Eubank Jr - A step down?

In just under a month’s time, Britain’s much talked about Middleweight prospect Chris Eubank Jr will step back in the ring against the current British Middleweight Champion Nick Blackwell. This will be Blackwell’s third defence of the crown, and a win would make sure he secures this coveted prize when he leaves the ring. The question many people are asking however is, why has Eubank Jr taken a step backwards to go after the British belt, when his recent success had him closer to a world title belt.

At yesterday’s press conference, Eubank Jr hadn’t really provided onlookers with a definitive stance on this question, however did state that the British Middleweight title was something he wanted before he went for a world title. As much as I respect his decision here, I can’t help but think had a potential showdown which enabled him to take a step closer to a world title been offered, he most probably would have taken it. With that being said, this should be a highly entertaining fight and one that both fighters will take something away from.

After his loss to Billy Joe Saunders, Eubank took a step back and began the rebuilding process, acknowledging that this just wasn’t the right time in his career to be fighting for a world title. With subsequent wins over Dimtry Chudinov and Tony Jeter, he got himself back in a position of confidence to take another step up in opponent quality. That fight saw him fight on the Joshua v Whyte undercard against Irelands Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan, where after a slow start, he gradually picked apart his opponent forcing O’Sullivan to throw in the towel at the end of round 7.

Although continuing to divide opinion, this performance had again shown fans that he had the ability to fight at a high level. Venezuela’s 12-0 Alfonso Blanco was an obvious choice, the current holder of the Middleweight interim belt, however nothing developed here, and the decision was made to go after the British Crown. In light of Eubanks previous performances, this is certainly a step down for him, however one that I am somewhat pleased to see. Many Boxers get criticized for taking big pay day fights and climbing the rankings undeservedly, and although this seemed like the initial route Eubank Jr was taking, a loss to Saunders and undoubtedly humbled him.

Whether he then decides to defend the crown (should he get the win) is another matter, as im sure the other middleweight prospects around the world will come knocking, but for now it’s refreshing to see someone take a step back to make sure any unfinished business at domestic level is settled. Eubank Jr goes into this fight the clear favourite and just like many other critics, I feel a middle to late round knockout is likely. Blackwell seemed to peek in May of last year when he picked up the win over John Ryder, however with the 2 fights he rounded the year off with, he demonstrated very little and Eubank Jr will not be worrying over any potential floors in his game plan any time soon.

There is clearly further reasoning behind this decision, notably contractual issues with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom. In what seemed to be an obvious decision between the 2 camps, things clearly weren’t right for the men from Brighton as they decided to pave their own way to the top. To be clear Eubank Jr will not be leaving the ring on March 26^th with any change in opinion, the love – hate relationship the fans have with him will remain, and he will have to do more than win a British title to get more people on board. But for now, and whatever the reason, I have admiration for Eubank for taking this fight, and hope the feud already created between these two men, builds to a great fight on March 26^th.

Frampton v Quigg dividing opinion

The long awaited Super Bantemweight showdown is just hours away, and although this fight may not be the hottest ticket around the rest of Europe or across the pond, rest assured this is Britain's biggest grudge match since Froch v Groves. This matchup has been a good few years in the making, and finally we will get to see all the answers to all questions haunting these men since they both reached championship heights.

Interestingly both men have divided opinion straight down the middle, leaving fans batting back and fourth with who they believe will come out on top. 'Quigg is the better all round Boxer', 'yes but Frampton has the knock out power'. These  are the type of things you have undoubtedly had to listen to since this fight was first announced. I believe both statements carry truth and could eventually decide the outcome of this unification bout. Scott Quigg the local man proved in his last outing that he has everything it takes to turn up the heat when nessesary , forcing the referee to step in and stop further damage to veteran Kiko Martinez. A man Frampton struggled to dispatch in the same fashion. Many fans believe this is the best measure for both men. Frampton has however got through contests with Avalos and Gonzalez Jr, albeit with knockdowns.

Quigg will come in the bigger man, only slightly due to the 10lb weight gain limit, but he is naturally bigger and will surely carry the weight better. With this in mind I do think the Irish man will not be phased by this and will distribute as much punching power regardless. Another key factor remains general in ring prowess and experience, something Frampton has been very vocal about, telling Quigg that it will be his 'Boxing brain' that will let him down. I don't believe this for one second, but again both men have proved they have Boxing ability in abundance and when deeper into the fight something that will become increasingly clearer.

Fanbase initially played a large factor in this contest, with most people believing the Irish man will bring across his ever growing home crowd and having them out do the noise brought by the local fans from Manchester. (Don't forget Irish blood runs deep in to the Mancunian people as well). However the weigh in proved that things seem pretty even, with Frampton receiving his first taste of boos and jeers by the arousing local fan boys.

There are other things to consider when soaking up the build up to this fight. From Shane Mcguigan's verbal onslaught of Ring magazines number one trainer Joe Gallagher. To Eddie Hearn's need to prove his decision to bring Quigg into the Match room stable, was just as justified as letting Frampton go. Barry Mcguigan has also started the mind games, by voicing opinions over the dressing rooms.

Everything factors in to making this one of the most eagerly awaiting bouts in recent history and just the third British world title unification fight in 23 years. When weighing up all attributes and floors, I do feel Frampton will prevail. Let it be said this fight will not end early and will most probably hit the later rounds. I personally feel Frampton will sway judges over the full 12 rounds. I think he has a little more to offer in terms of fighting on both the front and back foot. His punching power is proven, and his experience from an incredible amateur career to date, should be enough to keep Quigg at distance allowing him to score marks from the judges. I further know there will be moments when Frampton steps in and tries to land that KO punch, however I think he has enough respect for Quiggs ability to not get caught up in those exchanges. Whatever the outcome, I can not wait to finally find out who takes away the IBF and WBA Super Bantemweight belts, and finally give fans the answer they have been asking for so long.

Silencing GGG fans

I'm reading so many articles, gossip columns, tweets and so on about Kazakhstan's 34-0 punching machine Gennady Golovkin and what he would do in a super fight with Floyd Mayweather. 'He would walk through him', 'destroy him', 'Golovkin would knockout Floyd' these are just a few of the type of things you can expect to hear when this subject is hot topic of conversation.

To make one thing clear, the 49-0 one time P4P champ, has already clarified his intentions by stating that he would not be able to step up to Golovkins weight, however Golovkin has confirmed he would step down should the fight ever happen. So in true Boxing fashion, we can only right now make the best of a hypothetical situation. With that being said, that's not to say that the 'money' man won't some day grace the ring one last time for a showdown with Golovkin, and if he does I am more than confident Floyd would win....comfortably.

I understand why fight fans have a genuine buzz for GGG, he's hit the Boxing scene with a bang, literally. Making full use of his punching power and ability to walk through shots to gain an advantage over his opponents. He's exciting, with a scene of vulnerability until he steps between the ropes. He smiles when at press conferences or in interviews, these are the atributes that build up one of Boxing's most loved characters right now.

Mayweather on the other hand, does not punch hard, avoids walking through punches, exudes confidence at any given opportunity and became one of Boxing's villans for doing so. However these are Floyds atributes, and these amongst other skills packed in his arsenal, are the reason he would have no problem beating the current Middleweight king.

Mayweather's record stands for itself, and as much as people won't want to admit it, it's a record that will stand up against those of the best. Remaining unbeaten has the likes of Joe Calzaghe and Rocky Marciano firmly cemented in Boxing's history, as will the 'pretty boys' record. Only I can't help but think people won't recognise it until the name Floyd Mayweather becomes a thing of the past.

It's not only his record, but the array of different fighting styles he overcame along the way. Throw Pacquiao, Alvarez, Maidana, Cotto and the rest of these great names into the mix and you could most definitely mould a Gennady Golovkin type fighter. The problem for Golovkin is Mayweather has always found a way of beating these men. Taking away power, slowing them down, slipping each punch and genuinely spoiling fights where nessesary. Yes he has done his fair share of 'running', but as unpleasant as it is to watch, that continuous running has gifted him numerous world titles across numerous weight classes, a place in Boxing folklore and $900M worth of assets.

Golovkin also remains unbeaten, however I have seen very little that suggests he would make easy work of Mayweather. I don't deny his ability, I also can not accuse him of not being entertaining, however I can say that if they did meet, walking through punches won't work, trying to land that power punch won't work and trying to defend himself from being hit won't work. No matter what he has shown so far in to his career, it's not enough to convince me that he can beat one of the best fighters to ever get in the ring. Watch back the fights, analyse the craftsmanship and the opponent in hand, and I'm sure you will acknowledge my argument. I am aware this will undoubtedly cue and orchestra of fan boy chants, however the proof has been written across a decade of defending world titles. I guess we will have to wait to see if the fight ever happens, or we can measure GGG's success over 12 rounds with Alvarez.

Khan - When in Vegas...gamble.

I initially want to make one thing clear, I'm a British fight fan, always have been always will be. Unless for some unknown reason the BBBC decide to erase the professional sport from UK soil, no disrepect to the Cubans here. The reason I want to make this clear, is articles like this usually result in a turf war like tyraid of comments instead of a gentleman's discussion over the hot topic raised.

What hotter right now than the recent anounncement of Amir Khan's decision to step up in weight and fight 46-1 Mexican Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez. A decision that has many fans scratching their pugilist brains trying to understand why Khan would take what many feel to be an impossible fight. Well let's ask ourselves a few questions that currently stand in the way of fans getting behind the young man from Bolton England.

Does Kahn deserve the fight?. In short, yes. Of course he deserves the fight, previous matchups against the likes of Maglinaggi, Maidana, Peterson, Garcia, Alexander and Algeri, means the 31-3 fighter has got himself into a unique position where he can not be overlooked. This is still dispute his loss to 2 of the fighters mentioned above. Clearly there are other fighters in the division that by way of fights deserve this opportunity, however these men have not stepped forward to make this known. Khan on the other hand has made his intentions very clear.

Is it about the money?. Of course it's about the money, what fight isn't about the money. Ask any professional fighter on the planet and they will tell you the same thing. If not for the money, then for a title opportunity. Either way a nice pay day does not go a miss when these guys step in the ring. Eddie Hearn recently confirmed that he offered Kahn a very respectful purse bid to fight UK rival Kell Brook, but khan was very quick to dismiss that the fight was turned down due to money,  and more down to the fact, Brook did not deserve this fight.

Can Kahn beat Alvarez?. No. And I do not say this lightly. Amir has all the ability in the world, proven with his masterclass over Devon Alexander in December of 2014. Everyone is aware of Khan's speed, it's his biggest assets and something that has allowed him to climb to world title competition. His movement, experience and will to box on the front foot, remain the biggest reasons many will tune in to watch him fight. However, what Kahn posecess in attack, he severely lacks in defence. Virgil Hunter made his views consistently clear everytime Khan went into a training camp. Defence, defence, defence, much of which was based around a Mixed Martial Arts blueprint. And so far this seems to have worked, however nothing prepares Khan for the type of slipping, blocking, footwork and counterpunching that he is going to have to find when stepping into the new TMOBILE arena in 3 months time.

Note: I have purposely avoided addressing the weak chin that reluctantly, paves the way for much of Amir's career and critics.

I am a Khan fan. Hard to believe I'm sure, especially after what I have mentioned above. However Saul Alvarez is not only one of the biggest and strongest men in Welterweight / Middleweight boxing, he has ample experience, much he would of gained from his encounter with Floyd Mayweather and Miguel Cotto. The type of experience, Khan is about to gain.

This isn't about, who deserves what fight and who earns what money against what opponent. This is Boxing, a sport that separates fans and devides opinion. I'm sure some of you will agree with me, however I'm sure there's many of you that don't. And it's you fans that will make Khan feel on top of the world if by some minor miracle, he comes out of this fight with a W. But hey....when in Vegas.

Why now?

Shocked. The words uttered on most peoples lips when last week the news broke that Britain’s Anthony Joshua would take a leap of faith into the unknown, a shot a America’s IBF champion Charles Martin. This reaction was expected, and I think both fighters understand why fans have become slightly unnerved by the announcement. Let’s make one thing clear, this was not a knee jerk reaction from either fighter, both have unbeaten records that they aim to protect. Martin has only had the privilege of calling himself the IBF champion for 1 month now, and Joshua has had no major experience at top level competition.  

It begs the question, why now? Well for both fighters it seems pretty simple, Joshua wants a world title (that’s why you continue to fight right?), and Martin presumably had quite the handsome financial offer from Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom promotions. So the fighters seem very comfortable with their decisions, however the fight fans are not so sure.

American fight fans make no effort in hiding their feelings for an American Heavyweight Champion, especially after a decade of dominance by you know who. And the feeling of uncertainty has started to creep in knowing that Martin’s first defence is against a 2 time ABA champion, and a man who many have tipped to be ‘the next big thing’ in Heavyweight Boxing. I can’t help but have flashbacks to Darren Barkers climb to the top, after beating Daniel Geale, decided to make his first world title defence against Felix Sturm. Not the best decision in most people’s eyes. 

Perhaps the American pugilists are satisfied in the knowledge that should Martin lose, they still have another champion in the shape of WBC title holder, Deonty Wilder. Either way, it has certainly left people questioning……how much has Martin been offered to take this fight.

UK fans are much of the same thought process, however money isn’t an issue here. The first question is can Joshua actually win? Well the general feeling is yes, yes he can. His competition has been tougher in his rise to a 15-0 record and he has a very strong amateur background. However the second question is can he retain the belt?

Vyacheslav Glazkov, the Ukrainian who came so close to his dream of winning a world title, if it not for his unfortunate leg injury, will be the first name in the hat. And then the likes of Teper, Cunningham, Pulev and Stiverne, will all come knocking. And this is purely based on IBF rankings, many of these guys have already had a taste of world level Boxing and know what it takes to fight at this level. Furthermore, no matter the outcome of the anticipated Fury v Klitschko rematch, one of these guys will undoubtedly want a shot at Joshua.

I guess the old age expression, ‘time will tell’ is quite fitting here. However I still ask myself, why now?

Setting the record straight, Khan v Mayweather

OK, so I want to set the record straight regarding the recent Amir Khan and Floyd Mayweather saga. I acknowledge from many fans their shock to Mayweather having the audacity to turn down a fight with Khan and then have him added to his upcoming fight card with Marcos Maidana.

Khan who seemed to have won one of many online polls to have a match lined up with Mayweather had to take the back seat after Mayweather confirmed he was after Maidana instead, this left a very bitter taste in many fight fans mouths, notably UK fight fans. However, these are the same fans that have criticized Mayweather for taking easier fights and taking an easy route to see out his career. I cant understand peoples frustration with Mayweathers choice of fight here, I understand that Khan has beaten Maidana and on paper, should be the rightful man to step in the ring, but at this point in both mens careers, I think we can all agree that Maidana will offer more problems for Mayweather than Khan will.

Amir Khan took to Sky Sports Ringside show to confirm that Mayweather actually rang him directly and explained his reasoning here. Confirming that he has 3 fights left on his showtime contract, Mayweather has promised Khan a fight dependant on the upcoming results of their match ups. Realistically the only thing Mayweather has lost out on here is revenue, opting to take the Maidana fight over Khan will probably lose him a considerable amount of money as the American public love to see the quick, flash and exciting ring presence of Khan.

Adding Khan to the undercard will of course bring up the ratings and money, with Luis Collazo on the opposing corner this will act as a co-headline to Maywethers fight. This fight in itself doesn't have the appeal that I would have liked, Robert Gurrero would have been the better option, but Khan knows he is going to have to shake off some ring rust and this is the right route to do so.

My Final thought leaves me thinking what more can Floyd Mayweather do to please the fighting public, the Pacquiao days are over, people must begin to accept that he must take on other fighters, fighters who have earned their shot. In my eyes Maidana has earned his shot over Khan.

Chisora and Fury begin verbal onslaught

Heavyweight contender Dereck Chisora has already started his verbal attack on the man he will be stepping in the ring with on July 26th Tyson Fury. Chisora confirming that even though Fury will be fighting infront of his home crowd in Manchester, the local fans wont be getting behind him as they do not like their man.

Unleashing facts on how Fury steps in arenas on 20,000 seats for his fights, but only attracts 2,000 fans, Chisora said that in thier first match, Fury beat him infront of 4,000 people. Things look to be a lot different this time round as both fighters have already attracted widespread attention. Fury confirms he is the home fighter and remains in his element with all the crowd attention on him.

Chisora confirmed he will be in great shape for this fight and has already started training twice a day with trainer Don Charles, confirming he will be leading the pace and picking up the win. Chisora has got himself in great shape and will no doubt refrain from letting himself go any time soon.

Fury on the other hand states Chisora will not change from the last time they met, and he will be fighting the same Chisora as last time round, although Peter Fury did offer some words of praise for Chisora, stating he will be more motivated than ever and has stepped in the ring with great opposition since these two last met, however both fighter and trainer did agree regardless of who the opposition is, a loss is a loss.

Fury confirms he would have liked a warm up fight before taking this after a long time out the ring, but he knows Klitschko wont hang around the Boxing scene forever and he must move quick if he wants to step in the ring with the champion. Predicting a round 5 ko of Chisora, Fury remains his ever so confident self.

Fury v Chisora, a worthy Heavyweight fight.

Today we got the announcement that we all knew was iminent, as soon as Tyson Fury and Mick Hennessy joined forces with Frank Warren and boxnation, it was a sure thing we would see him step in the ring with Dereck Chisora. July 26th will see both men step in the ring at Manchesters echo arena, with both men already wanting to pick up where they left off the last time they fought.

It was an early win on Furys record, but I think even he will admit Chisora was never at his best. The press conference today gave us another insight to how both men will approach this fight but with a very unusual undertone of respect. It was great to see both trainers offering words of praise for their fellow fighters but also making it very clear the rough ride they have had over the last couple of years to reach this point. With Fury having had 2 fights with David Haye dropped after Haye picking up his injury leaving a year on his career development stumped, and Chisora having a fight with Wladimir snatched away at the last minute.

Thevfact still remains, both men still have very little time for each other, and the positive comments created a great gloss over for their true feelings. Both man has everything to gain here with a garunteed shot at Wladimir Klitchkos WBO title, should the Ukrainian chose to neglet this offer he will be stripped of his title, which I will believe when I see.

On another note, a worthy mention to Frank Warren who is doing a great job of the development of his British fighters, I exclude Nathan Cleverly here. He has managed to put together a Heavyweight fight that should gather considerable interest,  especially after the farcical fight between aparent world champion contender Deonty Wilder and no hoper Malik Scott. This fight is still to early to call for me, with Fury being the favorite in most peoples eyes, its hard to forget the caliber of fighters Chisora has stepped in with.

An incredible return for Tony Bellew

Tonight saw the return of Tony Bellew since his heartbreaking loss to Adonis Stevenson last year, after much talk of which direction Bellew would head in after losing his light heavyweight title shot, he decided he would carry his speed and power up to Cruiserweight. And why not considering its not one of the strongest divisions around.

Bellew came into the ring tonight knowing that only a win would suffice, and he didnt disappoint. Valery Brudov would be the man who stepping in with a slightly bigger Bellew and he nearly got the upset we all worried about. From the opening bell Bellew looked faster and sharper and in round 2 announced himself to the world as a Cruiserweight who meant business, with a hard straight right he rocked Brudov to the canvas leaving him in a position which most fightersnwould find impossible to return from.

But come back he did, with true grit and determination Brudov stayed in the fight and after being knocked down for a 2nd time managed to catch Bellew with a great right hook that looked to have ended the Liverpool mans night. Luckily Bellew held on and come back in the last 2 rounds to tee up a perfect send off for the crowd, when slipping a right hand that came his way Bellew return with huge interest and caught Brudov clean on the chin with a great shot.

That was as far as the fight went as Brudov awaited his corner for assistance when trying to sit up. It was a welcome return to the ring for Bellew and one us fight fans wont forget for a while. I still feel stamina issues remain with Bellew and when stepping up carrying the extra weight he will really need to work on this, but as far as debuts in a new division go, this couldnt have gone any better.

The heat has already been turned up for Froch v Groves

Today's first press conference saw Carl Froch and George Groves back together in the same room for the first time since last years first clash. You would think that after having time to cool off and reflect on the first fight both men would now allow some room for respect of their counterpart, this however was not the case, infact both men looked even more riled than the first time round.

Both men continuing where they left off, mind games starting when Froch was addressing the media and Groves sat playfully with a rubix cube with a care free look on his face, the image was set that nothing would phase the man from London. Froch however got his own back albeit through a little less subtle approach, as both fighters stood to soak up the press photos, Froch seemed angered by a comment from Groves and pushed him across the pitch side.

Its all great build up and is already guaranteeing fans on seats, there is a lot more to come and this will no doubt become more and more heated over the next few weeks. There is no love lost between these 2 fighters who both feel they have already done enough and proved enough to be the best in Britain and the best on the worlds stage.

My thoughts on Froch v Groves at Wembley.

May 31st, for most just another weekend, but for any sports fanatic a chance to watch one of the most anticipated Boxing match ups in many years. For hardcore pugilists they will know that actually we had a highly anticipated match up last year when Floyd Mayweather went in the ring with 'Canelo' Alvarez but this wasn't the British domestic clash the UK crowd have craved over the last few months.

Since Carl Froch picked up a some what controversial win over George Groves last year, fight fans have unleashed an onslaught of outcry towards Eddie Hearn and his team to get this rematch setup for the new year. Well we wait no more, as conformation rolled in through February that 'if its a rematch you want', 'its a rematch you have got' and this week we saw the announcement of Wembley stadium being the venue of this encounter.

For many a huge shock, I admit I even had to look twice as I thought the men would return to Wembley Arena, but no, it will be the first ever Boxing event held at Englands home of football. Talk that tickets may not reach maximum sales have started, with Hearn aiming towards 75 - 80,000 plus tickets to be sold. This may seem like a tall order from Froch's promoter, but I think the tickets will be brought up in an instant, especially with the amount of promotional work going into this rematch.

I can't say that buying a £40 ticket to sit way up with the gods offers a huge amount of appeal, especially considering you will be watching only 2 men in a ring, and not 22 men on a pitch. But I have experienced the atmosphere that can be generated inside Wembley, and  I must say it has the ability to make this a very special night.

I however will probably be watching, analyzing, craving the fight at home, its just a shame I cant fit 80,000 fans inside my 4 walls. This will truely be a match to remember, I have my predictions and ideas of how this fight will unfold, but for know I will wait and update you all slightly closer to the fight.

Crawford dominates Burns, AJ's climb and Mayweather remains vocal

This weekend saw Ricky Burns return to the ring after some time away to fix what seemed to be a season ending injury. Burns looked in great shape to defend his WBO lightweight title, the Glasgow crowd were on their feet and the noise from the bagpipes echoed around the arena, the problem was, nobody knew much about his unbeaten opponent Terence Crawford.

For those that did their homework on the American, they will know that Burns may have took a step to far stepping in the ring with the slickster. To be fair I have been following Crawford for some time now and I had the belief that Burns would walk away with his title firmly in his grasp, unfortunately this wasn't the case Saturday night. The opening rounds looked good for Burns, but little did we know Crawford was just getting warmed up.

After 6-7 rounds the fight firmly swung in the favor of Crawford and it wasn't looking as if momentum was going to swing back the other way. Round 10 looked good for Burns but it was too little too late for the Scot as Crawford Simply picked his man off and threw combinations that his American piers would have all been proud of. Its another blow for British Boxing, another title holder loses his belt and another American stands tall in the division.

Burns still has many options to get back in title contention, as the division is open with possibilities, but he may have to take a back seat for a while after his last 3 fights which lets be honest, were not 3 of his best.

However British Boxing is not all doom and gloom, as Anthony Joshua look as dominant as ever, yes I know he is only 5 fights in, and not against the strongest opponents, but he remains a shining star in the eyes of a nation. With people like Sprott, Harrison, Skelton and Sexton all ranked above him, im sure it wont be too long before we start to see a steady climb to the top of the British rankings from AJ.

In other news, Floyd Mayweather is up to his old tricks again, again at the expense of Amir Khan. Just a week after confirming Marcos Maidana as being the next man Floyd will get in the ring with, the 'Money man' has now confirmed that if Khan can pick up a win against Adrien Broner, he will fight him next. Assuming Khan beats Broner.....which he wont......Mayweathers words, not mine.

Haye v Fury confirmed for September 28th

At last we have the conformation that we have all been waiting for, Tyson Fury has signed the contract that David Haye himself signed yesterday. It means that both men will go toe to toe on September 28th in Manchester. Its a highly anticipated Heavyweight fight that many fight fans have been waiting for, especially the British Boxing fans.

Haye was involved in the last big British showdown with Derrek Chisora and will look to replicate his performance he gave on that night. Tyson Fury has thrown his fair share of comments towards David Haye over the last few weeks, but it was Haye that seemed to have the final words yesterday when he signed the contract. But Fury has agreed and the fight is on.

It will be a much anticipated fight, but i think we are also in for a treat throughout the build up to this battle, both men are not men to shy away from words, and im sure many will be exchanged as the fight date draws closer. Haye will no doubt walk into the ring the favorite, but he can not under estimate the size and power that the 25yr old Fury has, both men have proven to have gone 12 rounds and both have a good chin, this should be an incredible fight. Lets hope David Haye has no injury problems here, this is an all British showdown that could catapult both men to a world title shot

Haye signs to fight Fury for September showdown

Today we get one step closer to the all british showdown that has been on all fight fans lips for a few weeks now, David Haye announced today that he has put pen to paper and signed to fight fellow British heavyweight Tyson Fury on September 28th at in Manchester. Its a fight that has been on and off now for a while, with both men sharing words online over twitter, and both camps undecided on what the opposing camp is doing. Peter Fury confirmed last week that he offered the Haye camp a 50/50 split which Adam Booth accepted, but Haye declined.

It seemed that it was David Haye that was the missing link to making this fight happen, but that has now all changed as its the former champion that has got the ball rolling with his signature on the contract. He later stated that he heard rumours Fury was looking to duck this fight and go after American Tony Thompson who picked up a win over David Price this past Saturday night. Haye said that he hopes these rumours are not true, and I think British Boxing fans are in agreement. The ball seems very much in Furys court, has Haye called his bluff, or will Fury back up his comments and twitter rants by also signing the contract.

Thompson dominates Price in 5 Rounds

Should I be as shocked as I am, probably not. A great performance from Tony Thompson left David Price with nothing left in the tank and hading over another win to the American in round 4. It should have been redemption for Price but it turned into a repeat of 134 days ago when Thompson proved to much for the man from Liverpool.

Price opened up the first round using the jab which seemed to be the game plan right from the opening bell, the swcond round seemed much of the same, it was when Price landed a huge right hand that put Thompson to the floor that opened the fight right up. Thompson then got the fight he wanted, a scrap, that Price was drawn into and it was round 3 that looked to have exhausted Price of everything he had to offer. Lennox Lewis was ringside screaming for Price to stand up and prepare himself for round 4. But Price looked on dangerous ground from the moment he left his stool, Thompson went at Price acknowledging that this was the opening he was waiting for.

Round 5 was the telling round, Thompson hit Price with a combonation that saw Price backing off more and more, eventually he was left with his back turned to Thompson in the corner. The referee had no choice but to stand in and give Price the standing count which went the whole way and the fight was stopped there. It all seemed to much for Price as he had no energy to even argue the stoppage, but also to much for promoter Frank Maloney who after the fight seemed speechless. Maloney even commented saying he would remain loyal to Price butnif he wasnto call it a day he would do the same.

Much talk now revolves around Prices carrer and if would be wise to continue, I guess we will have to wait and see what he has to say as we recieved no comments after the fight from Price. A man that locked himself away in his locker room now thinking about where it all went very wrong for him tonight.

Golovkins camp looking at Chavez jr next

After this past weekends destruction of Matthew Macklin, 27-0 Gennady Golovkin is now looking to quickly advance his way through the middleweight division. It took just 3 rounds for Golovkin to put a stop to his encounter with the New York based fighter, something that took Sergio Martinez 12 rounds to do. All the talk is now surrounding the power puncher and where his Boxing journy takes him next, but we could soon have the answer as his promotor has hinted at now targeting the 46-1-1 Mexican Julio Ceaser Chavez jr.

Tom Loeffler, confirms that they will be looking to get another two fights in for Golovkin before the year is out. Its comments like this that really shines through for the Golovkin camp and sits well with all fight fans. Its a mouth watering prospect that would leave fans sitting on either side of the fence here, but its Golovkins performance at the weekend that would probably land him the favorite. Chavez jr who is set to fight American Brian Vera later this year has also found himself in the public eye after finally having his drug abuse case settled, a reduction of $800, 000 has left the Mexican only having to pay a $100, 000 fine, this also comes after completing a nine month ban from the sport.

Chavez jr's camp has yet to comment on a middleweight showdown with Golovkin. It would come nearly a year after losing to p4p contender Martinez, a fight that not only ended his unbeaten streak, but also landed him in trouble after testing positive for marijuana. Golovkin on the other hand is now being put in the mix with some of the biggest names in the sport right now, rumours of a possible shots against Carl Froch and Floyd Mayweather have been thrown about. But for now Golovkins camp has made it very clear who they are after.

Was the Chavez jr ban fair?

Conformation that Julio Ceaser Chavez jr has had his fine for drug abuse reduced from $900, 000 to $100, 000 still leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Appreciating that Chavez jr has served his time with a nine month ban from the sport, but after continued work from his attorney's stating that it effects the fighters constitutional rights, they have reached an agreement with the Nevada state athletic committee to reduce the fine.

Chavez jr was tested and caught after he had smoked marijuana,  which ironically came off the back of his first career loss, but the fighter is due back in the ring the September after what I feel is a short ban from the sport. I pose this question to the Boxing fans to add thier  veiws on this matter. If we are looking to eliminate the use of drugs not only in Boxing, but in all sports, should the ban have been extended, and should the fine have remained high?

Haye v Fury looks to be a done deal

It looks as if the fight that all British Boxing fans having heen craving could finally be confirmed. Rumours confirm that today Peter Fury announced that talks have continued between both the Fury and David Haye camps, with Haye's trainer Adam Booth set to make a public announcement at some point this week.

The fight looked to have been a done deal 2 weeks ago with co-promotor Eddie Hearn stating the fight will go ahead later this year and the contracts are soon to he signed. It then transpired that talks had fell through, with statements from Fury offering an 80/20 split in his favor as he was the man in the spotlight right now.

Fury then tweeted mid week that he would be prepared to settle on a 60/40 split with the winner taking the majority of the money. Just as fight fans were prepared to let this one slip away, Fury has this evening come out and asked Adam Booth directly to make thisnfight happen.

Its a fight that has all the makings of a recent Heavyweight classic, I really hope contracts and the purse can be agreed, it is a great opportunity to see who is currently the best British Heavyweight in the division, and a chance to put all of this trash talking to bed.

Broner v Malignaggi, good, bad and very ugly

Last night we finally got a conclusion to the war of words between Adrien Broner 27-0 and Paulie Malignaggi 32-5 after weeks of both men exchanging words it was time for them to exchange punches. It was a much anticipated showdown partially due to boths fighters ability to verbally promote this match up, but also fans were intrested to see if Malignaggi could be the man that stops Broners unbeaten streak. From the opening bell it was Malignaggi that proved to be the busier man with Broner standing his ground and aiming to cut off Malignaggis every move, but even though the older man was busiest he was also the weakest, and every punch thrown was just shrugged off by Broner.

Broner remained strong throughout the fight and knew that Malignaggi wouldnt be able to maintain his work rate through 12 rounds, he simply rolled his shoulder and picked off Malignaggi with the stronger shots. It was a technique and performance like that of his good friend Floyd Mayweather, who himself watched on and at times shouted encouraging words for his younger prodigy which seemed to do nothing but anger the defending champion Malignaggi. It was just a further exchange of words which seemed to be the theme of the whole fight.

Once the final bell rang it was clear that Broner had won but it was still close, with judges scoring it 115-113 Broner, 115-113 Malignaggi and 117-111 giving Broner the win and the WBA Welterweight crown. Broner after the fight not only confirmed his greatness and denied any concern he ever had of losing to Malignaggi, but also continue his verbal onslaught of Malignaggi, stating that he had taken Paulies belt and his girl. It did nothing but incite the man from Brooklyn, leading him to give his views on why the belt should of remained with him in his home town. Away from all the trash talk Malignaggi did actually have a valid case, after receiving a low blow and an elbow to the face after the bell the tables could have easily been turned, unfortunately it all went in Broners favour. Although Broner won the fight, silenced the crowed and became a 3 weight champion, he still didnt offer a performance that gives him the right to call himself Boxings next superstar.

Banks v Mitchell, doors could open for both fighters

All the talk this weekend is directed towards Broner v Malignaggi, but whilst everyone's focus remains on this showdown, Boxing fans will be keeping a close eye on the rematch between Johnathon Banks 29-1 and Seth Mitchell 25-1. Going into the last fight many fight fans had Mitchell their favorite to pick up the win, but this was soon blown out the water after Banks showed an incredible performance to stop Mitchell in two rounds. Mitchell, like many other young Heavyweights, shows much promise and is doing everything he can to provide America with the long awaited champion they have been searching for.

Mitchell will of course still be going into this fight with much backing but i think fight fans will take a step back after his last performance at Boardwalk Hall, Banks showed that he has much more to offer in regards to ability, picking off Mitchell and when he had the 31 year old stunned he went after him. A very respected Boxer, Banks currently works with in the Klitschko camp as Wladimir's trainer, and I'm sure both brothers will be enjoying this fight on Saturday night. Both of these men aspire to be the Heavyweight champion and will be using this fight as a next step, Banks who currently sits number 2 on the WBC and WBO rankings is with in touching distance to a shot in the spotlight. Mitchell falls shorter and has a longer journey if he is to reach these heights, but a win on Saturday it will push him into a great position.