Talk Boxing Blog

BBC are looking for Ricky Hatton fans

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:29:00 BST

Are you a Ricky Hatton fan?

If so, the BBC are looking for Ricky Hatton fans for an exciting new show.

For information and an application form e-mail: bbcfans@bbc.co.uk

They are holding auditions NOW, so get in touch to be sure you don't miss your chance for a potentially exciting opportunity!

WBA announce intention to investigate Valuev win

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:28:19 GMT

Nikolay Valuev’s win over Evander Holyfield is to be investigated by the World Boxing Association after mounting controversy surrounding the result. The match, which was contested in Zurich in December, was won by Valuev after he was handed a majority points decision.

However, Holyfield, who was hoping to become the oldest heavyweight champion in history at the age of forty-six, was not content with the result. He stated at the time that he “saw it the other way from the judges”, two of whom scored the fight at 116-112 and 115-114, whilst the third judge believed the fight to have been even.

The World Boxing Association will now allow a panel of judges to look again at the tape of the match in order to ensure the accuracy of the result.

The association has been keen to point out that it takes notice of the opinions of boxing fans and the sporting media. A decision will probably not be announced for another few weeks but certain sections of the media believe that a rematch between Valuev and Holyfield is a possibility.

This rematch has already been requested by the management company in charge of Holyfield and the American boxer’s coach, Thomas Brooks, revealed that everyone who witnessed the match knows his fighter was victorious.

The promoter responsible for Valuev has even admitted that a rematch is possible. Wilfried Sauerland revealed that “a draw might have been all right” but also stated that “Evander did not fight like a challenger”, particularly in the latter stages of the clash.

Maccarinelli keen to join Ultimate Fighting Championship

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:18:00 GMT

The President of UFC UK, Marshall Zelaznik, has revealed that top boxing star Enzo Maccarinelli is keen to turn his back on boxing and join the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The UFC is the most famous brand promoting mixed martial arts. It sees competitors using moves from disciplines including kickboxing, wrestling and boxing, whilst fighting in a cage designed in the shape of an octagon.

There have been numerous reports doing the rounds in the boxing world recently that Maccarinelli, who is twenty-eight years of age, believes that he could easily knock out Michael Bisping, a true legend in the UFC.

Zelaznik revealed that Maccarinelli’s representatives contacted the officials of the UFC in order to discuss the potential for the boxer to make a move. However, the president continued to state that "the UFC is not the place for a novice mixed martial arts fighter”.

Furthermore, the boxer has previously been rather patronising towards the sport. Last week he stated that he would “never rule out putting a pair of the little mitts on and going in the cage”.

However, whilst he admitted that boxing remains his number one priority, he did express a personal interest in UFC and mixed martial arts in general, and rumours have been increasing in intensity ever since.

Opinion is split as to whether Maccarinelli would succeed in the sport. Zelaznik believes that he does not possess enough all-round talent and experience to be successful, and brushed off speculation that the boxer would be able to knock out Michael Bisping. However, the boxer has trained in kickboxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, so it would be unwise to rule him out completely.

Hall of Fame will welcome Lewis

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:08:09 GMT

It was announced yesterday that Lennox Lewis will be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame next year. He will be the star attraction on a list of inductees which also includes Orlando Canizales, the bantamweight champion from America, and Brian Mitchell, the super-featherweight champion from South Africa.

The list also includes individuals who are being honoured posthumously, such as William Jones and Billy Smith. The boxers who are being inducted have been voted on to the list by members belonging to the Boxing Writers’ Association, as well as several individuals belonging to a panel of knowledgeable boxing historians from across the world.

Whilst the names on the list make for interesting reading, the inclusion of Lewis as the top inductee is making the headlines in the world of boxing. The legendary boxer retired five years ago with an impressive record of forty-one wins and just two losses.

Thirty-two of his victories came by knockout and his career record also contains one draw. He was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, which officially aims to promote awareness of the country’s numerous sporting achievements, earlier this year.

The boxer, who is now forty-three years of age, was happy to hear the news and revealed that being included in the Hall of Fame is an “accomplishment that seals” his impressive legacy. In Lewis’ opinion, it is a permanent recognition of his success in the sport and people will be able to learn about his achievements for many years to come.

Khan bounces back to top form

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:00:56 GMT

After the bitter disappointment of his first professional defeat, Amir Khan has made a successful comeback to top form with a crushing defeat of Oisin Fagan. His victory came in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the ExCeL Arena last Saturday and the young boxer’s supporters were ecstatic with his impressive and dominant performance.

The opening round of the fight saw Khan knock down Fagan, who is thirty-four years of age, on two occasions and this pattern was repeated throughout the duration of the fight.

So extreme was Khan’s domination that the match had to be stopped shortly after the start of the second round by the referee, Mickey Vann, with Fagan needing oxygen treatment following numerous fine strikes from the hands of the lightweight from Bolton.

Khan’s victory over Fagan not only handed him a much-needed confidence boost, but it also handed him the vacant WBA international lightweight championship. The win saw Khan return to thoroughly familiar territory.

The crushing defeat at the hands of Breidis Prescott a couple of months ago was devastating but, ever since then, the British boxer has been working with Freddie Roach in America. The intense training provided by Roach has obviously paid off and Khan was a different prospect in the ring in London.

The confidence was oozing from Khan after the end of the fight. The boxer explained how he now knows how good he is and is determined never to make the “same mistakes” which let him down so badly against Prescott.

De La Hoya done - or is he...?

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:43:04 GMT

The Goldenboy is done and all hail the Pac-man. After being blown away by the universally recognised p4p champ in the early hours of Sunday morning UK time, you have to think that it is time for Oscar De La Hoya to call it a day.

TalkBoxing.co.uk asks though – just how good was he and what next?

First things first – De La Hoya is one of the true greats. He has made more money than any other fighter in the history of the game. From when he won gold at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 – you knew this kid had a bright future ahead of him.

His first big fight was against Julio Cesar Chavez whom he beat with an 4th round TKO to take the WBC Light Welterweight Title. He had a re-match with the ageing Chavez a couple of years later and stopped him again. A tight Split Decision win over Ike Quartey was next before he tasted defeat for the first time.

He went down to Felix Trinidad in a Majority Decision in one of the most hyped fights of the decade. As we all know in boxing if a hyped fight is close and comes down to the judges' scorecards then controversy will surely follow. De La Hoya seemed to be coasting to victory before running and hiding the final four rounds which clearly brought Trinidad back into the frame.

De Le Hoya seemed sure of victory but it wasn't to be as Trinidad was heralded as the new Welterweight Champion of the World. To this day it was De La Hoya's biggest fight and I know he fought Mayweather Jnr. but this was his big one. It haunts him to this day but things would get worse for the Goldenboy.

Another defeat followed soon after as 'Sugar' Shane Mosley took a Split Decision against De La Hoya. Two defeats in relatively quick succession is never good but he was back next time out stopping Arturo Gatti in the 5th. A win against Fernando Vargas again showed that De Le Hoya was in good nick and so a re-match with Mosley came up.

Again the judges' scorecards were tight but they all gave the fight seven rounds to five (115-113) in favour of Sugar Shane. Recently Mosley has admitted that he used EPO before the fights with Oscar De La Hoya but how much that helped him I don't know – I'm certainly no drugs expert. That was only seven fights ago and since then he's gone win, loss, win, loss, win, loss.

The losses came at the hands of Bernard Hopkins, Floyd Mayweather Jnr. and the Pac-man. So he doesn't have a bad loss on his record but he does have six of them. Four of his losses were close and he was only stopped the once (by Hopkins) and he of course declined to answer the bell for the 9th round over the weekend.

It is time for De La Hoya to concentrate full-time on his career as a promoter unless...

There is only one fight out there that fight fans want to see. Nine years in the making since that controversial night at the Mandalay Bay. If Felix Trinidad wanted to have that re-match then fans would still flock to see that fight. Both fighters would be well past their prime but when it comes to boxing, a bit of nostalgia goes a long way.