING NEWS l 41

AMATEURS

AMATEUR SCENE

The very best action, previews and news from Olympic-style boxing With JOHN DENNEN | @BoxingNewsJD

SEND us your club's news, results or upcoming events to john.dennen@boxingnewsonline.net or 020 7618 3478

MARVIN STRIKES AGAIN Chez Nihell defends title belt on exciting show

Photo: CHRIS BEVAN/ENGLAND BOXING

POWERING UP: Marvin [right] was an Enlgland Boxing Elite semi-finalist this year

Matt Bozeat RINGSIDE L E A M I N GTO N N OV E M B E R 4

ARMY stalwart Chez Nihell kept his English super-heavyweight title by outpointing Jeamie Tshikeva at the Real Tennis Centre. Nihell won unanimously – and deservedly so – but he had to work hard to beat the bigger Tshikeva (White Hart Lane), who was on the front foot throughout.

Boxing mostly as a southpaw, Nihell circled and landed eye catching singles and when Tshikeva did pin him down on the ropes or in a corner, Chez refused to be dominated. He punched with the heavy-handed North Londoner, held his own – and then escaped.

At the third attempt, Danny Quartermaine (Cleary’s) claimed the English lightweight title. The 20 year old was a unanimous points winner over Lewis Frimpony (Evolve) after a scrappy bout that featured lots of grappling and fouls and few scoring punches.

By the end of the opening round,

Quartermaine, a good ticket seller, was nicked and bruised around his left eye – the injury ruled him out of the NABGC championships – and the referee handed Frimpony a public warning in the second for dangerous use of his head.

Best punch of the bout came in the third. Frimpony slung a southpaw back hand that Quartermaine saw coming and then ate a right-hand counter that made him grab.

Look out for Jake Finch.

Boxing six days after winning the Development Class B title at 52kgs, the 18 year old stepped up to face

TOP DRAW Photo: ACTION IMAGES

Samuel Carmona and Mihai Nistor in action in Tenerife QUALITY European boxers were in action at the Box-Am Tournament in Tenerife, which concluded on November 4. Commonwealth Games medallist Ashley Williams took on Spanish Olympian, and European medallist, Samuel Carmona in his homeland.

Carmona, who eliminated Paddy Barnes from Rio 2016, won a unanimous decision and went on

42 l BOXING NEWS l NOVEMBER 9, 2017

70-bout veteran Brett Heeley (Army) and won unanimously.

Finch appeared to slow Heeley with body punches and by the last minute of the second, Heeley was being pushed back by combinations and appeared to be feeling the pace.

Finch finished strongly as well, boxing behind his jab early in the session and then coming down off his toes to outpunch Heeley.

Army light-heavyweight John Marvin impressively took apart Matt Archer (Cleary’s) inside a round. Marvin was straight down to business. He found his range early

with his sharp jab and opened up with a flurry that led to a count inside the opening 30 seconds.

Marvin kept driving Archer around the ring with jabs, bloodied his nose and with the bell only a few seconds away, the referee waved it off.

Solid southpaw Rob Squires (Barum) unanimously outpointed Mason Holmes (Army) and there was an early end to the middleweight clash between Ricky Atwell (Cleary’s) and Callum Hill (Army). Atwell ran onto a right hand in the second round that laid him out for a minute or so.

to take gold in the tournament.

“A tough fight that I have learned a lot from. I give it my all but the better man won on the day,” Williams said.

The Welsh team did see Lynsey Holdaway win gold, outpointing both Spain’s Rocio Suarez and then Romania’s Steluta Duta.

Among the other personalities involved, Romanian super-heavy Mihai Nistor, the last man to halt Anthony Joshua lest we forget, was in action. He went straight into the final and knocked out Spain’s Cristian Brito in three rounds.

Irish duo Kelly Harrington at lightweight and welterweight

Grainne Walsh won their finals.

Harrington beat Romania’s Cristina Cosma unanimously while Walsh took a split decision over Welsh boxer Rosie Eccles.

RESULTS 48: Lynsey Holdaway (Wales) outpd Rocio Suarez (Spain) unan, Holdaway outpd Steluta Duta (Romania) split. 49: Samuel Carmona (Spain) outpd Ashley Williams (Wales) unan.

57: Lacrimioara Perijoc (Romania) outpd Dervla Duffy (Ireland) unan. 60: Kelly Harrington (Ireland) outpd Cristina Cosma (Romania) unan. 64: Yohannes Berhane (Sweden) outpd Billy Edwards (Wales) split. 69: Grainne Walsh (Ireland) outpd Rosie Eccles (Wales) split. 75: Adam Chartoi (Sweden) outpd Kyran Jones (Wales) split.

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AMATEURS

DAGENHAM DISPLAY The London club hosted an 18-bout show IT was a very busy weekend for Dagenham boxers ... and their coaches. A rammed full house saw the superb 18-bout Daggers show on Friday (October 27) at Dagenham & Redbridge FC. Daggenham had seven winners from nine bouts, plus four cross matches between other local clubs, and five skills bouts. No stoppages, no counts and no warnings - full credit to matchmakers Jimmy Bush and Jason Gullefer.

The prize for Best Home boxer was Akash Bhangal, who outpointed Left Hook’s Rahim Ali. Best Visiting boxer was Fairbairn’s John McDonagh who beat Dagenham’s Jude Binding.

Dagenham’s Junior champion Tariq Agius conceded weight and age, losing in an often messy bout to Fenland Sparta’s Eryk Ciureja where strength was the difference.

Club Captain Freddie Hudson took a good win ahead of his Youth Championship entry next month.

Tate O’Sullivan versus Blue Richardson was a fantastic skills bout where these two youngsters went at one another with skill and determination from the first to final bell. Both were in their first bout.

Martin Dimitrov lost a tight split verdict to West Ham’s Niall Hatton, but looks forward to a quick rematch on December 3 at his opponent’s home show.

OBI WON Hooks hold annual event in memory of Luke Fitzpatrick Daniel Herbert RINGSIDE H A R RO W O C TO B E R 2 7

HOOKS ABC staged an open show at the Harrow Club near Grenfell Tower on October 27 - its fifth annual event named in honour of

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ROOTS OF THE SPORT: Tate O’Sullivan prepares for another round

RESULTS Seniors: Gerry Dinnegan (Left Hook) outpd by Diffy Menga (Fairbairn) split, Martin Dimitrov (Daggers) outpd by Niall Hatton (West Ham) split, Adrian Lionel (Daggers) outpd Emmanuel Bautista (Double Jab) unan, Mitchell George (Daggers) outpd Gaber Szelle (Left Hook) unan, Freddie Hudson (Daggers) outpd Tanwir Choudhury (Double Jab) unan, Darren Mulcahy (Daggers) outpd George Szelle (Left

Hook) unan. Juniors: Akash Bhangal (Daggers) outpd Rahim Ali (Left Hook) unan, Brandon Copley (Daggers) outpd Joseph Wiseman (Halstead) unan, Freddie Butcher (Brentwood) outpd Reece Legatt (Norwich City) unan, Tariq Agius (Daggers) outpd by Eryk Ciureja (Fenland Sparta) unan. Schools: Sonny Flack (Daggers) outpd Ruhan Ahmed (Hastings West Hill) unan, Jude Binding (Daggers) outpd by

John McDonagh (Fairbairn) unan, Jesse Smith (Hastings) outpd by Tyler Downes (Norwich City) split. Skills: Bailey Wallace (Daggers) v Lyndsey Porter (Canvey), Mackenzie Kempton (Daggers) v Freddie Bagnam (Holland Shore), Kiley Crickmer (Lion ABC) v Riley Gormer (Southend), Tate O’ Sullivan (Daggers) v Blue Richardson (Brentwood Youth), Harry Carter (Daggers) v Lewis Spink (Canvey).

Luke Fitzpatrick, a youngster who died in tragic circumstances.

The Luke Fitzpatrick Trophy for Best Boxer went to Tony O’Donnell for his unanimous win over Ben Coates of Rumbles, while another Hooks junior in Brian O’Donnell – like Tony a national finalist – was pipped in a cracker.

Brian forced the pace throughout against Dilraj Singh-Gozra, only for the West Ham boxer’s neat countering to earn him the narrowest of split decisions.

Bout of the Night saw Hooks’ Obi Egbunike [pictured] use fast hands and good movement to retain his Southern Area 75kgs belt with a hard-fought unanimous decision over Robbie Chapman (IQ).

RESULTS: Skills 3 x 1: Ashlee Turner (Bulmershe) v Jordan Barrett (Hooks); Max Hathaway (High Wycombe) v Albie Fallon (Hooks).

Junior: 3 x 1: Jamie Barrett (Hooks) outpd Davey Wheelan (Earlsfield) split. 3 x 1 ½: Edward Lee (Rumbles) outpd Patrick O’Donnell (Hooks) unan; Tommy Lee O’Donnell (Hooks) outpd Paul Tyler-Willett (Attleborough) unan; Tony O’Donnell (Hooks) outpd Ben Coates (Rumbles) unan; Joe Fallon (Hooks) outpd Max Glenister (Repton) unan; Dilraj Singh-Gozra (West Ham) outpd Brian O’Donnell (Hooks) split. 3 x 2: Tommy Joyce (The Ring) outpd Lucas Roehrig (All Stars) split; Silas Rose-Morris (Hooks) stpd Sam Brown (Harrow) 3rd.

Youth, 3 x 2: Alfie Collins (Hooks) outpd Tolga Keston (Repton) unan. Senior, 3 x 2: Valentino Esposito (IQ) outpd Jake Lovell (Lucky Gloves); Azeem Bakare (Islington) outpd Armis Bellahi

(Haringey); Dominick Zieba (Earlsfield) outpd Ahmed Popoola (All Stars) unan. Southern Area middleweight belt, 3 x 3: Obi Egbunike (Hooks) outpd Robbie Chapman (IQ) unan.

NOVEMBER 9, 2017 l BOXING NEWS l 43

YESTERDAY’S HEROES

Photo: LARRY BRAYSHER

OLYMPIC STANDARD: Gooding has fond memories of boxing in an exceptionally strong era

THE CATTOUSE IS OUT THE BAG Croydon EBA are happy to welcome a new member

Simon Euan-Smith EBA correspondent

CROYDON were delighted to see former light-heavyweight Trevor Cattouse at their October meeting. He was made very welcome, and was soon chatting to fellow ex-pros including former Commonwealth lightweight champion Pat Doherty and the three Micks – Hinton, Hussey and Lock.

“I’ve always been meaning to come along, but never got round to it,” Trevor said. By the end of the meeting he’d decided to join.

Trevor boxed professionally from 1977 to 1985, finishing with a record of 20 wins and three draws in 40 outings. In 1982 he challenged Tom Collins for the British title, but was beaten in four rounds.

“I had just six amateur bouts, then I got suspended,” Trevor recalled. “So I turned pro with Charlie Shorey. And for my first bout he put me in with Pat Thompson –

44 l BOXING NEWS l NOVEMBER 9, 2017

the former Central Area champion!” Not surprisingly, Trevor lost (on points).

Trevor quickly became popular on the small-hall circuit, including regular appearances on manager Shorey’s promotions at Wimbledon Town Hall (now Merton Civic Hall). “But I boxed on the dinner shows too,” he said. “All the London hotels, and some in the Midlands.

They don’t seem to have those shows any more – I think it’s a pity.”

He was always billed from Streatham, where he lived originally – “but I moved to the Croydon area about 35 years ago, and I’ve been there ever since.” That brought a chuckle from Mick Hussey.

“When I was boxing, I was living in Wallington [about three miles from Croydon],” he said. “But they always billed me from Islington!”

During the meeting, tributes were paid

to departed champions Jake LaMotta, Terry Downes and Larry Paul. Hussey had a special memory of Terry Downes.

“I boxed Pat Brogan at Grosvenor House, and Terry Downes was in the audience,” he said. “I thought I won, and so did most people. But Brian Anders was the referee, and he gave it to Brogan.

“Some time later I was boxing at Cliffs Pavilion, Southend – I forget who against.

And as I was coming into the ring, Terry shouted out: ‘Mick, you’ve got your favourite referee!’ I thought – great!”

Croydon meet at 11am on the last Sunday of the month at The Orchard, Cherry Orchard Road (no December meeting). This month’s meeting (November 26) will be the AGM. The day after the meeting, Larry Paul’s funeral was held at Croydon Crematorium. Larry was born in

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OLYMPIC MEMORIES Welshman Terry Gooding recalls competing at the 1952 Helsinki Games

Miles Templeton Boxing historian

ERRY GOODING of Cardiff recently received a letter from the British Olympic Association reminding him of his exploits as a middleweight boxer in the 1952 Games at Helsinki. The letter contained the words “Once an Olympian, always an Olympian”.

The Great Britain team, of which Gooding was a member, contained three future British professional champions in Henry Cooper, Dai Dower and Peter Waterman, and one future Commonwealth titlist, Percy Lewis.

I recently had the pleasure of talking to Terry about his Olympic experiences and his short professional career.

Terry was 21 years old when he took part in the Helsinki Olympics. He and Dower were the only two Welshmen in the squad but they both came to the Games with an excellent pedigree.

Terry had won just about everything worth winning as a youth, and he first represented his country at senior level aged 17 when he beat an Irishman in Dublin. An international debut didn’t come much harder than that back in 1949. By the time he was 18 he had won the Welsh senior championships and had made the ABA final at middleweight.

Terry learned well from these

T

experiences and he peaked as an amateur when it was the hardest to do so – in an Olympic year. In 1952, Terry won the Army title, the Inter-Services championships and then became ABA champion. Clearly the leading amateur middleweight in Britain at this time, Terry was picked as the GB representative for the Games without having to first undergo a trial, unlike his fellow squadmembers Cooper and Waterman who, despite both also being ABA champs, still had to earn their place on the team.

To this day Terry remembers just how much his Army coach, Fred Verlander, played a part in preparing him for the Games, and when he left for Helsinki he was as fit and prepared as it was possible to be. In the first round, Terry outpointed an Egyptian but he came a cropper in the second series when losing to the Bulgarian Boris Nicoloff.

Terry thought he had won the bout and he told me that in 1952 “one almost had to knock out an Eastern European representative just to get a draw.” The competition was finally won by a littleknown American, Floyd Patterson. Terry missed out on the chance of boxing Patterson at the Games but he would have had no qualms about doing so had he been drawn against him. The American, of course, became world heavyweight champ four years later in the pros.

After completing his National Service in 1953, Terry was ready to hang up his gloves for good. He had been in the sport since the age of nine and he now wanted to put it behind him so that he could concentrate on his family and his job. That shrewd London manager, Sam Burns, had different ideas. He sent a representative to Cardiff to persuade Terry that he had a future in the professional game and, despite feeling uncertain about the wisdom of doing so, Terry found himself in the ring for his first professional contest in 1954. Such was his talent that within 16 months Terry had won all 12 of his contests and was ranked number four in Britain at lightheavyweight. Included among his victims were Brian Anders, Ron Crookes and that real tough guy from Lancaster, Johnny Barton. Terry remembers frustrating Barton so much that, on turning to walk to his corner after the bell had ended one of the rounds, he received a blow to the back of his neck from his angry foe.

His lack of enthusiasm for the professional ring finally caught up with Terry in his last two contests when he lost firstly to Ken Rowlands in a contest for the Welsh title before being blitzed by Arthur Howard of Islington.

In a particularly tough era, Terry rose to great heights in both the amateur and the professional game and Wales can be proud of him.

Photo: ACTION IMAGES

Liverpool, boxed for Shrewsbury ABC as an amateur, was billed from Wolverhampton as a pro, and later moved to the Croydon area. He was a regular at Croydon meetings, though he hadn’t been seen for a while.

Sadly he left little money, but when he heard there was a possibility of a pauper’s funeral, Croydon Chairman Barry Penny went into action. With the help of his partner Irene, Brighton EBA secretary Jane Davison and Mick Smith of the Eastern Area, EBAs were contacted and the response was generous. Result – Larry got the send-off he deserved.

As well as a good contingent from Croydon EBA, former British superwelterweight champions Wayne Alexander and Jimmy Batten were there. Jimmy met Larry at the Albert Hall in October 1977 – Larry bidding to regain the British title he’d lost to Maurice Hope three years previously.

But Jimmy won in four rounds. I’ve got great memories of Larry. The first show

www.boxingnewsonline.net

I covered for Boxing News, in June 1973, was at Wolverhampton Civic Hall, and Larry was topping the bill against Central Area middleweight champion Pat Dwyer.

And Larry delighted his fans by flattening Dwyer in two rounds with a left hook.

I saw Larry lots of times after that, several at the Civic Hall – including three months later, when he KO’d former British welter titlist Bobby Arthur in 10 rounds (with a right, this time) to become Britain’s first ever champion at super-welter. He was a pleasure to watch, and to talk to.

EMAIL simonoldtimers@googlemail. com with your ex-boxer association news.

DON’T MISS Thursday December 7 Bournemouth EBA Christmas Dinner, Parley Country Club, Ferndown.

Sunday December 10 Brighton EBA Christmas Party, The Nevill, Hove (12pm).

Sunday December 17 Home Counties EBA Christmas Party, Bricket Wood Social Club (12pm).

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: EBAs up and down the country have been paying their respects to the one and only Jake LaMotta

NOVEMBER 9, 2017 l BOXING NEWS l 45

SIXTY SECONDS

GARY CORCORAN Paul Wheeler talks to a man who is preparing for a surprise world title shot Photo: ACTION IMAGES

When and why you started boxing: I started boxing because I was brought up on it and I just followed my brothers into it. I was nine years old when I first started.

Favourite all-time fighter: Roberto Duran. I just love the way he fought, and he beat some very good fighters.

Best fight you’ve seen: Probably the first Arturo GattiMicky Ward fight [a 10-round majority verdict victory for Ward in May 2002].

Personal career highlight: Winning the WBO InterContinental belt at two weights [welterweight and super-welter].

Toughest opponent: I’d say Liam Williams [l rsf 11 – July 2016], because he was bigger. It was a gruelling fight for the two of us.

Best and worst attributes as a boxer: My main strengths are that I’m a strong fighter and I come forward.

I do have to learn how to box a bit more, though.

Training tip: Train hard and don’t mess around.

Favourite meal/restaurant: My favourite restaurant has to be TGI Fridays. I like to have a steak

with sweet potato fries when I’m there.

Best friends in boxing: I’m with [trainers] Peter Stanley and Frank Greaves all the time.

Other sportsman you would like to be: Probably a footballer. That would have been a lot easier than being a boxer!

Last film/TV show you saw: [TV series] Ray Donovan.

Who would play you in a film of your life: Someone who’s in good shape, like Ryan Gosling.

Have you ever been starstruck: I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone famous that I was starstruck by.

I guess I was pretty starstruck when I saw my daughter for the first time when she was born.

Last time you cried: I haven’t cried since I was about 10. One of my brothers probably punched me in the face or something!

Best advice received: ‘You have to always listen and take advice on board.’ That was from Paul Armand, who was one of my amateur coaches.

Worst rumour about yourself: I haven’t heard anything yet, but I’d like to hear one!

Something not many people know about you: I’m a Newcastle [United] fan.

FAST FACTS

‘MY STRENGTHS ARE THAT I’M A STRONG FIGHTER AND I COME FORWARD. I DO HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO BOX A BIT MORE, THOUGH’

Age: 26 Twitter: @GaryCorcoran21 Nickname: ‘Hellraiser’ Height: 5ft 10 1/2ins Nationality: English From: Wembley Stance: Orthodox Record: 17-1 (7) Division: Welterweight Titles: WBO Inter-Continental welterweight & super-welterweight Next fight: Corcoran challenges Jeff Horn for the WBO welterweight title in Brisbane on December 13.

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