Tonight in Liverpool, after what has been nothing short of an unfortunately farcical situation, hometown man “Dirty” Derry Mathews (37-9-2, 20ko) will step into the ring against Canadian late replacement and unknown quantity, Tony Luis (19-2, 7ko).
It’s a fight that has ended up being for the vacant WBA interim lightweight strap, and after the circus that promoter Frank Warren has had to endure to put it together, Derry is lucky really to be fighting anybody at all.
By my reckoning, and that of most in the know, Terence “Bud” Crawford (25-0, 17ko) is one of boxing’s brightest stars. Last years Boxing writer’s Fighter Of The Year will make his 140lb debut this Saturday when he steps up in weight to face Thomas Dulorme (22-1, 14ko) in Arlington, Texas for the vacant WBO strap.
The fight will be screened as part of a split card on HBO in America and Boxnation in the UK.
On May 23rd in Boston, Mass, North London’s James “Chunky” DeGale (20-1, 14ko) will attempt to become the latest British fighter to travel to America and win a version of the world title, following Sheffield’s IBF welterweight champ Kell Brook who dethroned Shawn Porter in Carson, California, last August.
DeGale will contest the vacant IBF 168lb strap vacated by countryman Carl Froch, against arguably the trickier of Michigan’s Dirrell brothers, Andre. (24-1, 16ko)
Many British fans will remember him from his controversial SD loss to Froch in Nottingham as part of “The Super Six” tournament. A fight many Brits and Froch fans readily concede Dirrell was unlucky to lose.
There is more good news for Britain’s undefeated middleweight Billy Joe Saunders (21-0,11ko) this morning as he has been named the EBU fighter of the year. In a joint accolade his fight with Chris Eubank Jr last November (19-1,14ko) has also been named EBU fight of the year.
It’s a deserving award for the British, Commonwealth and European 160lb fighter ahead of his blockbuster world title challenge later this year against “Irish” Andy Lee, who we saw last weekend in a good fight with Peter Quillin which ended in a hard fought draw.
The most prominent, and at times desperate member of the “Mayweather” sweepstakes is perennial “Bridesmaid”, Amir Khan (30-3,19ko) who whilst still not confirming his next fight will be with American Chris Algieri, knows he is fast running out of time and any other option.
Despite all that, perhaps the Bolton fighter can take cheer from legendary British 140lb-er Ricky “Hitman” Hatton,(45-3, 32ko) who in various sections of the British media has been vocal in his support of Khan and his chances at beating Mayweather, should he indeed secure that fight.
Even on social media it seems that only “die-hard” fans are anticipating, and perhaps appreciating just how much potential to entertain this fight has.
Screened on HBO in the States and on Boxnation in the UK as part of a televised split with Terence Crawford v Thomas Dulorme, it’s safe to say in my opinion that those who will be in attendance ringside at the Turning Stone in Verona, NY are to be in for the biggest treat. Yet somehow, especially here in Britain, it doesn’t seem that enough people are getting truly excited about it.
There was an interesting tweet from Britain’s premier heavyweight and WBO mandatory Tyson Fury (24-0, 18kos) this morning with reference to Twitter speculation regarding the British heavyweight title he owns and the numerous men that keep getting named with regards to potentially fighting, or challenging for it.
There appears to be a belief that because he is in pole position to face dominant, lineal heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko, Fury would vacate the British title that he won back in July 2011 against a then undefeated Dereck Chisora,(20-5,13ko) coincidentally on the day singer Amy Winehouse died.
It appears that the 6ft 9in “fighting-man” typically has no intention of such a thing. The tweet from Fury simply read;
In one of my favourite movies, The Crow, just before his character throws one of the men who murdered him and his girlfriend out of a window (just watch it, it’s a great film), Brandon Lee says;
“I guess it’s not a good day to be a bad guy, huh Skank?”
Well in Britain, I guess it’s not a good day to be Bury’s WBA (reg) super-bantamweight champion Scott Quigg, as like the fabled movie and comic book hero, WBA (sup) and WBO champion, undefeated Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux (15-0,10ko) is on something of a hunting mission, publicly stating that he intends to come to the UK and call out Quigg in person.
Britain’s best 168lb fighter of the last few years, Carl Froch (34-2,24ko), has been at it again, ahead of a new ITV documentary that he is the focus of.
In a teaser for the soon to be released film, the famous ego of “The Cobra” lands with a bang once more, with both Froch and trainer Rob McCracken re-asserting their long held belief that should the two rivals have ever got in the ring, the undefeated Welshman would have emerged the loser.
The Froch v Calzaghe (46-0,32ko) hypothetical is a much debated topic on social media, particularly in the UK, with the consensus belief being that the hand speed, ring IQ and intense work rate of Calzaghe would have proved to much for Carl to deal with. It’s a belief I am inclined, along with Barry McGuigan, to agree with.
WBO 160lb mandatory challenger Saunders was always due to face the winner of Lee-Quillin yet after the somewhat unique situation of the belt staying with Lee (W or L) as soon as Quillin failed to make weight, the fans knew before the fight that win or lose Andy Lee vs Saunders would be a world title fight in Britain or Ireland at some stage in the summer. The fact that the entertaining fight between Lee and Quillin ended up a draw became something of a moot point.