The Jab Boxing Magazine Issue 3

A BOXING MAGAZINE ABOUT THE TESTAMENT OF ONE MAN’S WILL AGAINST ANOTHER

ISSUE THREE

THE FUTURE OF BOXING FÉLIX VERDE JO

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WELCOME TO THE JAB A BOXING MAGAZINE ABOUT THE TESTAMENT OF ONE MAN’S WILL AGAINST ANOTHER

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elcome to issue three of The Jab boxing magazine, Do you know our cover star? we’ve gone out on a limb with the man described as ‘The New Miguel Cotto’ in Puerto Rico, you can find out a bit more inside courtesy of our John Evans.

British boxing lost an inspiration man in Glyn Leach in August, who succumbed to a suspected heart attack at a aged just 54 years old. An ally to all within boxing circles, his honest and cutting opening segments of the revered Boxing Monthly, were a personal highlight of mine.

He described himself to me as just a simple man, just a former fork lift driver with a passion for boxing. That passion eventually lead to his dream job at the helm of one of the best boxing magazines ever produced.

His presence in boxing will be sorely missed, but never forgotten.

The task of running the Boxing Monthly ship has now been passed to a boxing god in Graham Houston, an incredibly safe pair of hands whom we are all sure can continue the tremendous work since Glyn’s passing.

If this little online magazine can become just 5% of what Glyn managed to achieve in the business, then we can honestly say we will be tremendously proud.

Terry Dooley has kindly written a great article on Glyn for us in this issue, which I’m sure you will all enjoy reading. All here at The Jab pass on our sincere condolences to his beloved family and personal friends.

Elsewhere issue three brings more exclusive interviews, including the opinion of Rigo’s outspoken manager Gary Hyde on the current hot topic of boxing conversation, Frampton versus Quigg - where his own Cuban prodigy fits seeming unwanted within the super bantamweight picture.

We also speak to unbeaten Leeds man Josh Warrington on his 18-0 career to date who is back in action imminently. We spoke to Chris Jenkins about his highly anticpated showdown with Tom Stalker – but as we went to publish, it emerged that he was out of the picture, with the WBO European title and Jack Catterall taking on the former Olympic captain instead. We decided to leave Chris’s interview in, but have added a quick interview in with Catterall to readdress the new scenario.

Demetrius Andrade, promoter David Coldwell and Ray Beltran all explain to us their current ambitions for the future – and we have a metric tonne of opinion pieces on everything from ‘How to MC a fight’ - to the current furore surrounding the Sky pay-per-view model, the impact of PPV now and the future.

Enjoy !

The Team EDITOR: Alex Gomez CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Mark Gillman WRITERS: Alex Gomez John Evans Terence Dooley Nate Williams Michael J Jones John MacDonald John J. Raspanti Chris Walker James Slater CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Lawrence Lustig (Matchroom Sport) Jason White (Whiteeeeey) Matt Frost (Channel 5) Top Rank

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The Jab Mag Team

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20 PLUS MUCH MORE! 20 FEATURES IN TOTAL! Exclusive Dave Coldwell interview!

66 pages of exclusive boxing content!

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Josh Warrington has come a long way in a short time. The Jab speaks to a man who has an entire city behind him.

Words Nate Williams Photography Whiteeeeey

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JOSH WARRINGTON

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rom fighting in leisure centres to the biggest arena in his hometown, Leeds favourite Josh Warrington has quickly become one of British boxing’s fastest rising stars after dominating the domestic featherweight scene.

The unbeaten 23 year-old (180, 2 KO’s) has wrapped up every title made available to him since Welshman Lee Selby vacated the British and Commonwealth belts to chase a world title showdown with IBF king Evgeny Gradovich. Warrington collected both titles with comprehensive wins. Firstly over Hull’s Samir Mouneimne and then, in a dream scenario, lifting the British title in front of thousands of Warrior Warrington followers at the Leeds First Direct Arena by outpointing Belfast’s Martin Lindsay.

Warrington will have the pleasure of headlining his home arena once again on October 4 when he steps up another level against Davide Dieli (153, 5 KO’s) for Selby’s former European strap. Warrington said he achieved his goal by winning the coveted Lord Lonsdale belt but since signing a fivefight deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom and Sky Sports, it’s time for him to think about the bigger picture.

“My career has gone very well,” Warrington said. “My pinnacle has always been the British title and I always thought about winning it one day and to win it at such a young age on my home turf in such a massive arena is something very special and now we have to set some new goals. The new goal is to obviously reach the very top and the first step in doing that is to get the European title.”

Warrington had one clear message for his Italian opponent: “He’s going to get beat up. He’s going to come and

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fight but we’re training even harder and on October 4 you’ll see the results.”

October is a memorable month for Warrington as the part-time dental technician made his debut at Huddersfield’s sports centre in 2009 with a points win against Delroy Spencer. However, Warrington’s “addiction” to the sport began with his dad, who is still a vital part in his son’s corner.

“I started boxing just like any other lad really. I had loads of energy as a young lad and I did a bit of karate until my dad took me down to the boxing gym. It got very addictive and since my first session I’ve not clear to see why. He rewards looked back and it’s been great his fans with success as well as with my dad. He trains me and a humble attitude in and out of does my corner and I’ve learned the ring. For that reason, he has everything I know about boxing been compared by some writers from him. “ to “Leeds’ answer to Ricky A year and four fights later, he Hatton,” and he hopes to put his fought for the first time at his city back on the fighting map of beloved Leeds United’s Elland Britain.

Road, a place he became very Manchester had Hatton, familiar with in his early boxing Cardiff had Joe Calzaghe and career making defence after Sheffield now has Kell Brook. defence of his first accoladeWarrington insists he will be the the English featherweight title. one to make boxing the talk of As you can imagine, the town in Leeds. everything about Leeds is close “I’ve got a big following in to Warrington’s heart from Leeds and they’ve followed the people that flocked down me everywhere. When I got to Birmingham for his English an English title shot, down in title win to stepping into a ring Birmingham, we took a few situated in the centre of his town hundred down there and since and his football club. then it’s continued to grow.

“I’m a massive Leeds fan and The surrounding cities like you’ll notice I always fight Sheffield, Manchester and in their colours. It was Liverpool have always good to box at Elland had great champions Follow Road in a defence of and someone to Josh Warrington my English title and I follow. In Leeds, we on Twitter. always love fighting haven’t had that @J_Warrington in Leeds. Fighting so hopefully I can against Jamie step up to the mark Speight at the Town because Leeds are Hall was something hungry for someone special and those fights to follow and they want will stick with me.” some boxing glory. Hopefully, Warrington undoubtedly has I am the man to do that for a huge amount of support from them.” the White Rose County and it’s His skills alone are fantastic

“I’d like to fight Lee Selby down the line in a British super fight.”

to watch with his piercing jab and tireless work rate but above all an unbreakable will to win spirit. Just ask Samir Mouneimne when he got knocked out seconds before the final bell as Warrington won the Commonwealth belt.

“The way that fight went were no surprise to me,” Warrington explained. “I knew Samir would come on strong early and that would be his best part of the fight. But in the later rounds, I caught him with a lot of punches and then I knew I had him.”

After retiring former world title challenger and “Boxing Binman” Rendall Munroe, on his stool in Manchester and then achieving his dream by battering Lindsay to win the British crown in his hometown, Warrington has proved his class to step up for a European upgrade.

Although he has made less than 20 professional starts, Warrington has yet to be truly tested and a win against Dieli would move him closer to the world stage but there is one man he has his eye on for a big money fight in the future.

Since the success of FrochGroves II at Wembley and recent title wins for other British stars, a lot of big name domestic match-ups have been thrown into the many arenas of debate on boxing’s platforms. You’ll know them by now. Brook-Khan, Quigg-Frampton and even Macklin-Lee in Ireland.

However, Warrington thinks that if he keeps on impressing and building his fan-base, a fight against Selby, possibly for a world title, would be another great dust-up to bear in mind.

“I think I have a great future and I’d like to fight Lee Selby down the line in a British super fight. He’s moving onto world honours and I’m going for European honours so I think in a few years, we could meet up and give the fans another good domestic fight.”

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JOSH WARRINGTON

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DEMETRIUS ANDRADE

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n June, Brian Rose’s Cinderella story, which seen him go from being knocked out by Max Maxwell in 2010 to world title challenger in 2014, came to an abrupt end as he was out-boxed, out fought and eventually stopped by Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade.

This may have been the conclusion of the contender’s tale at the elite level but for the champion it was only the beginning. Andrade exhibited the talent which singled him out as one of the best in the world as an amateur. The champion dropped his - brave but ultimately overmatched - mandatory challenger in the first and third stanzas before the referee waived the fight off in the seventh. Now the southpaw has his sights set on the very best in the 154lb weight class.

“Brian Rose, he’s a tough fighter, you can’t be a 25-1 guy without being tough in this sport of boxing,” Andrade told The Jab over the phone from his home in Providence, Rhode Island. “I’ll do that same stuff and get the same result I got at the end of the fight to anybody else that’s out there that wants it” A quick glance at Andrade’s 21-0 (14 KOs) record may suggest these claims are at best premature, at worst fanciful with wins over former world title challengers Freddy Hernandez and Angel Hernandez being his most credible prior to claiming the WBO title in November of last year. This however only tells half the story as the 26-yearold enjoyed a highly decorated amateur career which saw him claim consecutive U.S National Championship titles in 2005 and 2006, back-to-back Golden Gloves wins in 2006 and 2007 and Gold at the 2007 World Amateur Championships before qualifying for the U.S national team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Andrade’s breakout win came against 2004 Olympian Vanes Martirosyan for the vacant WBO light middleweight strap after Zaurbek Bysangurov was stripped of the title when a back injury prevented him from making a mandatory defence against “Boo Boo”.

Andrade survived a first round knockdown to claim the title by controversial split decision (114-113, 117-110, 112-115) with the majority of

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spectators believing he had done enough to win clearly.

“It was a Top Rank fighter, card , judges but I guess they wanted to have a rematch if it came down to that where it was a split decision either way,” said Andrade of judge Javier Alvarez’s scorecard. “Truth be told, I whupped his ass from round one to round twelve.

Yes he got that one little flash knockdown but that was the only punch he hit me with.

“It wasn’t the punch that did it, it was my momentum really when I was trying to kill him with the straight left and he happened to throw his right hand and got there a little sooner than me.

“It was definitely a clean punch but I knew it was nothing, anybody else when they drop somebody they run in to try and take them out. He knew better, he knew not to come in because it was going to be a problem for him. After that; first round, second round, pop, pop, pop. He was running all night.

Basically I beat him with my jab, that’s single handily the one punch I beat him with. To hear that scorecard it just goes to show what’s really at stake.”

Now Demetrius believes he is ready for career defining fights against the marquee names but understands he may have to wait for his opportunity. While former Olympian’s signed by promotional giants; Top Rank and Golden Boy have had their career’s played out in their entirety on premium cable networks, Andrade has fought predominantly off TV or on ESPN. Although his last two fights have taken place on HBO, he is not contracted to the station and would be willing to fight on rival network Showtime to secure the big fights. As well as being well schooled in the ring, he is also very aware of how the business aspect of the sport works and realises he may have to increase his profile to secure the pay-per-view showdowns.

“They will have to fight me sooner or later. Timing is everything, I’m a patient guy, still young in the game and I’m willing to take any fight that comes my way that’s going to be ground breaking for me and also increasing my bank account of course. I’m looking to fight the best because I feel I am the greatest and I want to get in the ring with these

big league fighters that say they are the best or the greatest, so therefore prove it.

“They want to make sure the risk is worth the reward. Right now I’m still building my brand, building my name.

Unfortunately I don’t have the biggest promotion company [Andrade is co-promoted by Star Boxing and Banner Promotions] out there to get all kinds of advertising and exposure like [Floyd] Mayweather or [Saul] Alvarez at this moment in time. My promoters have a little more clout with HBO but I’m willing to go to Showtime anytime.

At the end of the day it’s all about what the fighter is going to do and I’ve been doing everything I need to so it’s going to come eventually.”

With Mexican superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez currently looking for an opponent for December, Andrade is believed to be on the shortlist of potential candidates. Also in the frame is the all-action James Kirkland and former welterweight world champion, Joshua Clottey who is back in title contention after a win over Anthony Mundine in April.

“They can’t run, duck and hide for too long. They are going to run out of top calibre fighters. Right now my name is in there, James Kirkland’s name is in there and Clottey. He [Clottey] is and old guy [36-years-old], his time has already passed. It’s me or Kirkland but Kirkland got Ls on his record and we all know how to win over him, how to get the decision over him but for Demetrius Andrade there has never been one so therefore how do you beat a guy like that?”

Alvarez picked up a highly debated split decision victory (115-113, 117-11, 113-115) over Cuban stylist, Erislandy Lara in July. Lara was heavily criticised in some quarters for negative tactics which have been - somewhat unfairly - deemed running. Despite both being southpaws with successful careers in the unpaid ranks, Andrade believes that’s where the similarities between himself and Lara end and that he would engage in a fan-friendly fight.

“Canelo, he’s going to be a honeybun to me. I’m gonna whup his ass real easy. I can do whatever it is he wants to do. He’s going to have a tough time trying to get inside and when he does get inside I’m

not going to do what Lara did, I’m not going to go miles away after he throws a few punches. I’m not worried, I’m prepared to get hit. I know I’m going to get hit so it’s about adapting and adjusting to the situation to make sure it doesn’t happen again and letting him know you in there with a real dog!”

Standing at 6ft 1in, Andrade has the frame to move up in weight but wants to establish himself as the division before going to middleweight for money spinning fights with the likes of Gennady Golovkin and Miguel Cotto.

“I’m staying until I destroy everyone at the 154 division and capture every belt there. When I get to 160 [lbs] it’s going to be the same. I’m a godly person, I believe in heaven but it’s going to be hell for them brothers,” Andrade said with a laugh, his voice exuding confidence.

On September 13, Floyd Mayweather will face Marcos Maidana with his WBC welterweight and light middleweight titles on the line. The fight is a rematch of their May contest where the Argentinean gave the champion his hardest fight since the first bout with Jose Luis Castillo. With Andrade looking to establish 154lbs supremacy, he’ll be a keen spectator while Mayweather holds a title in the weight class. Mayweather will make the last two of his six contacted fights with Showtime, next year and Andrade has thrown his hat in to the ring for potential opponents.

“All due respect to Mayweather he’s done great things in the sport of boxing and he still is.

If he wasn’t in the 154 class and having the belt I wouldn’t be calling him out. I want to see the brother manifest his talent and energy like he has to be one of the greatest of all time but since he has something that I want and he’s in my way therefore I

might have to give him his first L. “If he wants to do it then we’re definitely going to do it or he’s going to give up that [1]54 belt and stay at [1]47.

At this stage in his career I’d just keep doing what he’s doing, picking the guys he can beat but if he wants to be the best EVER and in his generation, I’m here now and I believe I am. If you can take out all these other young guys you want to give the challenge to like Canelo, or [Victor] Ortiz, or [Robert] Guerrero, or Maidana why not give it to Demetrius Andrade?”

DEMETRIUS ANDRADE Words John MacDonald

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The boxing world is constantly waiting for the next big thing.

FĂŠlix Verdejo tells The Jab about dealing with expectation.

Words John Evans Photography Top Rank

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FÉLIX VERDEJO

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t’s hard to define exactly what it is that instantly attracts followers to a fighter but Félix Verdejo has ‘it’ in bucketloads. The 21 year old Puerto Rican may have only been fighting professionally for 20 months but already has boxing fans around the world eagerly awaiting his next appearance.

“I’m just a regular guy who happens to be a boxer and has the blessing of having great people around me who encourage and guide me every step of the way to become a professional boxer,” the modest Verdejo told The Jab recently.

“And those are the same people who wake me up every morning to do my morning workout and to keep myself close to the technical fundamentals that have given me good results. I’m a technical fighter with a bit of power in my punches.”

Verdejo may be under selling himself slightly. Winning is one thing but to really capture the hearts – as well as the minds – of boxing fans, you need to do it with a certain panache.

As a proud Puerto Rican, some of his influences are easy to spot. He has shown flashes of Felix Trinidad’s swashbuckling style. He has Miguel Cotto’s ruthlessness and ability to stalk his opponents and a little of the multi weight world champion’s patience has begun to creep its way into his performances.

The team behind Verdejo are looking beyond the “Island of Enchantment” for further inspiration.

“I think that patience and learning to attack the body in combinations is helping me develop into a more complete fighter. My trainer - Ricky Marquez - is always teaching me new ways of attack, counter attacks and set ups for my opponents. He uses Trinidad, Wilfredo Gomez and Cotto in his examples but he also

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“Having the support of the people who saw me from the beginning it’s something I have to appreciate.

Fighting for a championship belt for them, on the island, it’ll be a great feeling. ” uses fighters like Robinson, Chavez, Tyson, Barry McGuigan, Hatton, Calzaghe and ‘The Dark Destroyer’, Nigel Benn. He wants me to become a complete fighter by adding a bit of all them into my style.”

Puerto Rican boxing fans idolise their fighters. Verdejo is already beginning to shoulder the hopes of his island when he enters the ring but special fighters transcend national boundaries. Cotto is the perfect example. So far, the weight of expectation hasn’t hampered Verdejo at all. Trinidad used the fervour of his countrymen as fuel to propel himself to worldwide fame and it seems ‘Tito’ recognises the same sense of pride in Verdejo. The recently inducted Hall of Famer has thrown his support behind ‘El Diamante’ and anointed him as the next great Puerto Rican.

“I think the 2012 London Olympics was the moment people from my island really had the opportunity to see me

fighting the best fighters of the world and after that they began to see me as a potential world champion. But I think it was after Top Rank signed me as their fighter that people realised I really had the opportunity to develop into a real good fighter.

“Having the opportunity to meet ‘Tito’ and receive his advice and words of wisdom was a blessing God had for me,” Verdejo continued. “His confidence in my abilities and what he said about me in his Hall of Fame induction speech is a responsibility that I proudly carry on my shoulders as I carry our flag in every fight from now on. I think his fights against [Fernando] Vargas and [Yory Boy] Campas were the fights that I enjoyed the most. Those were wars against undefeated Mexican warriors - who also have all my respect - and Tito got up from the canvas in both fights to knock them out. Tito Trinidad was just great.

“I don’t feel any pressure; it really motivates me to work even harder. I just know I have a responsibility with many people and a job to do, and I let God guide me in every aspect of my life to become a better person and a better boxer, I think that’s why I don’t feel any pressure.”

Top Rank are obviously keen to show off their latest potential star and Verdejo has already appeared on both American coasts and in Macao. They are also smart enough to know the importance of retaining the link between Verdejo and his island and have managed to schedule regular appearances in front of his home crowd in Puerto Rico. Nonetheless, the mega fights which seem destined for Verdejo’s future will take place in the USA and word of his talent is spreading. I have seen Verdejo fight in New York City twice.

He got a huge reception when he appeared on the Nonito Donaire – Guillermo Rigondeaux

Photography Top Rank

bill in April 2013 but received a tumultuous welcome earlier this year when he appeared on the undercard of Miguel Cotto’s demolition of Sergio Martinez at Madison Square Garden. Cotto has New York’s Puerto Rican fight fans eating out of his hand and Verdejo seems to already have worked his way into their affections.

“I would love to always fight in my island. I know that’s not going to be possible. But I really want to fight in Puerto Rico, in front of my people as much as possible,” he said. “Having the support of the people who saw me from the beginning it’s something I have to appreciate.

Fighting for a championship belt for them, on the island, it’ll be a great feeling. That’s one of my dreams.

“The people of New York have treated me great in all my fights there. I think they respond in a very good way to people who work harder than average to become the best in their profession but maintain their feet on the floor and stay humble through out their careers, that’s Trinidad’s example and that will be my example for the ones coming behind me.”

One of the fighters coming up behind Verdejo – although not one he is probably too worried about setting an example to – is Britain’s Olympic gold medallist, Luke Campbell. Verdejo [who was eliminated by Vasyl Lomachenko at the quarter final stage of the same tournament] has made quicker progress since London 2012 but if the pair continue on their current trajectories, their paths should intersect for a mega fight at some point over the next few years.

“I don’t really know much about him right now. I saw him in London and was very impressed with his abilities and being an Olympic Champion; I know he is

a very good fighter. But having the opportunity to compete with the best is one of the reasons I became a professional boxer, so if we are in the same weight class, hopefully one day we’ll have that opportunity to compete and the fans will enjoy a great match.”

As his profile grows, constant interview requests and demands will take up most of his spare time and there is the risk of every sparring session turning into a war of attrition as everybody looks to make a dent on the fighter labelled the next big thing. So far though, it seems like Verdejo has adapted perfectly to life in the spotlight.

“I always take a week or two weeks off after my fights. It really depends on what Ricky my trainer/manager - decides to do. I enjoy sleeping a lot so if it was my call I would rest longer so I could sleep more. But I’m just a Team Diamante player, so I just do what Ricky Marquez tells me to do and that has worked

very good for me since I was a little kid so there is no reason to change now. I spar when I have a fight scheduled but we are always working on different aspects of the sport, but yes, every time I spar people want to take my head off, that keeps me motivated to always be ready for the next day’s sparring partner.

“Away from the gym I’m just the regular guy. I’m a devoted Christian and I enjoy reading the Bible, going to church and being with my family and friends having dinner, fishing or simply spreading the word of God. I’m learning to speak English so maybe I won’t need a translator for my next interview!”

Verdejo should get plenty of practice. The interviews will be coming thick and fast.

“Say hello to all your readers and tell them to please look for me on my fan page on Facebook, Felix Verdejo Pagina Official or my Twitter @DiamanteVerdejo and God bless you all!”

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“Guillermo Rigondeaux is without compare.

He is a freak!”

GARY HYDE Words James Slater

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ork’s Gary Hyde, head of Nowhere2Hyde boxer management, currently manages the exceptionally gifted Cuban, Guillermo Rigondeaux. Having worked with the 33-year-old unbeaten southpaw for years, building him up to the point where the two-time Olympic gold medallist fought on HBO and became recognised as one of the very best fighters on the planet pound-for-pound, Hyde has been left exasperated at the way the cable giant, and Bob Arum’s Top Rank outfit, chose to drop the reigning WBA and WBO super-bantamweight king. Claiming the fans are not interested in watching Rigondeaux because he is “boring,” Arum and co chose not to work with the seemingly untouchable Cuban not too long after his dominant win over Filipino star Nonito Donaire.

It is precisely due to the dismantling of Donaire, Hyde strongly feels, that Top Rank dumped his smooth boxing master.

“It’s been well documented, the Top Rank and HBO situation,” Hyde says, sounding somewhat frustrated with the way things have transpired.

“It is heartbreaking. You bring a great fighter up, all the way, until he becomes the best in the world, and they turn their backs on him - and it’s all because Rigondeaux beat their top guy, Nonito Donaire.”

Currently searching for a new promoter for “El Chacal,” Gary says talks with Frank Warren have been “very positive.”

“Yes, Frank Warren, he’s very serious about that [working with Rigondeaux],” Hyde says, more cheerfully.

“We had a good meeting today (Sept 9), a very positive meeting. We still have a couple of other promoters who are interested in working with Rigondeaux, so we’ll have to see what happens. And as far as Rigondeaux’s next fight, there is nothing definite there yet, either, but we are hoping he will fight Chris Avalos before Christmas. Avalos is the WBO mandatory, so we’re looking at that fight.”

Rigondeaux may not be the most popular or fan-friendly warrior on the scene today, but the boxing purists

love watching him do his stuff, and the stone-faced lefty is universally accepted as THE best super-bantamweight in the world, hands down. But who does Hyde feel can mount a serious challenge against Rigondeaux? Is any fighter up to it?

“The best at the weight after Rigondeaux, it’s between Scott Quigg and Carl Frampton in my opinion, but I can’t choose between them. And if those two do fight each other, I think that’s a 50-50 fight; I really can’t choose. As for Leo Santa Cruz, I don’t rate him at all; he’s got no cojones! He never even talks about Rigondeuax, he might talk about [maybe facing Rigondeaux] five or six fights down the line. For him to be the WBC champion, it’s ludicrous. But Kid Galahad, that’s a fight that we’d like and he’s [Galahad] well up there [with the best at super-bantam]. In fact, he’s the only one who talks about wanting to fight Rigondeuax. If we ever come to England to fight, we’d like that fight. As for Frampton, we’ve said we’d come to Belfast to fight him any time.”

It would take a brave fan to place a bet on any of the above mentioned fighters upsetting the odds and defeating Rigondeaux, and Hyde says the only real threat against the Cuban is Guillermo himself.

“The only threat to him is himself,” Hyde states forcefully.

“If he gets bored with the game, if he becomes disheartened. But he’s a great sportsman and he’s great in the gym.

But what more does he have to do to make people happy!”

The fans, some of them anyway, have moaned how Rigondeaux does not score KO’s. That was remedied in the poundfor-pounder’s last fight, in July, when an understandably angry Rigondeaux took out his frustrations on poor Sod Kokietgym, destroying him inside a single round in Macao, China.

“Yeah, he was spiteful in his last fight,” Hyde says.

“He had plenty of venom and anger and he was angry at everyone: Arum, HBO, everyone. He’s not a great talker, but he can hit you in the ring and prove his point that way. He speaks his mind in the ring! He lashed out in that fight, and you can understand why. People forget that he has only had 14 pro fights.

People say he doesn’t get the KO’s, but seven of his 14 fights have been world title fights. It’s amazing what he’s done. In his third pro fight he fought his first (scheduled) 10-rounder. In his seventh fight he beat Ricardo Cordoba to become WBA champion. In his eighth fight he beat Willie Casey inside a round.

And in his fight after that he beat the previously undefeated Rico Ramos.

“People in the trade know how good he is, and why he is avoided - they know he’s avoided because he is so good.

These other fighters, they have to know that to be the best you must face the best, and they aren’t doing it. If, as the critics say, Rigondeaux is boring and he only throws one punch per round, then why not fight him and beat him? These are all false accusations. The truth is, they are all scared to death of him!”

Speaking again on the subject of Frampton and Quigg as possible opponents for his star, Hyde has some harsh words for Frampton’s manager, Irish legend Barry McGuigan.

“Barry McGuigan was so disrespectful with what he was saying recently on the subject of Frampton ever facing Rigondeaux (Barry was speaking to Boxing Scene web site),” Hyde says angrily.

“It was disgraceful; saying Rigondeaux doesn’t do this, he doesn’t do that, saying he doesn’t sell tickets.

Come on, how many tickets did Kiko Martinez sell? Instead, McGuigan should just hold his hands up and say he’s scared of a fight with Rigondeaux. I was really disappointed with what McGuigan had to say, a hero of mine who I was a fan of since I was a child. The thing is, neither Frampton nor Quigg will ever call Rigondeaux boring, it’s their promoters who say those things. They make the lame excuses instead of just coming out with it and admitting that this guy is the best in the world. Stop trying to kid the fans!

“But the boxing purists, they appreciate Rigondeaux. It takes time, not everyone appreciated Floyd Mayweather for a long while. The thing is, there is no-one like Rigondeax; there is no-one to compare him to. He’s a freak! He has moves, hit and not get hit, that are impossible for a human being.

You show me any fighter, in any gym or

club, who can do what he can do.”

Hyde goes as far as to rate his fighter as the number-one pound-for-pound fighter today, ahead of Mayweather and the currently inactive Andre Ward.

“I don’t want to be cocky, but yes, I think he is pound-for-pound number-one.

“There has never been anyone like Rigondeaux before. You can’t even compare him to Pernell Whitaker - he’s similar to him, but only a little. Who knows what he will do in the future, what he can do; how he will be at, say, age 38. He may well go on forever! I truly believe he will retire undefeated.

You’ve never seen a fighter like him before, with his skill set. You just can’t judge him by anyone else or compare him to anyone else.”

Hyde says his fighter will have to move up in weight so as to get the big fights he deserves. However, the natural 122-pounder will be giving away a whole lot of weight against featherweights, as Gary explains.

“If he moved up, he’d really be giving away a lot of weight.

“He’s the same weight now as he was in 1997. The most I’ve ever seen him put on after a fight is five-pounds.

So if he went up to 126-pounds, the 126-pounder would come into the ring at at least 140, whereas Rigondeaux would still be under 130. But he will go up, he has no choice. None of these superbantamweights will fight him - only Kid Galahad has ever spoken about fighting him - so he has to go up to get the big fights. I mean, come on, have you ever seen anything like this in your life, where these co called champions won’t come anywhere near one fighter!”

A fight fan as well as a manager, Hyde wants to see his fighter get the appealing match-ups. But will they happen? If he could pick the next three ring rivals for his Cuban gem, Hyde lists three fighters who would be risking a lot if they agreed to take the ultimate 122-pound challenge.

“If I could pick his next three opponents, I’d go Kid Galahad, Scott Quigg and Carl Frampton - in no particular order. And again, we’d come to Belfast for Frampton, no problem. Could you ever imagine Floyd Mayweather agreeing to come to Manchester to fight Ricky Hatton!”

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SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS Words John Evans

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BA lightweight champion Richar Abril, 18-3-1 (8 KO’s), finally returns to the ring on September 20. The stylish Cuban – whose 2012 robbery at the hands of Brandon Rios remains the worst decision I have ever seen - has been missing in action since claiming his title with a clear decision victory over Sharif Bogere in March 2013 but will reappear in Finland of all places when he defends his title against unheralded but unbeaten challenger Edis Tatli, 23-0 (7 KO’s).

Richar, 32, has spoken to Livefight in the past with the help of a translator but has obviously been working on his English and decided to answer the questions himself this time. Good on him I say!

Richar’s English is much better than my Spanish and although the answers don’t exactly lend themselves to an in depth detailed interview, his sentiments are clear.

We at The Jab aren’t the type to pretty up fighters’ comments into neat, tidy press release style interviews and neither are we the type to leave an interview out of the magazine because it didn’t provide us with exactly what we wanted, especially when a fighter has taken the time to answer the questions in his second language. So, without further ado, here is the full, unedited interview.

Hi Richar, Thank you for speaking to The Jab. I would imagine that you are relieved to finally have a fight confirmed?

Yes. I’m ready to get in the ring again.

The Jab: Just to clarify the situation, you have been

available throughout your absence haven’t you? We read stories about potential fights falling apart but just how many times have you agreed to fight only to have things collapse?

About three. Just can’t agree to terms or injuries.

The Jab: Edis Tatli will be the man in the opposite corner when you finally return to the ring. He is relatively unknown.

Have you begun to study him yet?

A little bit but I like to adjust in the ring I have him figured out with in two rounds.

The Jab: Tatli will be the first Finnish fighter to challenge for a world title in over 50 years.

His team must be confident of success and I’m sure you know that you can expect to face a partisan atmosphere. Has the Brandon Rios result altered your mentality in regards to taking a fight out of the judges hands if at all possible or will you simply concentrate on fighting your fight?

I’ll fight my fight! I can only control what happens in the ring!

here in the highly ranked Kevin Mitchell and former world champion Ricky Burns.

I’ll love to fight in the UK. And if it makes sense I love to fight any of those guys!

The Jab: The lightweight scene has moved on considerably in your absence. Terrence Crawford is the faster rising star at 135lbs after his victories over Burns and Gamboa. Omar Figueroa is being pushed hard, Ray Beltran has been given another deserved title fight and Miguel Vazquez just keeps chugging away. Please could you give your opinions on these fighters and how you match up with them?

Crawford Great matchup but I think I can Ioutbox him.

Figueroa Outbox him.

Beltran Outbox him.

Vazquez Outbox him. You can see the pattern!!

The Jab: Your name has been mentioned regularly in the UK The Jab: Assuming you take recently. There were plenty of care of Tatli, is there a plan in stories that you were close to place to become more active agreeing a deal to defend your and position yourself for title against Anthony Crolla bigger fights or will you simply in September. Is there any consider any offer which truth in those rumours? Were comes your way on its merits? you approached about taking Yes, I definitely plan to be more the fight? If so, why did it not active! happen?

I don’t get involved The Jab: How do your too much in the feel your fellow Cuban negotiations. They tell fighters- Guillermo Follow me, I fight!

Rigondeaux, Mike Richar Abril Perez and Erislandy on Twitter. @richard_abril The Jab: Would you Lara- performed be open to coming in their recent big to the UK following fights? the Tatli fight? As Great boxers. well as Crolla there are possible opponents Thanks Richar!

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Travis Dickinson talks ahead of MaxiNutrition final: “I’ve got the power to hurt anyone including Ajisafe” Words Michael J Jones Photography Matt Frost © Channel 5 Broadcast Limited

n October 4th in Kent the conclusion of Channel Five’s light-heavyweight tournament takes place between Birtley’s Travis Dickinson and Bob Ajisafe with the British title on the line. The Hennessy Sports-promoted MaxiNutrition event has been hugely entertaining up until now with each fight so far being shown live on Ch5. The final looks set to be another explosive meeting between the two heavyhitting rivals.

Not only is the eagerly-awaited final creating excitement due to both combatants winning both their previous two tournament matches impressively, the bout is also a rematch from December 2012 when Leeds southpaw Ajisafe, now the reigning British champion, won a clear, unanimous decision to break the young Geordie’s unbeaten run.

Now 17-1 (7), the 26-year-old Dickinson is ready to exorcise the demons of his only defeat and win the British title plus be crowned the tournament champion. In his two tournament contests so far, “Tasty” knocked out former European champion Danny McIntosh in three rounds before engaging in the UK fight of the year against Matty Clarkson in May. The former Prizefighter winner would overcome three brutal knock-downs in the fifth round to force a technical knock-out in the very next session with Clarkson’s face a mask of disfigurement due to a horrific jaw injury.

The Jab grabbed a word with the 6’4” Travis in the final stages of his preparation to discuss his rematch with the 13-2 (4) Ajisafe and that thrilling slugfest with Clarkson.

The Jab: We are only weeks away from your British title bout with Bob Ajisafe. How has training gone ahead of the

rematch?

Training has gone great. I’ve been going over to Ireland to get good sparring with (amateur double world champion) Joe Ward and everything has been spot on.

The Jab: You have made no secret to the fact you feel you were under-prepared for Ajisafe before the first fight and also entered the bout with an injury; was it important for you to have the perfect camp this time around?

Yes it was. That’s what every fighter wants entering a big fight; to know that they haven’t cut corners and have left no stone unturned.

The Jab: Bob Ajisafe is known for his durability and has never been stopped. Is it your plan to box more in the return or are you still going to keep the pressure on him?

We’ll just have to see how the first round goes. You can never tell what your opponent will do until the fight has started. I’m going to have a few different game-plans ready to use and if the first one doesn’t work I’ll change it. I know he’s durable but I honestly think I have the power to hurt anyone.

The Jab: You were dropped three times by body-shots against Preston’s Clarkson, it seems highly likely Ajisafe will have noted that…?

I’ve done a lot of work to strengthen my mid-section since the Clarkson fight. I watched the video back and I just thought I looked frail and skinny at the weigh-in. I’ve changed my strength and conditioning coach since and now I feel a lot stronger.

The Jab: You floored Matty Clarkson twice in the opening two rounds before he scored an off-balance knock-down of his own in the third. You were

clearly in the lead before the The first time I fought him was in astonishing fifth. How did you the semi-finals of the ABA’s and get through that torrid round? we had a good, toe-to-toe, nonBody shots can be absolutely stop action fight which I won on horrible when they catch you…I’d points. The second time was in rather take head shots any day. the finals of the ABA’s and I I was hurt but I just told knocked him out in the myself to keep getting first round.

Follow up and try and get Travis Dickinson through (the round).

The Jab: Any on Twitter. thoughts on a @TravisDickinso2 The Jab: The rematch in the following round the pros? fight was stopped We are different by referee Michael weights but if he Alexander. Clarkson was ever moved up I think it horribly marked up but in would be a good fight. no particular distress at the time. What was your opinion The Jab: On a final note, Bob regarding the timing of the Ajisafe has said that he beat stoppage? you fair and square in your first I’d hit him with a couple of hard fight and that the reasons you shots and he backed off and have stated about your prep’ looked ready for the taking. I was being poor are just excuses. just about to step it up when the How do you respond to that and ref’ called a halt. I think he saw what is your final prediction to the same look in Clarkson’s eyes the final? as I did; probably only the ref Let him think that. I’m probably and me saw that so I think the the underdog after the first fight stoppage was fair. Having said but if he’s saying that he might that, I think if the fight had gone have under-estimated me (for 15-20 seconds longer I’d have the return). Let him say what he finished him so part of me wishes wants as long as I get the win it had gone longer so nobody that’s all that matters. could have questioned it later.

If I catch him and hurt him I’ll definitely take my chance to stop The Jab: Your older brother him but if it goes to points I don’t Jon-Lewis recently lost his care; I’m coming to win and that’s British and Commonwealth all I care about. cruiserweight titles to Ovill Travis would like to thank his McKenzie in an upset. How is team, his fans and also his he now and do you feel he can sponsors WM Utility services for come back better from that their continued support. second-round defeat?

The Dickinson-Ajisafe twelveI was gutted for him but he’s round contest for the British doing well now and I think he’ll light-heavyweight title takes definitely come back better from place on October 4 at Glow, the defeat. He’s bounced back Bluewater and is to be televised before from bad defeats and has live and exclusive by Channel always returned better than ever.

Five. Also on the bill is the vacant People sometimes don’t realise European light-welterweight that the heavier divisions we are match between Lenny Daws in everyone hits hard and these and Chaquib Fadli, an excellent things can happen. lightweight clash between Adam Dingsdale and Kevin Hooper The Jab: Tell me about your plus the latest ring appearance amateur fights with George of heavyweight “Fast” Eddie Groves?

Chambers.

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Ray Beltran is back in the saddle again.

Words John Evans Photography Lawrence Lustig/Matchroom Sport

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RAY BELTRAN

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ay Beltran was born under a wand’rin star. The Mexican born lightweight has based himself in California and Pheonix, Arizona and taken on hometown heroes in places as hostile and diverse as Panama City and Glasgow.

On November 29 Beltran once again saddles up. This time he will travel North East across the Great Plains to Omaha, Nebraska and a meeting with WBO lightweight champion Terrence Crawford and his fanatical fan base.

Beltran, 29-6-1 (17 KO’s), is no bandit. He isn’t going to ambush you and steal away with your valuables. No, if the 33 year old is going to claim a world title it seems he is going to have to engage in a face to face gunfight. In fact, calling out the baddest man in the whole damn town is becoming a habit.

Whether sparring Manny Pacquiao at the Wildcard gym or outfighting Ricky Burns in front of his home crowd in a world title fight, for better or worse Beltran takes pride in earning the full respect of his opponent and the crowd.

Things haven’t always gone well but - despite being stopped

by Ammeth Diaz in Panama and robbed by the judges after dropping and outboxing Burns in Glasgow - he actually relishes the atmosphere generated by a local idol.

“I think there’s a difference between Omaha and Scotland.

When I got in the ring in Scotland I didn’t have a single guy on my side!” Beltran told The Jab. “Apart from the few friends I had with me, I think everybody wanted me to lose.

That’s ok though. In fact, I like that situation. It motivates me even more. In Omaha, there’s a lot of Mexicans there so I’ll have some support there.

“He [Crawford] is the local

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idol. They haven’t had anybody so I wanna fight him. I’m so like that there in a long time and motivated to prove that I’m the the people will want him to win. better fighter.

I respect that but I’ve gotta go “I know I’m fighting in there and do my job.

Crawford’s hometown but it “When I walked to the ring doesn’t bother me. People can in Scotland and everybody say that I’ve gotta do this or was against me, I didn’t take it that but I don’t let it get into the wrong way. I didn’t take it my head. I did that already a personally. I respect the fans couple of times and couldn’t and know that they’re there to really focus. When you let things support their idol. That’s the get into your head, your body way it should be. doesn’t react. I’m excited and “After the fight I gained a lot I don’t care if we fight in his of fans. Regardless of the result hometown. It’s gonna be me and it was a great experience for him in one square ring and I ‘m me. I earned the Scottish fans’ gonna go there and do my job respect. The Scottish fans keep the best I can. The good thing is it real you know! If they’re not that it’s gonna be on TV. If I beat with you then they’re really not him and get robbed then all the with you but if you earn their people are gonna see that. The respect then they let you know. world is gonna be watching that.

That feels great. You’ve gotta “I’m just doing some stuff at earn respect in life and I think home before I start camp. I’m the fans respect my work and I taking some time with my family appreciate that.” because it’s gonna be a long Terrence Crawford has quickly training camp. It’s the first real become something of a new time I’ve spent with my family sheriff in town. He earned his for six or seven years. I’m gonna badge by comprehensively do my training camp at the Wild outpointing Burns to Card West in Santa Monica pick up the WBO and we’re gonna bring lightweight title but it sparring in to try and Follow was his decision to copy Crawford.”

Ray Beltran turn his fight with Beltran would on Twitter. @Beltranboxing Yuriorkis Gamboa routinely come up into a shootout just short against that has given him fringe world class authority over the operators like Diaz, lightweight division.

Shariff Bogere and Luis Beltran knows how Ramos. Over the past two daunting a task he faces but years, he has begun to dominate has been to the rodeo before. a similar calibre of opponent Last September he travelled to [Jun Kim, Hank Lundy, Arash Scotland to take on Ricky Burns Usmanee have all been beaten] for the very same title. If the and – despite what the official judges had seen the same fight scorecards said – got the better as 99% of observers, Beltran of Burns at world title level. The might well have been entering about turn in results is simply a the ring in Nebraska as the case of being happy in his work defending champion rather than and concentrating on doing the challenger. what he enjoys rather than “I’m not surprised at all [by allowing the dark side of the Crawford’s rapid rise]. He’s a fight game to distract him. good fighter. He’s difficult and “Well, Bogere didn’t really beat has lots of talent. I’m excited me,” Beltran laughed. “I beat though. The boxing world have him and he just got lucky that put him as the best lightweight they gave him the fight. There

Photography Lawrence Lustig/Matchroom Sport

was another guy too – Luis Ramos [Beltran dropped a ten round decision to the American in January 2012]. People talk all the time but they don’t really know what’s going on in your personal life. It’s easy to talk and judge and criticise somebody.

People say what they think is going on but they don’t really know what was going on with my situation. I think I’ve proved that already.

“I hadn’t fought for a long while and then took the Bogere fight. It was a big event, I fought in his hometown of Vegas on their promotion and everything was against myself and I let things get into my head. I still believe I beat him though and I believe I beat him clearly.

“Against Ramos, I let things get in my head again and disrupt me mentally. It’s always mental you know? I believe I won that fight too. It was close but I believe I won it. I fought against the fighter, his manager, the judges, the promotional company. Eveything.

“Against Hank Lundy though – who’s a way better fighter than those two guys – I made my mind up that I wasn’t gonna let anything get into my head.

I decided I was just gonna go into the ring and do my job and have fun. That’s exactly what I did, I didn’t let the politics get into my head and I think that’s the main difference. I’ve got a great team behind me and I’m a more complete fighter. I’ve got friends now who help me out with vitamins and supplements, a strength and conditioning coach and a nutritionist. It’s not just me. It’s a team.”

Big fights with Rocky Martinez and Juan Diaz may have failed to materialise this year but the fact that Beltran’s name is now a staple when important match ups are being discussed at 135lbs illustrates just how differently he is being treated since the Burns fight.

“After the fight I gained a lot of fans. Regardless of the result it was a great experience for me. I earned the Scottish fans’ respect.”

“I was due to fight Martinez but ended up fighting Usmanee instead and the Diaz fight didn’t happen because I was in the middle of moving to Pheonix, Arizona. When they called me for that fight I didn’t have enough time and didn’t feel comfortable with taking that fight. Now we’ve got the big fight with Crawford so I’m just can’t wait. I’m excited.

“I think the Burns fight put me in a different situation. I have more respect. It’s never enough though. I wanna be better and better and better.”

Manchester’s Anthony Crolla is steadily climbing his way through the WBO lightweight

rankings. Crolla and Beltran worked alongside each other on one of the Gallagher’s Gym trips out west and Beltran has nothing but praise for his friend and potential rival.

“Anthony is my boy! We’re friends. We’ve sparred together in the Wild Card. Him and his coach, Joe Gallagher, are really cool people and we’ve worked together out here. It’s a really good experience and they’re good people. I’m honoured to have met them.

“They’re classy people and I’m always happy to meet people like that. He’s a great fighter too and he has all my support from my heart.”

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EVERY DAY’S A SCHOOL DAY During a life consumed by the sport he loves, Dave Coldwell has occupied most roles.

The Jab meets a man determined to make his latest venture his most successful.

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Words Chris Walker Photography Lawrence Lustig/Matchroom Sport Illustration Mark Gillman

ave Coldwell is one of British boxing’s most prolific multitaskers. A thriving promoter currently enjoying vast success, the former flyweight champion is enjoying his various roles as he continues to learn in an environment where nobody knows everything.

Take a seat at a Coldwell Boxing event and ignore the action for a small moment and fix your focus on the shows organiser as he sits anxiously at ringside screaming instructions to his fighters. The same nervous look is present when Coldwell walks his charge to the ring and it can be seen again as the two fighters stand separated by a referee as they twitch uncomfortably waiting for the announcer to declare one of them victorious. The

worried expression will shortly be followed by a wide smile or a small shake of the head but no matter the verdict, Coldwell will still care.

“I’m definitely a promoter that has a firm attachment to my fighters,” revealed Coldwell. “I feel a full responsibility in my role as their promoter, manager or trainer and I suppose it has to be like that because this is a sport where anything can happen in the blink of an eye. I’ll stand by my fighters 100 percent and that’s one of the reasons why I match them so tough because a loss is not the end of the world.

You’ll learn more in one defeat then you will in ten easy wins and I’ll always try and give a fighter that’s just lost a second chance to redeem themselves.”

A caring promoter doesn’t necessarily mean due rewards

as boxing’s chequered history has reminded us on countless occasions. The business has taken its toll on Coldwell over the years with the Sheffield man overcoming numerous obstacles to find himself in the position that currently occupies. A stint at Hayemaker Boxing as head of the operation raised Coldwell’s profile and he’s ran with that ever since.

Using expertise built up from a lifetime in the game combined with a spell as part of David Haye’s promotional fling, Coldwell has managed to put Coldwell Boxing in a healthy position and he promises his audience that his expansion is far from over.

“I’ve been in this sport a long, long time and a lot of people don’t realise that. I’ve been promoting ever since 2003 and that is a long time to be around the sport when you come to

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“MATCHROOM HAVE BEEN GREAT FOR THE SPORT OF BOXING AND I’VE MANAGED TO BUILD UP GREAT RAPPORT WITH EDDIE HEARN SO IT’S GREAT TO BE A PART OF HIS LATEST ADVENTURE.”

think about it. I like to think that I know boxing and also what a boxing fan likes to see because I’m a fan myself and that’s one of the reasons why I’ve always been very selective with my matchmaking. My shows have always had the reputation of being fairly even, value for money and fan-friendly but it’s hard to put shows on like that consistently without the help of the TV companies.”

After spending years toiling on the small hall circuit promoting regional shows, Coldwell upped his aspirations following his 4 year spell with Hayemaker.

Having the business acumen North Wales have become just of Spencer Fearn joining his as familiar setting for Coldwell team and appointing staff into Boxing as what Sheffield and commercial and media positions, Rotherham once were and Coldwell Boxing had a fresher the eye for young talent has image but the original values stretched further as the likes of remained and in the last three Robbie Davies Jnr, Chad Gaynor, years, their events have received and Liam Hanrahan wave for the wide exposure and critical flag for Coldwell Boxing’s stars acclaim. of tomorrow.

Since 2012, Coldwell “There’s no doubt we Boxing shows have went at things hard but Follow featured stellar I’m an ambitious man Dave Coldwell names from British with a huge passion on Twitter. boxing including for this sport and I’m @davidcoldwell Tony Bellew v Danny determined to leave Macintosh at the my mark on it. Our Liverpool Echo Arena shows have always for the former’s British been consistently title and Derry Mathews’ excellent but the only Commonwealth belt scrap with real way of taking that next Curtis Woodhouse which was a step is to get the TV companies co-promotion with Matchroom. and Spencer and myself wanted Quality domestic stars such as to get their attention by putting Anthony Crolla, Matthew Hatton, on bigger shows, getting our Ryan Rhodes and David Barnes name out there and making have made appearances for sure that we were always in the Coldwell Boxing and international mix for the best amateur and operators such as Giuseppe unattached fighters.

Lauri and Joseph Laryea have “Robbie Davies is a prime also boosted their ledgers by example of that and he’s agreeing to fight for Coldwell. someone who maybe would’ve As well as lining his shows with been out of our reach a few years fantastic headliners, Coldwell ago. He’s a top amateur with has also built up a superb great pedigree and quite a few stable of leading prospects and promoters wanted his signature. each member of his bulging We went all out to get it by team has been sternly tested selling him our vision and so far on competitive undercards. it’s been a quality relationship.

Liverpool, Manchester and Coldwell Boxing want to be

around for a very long time and some of the ideas we’ve got will help us realise our goals as long as people keep working hard and pulling together. I’ve got a fantastic team around me who I know I can count on and we’ll continue to push forward and see what the future brings us.”

Despite not yet securing the luxury of a television deal, Coldwell Boxing have featured on Sky Sports on several occasions and Coldwell launched the innovative Coldwell Television App in 2012 which has been hugely popular thus far. Following the birth of Matchroom’s Fight Pass in August of this year, Coldwell Boxing will receive expensive coverage on that platform and their September 12thshow “In the Line of Fire” will have been shown live by the time this article is read. Fight Pass is a further opportunity for Coldwell Boxing to push their product and Coldwell is confident that the scheme will be a huge winner.

“Matchroom have been great for the sport of boxing and I’ve managed to build up great rapport with Eddie Hearn so it’s great to be a part of his latest adventure. Coldwell Television has been a real great help to us thus far and we’ll continue to broadcast our shows that don’t make Fight Pass because we want to make sure that our fighters and their journeys are accessible to as wide as audience as possible.

“The last two years to three years have been really hard work but I wouldn’t change anything about it as I fully believe we are in a much stronger position then what we previously were. We’ve put on some of the best shows, crowned a good few fighters and we’ve had some really great exposure via the likes of Sky Sports and Ringside. We’ve taken massive steps over the last few years and we have no intention of slowing down.”

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WILL THE CATT SAVAGE THE CAPTAIN? Words Alex Gomez

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T

“You know I like Stalker, he’s a good kid and he’s gutsy.

He won’t roll over especially in front of his friends and family.”

he Jab quickly caught up with unbeaten lightwelter prospect Jack Catterall and his trainer Lee Beard ahead of their October 25th showdown at the Liverpool Echo Arena against Tom Stalker.

Chorley-born Catterall, the younger man by nine years at age 21, believes he will have too much for his amateur-star Liverpool opponent. Both have equal 9-0 unbeaten professional records, with Jack holding five stoppage wins against Tom’s two.

“We’re both southpaws, but I like boxer, whereas Tom was an facing fellow southpaws. I have excellent amateur, but is not in sparred Tom in the past and I have the same professional mould as respect for him and from personal Jack is. point of view he is a good guy. But “Jack was only 20 years old last I will hand him his first loss on the year, and he went up and jumped 25th, no doubt in my mind. in for a few rounds with Kell Brook “I know Tom will be gutsy and as he was hitting the form of his is fighting in front of his home life for the Devon Alexander fight crowd. He has good skills and – and he held his own in there. throws a lot of punches, but that A guy welter who was a division will be his undoing in our fight. I above. aim to capitalise on the openings “Later he sparred Amir Khan that I will find. I have the who was looking for a cagey heavier hands. I began at southpaw in the style of welter and have carried Collazo and Jack again Follow that strength down to took it in his stride and Jack Catterall the 140 division. gave Khan plenty to on Twitter.

“My career think about in return. @jack_catt93 has been slowly I have been throwing developing under him in with every top the radar, learning my fighter for sparring. So trade patiently. Learning when he does fight his my craft and Lee (Beard) fellow domestic rivals he has been tightening up my will have the class, experience flaws over the last couple of years. and mental strength to beat them.

I carry the power and defensively I “Some of the spars the other will give anyone fits at this weight.” year were horrible for him. We Said Catterall. broke him and he came back Lee Beard, whom has lead his stronger and stronger. The errors professional career for some time in his style have been really added that “This is not a fight tightened up and it is difficult for we are taking because Jack has anyone, regardless who they are ‘nothing to lose’, we are taking this to properly nail Jack nowadays. fight because we are going to win “Tom Stalker could possibly it. I would not put Jack into a fight beat Jack 10 times out of 10 in an that I didn’t think he could win. “ amateur contest with the pointWe asked Beard on his thoughts scoring system, the big gloves on what the key to beating Tom and the head guards. But over a Stalker will be when the pair meet. long professional fight, with the “It’s simple. Jack is a professional 8oz gloves on he is going to have

torrid time with Jack, seriously.

“You know I like Stalker, he’s a good kid and he’s gutsy. He won’t roll over especially in front of his friends and family. But Jack Catterall started up at welter and he’s sparred some tough lads.

Jamie Cox for example, big strong explosive light middleweight and also a southpaw.” Said Beard.

Jack then picked back up the conversation with me, “It’s just going to be one round at a time that I win, and if I land and get him out of there, then so be it. I’m not looking past Stalker whatsoever. There’s no problem with fighting him in Liverpool – he’s the one under pressure, who has to perform for his family and hometown audience, I’m under no pressure whatsoever. I have shared a ring in sparring with him and I know exactly what he’s about.” Said Catterall.

Lee Beard then had the final say on the fight, adding that “Ben Wager hurt Stalker. He shouldn’t be getting hurt in those sort of fights at that level. He’s a very experienced and well travelled amateur. He brawled when he should have boxed, he threw when he should have defended.

“Whereas Jack’s got the professional temperament to stick to the script to avoid that sort of thing. He’s explosive; his body punching is at a level now where it should be as a pro. His defence is tight, he picks his shots – and his mental game is great for a lad aged just 21 years of age. You’d think he would be apprehensive sharing a ring with a peak Kell Brook, a slick boxer like Argenis Mendez or a speed merchant like Khan – but he was cool as ice.

“Jack’s been under wraps now for a while, we have set out to learn and do things with each challenge. We don’t like blowing our own trumpet and over-selling him to the fans. But now it’s time for him to open up a bit to show the British scene what he’s got – and I think the boxing fans are gonna like it.”

LIVEFIGHT.COM 33

Words Michael J Jones Photography Lawrence Lustig

34 LIVEFIGHT.COM

Welsh star Chris Jenkins ready for Stalker; “He will have the Liverpool crowd behind him but I’ll thrive on that” LIVEFIGHT.COM 35

CHRIS JENKINS

F

ollowing the success in recent times of Welsh boxers such as Joe Calzaghe, Gavin Rees and Enzo Maccarinelli, Welsh boxing has experienced something of a boom in the last few years. While world ranked fighters such as Nathan Cleverly and Lee Selby head the present field, there are also a slew of young stars quickly climbing the ranks.

A fighter who has many tipping him for the top is Chris “Rok ‘n’ Rolla” Jenkins. The 26-year-old has been a pro only two and-a-half years yet can boast a perfect 15-0 (7) record and has picked up a Prizefighter trophy as well as the WBC International title along the way.

On October 25th, the Welshman takes on another former amateur stand-out in Liverpool’s Thomas Stalker in a mouth-watering contest between talented unbeatens.

The bout takes place at the Echo Arena and is an official eliminator for the British lightwelterweight title currently held

by Glasgow veteran Willie Limond.

The Jab caught up with Garnant’s Jenkins just weeks before his important next contest. We start by asking about his injured left arm (torn tricep) which forced him to pull out of a warm-up fight in July.

“It’s about 80% right now” replies the undefeated Jenkins.

“It’s getting there and I’ve been able recently to pick up the sparring a bit more. The power is definitely still there and it’s just been one of those things.

Its better the injury has happened now and not later in my career so I’m hoping it proves to be a blessing that it has happened now.”

“Right now I can do fourteen rounds straight in training; usually eight rounds sparring, four to six on the heavy bag

36 LIVEFIGHT.COM

and then I cool down with some shadow boxing to finish.”

The Stalker match on October 25th will see Jenkins travel to “The Captain’s” backyard for the ten-rounder. Add that Stalker was an outstanding amateur, 9-0 as a pro and also a southpaw who is promoted by the show’s promoter (Warren), and it’s clear the Welshman has no easy task ahead of him.

“It’s a big fight for both of us” acknowledges Chris. “I don’t believe I’m getting the credit I deserve for fighting (Stalker) in his own backyard, on his promoter’s show, with thousands of people supporting him…I’ll probably just be bringing a couple of hundred crazy Welsh people with me!”

“The occasion won’t get to me I just thrive on it” adds Jenkins seriously. “It’s my personality really nothing gets to me and I’m always confident. He was a very good amateur and undefeated but, as they say, someone’s ‘0’ has to go; and it won’t be mine.”

The 30-year-old Stalker turned pro late only 18 months ago, hasn’t boxed for any titles to date and has had six fewer contests than Jenkins. Would the Welshman agree he is a little ahead of his Scouse rival in the paid code at this stage of their respective careers?

“No not really, I mean I did Prizefighter but that’s a totally different format than usual fights. It’s like Bradley Saunders; he’s only had nine fights yet he’s already won a WBU title. If Stalker is a little behind me in the rankings then it’s not by much.”

The two men shared a few training camps as young amateurs and sparred when Team GB and the Welsh team worked together before the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. Jenkins doesn’t go into any real detail but does hint he got the better of their brief spar.

“We sparred for two days and was meant to spar a third

but he refused so make of that what you will” comments Chris.

“I ended up sparring Callum Smith instead and you know he’s a tough boy (Smith is currently a 13-0 super-middleweight prospect). The Stalker fight is a ten-round fight not three so I’m not paying much attention to what happened back then.”

Since then Stalker has competed in the World amateur championships (winning bronze) and also the London 2012 Olympics before turning pro and racing to 9-0 (2). Does the Welsh puncher think his Liverpool rival has improved or changed his style significantly since their time as amateurs?

“No I don’t think he’s changed at all” Jenkins answers immediately before adding with humour, “he’s gained a nice suntan though, I’ll have to get myself on the sunbed so I don’t look so pale compared to him on the night.”

“Seriously though, Stalker has always been an awkward fighter but I don’t really think he’s a hard puncher. He mainly throws arm punches; they may hurt if they catch you right but overall I don’t think his style has improved at all (as a pro).”

“I know exactly what gameplan he’s going to come (to the fight) with but I’ll have three for him on the night. I can’t go into too much (with tactics) but I’ll be ready for what ever Tom Stalker brings to the table. I know he’s got some skill but I feel if on the night I bring my ‘A game’ I will be victorious.”

After turning pro in early 2012, Jenkins had just seven victories under his belt when entering Prizefighter in July of last year.

The York Hall tournament looked to have an even field before the first set of quarter finals but it quickly became apparent that the unsung Welshman was a class above his fellow competitors.

After white-washing both

“I HAVE A FAMILY TO SUPPORT AND WE DON’T WANT TO BE STRUGGLING FOR MONEY SO I HAVE TO KEEP WINNING. ”

the more-experienced Tony Owen and undefeated Eren Arif, Jenkins would face the durable Danny Connor in the final and close the show impressively with a decisive second-round drubbing. The victor would thus become one of only a few men to win Prizefighter without dropping a single round.

“I was very confident entering Prizefighter” reflects “Rok ‘n’ Rolla”. “I’m always confident wherever I go (to box). I just don’t want to lose; it’s that simple. I have a family to support and we don’t want to be struggling for money so I have to keep winning.”

“Before we went to London we did the hard graft in the gym and made sure we were ready for the three-round format and on the night I executed three different types of performance in each of my fights. It was great to win but I know that’s the past

Follow

now and I want to be our twin boys have Chris Jenkins on Twitter. mixing with the best just turned two. My @ChrisRokn in the UK in title training means I’m matches.” in the gym for two I ask the Ronnie or three hours of the Morris and Jimmy day for eight weeks at Bloomfield-trained a time but I just like to Chris if he feels ready chill and spend time with for the British champion Willie my family.”

Limond should he prevail against “I’d just like to give a big shout Stalker on October 25th? out to everyone behind me, my “Well that’s what should team and also my sponsors. happen; the winner of our fight Without my sponsors I’d boxes Limond for the British title probably have to work full time but there’s also Tyrone Nurse in around my boxing so their help the mix too. I’m just planning on is invaluable. Also to all of my getting the job done in Liverpool fans, not just from Wales, but first and then move on and see from all over who support me in how it plays out afterwards.” my career.”

I conclude our interview by “I’d also like to thank all the asking what the 15-0 prospect keyboard warriors on Twitter enjoys in his spare time away who give me shit as they spur from the ring… me on to my success.”

“My hobbies are just spending “Lastly I want to thank my time with my family really” wife Helen for putting up with answers Jenkins simply. “I’m everything that comes with married to a good woman and being married to a fighter.”

LIVEFIGHT.COM 37

REFOCUSED A determined Jazza Dickens heads into his second British title attempt in the best condition of his life.

Words John Evans Photography Queensbury Promotions Illustration Mark Gillman

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hat that don’t kill me, can only make me stronger” Kanye West ranks somewhere between Jay from 5ive and Snow on my list of favourite rappers. Nonetheless, paraphrasing of one of Mr Kardashian’s hits gives us a pretty accurate insight into Jazza Dickens’ mindset as he heads into his second British title fight.

Gavin McDonnell’s decision to vacate the super bantamweight title rather than face the Liverpudlian leaves Dickens without an opponent at the time of writing and, when he does eventually climb through the ropes, over a year will have passed since his first attempt at the 8st 10lb Lonsdale belt ended when Kid Galahad came from behind to stop him in the tenth round of a clash of Britain’s next generation of super bantamweights.

The 23 year old is determined that things will be different this time.

“I believe it was God’s will to lose.

Something happened to me that has never happened to me before and I got caught with a good shot and was stopped. There were a lot of things that needed fixing,” Dickens told The Jab. “Galahad needed that shot and I needed those lessons. We both got what we needed and good luck to Galahad. I definitely think I’ve come out of it better.

I would like to think I have the mind of a champion and I’ve done everything possible to fix things.

“I didn’t go back to the gym saying ‘Oh good shot by Galahad but that will never happen again.’ I went back to the gym and my coaches looked me in the eye.

We know what went wrong and we have fixed it. We weren’t going to go around it; we went through the problem and fixed it. It’s a shame I haven’t been more active to show that but I’ve really had a lot of lessons since that fight.”

To coin another popular song, Dickens, 17-1 (5 KO’s), has had to try a little patience. He crammed his first 17 fights into his first two and a half years as a professional but the fighting fanatic has had to settle for just six rounds of action since. A promotional switch to Frank Warren and a nose operation restricted his appearances and no sooner was the nose fixed than Dickens proceeded to break it again in the final

round of a messy six round decision to the Peak Performance gym which is over Krysztof Rogowski. From ringside, just by our gym and doing cross fit there it sounded like a carrot snapping. once a week. That’s really good. Things “I’m glad that I was patient,” he says. haven’t changed much but we’ve “It’s about your reaction during that changed where it’s been needed. We’ve patience that matters and I like to think made a lot of little changed which that I’ve been mature and trusted my hopefully will show. team around me. It’s paid off because “I also think that lessons outside of now we’ve got a good fight. boxing can relate to lessons inside the “I was supposed to have an English ring. Last time I fought for the British title defence against Josh Wale but I title my mind was at British title level. couldn’t breathe through my nose so I Mentally now, I’m beyond British title had to get an operation and take a bit of level. In my mind I can go further. My time with that and then I did my nose mind’s at a higher level but I’m fighting again in my next fight! You could say it’s for the British title. It’s tricky to explain not ideal but maybe it is because I’ve but last time it didn’t go to plan but now learned a lot of lessons. I’ve been patient I know exactly what I’m going in to. but I’ve been learning too.”

“Going in to this I fully know and Wale will have been disappointed to expect what’s going to be needed. I’ve miss out on fighting for the English title had the experience of a bad loss and I but if rumours are to be believed, he don’t think mentally it’ll be as much of a may get a chance to fight Dickens for the task this time going in. That’s not vacant British belt. Dickens isn’t disrespecting whoever I end up fighting, worrying about who will be in the I’m talking about myself.” opposite corner though, instead he is As well as his own ambitions, Dickens using the break to round off any has a couple of new arrivals to fight for. remaining rough edges to his game.

His fiancé is expecting the pair’s first Enthusiasm and raw talent got Dickens child and the menagerie he keeps in his so far but the Galahad defeat highlighted back garden has also had a couple of a few areas that needed work. Day to day new additions. work at the Everton Red Triangle Gym “We’re a really happy team. I’ve got with trainers Paul and Mick Stevenson good support inside the gym from Paul has been supplemented by a new and Mick and my manager Neil Marsh strength and conditioning programme and outside the gym from my girl. overseen by Martin Cullen. There When I did have a hard time I have been no panic driven, stuck with my coaches. A lot scything changes to his of fighters change gyms Follow routine. It has been a case because they can’t explain Jazza Dickens of evolution rather than what happened. We get on Twitter. revolution. through our problems as @JazzaDickens10 “I’m getting stronger a team and a family. Me and maturing. Martin and my girl are having a does a lot of work that’s baby. A few years ago I specific to boxing and I enjoy never even thought I’d have it. Right up until the Galahad a kid! I’m just happy I found fight I always believed that doing the right girl and God blessed us with weights puts weight on you. Now I this blessing. realise that it doesn’t because I’m doing “I’ve still got my chickens too! My the weight easier than I was before. chickens are still feeding me every Making the weight was sound morning. I’ve got a couple of ducks now last time and I feel great now. That isn’t though too. That’s gonna be the secret gonna be a problem this time. you know,” he laughs. “All these other “Martin usually says ‘Bigger.Stronger. fighters are eating chicken eggs and I’m Faster” but we were in the gym one day eating duck eggs!” and decided it should be “Smaller.

Stronger. Faster” for me because I’m Jazza Dickens would like to thank losing weight but getting quicker and @bodypump58 for their help with his more powerful. We’ve been going over supplements.

LIVEFIGHT.COM 39

Follow Joe Costello on Twitter. @joecostello93

Joe Costello’s instant impact was the result of years of development. The Jab meets a fighter who is suddenly appearing on plenty of radars.

Words John Evans Photography Queensbury Promotions Illustration Mark Gillman 40 LIVEFIGHT.COM

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his July saw the 25th anniversary of the first flight of the B-2 stealth bomber. As they wheeled the aircraft out on to the runway, industry insiders had spent years perfecting and tweaking the machine and knew its capabilities but the first public viewings of the aircraft drew gasps of admiration from onlookers.

When Lee Beard unleashed his lightweight hope Joe Costello on an unsuspecting public at Liverpool’s Olympia in May, the Stockport based trainer and professionals up and down the country knew exactly what to expect but the destructive nature of his first round stoppage of Youssef Al Hamidi left fans purring. Much like the stealth bomber, the Birmingham born war machine has so far avoided radar detection. That will quickly change now that the 20 years old has been fully deployed.

“It only lasted just over two minutes I think!” Costello told the Jab when describing the impact his professional debut had before swiftly moving on.

“My second opponent [Lee Connelly, W PTS4] had a Central Area title fight a couple of weeks after fighting me and after hearing what he’s done to other people – getting robbed against Paul Appleby and giving Luke Campbell a good run for five rounds – it wasn’t an easy second fight for me.

“I just wanna get as many fights in as I can. I’ve had two now and I want to get another two – if not three - in before Christmas. I wanna see how quickly they can move me on next year, see how many fights I can get in by 2015 and start getting some titles.”

Costello may be young but the aggressive Brummie has spent almost half of his life around the sport. Even before turning professional, he spent countless hours in the ring with a who’s who of boxing. It was a sparring session with former IBF super featherweight champion Argenis Mendis that led to Lee Beard taking the reigns of his career.

Beard is widely respected within the sport but operates under the radar. This isn’t another stealth tactic, rather the decision of somebody who prefers to spend their time talking to fighters and

fight figures rather than television cameras.

“All I’ve done for three years is travel and travel and spar the best fighters I can. Argenis Mendis, Anthony Crolla, Rendall Munroe, Stephen Foster Jnr, Stephen Smith. Loads. I’ve sparred so many I’ve forgotten. Jack Catterall is good. Jazza Dickens……I could probably think of them all but not as you’ve just asked me now! It’s the best thing to do isn’t it? Get out and spar the best. Liam Walsh!” Costello laughs as another name springs to mind and causes a case of boxer Tourettes.

“Lee was taken straight away. He watched me spar Mendis and said he’d never seen anybody spar like that with Mendis. You can see a couple of rounds of it on YouTube. Lee believes that Mendis at 10 1/2 stone could be one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world but he tries to lose too much weight and gets down to 9st 4lbs. You don’t get to see his full capabilities. I sparred Mendis at 10 ½ stone though and Lee said he’s never seen anybody compete with him as well as that so straight away he had a chat with my dad, my dad liked what he said and we worked things out. We get on better than ever.

“Lee doesn’t want the camera. He say’s he doesn’t need the camera. He isn’t about that. He just loves boxing and the boxing game. He’s my manager but I call him my second trainer after my dad because he does a lot for me. I will be spending time there at training camps.”

Beard’s contacts across the Atlantic mean that there are plenty of business trips to the USA. Gym mate and new Central Area light welterweight champion Jack Catterall certainly benefitted from an extended training camp in Las Vegas ahead of his impressive knockout of Nathan Brough and Costello is keen to reap similar rewards.

“I was supposed to be going out on the last trip but I had things on so I’m going on the next one after my next fight. He’s got good contacts in America. My dad knew him before from when he used to use my dad’s gym to train Matthew Macklin but whatever he’s sat us down and told us, he’s delivered. He hasn’t exaggerated

anything. He’s done everything he said he would and more.

“You get what you see with Lee. He’s straight down the middle and that’s what you need when you’re in a business like boxing.”

Mike Tyson Promotions, Oscar De La Hoya, Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren.

From New York City and Wolverhampton to Liverpool. The regard that Costello is held in is evident by the various rumours of interested promoters and potential debut locations a quick google search throws up. Eventually, after an unfortunate incident gave him plenty of time to think things over, the European schoolboy champion decided to join Frank Warren’s attempted revolution.

Warren has a number of fighters with the potential to burst on to the world scene over the next eighteen months and Costello should have plenty of big bills to learn on.

“I was going to fight in America last November but little things happened at home and, well, I got stabbed.” he sighs.

“That put me out for a bit but I got back in the gym and Dr Mike Hayton did some quality work on my finger and while it might not look the best it’s perfect for punching.

“America was there but America is still there in the future. There was talk about Lou DiBella, Mike Tyson Promotions and even Golden Boy but obviously I had to take time out. When I cam back Frank was positive he wanted to sign me and offered a wicked deal that I didn’t want to turn down.

“You can’t knock Eddie Hearn but I just think in a couple of years Frank will be back at the top. Frank isn’t just about just signing ticket sellers. Not that I don’t sell - I did 300 odd tickets last time - but I don’t have to sell one ticket and you can’t ask for a better deal than that. I still do it out of respect, people want to watch me fight and I have no problem selling tickets but Frank didn’t even ask me how many I sold and whether I had a good following. He had faith in my ability and wanted to sign me. I couldn’t ask for much more than that.

“I’m out in October and then on the November 22nd Dereck Chisora v Tyson Fury bill. I’m back to the real hard work.”

LIVEFIGHT.COM 41

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Controversial decisions, draws and disqualifications have provided some of the most dramatic incidents in boxing history. The Jab decided to find out exactly what it takes to be the man who provides the soundtrack to those moments; the MC. Words John Evans

42 LIVEFIGHT.COM

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ing announcing is a simple job isn’t it? Simply stand up in front of a crowd and correctly announce the fighter’s names and hometowns, their weights, the bout duration, any titles at stake and officials at ringside you can sit down in a front row seat and enjoy the action. Once the fight is over, all that is left to do is jump back up into the ring to announce the result, the scorecards, times, the method of victory ……Easy hey? Manage all that without stumbling or making an error and nobody will bat an eyelid. Make an error, however, and it stands out like a competitive fight on an American undercard. It is an underappreciated skill.

A couple of recent howlers got me thinking about exactly what it takes to do the job properly.

There is no set way to announce a fight and no right or wrong way. Jimmy Lennon Jnr adopts an ultra professional less is more approach on Showtime while Matchroom’s John McDonald hams it up at every opportunity. Michael Buffer is the undisputed king of charisma and Mike Goodall is the meat and potatoes, no thrills veteran of the British ring. Each method will have their fans.

The Jab asked professional MC Phil Seymour for his tips on completing the particulars in an efficient, likeable and succinct fashion.

“First and foremost, I’m a boxing fan, always have been and I’m pretty sure I always will be. I have been stadium announcing in rugby league for many years, but about 4 years ago, frustrated at the standard of some of the ring announcing I was seeing, I decided to become a boxing MC. “An MC cannot make a poor show great, however, they can spoil a show to some extent with mistakes and generally not doing their job well. In my opinion it is my job to warm the crowd up, build excitement, be accurate and precise and generally try to ensure the show runs smoothly. When I was first interviewed by the British Boxing Board of Control about me getting an MC license one of the board members said something that has stuck with me, “We call it a show because it should be exactly that; a spectacle, entertainment”, and I believe the MC has a lot to do with it being that.”

Nothing irritates boxing fans more than a split or majority decision being badly announced. No matter the quality of a fight, the announcement that the judges have failed to agree instantly injects some interest and excitement into the moment and the crowd fall silent as they await the outcome.

The worst recent example is Mark Burdis’ announcement

of Derry Mathews’ British title victory over Martin Gethin.

Burdis read the scores in an order which meant that everybody watching knew who had won before he had finished announcing the official verdict.

“Being a boxing MC is all about preparation and planning and announcing any decision is no different. When there are judges involved I always make out a card with all 3 judges names on and spaces for their scores, the type of decision, the winners name, and crucially room to number the judges in the order I want to read them out. Don’t underestimate the pressure on the MC to get this announcement right.

“All eyes in the venue are fixed on the MC, all ears are open and it is the quietest the hall will have been during the whole show, the tension is palpable. Personally I love that moment, whether I’m the MC, watching it live, or watching it on TV at home. For me it is one of the most exciting moments in any sport, and I feel it’s an honour to be involved in my small way.

Whatever the decision, a small pause between reading out the scorecards and announcing the winner, while you hear everyone in attendance hold their breath always helps to add to the excitement.”

The recent Top Rank card in Macao produced one of the worst ring announcement performances of all time. Guest announcer Robin Leach managed to mispronounce the name of virtually every fighter he introduced.

Now, Mr Leach isn’t a professional ring announcer so we can afford him a little leeway but his performance highlights the importance of researching the fighters you will be introducing. Getting a fighters name right doesn’t just reflect on the professionalism of the entire show, it also shows respect to the boxers involved.

“Again, this comes down to preparation. Personally I like to speak to every boxer before the show, either in the dressing rooms or at the weigh in, to check I have their details correct. This gives me a chance to check I have their correct fight record, nickname if they have one, shorts colour and crucially the correct pronunciation of their name.

“I always write any tricky names down phonetically to ensure I get them right. I also ask every boxer if there is anything else they would like announcing, such as their amateur titles, Olympic appearances etc. Getting a boxers name wrong is a major insult in my book. Anyone who has the guts, ability and dedication to step through those ropes to contest a boxing bout should be afforded the utmost respect, and to get their name wrong would be disrespectful and unprofessional.”

LIVEFIGHT.COM 43

LEE SELBY Words John MacDonald Photography Whiteeeeey

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hree years ago, Lee Selby entered Liverpool’s Olympia in an attempt to snatch British and Commonwealth featherweight titles from hometown favourite, Stephen Smith. The hostile crowd were not alone in giving the man from Barry little chance, the bookmakers were in agreement with Sportingbet deeming him an 11/2 no-hoper. The Welshman upset the odds and sent the crowd home disappointed as he knocked out the champion in the eighth round with a thunderous left hook.

Since then the 27-yearold’s career has sky rocketed as he won the Lonsdale belt outright, added European and WBC International straps to his collection and headlined sellout arena shows in his Cardiff.

The only title to elude him is the most coveted, a World title. His journey toward World honours becomes one step closer on October 11 as he fights unbeaten Australian, Joel Brunker, in a final eliminator for a shot at the IBF crown.

“I think it’s going to be a tough fight,” Selby told The Jab of his upcoming fight. “He’s a good fighter, he’s tough, he keeps coming forward relentlessly, he’s got power in both hands.”

2004 Athens Olympian, Brunker has raced to 27-0 (15 KOs) in his six years as a professional against solid if unspectacular opposition.

Although, he has been inactive since labouring to a 78-74 points decision over American, veteran, Mike Oliver on the undercard of - fellow countryman - Daniel Geale’s unsuccessful IBF middleweight title defence against Darren Barker last August.

Unlike his opponent, Selby has tasted defeat before; a four round points loss to Commonwealth title challenger,

Samir Mouneimne in his fifth contest. Since suffering that early career set back, he has picked up victories over; the aforementioned Smith, domestic stalwart John Simpson and former World title challenger Rendall Munroe but believes Brunker will provide him with his sternest test to date.

“I’ve sparred with him out in the Mayweather gym and I sparred in Eddie Mustapha’s gym with him as well so I know him quite well. He’s really experienced, 27-0. He punches really hard, he’s been about, he’s boxed in America so it probably is my toughest fight.”

Having experienced Brunker’s ability first hand, Selby is leaving nothing to chance in preparation for the aggressive style of his opponent but the question remains, who got the upperhand whilst sparring?

“That would be telling,” laughed Selby “It was really competitive. There was nothing in it. It was a while back, couple of years ago, but we both know we had tough sparring with each other so we’re both going to go away, train our best and expect a tough fight.”

Having spent the majority of his career fighting across the length and breadth of Great Britain, Selby made a triumphant homecoming topping the bill against Rendall Munroe in front of a sell-out crowd at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena back in February. The Welshman won every round before referee Ian John-Lewis stopped the contest in the sixth. The success of the show prompted promoter Eddie Hearn to stage a second card in May at the same venue.

Now Selby finds himself back on the round, returning to the O2, a venue that proved to be a happy hounding ground for him last year and insists that he’s as comfortable in front of hostile crowd as he is with a partisan one.

“I won the Lonsdale belt of Jhonny Gonzalez was the outright there [at the O2] preferred destination having against Ryan Walsh, it’ll be nice defeated Romula Koasicha in to get back there. It don’t really an Eliminator for a shot at the bother me where I fight, I’ll fight champion. Since then the IBF anywhere. Like when I get the called for him to face Brunker in title fight I’m happy to travel, it a final eliminator. Whilst some really don’t bother me. It’s nice feel the green belt is the most to the support of your friends prestigious of the Alphabet titles, and that following you. I’ll have Selby insists that in a multi-title a few coach loads going up for era he has no preference. this fight.”

“That was the plan to go WBC Selby certainly isn’t the first but then this opportunity came fighter to claim he’s willing to up and I had to grab it with both “fight anywhere”, unlike so many hands. That’s what I’m in the however, he has the evidence game for, to become a world to back up his claims. He has champion; IBF, WBC it don’t already picked up wins in; Hull, matter which one to me. They Liverpool, Blackpool and London are all world titles. These days to name but a few. Arguably, no one [title] is outstanding the best win of his career came compared to the others is it?” on the road as he made a Victory on October 11th will successful defence of his British secure him a shot at Evgeny and Commonwealth straps Gradovich. The Russian has against Martin Lindsay in Belfast. made each of his thee defence The performance at the Olympia in Macao, China, on Top Rank may have been his breakthrough shows. Gradovich has earned but it was the manner in which the moniker of “The Russian he silenced the Northern Irish Mexican” due to his all-action Crowd in Belfast that showed his style and hooks to the body. star potential.

While the debate over home “I get a buzz off being the advantage rages on, Selby opponent in their backyard with believes that he will have a everyone against me, I like that. beaten a better fighter to earn When I boxed out in Belfast the fight and is willing to get his it brought the best out of me. passport out to prove it.

Walking to the ring I had people “Yeah, he seems to be fighting calling me a wanker, in Macau, I’d love to go out booing me and doing there to fight. I’d enjoy rude gestures towards it.It’s nice to have Follow me but I thought ‘I’ll home advantage Lee Selby show you.’” but if you’re good on Twitter. @leeselby126 That urge to prove enough you’re going the spectators to win anyway. Kell wrong saw him put Brook proved if you on a virtuoso display, are good enough you punctuated by great can win away. It could self confidence, to claim setup a big money fight, a wide points decision all three like a unification. That’s what I’m judge’s scorecards. The manner in the game for; money. in which he won convinced “I think this fight is tougher Hearn of his talents, enough than fighting Gradovich. He’s to sign him to the Matchroom a similar type of fighter but Sport promotional banner. Since Gradovich don’t punch as hard then, together with manager as Brunker and he’s as relentless Chris Sanigar- they have plotted with his pressure either so he’d a route towards World honours. give more me time to get my It appeared as if the WBC title shots off and out box him.”

LIVEFIGHT.COM 45

I

f I asked you to name the best prospect in the Matchroom Sport stable, chances are you’d name Olympic gold medallists; Anthony Joshua and Luke Campbell or amateur standouts Callum Smith, Martin J. Ward or the Yafai brothers; Kal and Gamal.

One name that you would likely leave out is one of the more established amongst their ranks; John Ryder 18-1 (10 KOs). Last September the 26-year-old showed his potential as he pushed British and Commonwealth middleweight champion, Billy Joe Saunders all the way. While he found himself on the wrong side of a razor thin decision his reputation was enhanced in defeat with fans and pundits alike praising his challenge.

Many expected the “Gorilla” to kick on and take centre stage but while his stablemates have all been showcased to large audiences, a hand injury has restricted Ryder to just three low-key, in-ring appearances since then.

“In a way but it was my own fault really. I threw a punch one day and got a hand injury and that held me back for a long while,” Ryder told The Jab when asked if he was frustrated by the lack of momentum following the Saunders fight.

“Everything happens for a reason I suppose. I’m still young, still fresh and I’m ready to come again. I wouldn’t say it’s my second chance, it’s not. I had a good, close fight with Saunders, went back to the drawing board and did a bit of rebuilding. There were things I had to work on which were shown in that fight and we’ve been working on them. The hand feels great now. I’m banging away with it like a good ‘un.”

Now fit and healthy, he has the chance to make up for lost

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time when he faces Sergey now look back and take the Khomitsky for the vacant WBA positives from his ultimately, Inter-Continental strap on unsuccessful title tilt as well as October 11 at the 02 Arena. The focussing on what he must Belarusian is well known on improve on. The fight with these shores having fought Saunders was the first time he Martin Murray twice, Ryan had got past eight rounds and Rhodes and Jamie Moore as a result he was careful to previously. Khomitsky has a conserve energy in the middle win some, lose some record rounds. With hindsight, he but his defeats have always believes this decision may have come in good company and he cost him. showed in April just how “I learnt a lot about myself. I dangerous he can be as he learnt the engine that I’ve got. I stopped the previously knew I was fit, I knew I was undefeated Frank Buglioni in strong but now I’m fitter and six rounds. While respectful of stronger, that’s a good thing. I the threat his opponent carries, know I switched off from Ryder is confident he has the rounds six to ten maybe. I let tools to secure victory and that them rounds slip away. 11 and he won’t make the same 12, I don’t think Saunders threw mistakes as his fellow a shot. I could have done that Londoner. from round one to round “I think it’s a good fight to be twelve and that’s what I need fair. I think he’s got a to do in the future.” reputation as a bit of a Since then, Ryder has parted gatekeeper now. He’s going to company with his trainer of try and test the best like he’s over 10 years, Colin Lake. proved. The stoppage would Whilst working together the be very impressive as well but I Islington, Southpaw won 30 of can’t go looking for that with his 35 amateur fights, winning this fella. He showed against two Senior Novice ABA titles Buglioni that he’s dangerous along the way. Lake guided him and he can punch although I through the early portions of think the Buglioni fight his professional career until flattered him a bit. I think it disagreements over which way was more Buglioni’s own to progress going forward, lead undoing as such, the way to him joining the ever that fight went but at increasing stable of the end of the day he Tony Sims at the Follow threw the punches start of the year.

John Ryder he needed to throw The Essex based on Twitter. @_John_Ryder_ and they threw the trainer has towel in. managed John “We’ve got two since he turned pro completely different but is now training styles but I think it’s a him alongside top fight I need at this point domestic names such as in my career. I don’t need to Ricky Burns and Kevin Mitchell. be going over old ground with Ryder believes the six and eight rounders. I think improvements will be there for proved I deserve to be in a all to see on fight night. higher class against Saunders.

“I just thought it was time for Albeit, injury problems have a change, I wanted to try new held me back but I feel the things and Colin was a bit fight has come at the right reluctant to try certain things. time.”

It was a bit of a disagreement Over a year on, Ryder can but you’ve got to move forward

with the times a bit. I switched to Tony in January and there’s been a bit of work we’ve been doing. When I first went there he said ‘We’re not going to be doing everything we want straight away, it’s going to take time. I don’t want to overload you with stuff.’ We are eight months in to the year now with him and things are really starting to take shape. Things are starting to happen naturally now where before I had to force them to try them out.

“I hoping you’ll see on the 11th of October. I could talk about it all I want. We’ve worked a bit on getting low on the legs when we are rolling. I don’t have to make shots miss by a mile I can just let them go over the shoulder. Classy stuff really. Providing it all goes well and my confidence is there, which it will be, you can look a million dollars against Khomitsky.”

In an era where so much importance is placed on undefeated records, an early career defeat can be disheartening. Rather than dwell on defeat or become downhearted, Ryder is determined to use this opportunity to prove he can still go on to mix in world level, that the setbacks of the past 12 months won’t hold him down.

For John Ryder, October 11 is the “Moment of Truth”.

“When you start out in this sport, you want a[Joe] Calzaghe career,[Floyd] Mayweather career, undefeated but all that glitters ain’t gold is it? There are plenty of world champions out there that have defeats and knockout losses on their record. I learnt a lot.

“I don’t feel like I lost, I feel like I learnt. I’m just looking to the future to write wrongs and people that doubted me from the Saunders can hopefully be proved wrong and see how I’ve come on.”

JOHN RYDER Words John MacDonald

LIVEFIGHT.COM 47

A SECOND LOOK:

FEBRUARY 25, 1964

Words John J. Raspanti

F

ifty years ago, Cassius Clay, who would come to be known as Muhammad Ali, fought seemingly unbeatable Charles “Sonny” Liston at the Convention Center, in Miami Beach, Florida.

The buildup to the fight was intense, with Clay insulting Liston on a regular basis.

“He’s too ugly to be the world’s champ,” said the cocky challenger.” The world’s champ should be pretty like me.”

Liston won the heavyweight championship of the world in 1962 by demolishing Floyd Patterson within minutes of the first round. He defended his title against Patterson again ten months later. It took him four seconds longer to win. Many experts at the time considered Liston to be invincible. Even British heavyweight champion Henry Cooper said he’d fight Clay if he won, but not Liston.

Clay, 22, performed at mach speed.

He talked fast and moved faster. He had extraordinary hand and foot speed. He was the perpetual, “man in a hurry,” with a bravado that had no limits.

In 1960, Clay captured the gold medal at the Rome Olympics in the light-heavyweight division. Two years later, he turned professional. Before he fought Liston, his record was 19-0 with 15 knockouts. His two previous fights

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had been anything but stellar. He eked out a decision over tough Doug Jones, and was floored heavily by Cooper before stopping the British champion in round five.

It’s no surprise that hours before the opening bell, Liston was a seven-to-one betting favorite. Clay talked the talk.

Now the question was could he walk the walk?

Forty-six experts had been asked who would win the fight.

Forty-three picked Liston.

Clay’s style was underrated at the time. Oh, he was fast they said, but he didn’t hit very hard, or take a punch.

Legendary columnist Jimmy Cannon said this about Clay a few days before the match.

“Clay doesn’t fight like the valid heavyweight he is. He seldom sets and misses a lot. In a way, Clay is a freak. He is a bantamweight who weighs more than 200 pounds.”

Critics were of the mind that what we don’t understand – we criticize. Years later Clay’s skill and ability to anticipate and lean away from blows, his fleet moves would, garner praise.

In 1964 they were considered flaws.

Liston’s record was 35-1 with 24 knockouts. But, the defender brought some baggage into the fight as well. His age was a mystery. Liston stated that he was 31, but he was probably three years

older. He suffered from bursitis in both shoulders and reportedly re-injured his left shoulder in training. Still, he expected to knockout the blabbermouth from Louisville in two rounds.

Many, like Lester Bromberg of the New York World-Telegram, thought Liston was being generous, “It will last longer than the Patterson fight - almost the entire first round,” wrote Bromberg.

Clay ignored the pundits, quipping, “Liston even smells like a bear. After I beat him I’m going to donate him to the zoo.”

In the ring, Clay was an adept trash talker, Liston was a master of intimidation. His baneful stare had caused many opponents to shrink away like a scared kid. As referee Barney Felix gave the fighters their final instructions before the opening bell, he employed his deadeye look on the taller Clay. The challenger glared back and showed Liston his mouthpiece.

Clay admitted after the fight that his bravado was an act.

“I won’t lie, I was scared. It frightened me, just knowing how hard he hit. But I didn’t have no choice but to go out and fight.”

Liston came out fast in the opening stanza. His powerful jab, usually so reliable, only grazed the fleet-footed challenger. Clay, with his hands at his

sides, moved side to side. He ducked, feinted and stayed on his toes. Liston glared, but he wasn’t cutting off the ring. The champion landed the first punch of the bout - a thudding right to the body. Clay absorbed the blow, commentating after the fight, “I felt good because I knew I could survive.”

At the two minute mark, Clay found Liston with a double jab. He was fighting smart staying just out of the range of Liston’s powerful salvos. He leaned back and watched two mighty hooks whisk by his chin. Clay’s jabs intensified as the round continued.

With twenty ticks left on the clock, Clay opened up, strafing Liston’s face with a combination.

Clay kept sticking out his jab in round two. The defending champion stalked, but still couldn’t connect with the slippery challenger. At the weigh-in he had held up two fingers, indicating what round he would knock out Clay.

His heavy shots were directed at the body - hoping that Clay would lower his guard. Liston pushed Clay into the ropes and forced his way inside. Here was a chance for Liston to do some damage, but Clay tied him up and skipped away.

In round three, it was Clay who came out firing. As Liston pressed forward, he let go with a combination landing a sharp right. A few seconds later, another right followed by a left hook staggered the unbeatable bear. Liston fell into the ropes, but quickly recovered. The crowd roared as Clay turned aggressor. His slashing combination had cut Liston’s left eye and bruised his right. Liston rallied in the last minute of the round. A right uppercut snapped Clay’s head back, but the challenger was blessed with one of the sturdiest chins in the game.

Clay was back to moving laterally and jabbing in round four. Liston jabbed as well, but his pattern of missing more punches than landing continued. The bruising under his right eye worsened. Clay had his own eye problems before round five commenced. He blinked maniacally and screamed at his trainer Angelo Dundee to, “Cut off my gloves.”

Dundee calmly grabbed his trusty sponge and washed out Clay’s burning

eyes, while urging his fighter to get back in the ring. “This is the big one, Daddy,” said Dundee.”Get out there and run.”

Later, some accused Liston’s corner of hanky panky, but it is likely Clay’s eye troubles were caused by a substance used to close Liston’s cut that got on Clay’s gloves and blinded him.

Despite his eye troubles, Clay reentered the ring. In round five, he held and ran. Liston pummeled his midsection with shots. A left hook stood Clay up, but his greatest assets, his legs, served him well. He finally threw two soft punches with a minute to go in the round.

Clay was back in charge in round six.

A sharp right hand stung Liston. A double hook made him grimace. His jab bounced off the champions face.

Liston landed a lunging hook that had no effect.

Liston hesitated before sitting on his

stool after the sixth round ended. One of his cornermen rubbed his left shoulder –the same shoulder he had reinjured in training camp. Liston muttered, “That’s it,” and spit out his mouthpiece.

How badly his shoulder was injured was a matter of debate.

Clay quickly comprehended what was happening in Liston’s corner.

He moved to the center of the ring with his arms raised– all the while doing what would come to be called “The Ali shuffle.”

It was later revealed that at the time of the stoppage the fight was even.

Liston said of Clay, “That’s not the guy I was supposed to fight. That guy could hit.”

Minutes after the fight ended, there was talk of a re-match.

Fifteen months later, the pair met again in a little city in Maine, called Lewiston.

LIVEFIGHT.COM 49

GLYN LEACH

‘You expected to be sad in the fall. Part of you died each year when the leaves fell from the trees and their branches were bare against the wind and the cold, wintery light. But you knew there would always be the spring, as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen. When the cold rains kept on and killed the spring, it was as though a young person died for no reason.’

[Ernest Hemingway]

T

here have been too many deaths in boxing recently, in particular too many losses to the rankand-file of those known in the trade as “boxing men”. No one can accurately explain what constitutes a “boxing man”, you just feel it in your bones when you hear them talk or read their words.

We lost another boxing man last month. Boxing didn’t just lose a friend and champion, it lost a distinct, persistent, unique and blunt voice when Glyn Leach, the owner and editor of Boxing Monthly, thought his last thought, breathed his last breath and took another beam of light away from a sport that feels like it is being plunged into a Dark Age of widespread ignorance and the corporatisation of opinions and writing styles.

To mangle Hemingway—and at the risk of copping a typical Leach-esque: ‘Fuck’s sake, son, haven’t you heard of a word count?!’ from beyond the grave—it feels as if the winter has impinged on our summer,

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Words Terence Dooley

casting a shadow over the entire domestic scene as we bid adieu to a juggernaut of boxing journalism.

The journalistic choir has also lost one of its last remaining world-class soloists. A voice that was disarmingly gentle in the flesh, but as blunt as a hammer when he bashed out one of his monthly editorial missives.

The 54-year-old broke into the sport in his 20s, writing for Boxing Weekly under Ian Probert, the renowned author of Rope Burns: One Man’s Reluctant Obsession With Boxing, before taking over Boxing Monthly as owner and editor. Within three years, the keen angler had reeled in the editor’s spot before eventually taking outright ownership of the popular publication.

This unique position allowed Leach to run the magazine his way. His mantra was: “It is all about the writing”; he encouraged and nursed a plethora of styles, welcoming anyone who had the ability and passion to succeed. A selftaught journalist who learned

the ropes on the job, Leach was a true independent who relished the challenge of the sport he loved and had helped shape and define.

As the tributes flood in, the essence of the man will live on. Indeed, his legacy will be written anew every time a Boxing Monthly reader sits down to type out a boxing article. Leach may be dead, but he lives on in our hearts, minds and pens—his encouragement helped give birth to a new wave of writers, who must now rise to the levels he aspired to and attained during his own career.

For this writer, it is as bitter a blow as the loss of Dean Powell, who passed away last year, as we have lost yet another one of those rare types who went to fights solely to watch the action— woe betide the man or woman who broke Leach’s concentration on his rare ringside forays.

The QPR fanatic was always the voice of reason. You could run a news story by him, if it was good he would share your excitement then issue a terse: ‘Get it out there, son’, but if it needed an

LIVEFIGHT.COM 51

GLYN LEACH

extra quote or a bit of edge he would always preach caution by pointing out that: ‘It’s better to have the full story than one half of one—it’s not a race’. It was sound advice.

Leach was generous with his time and his attention, he used his magazine to blood new writers whilst making sure that he assembled one of the most varied and experienced teams in the business. This variety gave Boxing Monthly its voice, and the publication shared its owner’s “Iron fist in a velvet glove” approach.

He also respected a lot of his fellow writers. Quite a few of the ones he respected the most worked for him, and that must have been a consistent source of pride for this true boxing aficionado.

During our last conversation, Glyn outlined his future plans and direction for the mag. Far from resting on his laurels, the longtime editor was hungry, fired up and determined to continue to release a quality product in a tough age for print media. The fire still burned, the desire was still there, but now we’ve lost the man himself and what a huge loss it is for those who knew, respect and cherished his views and work.

As a teenager, I had two ambitions in life, to work in a library and write for Boxing Monthly—Glyn helped me make my dream come true and will always occupy a special place in my heart, mind and boxing soul.

Indeed, my own experience of Leach’s take on the sport began when I was a 14-year-old paperboy. I had been obsessed with boxing from as early as I could remember. I’d sit on my grandfather’s knee as a child, watching the home-inked boxer tattoo on his forearm flex as he described fairground boxing booths and the feats of the incomparable Joe Louis.

Fortunately, one of the

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Leach was generous with his time and his attention, he used his magazine to blood new writers whilst making sure that he assembled one of the most varied and experienced teams in the business. This variety gave Boxing Monthly its voice, and the publication shared its owner’s “Iron fist in a velvet glove” approach. houses on my round had a BM subscription, so I’d duck into a ginnel, lean on some privets or pinch a bottle of milk then park on a doorstep once a month to read the magazine (not paying my way will probably earn me another slap from beyond, but I started buying it myself shortly afterwards). For the following months, years and decades, the magazine was my boxing Bible, with Leach’s column a lecture from the pulpit.

Over time, his voice became one of my many mental boxing dialogues: correcting me, advising and infuriating me, especially when Leach criticised Audley Harrison, my idol at the time—the foolishness of youth, eh? When Audley’s career crashed and burned, I did a bit of reverse engineering using past issues the mag, pouring over every comment Leach had made about the Olympic Gold Medalist.

Leach had been right, and caring, in his advice to Audley, whereas the fighter, and his fans, had been wrong. This is one of the many lessons I learned before even knowing the man himself.

In recent times, I benefitted from his advice, humour and wise words. Leach described himself as a ‘cynic’, but one with the good of humanity at heart. He was blunt yet soft, subjective and objective, fire and water, night and day—in short a real human being with multiple perspectives born out of years of experience.

The advice he imparted to me was manna from heaven, and Lord knows I needed advice, guidance and a kick up the arse during my lazy periods. That’s without even mentioning the many, and pointless, emails I sent him that simply read: ‘The newsbeat, eh? Fucking hell!’.

Far from dismissing me, Glyn was as encouraging as a father, as tough as a teacher and as trustworthy as a priest. Going through the minutiae of the sport with him was a lesson in itself—I intend to repay him through my every action in the sport.

On a final personal note, it was equally touching to see the love that was shown online when Glyn passed. I found out via a text from John Evans, by the time I got to a PC the outpouring of virtual emotion had started, and continues to flow.

However, my thoughts were not with those like myself— freshmen in the game who had barely touch the iceberg of his complex personality—but they instead went out to his family, his partners in both life and business, Steve Lillis and Buncey. Men and women who had shared Leach’s journey for decades and were experiencing real pain, real grief.

My thoughts continue to go out to those people. They have lost a friend, travelling companion and a part of themselves. I hope that the continuing excellence of the mag he so loved acts as a form of minor comfort during the

coming tough times and those sad private moments.

As for the mag itself, one of the biggest testaments to the love that people feel for Glyn is the fact that the first thought of many was: ‘Boxing Monthly must continue’. Indeed, it was the first thing that Billy Graham, Ricky Hatton’s former trainer, said to me after lamenting Glyn’s loss.

Texts, emails and phone calls within the trade all echoed the same sentiment: ‘Boxing Monthly must continue’—and it will.

Graham Houston has stepped into the breach, plus writers past and present have pledged to file as much copy as possible to keep this institution alive.

Below is a reflective piece on David Haye versus Dereck Chisora that Glyn wrote for BoxingScene.com after we named it the boxing event of 2012: ‘From its vulgar and opportunistic conception amidst scenes of mindless ugliness through to the crass commercialism that turned an unlicensed fight — which it wasn’t, but who was listening?

— into British boxing’s biggest and most-talked-about event since the turn of the century, the evening was a PR nightmare long before darkness fell inside a football stadium filled with the kind of faces that the CCTV cameras in the police command room recognised all too well from match days.

‘And then, as if to put the final nail in the coffin of the night that would bring about the end of boxing in Britain as we knew it, it rained — as in really rained. The thousands at Woodstock, the music festival that symbolised the peace and love generation of the 1960s, banded together and chanted for its deluge to stop, but the crowd at sport’s black sheep sporting event of 2012 and of every other Olympic year, ignored it, treated idealism with disdain. In comparative

terms, this wasn’t Woodstock, it was Altamont, the festival that sounded the death knell the hippy dream. All that was missing was the Hells Angels on acid and a body full of stab wounds.

‘The scene had been set by the sensationalist media, and those sensationalists within the sensible media, and the picture was far from pretty, but looking back on that evening today, what do we remember? The end of the world as we knew it? The death of boxing on a Somme-like battlefield patrolled by uncontrollable psychopaths, with anti-boxing’s press corps scribbling frantic epitaphs in the blood of a sport as they fulfilled their designer camouflage Kate Adie fantasies?

‘Get real. All boxing ever needs to shut the mouths of these fools is its immortal ability to make a crowd’s jaws drop agape and to send those same paying customers home with silly smiles on their faces, the variety that says: “Bloody hell, what a great night out!” And the reason for that was simple. For all that had preceded it, HayeChisora made people happy. It wasn’t a great fight as such, but it delivered everything that the public — those blood-thirsty moronic savages who are so easily manipulated by intellects both greater and more base — asked of it: a villain, a hero, an impressive knockout, and the cherry-on-the-top of a hug and a handshake at the end to remind the detractors that boxing, beneath all the bullshit and even when it only gets half it right, is the greatest sport in the world and one that will continue to defy expectations long after its critics have faded into obscurity and then been forgotten.

‘You can keep your Mo Farah, I’m with Del Boy.’ It was always all about the writing, and always will be.

Rest in peace, man.

LIVEFIGHT.COM 53

GREED, PAY PER SCREW, OUR SPORT AND THE FUTURE Words A Boxing fan

I

regard myself as a “hardcore” boxing fan, so it was with a slight feeling of pain when I telephoned Sky and cancelled my subscription amidst the news that Bellew and Clev’s rematch was not to be aired as part of my already-hefty Sky subscription.

I rationalised that the Carl Froch versus James Degale bout in January would also be held on pay-per-view and that the boxing content between now and then absolutely did not justify the cost.

Using November as an example between Sky and Boxnation beggars belief. On one hand the typical sky sports subscriber pays £23.50 a month already, then will have to shell out a further £17 for the box office fight.

That’s a total of £40.50 for one fight, that was expected by all Sky subscribers to have been included in their hefty subs in the first place.

Meanwhile Boxnation during November will charge just £12 and will give you a triple AAA fight in Hopkins versus Kovalev, the Pacquiao versus Algeri fight – and Tyson Fury versus Derek Chisora just for good measure.

The comparison between the two outfits is like night and day.

It was part anger and part common sense as I dialled the Sky cancellations department. The myth that they would

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beg me to stay with half-price deals was not forthcoming, my years of loyalty and thousands of pounds in subscriptions over the years didn’t count for nothing - not that I would have taken up their offer – because it was a matter of principle and common sense.

I have cancelled in the past, albeit for a couple of months, then eventually returned at Christmas just so the kids have Christmas movies to watch whilst off school.

But this time I do honestly believe it’s final. The traditional TV model was dying anyway and this PPV fiasco has merely speeded things up in this household.

The television landscape is changing rapidly. Hollywood are literally shitting their pants as their century-long stranglehold on the ‘entertainment business’ is slipping to epic American television series with bigger budgets – infact the biggest entertainment title of recent years was not Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones, it was actually a computer game called Grand Theft Auto 5 (in under a year it has sold 32 million copies and made $1.8b so far and rising).

Therefore Hollywood trails behind television and video games.

Cinema is no longer a popular pastime, it’s cost-prohibitive and nobody wants to spend £20 on popcorn and a gallon sized Cola as nearby chavs

play with their phones all the way through the movie. VHS is dead, DVD’s might as well be dead and only home cinema buffs really bother with Blu Ray, which to be fair is a tremendous format but has not been anywhere near as successful as it’s predecessors.

The future is in online, on-demand television.

Investment advisors worldwide, such as Motley Fool are advising their members to invest heavily in internet television providers like Netflix. They back their tips with research that shows that most youngsters in their late teens and early 20’s who go off to university or are buying their first home - are actually shunning the expensive commitment and start-up costs associated with cable and satellite television and instead are using online services like Netflix, Amazon Prime and other internet television providers at a current rate of 8 to 1 and that divide is growing wider.

No big dish, no fancy boxes, no year long contracts – just a wifi and an app.

Simples.

This spells a very uncertain future for providers such as Sky, as these youngsters are not following the trend of their parents. They prefer using tablets and ipads to watch their shows, or using streaming boxes connected to their television or their laptops.

And marginalising a subscription

audience with further PPV costs is only speeding up their own death. And trust me, it will eventually happen as I try to explain as follows:We are moving into an “on demand” time in television, no longer are we prepared to wait for it to be aired – we want to hit a button and it plays straight away. Ask yourself, sport aside, when you sit down to watch the television do you more often than not go to the on-demand section or your recordings more than ever? I bet your nodding in agreement.

Infact the lion’s share of people now spend more time on social media and the internet than actually watching television, which more often than not is something that simply plays along in the background as we bury our heads into our iPads. And when people do watch something then usually it’s on demand.

Only live shows like X factor or sporting events still command a decent ‘live’ audience. Everything else is pre-recorded and can be viewed anytime.

So by making the ‘live’ content smaller and smaller for subscribers, then they will just cancel and go into full “on demand” mode with the free services like BBC iPlayer, 4OD etc.

By charging more for PPV they don’t realise that it’s killing subscribers in the long term.

There might be a way of recording PPV sales, but do they measure the cancelled subscriptions?

Surely it’s bad business that in order to make an extra one-off £15 they do so at the expense of losing a customer that currently spends £40-80 a month year round, year upon year like myself?

You might think this sounds like crazy talk, but I envisage that in just a few short years time there shall be no such thing as a dedicated box to receive satellite or cable television.

All new televisions are now being sold as ‘Smart TVs’ with Wifi and Ethernet connectivity as standard. Many have Netflix and other popular ‘Apps’ built into their menu. I forecast that Sky will soon be just another app – but if you can watch Eastenders on iPlayer, your American series on extremely cheap providers such as Netflix or Amazon Prime – then where will Sky actually fit into this future landscape?

Heck, you might even see a rollout of HBO shows and Showtime shows direct from them themselves via their own app. You might even see dedicated apps entirely for each actual show. Such as a Breaking Bad app or Game of Thrones app. The potential is huge – and there will be a time in the future where you won’t need a middle man, a broker such as Sky or Virgin to buy the shows and then beam them to you via their boxes.

You will be able to view them yourselves direct from the studio’s website or app.

Sky are trying to launch into the internet television market with ‘Now TV’ but it’s poor in comparison to the other providers and they still have a ridiculous expectation what they can even charge for that per month.

BT understand the future better than most, they have made a huge play by securing lots of football matches and other sporting events – but this is just a carrot for you to take on their broadband services (they will then give you the sports for free). They can see that the broadband connection to your home will soon be responsible for every television show you ever watch. Your broadband is what they want, not the sports fans.

If all the above has gone slightly over your head, then maybe skip this paragraph. But there is another twist coming. Unbeknown to many of you, is that the internet giants are quietly acquiring huge networks of ‘dark fibre’ across the states. Google and Facebook understand how the future looks and have began a quiet race to acquire this super fast fibre backbone in readiness for Google TV and Facebook TV – another area where the satellite and cable box companies have been knapping.

The merging of the internet and television via one broadband pipeline into your home is inevitable. 20 years ago people didn’t believe that one day we would all have our own telephone in our pocket. Let alone a phone with a high-res camera built in, an internet browser and even a walkman built into it.

When television and the internet truly merges, it will change the landscape forever. You might even see the big promoters begin to televise shows across the web without any television

support at all. Infact there is no ‘might’ about it. They most certainly will (even if they don’t realise it yet themselves).

Live boxing on the internet will no longer just be the domain of small hall promoters without television, it will be the how the major players will distribute their shows too. It won’t be a grainy buffering window on your PC – it will be 1080p high definition or higher, streamed to your 55” TV. Just not via a dish or a box, but via your internet and smart television.

Who knows, by cutting out the greedy TV middleman, the boxing fans might see more of their money go into the sport, whilst simultaneously having a cheaper price to watch it.

Rival promoters on rival television networks could be a thing of the past, with both promoters charging for a fight between their respective fighters through their own app or website and splitting the money accordingly. There will be no TV politics involved.

Whilst the technology is not here yet, imagine if Mayweather versus Pacman was made and their respective fans could buy the fight through either of the two fighter’s respective promoter’s app ?

That would immediately remove the argument about money split wouldn’t it? whichever fighter made the sale, gets the loot.

So to wrap up this long ramble about how boxing and technology will mix together, is simply a final message to those in the industry who are taking the proverbial.

The future is coming and it’s right around the corner. If you continue with the greedy approach of pick pocketing loyal subscriber’s wallets any further, then they will cancel altogether. You need to do everything you can to keep the customers happy, and taking the urine with yet more money on top of subscriptions is the wrong approach.

Keep that up, and it will only speed up the inevitable satellite and cable extinction that is already on it’s way.

“If you don’t want it, don’t buy it” is like leading a red rag to bull. A raging bull that has already paid for this fight in his subscriptions.

“Pay once and get nothing, pay twice over and get Clev vs Bellew” is the actual truth of that statement.

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BATTLE OF THE TWITTER MANIACS

Few could have anticipated the impact Twitter would have on boxing since its advent eight years ago. Nowadays, the social media app is an almost indispensible fight night tool with fans watching the action with their thumb hovering over their keypad, ready and willing to give their opinion on anything from the outcome of a fight to the colour of a boxer’s shorts. Posts may be limited to 140 characters but in the world of boxing, those few letters have proved more than adequate.

Twitter has become the place where matches are made, promotional deals are announced and arguments start.

Earlier this month Carl Frampton achieved a lifelong dream when he once again beat Kiko Martinez to claim the IBF super bantamweight world title amid a tumultuous atmosphere in Belfast and, just a week later, Scott Quigg overcame Stephane Jamoye to retain his WBA regular belt. The two have danced around each other for a couple of years and with fights against the likes of Guillermo Rigondeaux and Leo Santa Cruz proving either unattractive or difficult to make for both parties, the time seems perfect for the pair to meet and finally decide just who is Britain’s best at 122lbs.

Paul Webb is the editor of FirstClassboxing.com and is very tall.

Apart from that, he is building a reputation as somebody who is unafraid of kowtowing to popular opinion. Iwan Evans says what he likes and likes what he bloody well says.

The Middlesbrough fan has strong opinions on the British boxing scene and isn’t afraid to voice them.

The Jab decided to ask Paul and Iwan their thoughts on Frampton, Quigg and the super bantamweight division as a whole.

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TALE OF THE TAPE

RED CORNER Paul Webb @Paul_FCboxing Tweets – 1,267 Followers - 119 The Jab: Straight to the point.

If Carl Frampton fought Scott Quigg who would win and how? @Paul_FCboxing: Frampton.

Always thought Frampton wins this and don’t see the 50/50 element to this match up, he is a world class fighter, quicker hands, capable of knocking out other world class super bantamweights and would be to much for Quigg to handle. @IwanEvans19: I’ve always been the bigger fan of Quigg, I think the two fight in a very similar way, so it would go 12 rounds, and it would be very close. I think the battle of the two promoters would probably be the deciding factor.

If Hearn gets it in Manchester, you’d lean Scott’s way. Likewise if McGuigan got it in Belfast. Expect a similar tactical battle to when DeGale and Groves fought a few years back.

The Jab: Which of the two fighters do you feel has improved the most since they both came to prominence?

BLUE CORNER Iwan Evans @IwanEvans19 Tweets – 9,106 Followers - 503

@Paul_FCboxing: The ‘Jackal’ has knocked out a current world champion and two former world champions in his last 4 fights, he is improving with every fight and Quigg hasn’t fought that calibre of opponents since he moved past domestic level. @IwanEvans19: Quigg most definitely. Frampton has looked very good throughout his career and has been consistent. Quigg had some struggles with Jamie Arthur and a couple of others in his career but has progressed well to becoming a ‘world’ champion.

Remember Scott had very little amateur pedigree either.

The Jab: How do you feel the pair have been promoted? @Paul_FCboxing: Quigg was promoted very poorly under Hatton but since switching to the relentless hype machine of Matchroom you have to admit he is in a much better situation than his Irish rival. Fortunately for Frampton his fan base is such that his new promoter is capable

of making a fight his former said wouldn’t happen. @IwanEvans19: Scott was very much an unknown quantity when he was with Ricky Hatton and you would have never of thought he’d be headlining two straight bills at the Manchester Arena a few years ago. Eddie Hearn has given him the platform to become a big star in Manchester but he does need help with people like Anthony Crolla fighting on the same bill.

McGuigan knew the market to target and as long as Frampton carries on winning, he’ll be a huge ticket seller in Belfast. The second Martinez fight could be a defining one in more than one way.

The Jab: World titles be damned.

How would you rank the world’s top five super bantamweights? @Paul_FCboxing: 1. Rigondeaux 2. Leo Santa Cruz 3. Carl Frampton 4. Kiko Martinez 5. Scott Quigg @IwanEvans19: Rigondeaux, Leo Santa Cruz, Avalos, Kiko Martinez,

LIVEFIGHT.COM 57

and Scott Quigg.

The Jab: Guillermo Rigondeaux; Discuss. @Paul_FCboxing: Rigo is a man who shows no interest in changing himself to make him more ‘marketable’ and I really respect that, he isn’t going to sell himself short. He is a masterful boxer and is levels above anyone in his division, sadly due to some promoters and networks insistence there is no place for that style in the sport he find his opportunities limited. He sits 4th in my pound for list and don’t see him losing in the foreseeable future. @IwanEvans19: Amazing technician. Couldn’t sell out his own back garden.

The Jab: Do you feel the world’s top super bantamweights should be actively seeking out the best fighter in the division or do you understand the tactic of avoiding him? @Paul_FCboxing: I get why they avoid him, why would anyone want to go in to a fight knowing there is a very slim chance of victory, add to the fact they won’t even be well compensated for that L on their record It makes total sense why the likes of Quigg and Frampton and more importantly their handlers want to stay away from him. @IwanEvans19: Boxing is a business and someone like Rigondeaux is a massive risk for very little reward. The only guys who need to fight him are the ones who have very little opportunity for a title, whether it’s based on ability or promotional deals. Frampton, Quigg and Santa Cruz can make as much money by avoiding him so why put that at risk?

The Jab: What do you make of the WBA ‘regular’ belt? Does it provide the holder with a route to big fights or does it mean that they - or their promoter - no

longer need to target the best in the division? @Paul_FCboxing: The WBA are a despicable organisation that hand out belts like Ronda Rousey hands out dislocated arms and one of their worst additions to the sport is their awful world champion system that basically gives them licence to have three world champions per division. The regular belt IS NOT a world title and the boxers that hold them know that, if this system exists then the regular champion should have to fight the super within a certain time frame. It isn’t bashing Quigg but parading yourself as a world champion when the REAL WBA champion is Rigondeaux it’s pathetic and it makes an already confusing sport more so. @IwanEvans19: I have not that much of an issue with the regular WBA belt, it’s when they introduce an Interim champion as well. In a dream world I would have the same model as the UFC in boxing, one champion and a list of 10-15 challengers with everyone fighting to get to the top. That will never happen but in answer to the question I would never begrudge a fighter calling themselves a world champion. Boxing is a hard sport.

The Jab: Which of Britian’s up and coming super bantamweights do you feel has the best chance of following Quigg and Frampton into world class? @Paul_FCboxing: I like how Barry Awad (Kid Galahad) is being manoeuvred by Hennessy he is picking up belts frequently and is being matched well. I don’t consider him world class but I can see him picking up a version of a world title in the next two years. @IwanEvans19: It’s a division that could explode in a couple of years.

Kid Galahad has come a long way since making his debut on ITV. He’s getting his man strength and has the obvious technical ability of an Ingle fighter. I still think Leigh

Wood can go far, despite his loss to Gavin McDonnell, same goes for Lewis Pettit, who will improve for his loss. Two prospects to watch are Newcastle’s Thomas Patrick Ward and Gamal Yafai, although they have plenty of learning to do.

The Jab: Who is your favourite ever fighter from the 8st 10lb division? @Paul_FCboxing: The great ‘El Terrible’ Eric Morales was my all time favourite super bantamweight and one of my all time favourite fighters period. He won world titles in several weight classes but I think it was at 8st 10lb that he was at his best unifying the WBO and WBC titles with several impressive displays. The first of the trilogy of fights with Barrera was one of the best the sport has seen and wins over Junior Jones, Wayne McCullough and Daniel Zaragoza cemented his three year run as world champion before moving up to featherweight. @IwanEvans19: Without a shadow of doubt Barrera, showed some great form as a world champion at the weight, and had that FOTY in 2000 with Morales.

The Jab: Transport yourself into the body of either Scott Quigg or Carl Frampton, imagine the camera is on you and cut a short promo calling out the other guy. @Paul_FCboxing: Carl Frampton: “ I have the fans, I have the credible title (presuming he wins on September 6th) and I am the bigger name. It’s only down to your promoter that you could even by considered worthy of challenging me, Salinas beat you and he was a nobody. If you get tired of beating on bantamweights then come to Belfast in the summer and enjoy hearing what a real crowd sounds like as I take you apart with my real world title on the line.” @IwanEvans19: Scott Quigg: “Frampton I don’t really care about you, I just want to shut Barry up about the Pedroza fight.”

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P4P SECTION

THE JAB GRUMBLES THE JAB is a boxing magazine for the fans, by the fans.

With that in mind, we decided to put down the dictaphones and let off steam – some might say complain – about a few things that we’ve noticed over the last few weeks.

JOHNNY NELSON W

hat was Johnny Nelson playing at when he decided to pour scorn on Marco Huck last month? Nelson was invited out to Germany at the end of August to witness Huck decision Mirko Larghetti and tie the Sheffield mans record of 13 successful defences of the WBO cruiserweight belt. He was clearly unimpressed by what he saw. Following the fight Nelson made a number of provocative statements and decided to offer to come out of retirement to face Huck.

If Nelson was genuinely attempting to gauge interest for a fight, he won’t have been encouraged by the response. The vast majority of opinions I heard on the matter were – to put it kindly – negative. Nelson is 47 years old, recently had hip surgery and last entered a professional ring nine years ago. The fact that he decided to say he wanted to comeback to “expose” the divison meant that pretty much everything else he said was taken with a pinch of salt by knowledgeable fans. The cruiserweight class of 2014 may not be inundated with household names but it is undoubtedly one of the most competitive divisions in world boxing and has produced a number of memorable fights in recent years. Deriding the quality of the current crop of world champions at 200lbs was also a strange decision considering he is about to spend a couple of months plugging a fight between Nathan Cleverly and Tony Bellew. Way to downplay the quality of a fight, Johnny!

If Nelson was attempting to regain some limelight and publicity on the back of Huck’s success then I totally understand his outbursts. We all have bills to pay and every bit of exposure will help. Surely he could have gone about it in a different way though? Once Nelson began performing with confidence on the world stage he was incredibly hard to beat but could also be incredibly dull to watch. Huck provides all out entertainment. He ducks nobody and almost any fight he’s involved in descends into an all out brawl at some point. Nelson of all people must realise how hard it is to achieve success and also win over the sports fickle fans. Huck has managed both and I would hope that Nelson’s argument wasn’t born out of a hint of jealousy after seeing the esteem Huck is held in.

Anyway, the Sauerland’s are smart businessmen and Huck has unification fights and a second assault on a heavyweight title on his mind so I am pretty sure there is scant time in the schedule to squeeze in what would in all honesty be a ‘freak show’ fight.

Johnny can go back to his plum job at Sky and appreciate the talents of the new generation whilst proudly reflecting on his own successful career.

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THE UK CONTENDERS

Photography Whiteeeeey

We list the UK’s top boxing talent and possibly future world champions.

1. JAMES DEGALE 2. TYSON FURY 3. BILLY JOE SAUNDERS 4. CALLUM SMITH 5. LEE SELBY 6. STEPHEN SMITH 7. ANTHONY JOSHUA 8. KID GALAHAD 9. LIAM SMITH 10. JOSH WARRINGTON 11. BRADLEY SAUNDERS 12. CHRIS EUBANK JR 13. JOE COSTELLO 14. ROCKY FIELDING 15. LUKE CAMPBELL

(To be considered for the list, each boxer must of not had one world title fight attempt yet.)

LIVEFIGHT.COM 63

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THE P4P LIST

THE JAB lists its top pound for pound fighters in world boxing today.

1. FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR 2. ANDRE WARD 3. MANNY PACQUIAO 4. JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ 5. WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO 6. CARL FROCH 7. GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX 8. ADONIS STEVENSON 9. SERGEY KOVALEV 10. GENNADY GOLOVKIN 11. NONITO DONAIRE 12. BERNARD HOPKINS 13. MIGUEL COTTO 14. DANNY GARCIA 15. TIM BRADLEY LIVEFIGHT.COM 65

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