Rule Britannia! – DeGale Turns Road Warrior & Makes History

05/23/2015 Olly Campbell

Those of us in the UK, who started out frustrated at the fact that the live televised broadcast of tonight’s fight card was delayed by a sh***y lower tier English football play off final, actually had our spirits lifted come the end of the in-ring action, when Harlesden’s James DeGale, became the first British fighter in history to lift a professional world title following an Olympic gold medal.

One hell of an achievement.

The likable Londoner is the sole British name on an elite list of fighters that includes both Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard in accomplishing this history making feat, in a fight that was nothing short of an emotional rollercoaster for both sides – UK AND US – as the early action saw 2 stunning knockdowns in the 2nd round that left many thinking it would be an early night’s work for the Brit.

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Povetkin Destroys Perez In Seconds!

02/04/202505/22/2015 Olly Campbell

I never think the Russian’s do a bad job of putting on a decent show – and … continue

Super-Middleweight: The British Battleground

05/22/2015 Michael McEwan

Nigel Benn- Michael Watson- Chris Eubank: three names that perhaps do not signify pound for pound pedigree but a trifocal of British pugilists that waged successive wars against each other across the early nineties. Frankly, any boxing purism would have been out of place in a hellish round robin of barbaric contests between the trio predicated upon genuine animosity and bloodlust that were more reminiscent of trench warfare than of any sporting endeavour. For the pleasured served up, tolls were taken, with Michael Watson suffering a cruel brain injury in his bout with Chris Eubank that would permanently alter his life. Speak to the irrepressible Watson today though and not a modicum of self-pity or regret will be detected in his attitude.

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Froch v Golovkin At Wembley?

05/21/201505/21/2015 Olly Campbell

So just a day or two after saying that he would be ‘flipping a coin’ over whether or not he will fight again – Carl Froch appears to be flirting with the idea of another huge Wembley UK show – a la George Groves – yet this time against the murderous punching middleweight Gennady Golovkin, who we saw break apart Willie Monroe Jr on HBO last weekend.

The Daily Mail, as well as multiple other sources online, are reporting that talks for the fight are underway, although I’m incredibly wary of how much of this is ego-satisfying bluster for “The Cobra” and how much of it is credible, thoughtful and ultimately SERIOUS consideration.

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History in the making: 107 years of Olympic glory

05/21/201505/20/2015 Ryan Forde-Kelly

Making history has become a common occurrence in modern day sport. Right across the board ‘records’ are broken with alarming regularity, records which have principally been created to serve the increasing demand for content from competitive media outlets.

Subsequently, the significance of such a statement has lost the gravity it once possessed, wheeled out on almost every sporting occasion to provide impetus where it doesn’t belong. We can’t help but become desensitised to the context of these achievements, what has passed before and whether or not they’re indeed worthy of our reverence.

The latest attempt at boxing history takes place within the Agganis Arena, Boston, this Saturday night when British super-middleweight James DeGale takes on American Andre Dirrell for the IBF World super-middleweight title – vacated by Carl Froch earlier in the year.

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Caution Always Advised But There Won’t Be An Upset : Prediction – Golovkin v Monroe Jr

05/16/201505/16/2015 Olly Campbell

I have to admire ESPN’s Boxcino tournament winner Willie Monroe Jr’s (19-1, 6ko) attitude towards tonight’s impending clash with unbeaten Kazakh wrecking-machine Gennady Golovkin (32-0, 29ko). The slick, yet light punching southpaw believes in his heart of hearts that he can win this one – and deserves props for even stepping up to the challenge in my humble opinion, especially when it is clear that the division’s WBC champion Miguel Cotto – who fights former GGG victim Daniel Geale on June 6 – doesn’t seem to fancy the job.

Both fighters made weight yesterday and all the talk going into the fight, rather than focusing on Monroe Jr – is of Golovkin’s potential future fights with the likes of Canelo Alvarez, Cotto and even Floyd Mayweather.

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Canelo vs Golovkin – Abel Sanchez Wants It Sooner Rather Than Later

05/14/201505/14/2015 Olly Campbell

There are quite a few figures in boxing who are never short of something to say, one of the most vocal being veteran trainer Abel Sanchez, -for whom Gennady Golovkin is the latest of the world champions he has cornered.

Ahead of Golovkins upcoming 160lb bout with Boxcino tournament winner Willie Monroe Jr on Saturday, Sanchez has spoken to fighthype.com about the seemingly inevitable clash with Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in the wake of Saturday’s destruction of James Kirkland.

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The Devil’s Advocate: Mayweather vs Pacquiao wasn’t all that bad!

05/12/2015 Daniel M Webster

After re-watching Mayweather vs Pacquiao, I have to say it really wasn’t a bad fight. It was certainly no worse than most of Mayweather’s recent high profile bouts. I found it far more watchable than Mayweather’s fights against Saul Alvarez, Victor Ortiz, Robert Guerrero and the second Marcos Maidana affair. The early rounds were filled with tension and the fight was close enough at the mid-way point that a win for either fighter was still on the table. Technically, as Max Kellerman pointed out on Saturday night, even at the start of round 11 Pacquiao was still in a position to pull out a draw, and so it wasn’t completely one sided. It was hardly the stinker that the media has made it out to be. The problem seems to be a combination of unrealistic expectations along with the high price tag. Add to that the fanciful notion that the public had that this was a pick ‘em fight and you have a recipe for disappointment. Manny was a solid underdog coming into the fight and that’s how the fight played out. That hardly means it was a bad fight. The fact is that it held my interest during a second watching, and I am sure I am not alone in that.

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Floyd Beats Golovkin Says His Father But Not Fighting “No Damn Giant”

05/12/201505/12/2015 Olly Campbell

Since he beat Manny Pacquiao 10 days ago, the calls for Floyd Mayweather to face all manner of opponents next have ignited social media – suggestions from the likely to the frankly ridiculous and everything in between.

Wladimir Klitschko at a catch-weight anyone??

All joking aside, on my “highly unlikely” list is the shout for a 154lb contest with big-hitting Kazakh Gennady Golovkin.

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Mayweather “open to a rematch with Pacquiao”

05/06/2015 Ivan Ivanov

The fans may have had too much of Mayweather and Pacquiao for the last several months but the saga continues. Mayweather has stated, or rather texted his wish to have another go with Manny Pacquiao. He sent a text message to Stephen A. Smith from ESPN expressing his interest in a sequel. Pacman cried rematch right after the final bell and the fighters seem unanimous in their decision to finalize their careers with forging a rivalry. The rivalry used to be intriguing before it materialized into “the fight of the century” which failed to meet even the most conservative expectations of aficionados while it satisfied most of the naysayers’ warnings. The numbers have not been released yet but it looks like the fight may have met at least one high expectation that the fans care little about – a grossing pay-per-view record.

Pacquiao announced a shoulder injury after the fight which got him into several kinds of trouble. He did not need an excuse as he did well and even his opponent complimented him, saying “I take my hat off to him”. Team Pacquiao behaved erratically after the fight, they were in denial and showed little class in reconciling with the verdict, fair or not and maintaining dignity.

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