On July 6th UK Heavyweight hope David Price returns to the scene which derailed his express-like march through the lower to mid echelons of the Heavyweight division. Can the tracks be rapidly repaired or does the damage go beyond the tracks, is the fledgling Scouse Express already destined for the scrapheap?
Returning to the events of February at a packed out Echo Arena filled with his adoring home fans Price was a massive favorite with the bookmakers. Thompson represented a significant step up in quality for Price. Price coming of the back of relatively impressive performances had been kept active by the shrewd management of Frank Maloney. Price looked devastating against Audley Harrison and in particular against Sam Sexton-I believe Price’s best career performance. However I thought Price looked untidy and surprisingly vulnerable against an ageing Mat Skelton, watching the fight it became clear that Price could do with developing his inside fight skills, Price certainly looked uncomfortable at times when Mat was applying pressure, maybe not hurt but I got the impression that a decent pressure fighter could cause all kinds of problems for Price.
The British news over the last few weeks has covered a variety of subjects which the average Briton is most assuredly unrepentant towards. Having long lost faith in their government, bankers and those in positions of power Englishman feel almost hopeless, like a drowning rat in a sewer it once felt safe in. The feeling of tension throughout the busy streets of places such as Oswestry can clearly be witnessed. A once thriving high street is now mostly charity shops or cheap sports stores. Long gone are the local butchers and family run chippies. I didn’t stop there long enough to really check as everyone looked related, slightly drunk and menacing. Nevertheless, I could see the anguish in their eyes, that distant gaze of peoples battered by less than fortunate circumstances (i.e living in Oswestry). This same look was once etched into the face of Audley Harrison, an Olympic Gold medalist whose destiny was surely to become the greatest British Heavyweight of the world. Environments often dictate whom a man will become and the environment Audley Harrison has been subjected to has indeed shaped him. Remarkably though not in the expected negative manner many would have expected, indeed many had even hoped for.
Former IBF and WBO super-bantamweight ruler “King” Kennedy McKinney feels he is more than deserving of being enshrined in The Boxing Hall of Fame. An Olympic gold medallist, McKinney made a name for himself by showing he was a warrior willing to go anywhere to fight anyone at pro level.
Promoter Bob Arum is looking to put together a fifth fight between Manny Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KO’s) and Juan Manuel Marquez (55-6-1, 40 KO’s) in Singapore or Macau in September in order to dodge U.S taxes. Arum is looking at possible casinos in both places to see which one is the best fit for the fifth and possible final fight between the two.
Matchroom Sport promoter Eddie Hearn says that he’s thinking about putting a rematch between WBC Silver light heavyweight champion Tony Bellew (19-1-1, 12 KO’s) and Isaac Chilemba (20-1-1, 9 KO’s) on the undercard of the Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler 2 undercard on May 25th at the O2 Arena in London, UK.
Former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (46-1-1, 32 KO’s) is leaning in the direction of facing former EBU middleweight champion Darren Barker (25-1, 16 KO’s) on June 22nd in a fight that in Mexico City, Mexico. Chavez Jr. needs a tune up bout and he previously thinking of fighting Brian Vera or Matthew Macklin, but something has put him off the trail of fighting one of those guys and instead he likes the idea of facing the 30-year-old Barker. 
WBA/WBC super middleweight champion Andre Ward (26-0, 14 KO’s) says former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (46-1-1, 32 KO’s) is high on his list for a big fight in 2013. Ward just destroyed WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson last September in a 10th round TKO when Dawson made the mistake of moving down in weight to face him at 168. Now, Ward is hoping that Chavez Jr., a huge fighter for the 160 pound division, will move up in weight and face him at 168. Ward thinks it’s a fight that boxing fans will want to see.
Despite last night’s fight between Brandon Rios (31-1-1, 23 KO’s) and Mike Alvarado (34-1, 23 KO’s) on HBO being incredibly exciting for boxing fans, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is saying no to the idea of them facing each other in an immediate rematch.