The Coin Flips One Way - Then Another

Last Saturday night we were treated to boxing's two-sided coin - the good and the bad.

Earlier in the evening the coin landed the right way as WBO Light-Heavyweight Champion Nathan Cleverly and Tony Bellew traded a blur of blows in a see-saw battle which soared and dipped thrillingly as the contest went one way and then another.

It really was a special evening of fighting at Liverpool's Echo Arena as hometown favourite Bellew showed he could walk the walk after months of talking, or rather shouting and spitting out fury. He was able to harness his impulsiveness to deliver an impressive performance.

He lost, yes. But showed he belongs at world title level and it was a close contest which could have perhaps gone in his favour on another night. It might be a blessing in disguise for The Bomber, who can learn from what he did right and at times wrong. He should be able to come again at this level - as long as he can maintain the rigours of squeezing himself down to light-heavyweight.

As for Cleverly, he must gain credit. He mixed it up and scrapped with a big hitting unbeaten fighter and he came up with a victory. Let's not forget he went into his opponent's backyard and he appeared unfazed by the heated atmosphere. Rather he seemed to relish it.

Here's to Cleverly and Bellew for putting on a brilliant spectacle. Wonderful.

Later on Saturday night the boxing coin swung back to bad.

'Bad' Chad Dawson earned a hollow victory (which was later overturned and ruled a technical draw several days later) after flinging the crafty fox Bernard Hopkins to the ground in the second round. The referee ended the contest in the second round, ruling Hopkins could not continue after injuring his shoulder in the fall. Dawson was (at the time) given a second round TKO.

There was a mass of confusion in the aftermath that did not nothing for boxing's reputation. Hopkins said the referee had pulled him out and that he was willing to continue. Dawson - who had looked commanding in the short space of time the fight had lasted - was ungracious as he baited Hopkins, labelling him a coward and shouting abuse his way.

It was an ugly contest that turned into a disaster. The milk turned sour.

Well, that's boxing for you.

Tony Bellew: A British Vargas?

One might be a Mexican-American who has mixed with Hispanic gangs, Hollywood movie stars and some world-class world champions and the other might be a former doorman from Liverpool with a penchant for Everton tracksuits - but believe it or not, Fernando Vargas and Tony Bellew seem cut from a similar cloth.

For one, Bellew - as Vargas would be proud to say of himself - likes to "spit flames".

He appears to revel in hot, crackly press conferences where his mouth runs off some rough and ready words for his opponent. He stands tall and proud and refuses to back down.

That's an approach that was popular with Vargas, who had a crazy fanbase in his heyday, and appears to be doing Bellew no harm at this stage of his career. It's helped manoevure him, perhaps somewhat undeservedly, to the front of the queue to face WBO Welsh World Champion Nathan Cleverly.

The two had been slated to meet in May when Bellew was willing to step in as a last-minute replacement for Jurgen Braehmer, who had pulled out. The weight was too much to cut for Bellew but he left his mark after squaring up to Cleverly and labelling him a "f****** rat" on live TV.

Like Vargas - who was just 14-0 when he fought for a world title - Bellew has had a relatively short amount of fights, going unbeaten in 16. Similar to the former light-middleweight champion from Oxnaed, he packs a punch but has appeared reckless at times and paid for it when he visited the canvas twice against the underrated hot-and-cold Ovill McKenzie last year.

And like Vargas too, there's a feeling Bellew - for all his admirable passion and pride, not to mention ability - could be investing too much emotion in a fight when he takes on the colder, clinical Nathan Cleverly. Too much emotion can leave a fighter too exposed and vulnerable and that could well be the case with Bomber.

Will Bellew's investment in mind games pay off? The proof will be in the pudding when the pair meet next month in Bellew's back yard.

Bellew has provided the spice but Cleverly will no doubt feel revenge is a dish best served cold.

Amir Khan's Talents Worthy Of Recognition

Amir Khan has a talent that deserves celebration in Britain - and yet in the popularity stakes the fast and furious fighter from Bolton is found wanting.

That is a shame, for his swift disposal of crafty and dangerous veteran Zab Judah was a wonderful showcase of his speedy combinations and growing ability at the age of just 24.

There are many factors - some explained, some unexplained - as to why Khan does not get the thousands upon thousands of fans splashing their savings on trips across the pond in the same way Ricky Hatton did.

Arguably Khan is much more talented proposition in the ring and he's beginning to build a record that could match up to Hatton's - Andriy Kotelnik, Paulie Malignaggi, Marcos Maidana and Judah have all been world champions - although he lacks a name like Kostya Tszyu.

It's fair to say a lot of the problems stem from an out-of-the-ring persona. Some of this is fair and some of it grossly unfair.

Starting with the latter, there have been accusations of racism against a fighter of Pakistani heritage. This is a not unreasonable point and there's no doubting elements of prejudice among some, a small minority, exist.

Moving on other reasons why Khan does not attract the popularity he deserves and it's worth considering the way Khan has conducted himself - or perhaps more importantly, how 'Team Khan' have conducted themselves.

There's no shame in trying to make a decent living from an unforgiving sport but the way in which Khan Promotions cut themselves off from Sky TV before the Paul McCloskey fight was shameful. Originally scheduled for Sky's Pay-Per-View, there had been suggestions that Khan Promotions were unwilling to pay a decent wage to fighters for the undercard on the bill. Whether this was true or not remains unclear but a number of decent boxers dropped out beforehand and we were left with a fight night that was not worth paying around £15 for to see on TV.

Sky were quick to acknowledge this fact and refused to put the broadcase on pay-per-view - a relief for fight fans suffering cash flow issues in the times of a credit crunch.

'Team Khan' thought otherwise and decided to stick the McCloskey bout on Primetime, which is a little-known pay-per-view satellite station in the UK. It left a bad taste. If you're going to make fight fans pay for something, at least have something worth paying for.

Then in the aftermath of this contest there was more bad feeling as Khan and his entourage taunted McCloskey in a bad-tempered post-fight press conference, who despite being soundly behind was ludicrously stopped halfway through with a paper-thin cut.

Khan's message was: "Shut up, listen to the champion, he's talking." Or words to that effect.

Since that fight Khan and his team have refused to do business with Sky and the Judah fight was left somewhere in space for British fight fans - or a channel known as Primetime, where it costs about £15 to see the show on TV. Worse still, there were complaints that Primetime's internet broadcast was shaky and grainy and slow.

But despite the perceived attitude and arrogance, Khan has something special and deserves respect for the way he his career has soared after teaming up with Freddie Roach. When they first got together Khan was picking up the pieces of a reputation smashed in one round by Breidis Prescott.

Khan was humble to go to a gym where he would start lower down the pecking order with a lot to prove. He got his head down and is on course to be recognised as a British boxer worthy of acclaim in the history books.

Being humble helps with the British. Can Amir Khan achieve stardom - and have popularity in the UK at the same time? That question has not been resolved.

Amir Khan and Zab Judah: The Pot Bubbles

Flashy, speedy and vulnerable. Those are words that could be applied to both WBA Light-Weltweight king Amir Khan and IBF title holder Zab Judah who meet on July 23.

Both fighters have been talking about their chances and as it's the modern age most of that has been done via Twitter. One wonders whether these two fighters use their flunkies to do the typing. It would certainly provide an alibi if anyone threatens to sue.

Back to the contest itself and there's the potential for an exciting encounter which I don't think will go the distance.

Zab Judah is fast and sharp, especially in the early stages, and he hits pretty hard. He's also been up to welterweight and traded with heavier foes.

Amir Khan is similarly fast and sharp and looks to have a growing frame that would allow him to compete at a higher weight.

Now for their weaknesses. Both men have been accused of being chinny - an accusation levelled at fighters far too often and often far too unfairly, of course. They've been down numerous times in their career but it's not just about their chins, it's also about their styles. They like to release a blur of punches and in doing so leave themselves open to counters.

This fight might come down to who catches who first. Khan for me has the better focus, while Judah too often gets distracted - he has a short attention span.

For now both fighters are using their jaws to talk and talk, bark and bark. Let's see come fight night whose jaw will be absorbing the most blows.

Liverpool Fight Night: More Predictions

There are some other notable fights taking place at the Liverpool Echo Arena on Saturday night.

WBO Super-Featherweight Champion Ricky Burns (31-2) is taking on Nicky Cook (30-2) in a bout that shouldn't really be taking place. Cook had two years out of the ring after being stopped by Roman Martinez in 2009 and his only fight since was a points win to journeyman Youssef Al Hamidi. This doesn't equip him for this opportunity and his best days are behind him. In contrast, Burns appears to be getting better with time. The only concern might be complacency but I see Burns comprehensively winning a points decision.

Hard-hitting Liverpudlian Tony Bellew (15-0) is taking on Ovill McKenzie (18-10) in a rematch. Bellew went down hard twice in the first contest but stopped McKenzie on his feet after the Jamaican-born Derby fighter had been down once. McKenzie has a misleading record and is a real handful. He appears to have had proper preparation for this contest and there's some real needle. Bellew has the better ability but can also get too emotionally-involved in fights, going for a tear-up. I would not be surprised to see McKenzie score an upset with his punches from unorthodox angles against an opponent who may well be struggling at light-heavyweight. If the fight goes more than four rounds, however, I definitely feel McKenzie's suspect stamina will cause him to unravel.

On ability alone, Frankie Gavin (10-0) could and should be a world-beater. He has an instinctive understanding of space and timing that can't be taught, delivering brilliant combinations from a southpaw stance. However, here's the but...He seems too small for welterweight yet can't make light-welterweight and there are concerns about his out of the ring party antics (drinking) as he bids to live up to his Funtime Frankie nickname. Against former professional footballer Curtis Woodhouse (15-2) at welterweight he finds himself in with a willing and able opponent who has a good dig (10 knockouts). Woodhouse is honest, respectable and deserves a huge amount of credit for his devotion to the sport of boxing after leaving the more lucrative world of football. He doesn't have the same ability but will push on to ask questions. I fancy Gavin - who has been fired up for this one as both men have trash-talked - to stop Woodhouse on his feet with a flurry of combinations, probably in the second half after boxing ahead with sharp shots.

John Murray and Kevin Mitchell: Prediction

Boxers often tend to elect to slip on a mask in the build up to a fight.

Ribs bruised from sparring, a broken toe or a bust-up with the missus - little or big problems are usually meticulously kept under wraps before the bout and with good reason as a fighter bids to project confidence and avoid showing his opponent a weakness.

There is a British boxer who knows better than most about keeping a lid on bubbling issues and his name is Kevin Mitchell. He's due to fight the relentless Mancunian John Murray this weekend for the European lightweight title. Both men are talking about trying for WBA king and ferocious pitbull Brandon Rios next.

Last year Kevin Mitchell was blitzed in three rounds by Australian Michael Katsidis. Despite a promising opening where Mitchell got on his toes and peppered away with jabs he eventually succumbed to the much bigger Katsidis who deftly chopped the ring down, closed the gap and stopped the Dagenham man in front of his home fans.

It was a devastating loss which was compounded by revelations that Mitchell had apparently been suffering domestic problems with an on-off relationship with his partner and mother of his children. There was talk he had been kipping on sofas, rowing, switching from house to house and even talk of drink. This had been kept quiet and even Mitchell's promoter Frank Warren seemed unaware until after the fight.

As a professional fighter Kevin Mitchell should have known better. He would have been better served using the method adopted by a good proportion of the top-level boxers - shut himself off from distractions and trained like an animal. Katsidis certainly took that approach and looked in magnificent condition, displaying a steely focus for the job in hand. Mitchell struggled to get down to the weight and by the time he did, looked smaller and weaker than his foe.

All this talk of problems, or excuses some might say, leads on to this weekend's tasty encounter with John Murray in the other corner.

Despite legal issues concerning allegations he was involved with a cannabis factory surrounding Mitchell in the build-up to the occasion, he has been projected an aura of confidence. This week he even reeled in dwindling 'Cockney geezer' actor Danny Dyer to hold his pads as he wailed away.

"Look at his mince pies!" Dyer chirped away, nodding at a determined-looking Mitchell. Note - that's cockney rhyming slang for eyes in case you wondered.

The question is - how much of this projected mindset is real and how much is false? A mask?

John Murray, meanwhile, would love to take the Ricky Hatton 'man-of-the-people' title. They hail from the same city and have the same come-forward style but in front of the camera Murray is a little more dour and understated.

He hold the advantages in size against a natural super-featherweight and will look to plough through his smaller foe. Murray is 31-0 to Mitchell's 31-1 and, if comparing records, it's fair to say Mitchell has the edge after he saw of Amir Khan's conqueror Breidis Prescott and domestic dangerman Carl Johanneson. Murray has had something of a slow-burning career and his record is dotted with decent domestic operators.

John Murray will see this as his coming-out party where he can make a statement in front of a big crowd at Liverpool's Echo Arena, while Kevin Mitchell sees the shot as a chance to right a wrong from last year and get back on track.

On the surface this fight is a 50-50 contest. John Murray is the bigger fighter who will look to trap his man on the ropes and overwhelm him with pressure. Mitchell has the better boxing skills with an underrated jab and decent footwork. Will Murray wear him down or will Mitchell box his way to victory?

It's hard to call this fight but with Mitchell having been out of the ring for 14 months I think the mountain is too big to climb. Credit to him for getting back in there with a dangerous and worthy opponent but I see Murray pulling away in the second half of the fight. Mitchell will have his moments but I worry the Katsidis fight has taken something out of him mentally and Murray appears to be the fresher fighter in this one.

Ricky Hatton: Retirement

So, two-weight world champion and British boxing icon Ricky Hatton has announced his retirement this week.

The news wasn't a surprise but it was surely a welcome announcement. It wasn't a knee-jerk reaction or a rash response to a loss but a calm, collected decision made in the cold light of day some two years of Hatton's devastating two-round loss to Manny Pacquiao.

With a record of 45-2 - including a spell as the consensus world number one at light-welterweight and a WBA welterweight belt along the way - Hatton can be justifiably proud of his achievements. He scaled the heights in the ring and had two, albeit unsuccessful attempts, to become a pound-for-pound number one. Further, he appeared to make a lot of money and was immensely popular with his fans.

Personally I feel Hatton was a little overrated by the British press during his prime and then a little underrated by the same press after he suffered losses against two of the greatest fighters of his era.

At his best, under the tuition of then-trainer and then-friend Billy Graham, Hatton was an exciting come-forward, head-bobbing grinder. He didn't necessarily have immense one-punch power but instead put together stinging clusters of shots and often scored best with his sickening bodyshots. On the flipside, particularly during his decline, Hatton tended to hold and wrestle his opponents too much and became a lot more rash in his approach.

At the very elite he fell short but Hatton still deserves to be mentioned as one of the greatest post-war British fighters. With seemingly promising business interests, including his promotional stable, here's hoping Ricky Hatton finds contentment and happiness in his retirement.

David Haye's Crossroads

The common perception of David Haye can be sliced into two - what many thought of the British fighter before he took on and lost to Wladimir Klitschko and how many choose to peceive him now.

Before Saturday night Haye was seen as a serious threat to a consistent and careful fighter in Klitschko who was seen to have a brittle interior behind his defences - as evidenced in his three career knockout losses.

It shows you how fickle, exciting and unpredictable the world of boxing can be though. One minute you're on top, the next you're apparently a nobody as pre-fight predictions of an era-defining contest for the heavyweight era were tossed away. Haye now find himself subject to scorn after not living up to his hyped-up boasts.

There has been some relish from fight fans not particularly keen on David Haye's personalilty and I was inclined to think of a similarly vocal and pumped-up fighter from Britains, Prince Naseem Hamed, who was also gleefully fed a plate-load of humble pie after crashing to a points loss to the brilliant Marco Antonio Barrera.

While boxing, despite its many faults, should not be compared to the pantomime of wrestling just yet, it's clear that Haye's mouth helped as much, if not more, than his fists to get this major fight - not to mention payday in the process.

But away from the hype machine, how does Haye's career record stack up? It's a particularly significant subject insofar as he finds himself at something of a crossroads having always claimed he would retired by the age of 31 - an age he will turn in just three months time.

Will he fight on or will he retire? A tricky but make no respect canny negotiator who likes to get what he feels he's worth - and there's no shame in that - Haye has made a lot of enemies and there's no chance he will be able to continue with such an approach if he hopes to position himself with a world title shot again.

Instead, Haye faces a few less appetising opportunities if he chooses to rumble on with his career. This might include a rematch with Wladimir for a lot less money and less enthusiasm from the fans. It might mean taking on a fringe contender such as Chris Arreola, which would do little for Haye's ring record. Wladimir's brother Vitali is tied up taking on Tomasz Adamek in September so there's little chance of that fight happening in the short-term.

There's always the promised retirement but where would that leave Haye's legacy?

Well, as a cruiserweight there's no doubt Haye cleaned up in a short space of time and was a unified world champion. That deserves huge credit.

But as a heavyeweight David Haye has fallen short of his promise. Monte Barrett was a decent journeyman, Nicolay Valuev a novelty act reliant on immense size and little technical skill, while John Ruiz was a grizzled veteran past his best and Audley Harrison a cash-making unwilling opponent.

It's not a poor legacy but it's certainly no better than average in what has been a dour time for the heavyweight champion. Perhaps we expected too much of Haye, who had and may still have a fresh, engaging personality coupled with speed and pop in the ring but on his biggest night fell short.

There's no doubt Haye will be burning inside from the loss and it could well force him to re-schedule his plans to try and right a wrong. He still has all his faculties so perhaps one more year might help ease the pain. Of course, as the previous legendary Roy Jones Jr has shown, a slippery slide can add more and more cracks to a legacy.

This is the dilemma Daid Haye faces.

Wladimir Klitschko v David Haye: The Aftermath

When an overly confident, brash individual appears stunned and surprised to have met their match it's often remarked that they appeared to not know what hit them. 

In being comprehensively outboxed by Wladimir Klitschko, it's fair to say that David Haye did know what had hit him.

A jab. Repeatedly thrust into his face, preventing him and psychologically deterring him from roaring forward and smashing Klitschko's supposedly brittle chin.

The heavyweight contest - which was for the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight belts - was a pretty dull affair but surely that suited the methodical Klitschko. He was able to dictatate the pace and keep Haye on the back foot with his ramrod jab. Basically, he had little need to consider a wider variety of single shots and combinations that might leave himself exposed.

Haye, meanwhile, complained of a broken toe hampering his movement. The post-fight photographs showed this to be genuine yet it was surely a minor irrelevence. The biggest problem for the brash Brit was the size difference. Haye had just about managed to squeeze past the ambling, ungainly Nikolai Valuev, who was 7ft-plus, using superior boxing skills and good footwork but against the 6ft 7in Klitschko it was a bridge too far for the former cruiserweight champion.

On the night, despite the hype and anticipation, Klitschko and Haye did not blend well. Klitschko was able to use his reach to pick and peck his way to a clear and very credible points win, while Haye was unable nor seeminly willing to shake up the contest with the exception of a rather fizzy 12th round where Klitschko appeared to be a little rattled by a booming shot that managed to connect.

Klitschko jabbed and jabbed - and let's give him the respect he deserved for he was pretty much meticulous on the night. Haye swiped at thin air too many times and seemed to focus all his energy on a huge overhand right haymaker (or Hayemaker) that never materialised.

It seems that Wladimir Klitschko and in the shorter term, his older brother Vitali, who own all the world title belts at heavyweight, can sweep away the opposition for some time to come. There are no genuine threats to these jabbing giants - only complacency.

Note - This blog has gathered a bit of dust during the past few weeks. There's a reason for that - I've been absent proudly getting married and enjoying a nice honeymoon with my wonderful wife. I've now returned to reality though so please do keep perusing my site!

Carl Froch: Reaping The Rewards

Carl Froch is a testament to good sense.

Where his contemporary Ricky Hatton loved to gorge on fried food, greasy takeaways and pots and pots of Guinness, Carl Froch apparently leads a much cleaner, healthier lifestyle.

In the week of this week's fight with the rock-hard American-based Jamaican Glen Johnson he boasted that he was only two pounds above the 168-pound limit.

That's not hard to believe.

While many fighters opt to strip their body of fat then water hydration and eventually muscle to boil down in weight, Froch seems to have a great understanding of sports nutrition and keeps himself close to the fighting weight.

It means when he hits the training camp, supervised by trainer Rob McCracken, he doesn't have to fret about squeezing out the weight. Instead, he can focus on technique and tactics. He's clearly aided by the GB Amateur Boxing Team training alongside him at their base in Sheffield. Having fresh and hungry boxers with mounds of enthusiasm can only be a good thing.

All of this served to help Froch when times got inevitably tough against Johnson on Saturday night. In some respects, within the ring, Froch was the architect of a few glitches by electing to leave himself open to stinging right hands. Yet, his superb chin and excellent conditioning - fuelled by the right diet, the right exercise and the right overall preparation - enabled him to pull away and seize the fight.

Two judges went for 117-111 and 116-112 in Froch's favour, although strangely one judge had it 114-114. Most saw it as a clear but closely-contested victory for Froch.

Glen Johnson, as expected, did himself credit and can have few complaints as he pushed Froch to the limit and asked all the questions he was supposed to. He just lacked that finesse and ring nous to swing the bout in his direction.

Meanwhile, Carl Froch climbs to 28-1 with 20 knockouts. I really think it can not be overstated just what a quality record Froch has compiled with his successive contests.

In closing, here are Froch's previous six opponents: Jean Pascal, Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham and now Glen Johnson. Incredible.

Carl Froch v Glen Johnson: Prediction

Carl Froch looks in tremendous shape ahead of his WBC Super Middleweight defence against the grizzled veteran Glen Johnson.

The man himself, who met with the press at a media workout on Tuesday, claims he's only two pounds over the 168-pound division limit - and that was apparently after a big breakfast and lunch.

Johnson (51-14-2) may be 42 and he may boast 14 defeats on his completely misleading record but he's a tough, strong come-forward driver who looks to walk down his opponent for every minute of every round. Froch will have his hands full in there.

It will be interesting to see what sort of tactics Froch (27-1) chooses to deploy. Will he elect to draw on his underrated boxing skills that allowed him to swoop in and out during his wonderful victory over Arthur Abraham last year? Or will he get drawn into Johnson's sort of fight - a toe-to-toe grind that would demand Froch use his recognised powerful shots?

I would imagine Froch, who has the sensible and calm Robert McCracken in his corner, will try and box his way to a smart victory. He will need to be careful not to get backed up on the ropes too much as Johnson will swarm right all over him if or when that happens. He'll also need to be prepared to throw a lot of shots and not be discouraged by Johnson's excellent chin. He's a tough fighter who doesn't get put off attacking very easily.

Johnson, if he hopes to have success, will be looking to exploit Froch's tendency to drop his hands. It's perhaps easier said than done to catch The Cobra but there's always that opportunity - should Johnson be able to exploit it. Johnson has also mixed with the elite at Light Heavyweight so should not be too fazed by Froch's strength or power. Of course, the issue of weight could be a factor that works against Johnson if he struggles to squeeze himself down to 12 stone. Not always an easy task at the age of 42!

I see Carl Froch, having too much skill and being a lot more comfortable at the Super Middleweight limit, to get a points decision using in-and-out tactics to score, get out of the way and go back in, hitting hard enough to make his point. Against Abraham Froch decided to avoid risking going all out for a stoppage against the heavy hitter and I imagine he'll be just as sensible against Johnson - who is a very, very tough man to stop in the first place.

Prediction: Carl Froch to win on points.

Ricky Burns: A Step Backwards

This week Mike Tyson announced that he "bled for garbage" and his world titles no longer had the meaning a loving family and maturity have provided. It demonstrated a seeming acceptance with the inevitable sands of time and an admittance that the Iron Mike ('Baddest Man on the Planet') image was well and truly over.

It raised another interesting point though - what do world titles mean in this day and age?

Boxing has been chipped away by fans deserting, confused and fed up with the alphabet soup of so-called world titles out there.

An up-and-coming fight that demonstrates what's wrong with the sport of boxing is a WBO Super-Featherweight Championship contest between the Scotsman Ricky Burns and Englishman Nicky Cook.

Both fighters are promoted by Frank Warren and scheduled to fight on July 16 at Liverpool's Echo Arena.

Let me first say that the challenger Cook is no fool in the ring - he brings a 30-2 record, previously held the WBO Super-Featherweight belt (after winning a vacant title) and has some decent skills. Sure, it's potentially a decent money-spinner with the English-Scottish rivalry thrown in.

However, consider this: Cook was inactive between 2009 and 2011 after beating sparked in four rounds by Roman Martinez in his first defence of the WBO strap. Since that night he has fought once - against tricky journeyman Youssef Al Hamidi, who had a record of 8-33-2.

Let's be frank here. Nicky Cook does not deserve this title shot and I'm sure for most pundits and fans outside the UK, this fight means nothing.

This isn't a proper world title contest - it's a reasonable domestic dust-up. That's all.

Ricky Burns' trainer Billy Nelson had been singing his fighter's praises earlier this year and with good reason as Burns is a hard opponent for anyone at world level out there. Yet, things got out of hand when Nelson claimed Burns could emulate the likes of the great Scots Ken Buchanan and Jim Watt in the not too distance future.

Sorry, but that won't be happening against an inactive figther who has not earned the right to contest a world title in the past two years. At present the WBO website does not list Nicky Cook in its top-15 fighters. I appreciate that match-making can be a tough task and there was talk that the South African Mzonke Fana, who holds the IBF Super-Featherweight strap, was not up for unifying the belts.

But still - there definitely were and are much better options out there that would earn Ricky Burns more credit and the sport more credibility.

The Ring magazine reels off a list of decent, active and dangerous fighters in its top-10. Among them include Roman Martinez (24-1-1), who Burns narrowly beat in a thrilling encouter. There are some tough Mexicans too - Juan Carlos Salgado (22-1-1) and Jorge Solis (40-3-2). How about Jorge Linares (30-1) or even American test Jason Litzau (28-2).

All of the above would be a much, much better notch on Burns' record. Nicky Cook, along with Joseph Laryea (14-4 goin in) and Andreas Evensen (13-1), are not good enough defences.

Money or glory? Choose the latter Ricky - your match-making should be matching the undoubted talent and will-power you have to succeed.

George Groves and James DeGale: The Aftermath

James DeGale apparently thought he was invincible.

Reassured and hyped up by his trainer Jim McDonnell and with the knowledge and experience gained from winning an Olympic gold medal and taking the British title in the hostile backyard of his Liverpudlian opponent - not to mention the backing of pundits and the bookies - he thought he could not fail when he took on bitter rival George Groves.

The loud boos from the crowd in the O2 Arena towards DeGale in his home city of London may not have dented his shell of extreme confidence much but the startlingly unexpected tactics of Groves to click into reverse after the first bell had him scratching his head.

The defeat to Groves - whose Hayemaker camp looked ready to party afterwards, and rightly so - will have left DeGale sore.

It was a close contest that could have gone either way in my view. Groves picked his way to a lead in the first half but was caught as the fight progressed into the second half. Groves threw and landed more, while Sky Sports' Jim Watt had DeGale one point ahead.

DeGale seemed puzzled and said afterwards: "I weren't really too sure what he was going to do, he said he was going to come and knock me out in four rounds..."

Welcome to the world of boxing James, where as they say boxing is 90% mental and 10% physical. Of course he knew that, which is why he used the build up to taunt and degrade Groves, trying to force him to lose his cool and fight wild. That would have suited DeGale, who has nice, sharp reflexes, down to a tee.

To paraphrase the Chris Eubank-Nigel Benn promotion, who was fooling who?

George Groves it seemed had the intelligence and foresight, and not to mention wise wisdom of Adam Booth, to try something unexpected, something perhaps which might not have come immediately naturally to the instincts of a come-forward fighter.

James DeGale had promised so much before the fight. He said he would blow away Groves inside the distance, while his trainer McDonnell even predicted a first round stoppage. At the final press conference both fighter and his boisterous trainer jumped up and demanded Groves bet his purse on the fight such was their confidence.

So the stakes were high, which is why there was a lot of disappointment in DeGale, who seemed reluctant to let his hands go despite appearing to have the edge with speed. People had lower expectations of Groves, by contrast, and he had less to lose. To be able to last the course and win was and is seen as a marvellous achievement.

He did what he had to do in there - DeGale, despite it being a close fight, didn't.

There is an old adage, 'show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser' so perhaps it should not be seen as a bad thing that DeGale was so sore at losing. After all, the fight could have swung either way. However, there was an element of bitterness, and dare I say delusion, at the post-fight press conference. Frank Warren looked hacked off that his prospect had lost his unbeaten record, yet he admitted it was a close fight. He's demanding Groves signs for a rematch.

The question is, would Warren have been demanding a rematch if DeGale had got the nod from the judges?

Where Adam Booth was keen to stress afterwards that Groves and DeGale are not the finished articles and have a long way to go - they need to address their weaknesses - DeGale, McDonnell and Warren appeared to be indulging in feeling-sorry-for-themselves backslaps, bemoaning the decision. That might have been for the media, keeping a united front and trying to keep DeGale's confidence, but surely they need to consider why DeGale lost and not why he apparently should have got the decision. DeGale needed to throw more, he got caught a fair few times coming in. He also needs to cut out the fouls - a blatant shoulder charge and elbow push were committed on Groves.

Then there's the image issue. It's one thing going into a hostile Liverpool arena to take on local fighter Paul Smith and getting booed but another to fight in your own city, as an Olympic gold medallist, and earn the wrath of fans. As Chris Eubank showed, taking the jeers can sometimes inspire fighters to victory and it might also help the bank balance too if people pay because they want to see you lose. Yet, there was the suggestion from some that the crowd helped roar on Groves to a victory, perhaps even having a little effect on the judges.

Frankly James DeGale was classless in the build up to this contest and that endeared him to no-one. He was brash and cruel, egged on by his vocal trainer McDonnell. These tactics could have helped give him an edge if Groves had let the red mist descend but they didn't. DeGale was left with egg on his face as the crowd jeered as he briefly stood on the ringpost at the close of the fight. That part was a shame as DeGale had shown bravery and was willing to mix it up right until the final bell. In the post-fight press conference DeGale showed himself to be a bad loser and refused to give Groves any credit. James, by contrast, was willing to describe DeGale as a "tremendous fighter" - although the taste of victory may have made saying things like that a little easier.

George Groves has said he will not go into a rematch anytime soon and with both fighters certainly capable of stepping up to European and world level in the future, if they live up to their promise, it might be a contest worth waiting for down the line. Neither man was badly hurt physically but it's now a question of that have they learned? DeGale can cry about the judging or he can knuckle down and try and match better tactics with his undoubted skill. Groves too may have got the decision but he showed faults as well.

The rematch can marinate for now. Groves and DeGale should be able to meet each other further down the field with bigger and better prizes in store.

George Groves outfoxes James DeGale

According to 29 out of 31 respected British trainers, in a poll conducted by Boxing Monthly, James DeGale would beat bitter rival George Groves.

What did they know – and what did most of us know?

Last night George Groves used box and move tactics to befuddle his opponent to pinch a close but not undeserved majority decision, with scores of 115-115 and 115-114 twice to swing the victory.

It was typical of the brilliance of his intelligent trainer Adam Booth, credited with the game plan, that Groves surprised most observers by swapping his usual come-forward, hunting style to pick DeGale off from the back foot.

Surely there was no way he would beat his seemingly quicker and sharper Olympic gold medallist-winning opponent in such a fashion?

After a cagey opening round Groves exerted his presence over the following three rounds by catching DeGale with counters, including regular single jabs to the body. He ducked out of shots and used movement to get out of range. He didn’t stay in the same place for a long period of time.

DeGale, capable of producing eye-catching flurries, seemed a little wary to let his hands go as he walked ahead. He didn’t want to be countered and had perhaps expected Groves to come steaming forward and leave himself open. He seemed frustrated and resorted to a couple of illegal moves – a shoulder charge and an elbow – which earned the wrath of the referee, but no points deductions.

In round five DeGale picked up the pace a little and from thereon things were closer.

By the tenth round it was hard to pick a winner, with DeGale having had a good ninth round where he caught Groves with some nice shots. Groves stormed back with some neat combinations in the tenth to take the round and by this stage both men, with only 22 fights between them, looked a little tired from the pace.

The trainers pushed their men on to dig deep and the final two sessions were close affairs.

On the night I had the fight a draw but it was a difficult fight to call. Sky Sports’ Jim Watt at DeGale up by one point, while the punch stats showed Groves had thrown more and landed more.

After a tense wait Groves, much to the delight of most of the crowd, was given the decision. DeGale stormed out of the ring and will no doubt cry robbery after another defeat to Groves, who won a disputed decision in the amateurs. His trainer Jim McDonnell was furious too.

Yet, while it was a close contest that could have swung either way, in the cold light of day when the heat dies down DeGale would be best served to focus on his weaknesses in this contest - and yes, despite his bluster and self-proclaimed invincibility, he showed faults. He didn't throw enough shots when he had Groves backed up and for all his pedigree, he looked a little confused by Groves' movement. In boxing you have to expect the unexpected. Surely that's obvious?

There were rumours that DeGale had already organised a post-fight party before stepping into the ring, which didn't help the public's perception of the southpaw. As the fight built up Jim McDonnell appeared to be massaging DeGale's ego, vocally proclaiming him to be something seriously special and the Harlesden man lapped up the praise. Afterwards DeGale's promoter Frank Warren had a dig for "back slappers" DeGale should rid himself off - suggesting the hangers-on where hindering his man. By contrast, Adam Booth seemed a lot more pragmatic in addressing Groves' weaknesses he had shown in previous contests. Rather than bemoaning the judges DeGale would best served looking at why he didn't win and not why he should have won.

While the pressure was on DeGale to produce a fantastic performance - he didn't but showed heart at the end and was never in trouble by Groves' shots - Groves had nothing to lose, as he was expected to be blown away. He stood firm, stuck to his tactics and can look forward to leaping forward. He's now 13-0.

James DeGale can come again. He wasn't badly hurt and it was a close contest. He's now 10-1 and should learn from the defeat and come back stronger. I'm not sure an immediate rematch is the right solution but Groves and DeGale should get it on again in the future - perhaps with even bigger titles than the British and Commonwealth belts at stake.

This isn't the end but can be a new beginning for George Groves and James DeGale.

James DeGale v George Groves: Prediction

The hype surrounding this 'grudge match' has provided a wonderful boost for the coverage of boxing in Britain, with the media lapping up the recycled story of how DeGale and Groves were once gym mates before fighting against each other in the amateurs - and then falling out after Groves earned a controversial decision.

DeGale is a heavy favourite going into this thanks to his superb natural ability. He's fast, has great reflexes, can switch-hit from his normal southpaw stance and is coming in with great form after blowing away Paul Smith in the Liverpudlian's own hostile backyard. 10-0, with eight knockouts.

Groves is 12-0 and has 10 knockouts. His form is not quite as good as DeGale's and he been scorched by some critics for a stumbled fight against dangerous (and then unbeaten) Scot Kenny Anderson, who shook Groves up and had him on the deck (after coming in at short notice) before the Londoner stormed back to take the stoppage.

There are two schools of thought from that contest - one, is that Groves is 'chinny' and has a 'leaky defence' (as DeGale as claimed with relish): the second line of reasoning is that actually Groves showed heart and resolve and eventually passed his test so deserves credit. By contrast, DeGale has not had to go that deep yet so how will he cope if - or when - he gets caught hard?

The build-up to the contest has been dominated by DeGale in full wind-up persona trying to irritate Groves to the point that George loses his focus and gameplan. These tactics remind me of Floyd Mayweather Jr going on, and on, and on - and on, and on, and on - before eventually his opponent Ricky Hatton blew-up uncharacteristically with irritation at the weigh-in, signalling he had lost the mind games.

There's no doubt Groves would like nothing better than to silence his cocky rival but from what we've seen so far Groves has remained admirably calm and composed (and dignified). With an intelligent trainer behind him in Adam Booth Groves has opted to rise above playground insults and seems genuinely - at least on the surface - convinced he has DeGale's number.

DeGale, playing the villain of the piece, seems to be the wound-up one going into this fight. It's said that he stormed out of Sky's Ringside show (when DeGale and Groves faced off), such was his annoyance with his opponent. This could work in Groves' favour if DeGale decides to neglect his advantages of speed and reach and chooses to stand and trade to make a point (Note - this was how DeGale lost in his amateur contest with Groves).

Yet, promotions and mind games might only count for so much and let's not forget DeGale was able to go into the cauldron, with boos and whistles surrounding him, as he took on Paul Smith in Liverpool. He didn't flinch, he didn't hide and looked superb in dismantling the hapless Smith. With that in mind, I find it hard to believe DeGale's experience will allow him to lose his head.

Groves has better ability than he's sometimes given credit for. Because he often lets the red mist descend and can leave himself open to shots, many place him as something of a bar room brawler. No, he's much better than that. He picks his shots well and combines excellent head and body combinations. If you watch his contest against Charles Adamu, which earned Groves the Commonwealth strap, you can see Groves at his best applying steady pressure and cutting his opponent down.

However, one reason Groves' skills are underrated comes down to a comparison with the man standing in the other corner. DeGale is surely the better natual boxer - he's so quick and reels of blinding combinations. Plus, his footwork is excellent too. He's passed his biggest tests with flying colours, easily stopping Carl Dilks and Paul Smith, who were worthy domestic fighters. The only concern is whether DeGale can take it if the fight goes into deeper waters. Behind the scenes we hear that DeGale has a good chin and has proven himself in some tough gym wars. Yet, what does he know about his weaknesses? If you listen to DeGale, he has none and his ego has been massaged by his vocal trainer Jim McDonnell - who has proclaimed his fighter as the next superstar.

For me, George Groves is potentially a brilliant boxer but DeGale is a potentially even better boxer. Based on natural skills DeGale should win but I would expect Groves to make things tough through sheer will and bravery. If DeGale sticks to a sensible gameplan that utilises his movement I think he can pick off Groves and get though his defence. In my opinion, Groves' best hope is to try and get the fight into the later stretches when DeGale's sharpness may have diminished a little. He could then look to use that conserved energy to jump on top and test DeGale to the fullest. However, I don't think it will be enough and I see DeGale winning this contest, most likely by stoppage.

Ricky Hatton and Nathan Cleverly: Timing Is Everything

With Welshman Nathan Cleverly taking on Juergen Braehmer on May 21 for the WBO Light-Heavyweight World Title the question of when a fighter is ready to challenge for world honours has been a source of debate.

Cleverly is 24-years-old, not long out of university (he studied for a Maths degree), with a record of 21 wins and no defeats. He's won British, European and Commonwealth honours already.

Champion Braehmer is 32-years-old and has 36 wins and two defeats.

It's a leap up for Cleverly, who has cleared up at domestic level. The key to winning this fight is to convert is immediate potential into a performance good enough to prise away the title. For my money, that should involve using his reach to jab and outsmart the hard-hitting and aggresive Braehmer with different angles.

Anyway, the subject of this post has not made an apperance yet. Here he is - Ricky Hatton.

In very different circumstances Hatton took on the brilliant Kostya Tszyu in 2005. By then Ricky had fought 38 times and there was a feeling that his shot for the number one spot at Light-Welterweight should have come much sooner.

Former WBO Cruiserweight World Champion-turned-pundit Johnny Nelson has touched upon this point, going as far to argue that Hatton had already peaked by the time he gained world honours. His article can be read here: http://www1.skysports.com/thisisit/story/21179/6912409

For many, Hatton appeared to be peaking for a world title shot back in 2003 after he expertly dismantled the teak-tough Ben Tackie.

For whatever reason his promoter at the time, Frank Warren, elected to churn out a series of sub-standard opponents (four of them) before Hatton finally got his shot for the crown.

There may, of course, have been reasons that the casual observer was not aware of - promotional problems and boxing politics are an unfortunate but inevitable part of the sport.

Meanwhile, Hatton - while he waited for his world title shot - was packing out the MEN Arena in his hometown of Manchester, making defences of the lightly-regarded WBU title. In fact he made 15 defences in all of this title which was a ludicrous and undeserving legacy. Let's get this straight - the title should have been a stepping-stone to a real one, nothing more and in fact is served to damage the sport with many casual fans assuming Hatton was already a proper world champion.

On the night Hatton was unstoppable as he suffocated and wore down Tszyu. It was one of the most intense and focused performances I have seen from someone so determined to win. It wasn't so much about skill but a will to win and Tszyu - as great as he was - seemed shocked by the pace, being withdrawn at the end of the 11th round. He hasn't fought since.

While there was a school of thought that Hatton should have fought for a proper world title sooner there was also a feeling by some that Tszyu had been caught at the right time as he neared the end of his career. Promoter Warren earned some praise for his match-making here. That latter point of view would suggest Hatton would not have had enough to defeat Tszyu if the Russian-born Australian had been at his 'peak' which is very unfair on Hatton. Tszyu had his moments and used his better boxing ability to sting Hatton and keep the scorecards close. It just wasn't enough against the machine-like engine Hatton turned up with.

Afterwards Ricky Hatton's popularity across the country soared. He was to fight in several more high-profile world title contests but arguably never took a scalp as great as Tszyu.

The initial difficulty for Hatton was a messy break-up with Frank Warren. After winning the world title Hatton was subjected to a legal challenge from Warren which would have surely affected his focus. In the event Hatton had to go to Manchester's rival city Sheffield. He took on the awkward but unsophisticated Columbian Carlos Maussa, who held the WBA belt.

In the opening rounds Hatton was cut badly (with Maussa then raking his gloves across the cut in an effort to make it worse). Maussa had the co-ordination of a puppet on the string and barely seemed able to throw an accurate, straight shot. Hatton looked angry and disjointed (the song"Gonna Get Along Without You Know" had been played before Ricky came to the ring - no prizes for guessing the target of his anger). He rushed his work but eventually in the ninth round scored an explosive one-punch knockout (rare for Hatton, who usually chipped away over time).

So Hatton had the IBF and WBA belts at 140 pounds but he seemed to be struggling to secure decent fights.

He only fought once in 2006. Going over to America in the hope of making a big impression nearly backfired when he squeaked past the reasonable but not great southpaw Luis Collazo at Welterweight. This earned Hatton the WBA Welterweight title and technically made him a two-weight champion (even if Collazo was not the accepted number one at the weight).

Wins over the tough, strong and very slow Juan Urango followed, along with a brilliant bodyshot knockout of the faded former champion Jose Luis Castillo.

But later - in his two acid tests, against the number one pound-for-pound fighters of the respective times - Hatton was stopped by both Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao.

There was a tendency - such was his hype and popularity - to overrate Hatton when he was fighting in his heyday. This manifested itself in the contest against Mayweather, as the media, pundits and screaming fans convinced themselves and others Ricky would win. With hindsight it was of course a level too far.

Yet let's not forget Mayweather and Pacquiao were and are arguably the greatest two fighters of the modern era. The sort of fighters who don't come around too often.

Perhaps there's now a tendency to underrate Ricky Hatton's legacy. His final record (should he stay retired) stands at: 45-2, with 32 knockouts. I think it's fair to say he was the number one at Light-Welterweight for four years. He also picked up a genuine world title belt at Welterweight.

Behind the cheeky, 'man of the people' persona who liked a pint, Hatton was a mean and ferocious body puncher who in his prime combined that intensity with good head movement, decent angles and often showed good ring craft, albeit against less skilled practioners like Ben Tackie and Juan Urango.

Timing is everything though and one wonders how the Hatton that fought Tszyu - before the promotional problems, changed trainers and other distractions - would have fared against other great fighters of his or any other era. Would his will have been enough to grind down other wonderful champions?

Timing is everything as I'm sure Nathan Cleverly will be able to reflect upon whether he wins, loses or draws in his up-and-coming world title challenge.

Whereas Tszyu was in his late 30s and had suffered injuries in the years leading up to the Hatton contest, mean and moody Braehmer has had numerous legal problems and spent time in jail. Apparently another legal case hangs over his head. What's his focus going to be like?

If everything can come together for just 36 minutes of action on one night - good preparation, weight-making, no personal problems, utilising experience, deploying the right tactics - it could be Cleverly's night.

Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn: A Legacy

On May 21 two British talents square off in the ring - James DeGale and George Groves - in what is being billed as a grudge match between two men who apparently hate each other.

Yet, for all the excitement and anticipation, one can't help feeling a little nostalgic in recalling a similarly heated and hyped contest when Chris Eubank jumped into the fire to challenge for the WBO Middleweight World Championship against the ferocious and frightening Nigel Benn in 1990.

With all due respect to DeGale and Groves, who both pack great potential and obvious talent, it's unlikely they will match the occasion of that hot, crackling night when Eubank heroically prised away the title from Benn after nine see-saw rounds.

Few fights, especially domestically in Britain, can match that fight. For me personally, the greatest fight I have ever seen.

The build-up featured a cracking TV interview with Eubank refusing to even look at Benn. The eccentric Eubank - brought up on the streets of Peckham - played the 'upper crust' character, asking for "some parliamentary procedure". Benn meanwhile got straight to the point: "I personally do hate him."

When the two men faced off at the opening bell, Benn looked seriously pissed off, glaring with disgust at the man in the other corner. Eubank - ever happy to milk the occasion - tapped his gloves slowly and surely and looked ahead as he stood in his peacock pose.

Then sparks flew as the fight took off. Eubank came running in with a crazy overhand right haymaker before backing off on tip-toes as he felt the full force of Benn's fury.

The rounds went back and forth, with Benn angrily marching forward, bobbing and weaving, and gradually realising Eubank's chin was made of granite. Eubank tried to pick his shots but was made to work at an unrelenting pace, defending and then coming back.

Eventually, as the smoke cleared, Eubank prevailed as he stopped Benn on his feet. Both warriors had held nothing back and chipped blocks of each other. What a wonderful, exciting - and bloody and even nasty - contest it was.

The pain and glory of boxing in a nutshell.

Some of the best highlights of the contest can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5PszSE-9s4


* He may have been booed throughout his career, and often played the 'bad guy' with relish, but it's clear that Chris Eubank is missed from boxing.

Eubank had character, he was a brilliant boxer when he chose to be and was as tough as nails.

For those wishing to marvel - and smile too - at his memorable moments, have a look at this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2l5zppPYpA

Lionel Rose: Rest In Peace

It's sad to report the passing of Australia's legendary former world champion Lionel Rose.

A lot of coverage will be devoted to the iconic Rose, who died aged 62 on Sunday, and with justifiable reason for here was a man who climbed to the top of his profession and did so much to further the cause of Aboriginals - who were fighting for the right to vote at the same time as Rose was fighting in the ring.

For that reason, I wish to keep this article concise and allow others to pay full tribute to Lionel Rose.

But for the record, Rose's final record read 42-11, with most of his defeats coming towards the close of his career. He was just 19 years old when he set off to Japan in 1968 to win the WBC and WBA Bantamweight World Championships from Fighting Harada. It's recorded that Rose made three world title defences.

Of course by way of his supreme boxing ability and sheer will of personality, Lionel Rose will be remembered for so much more than just his (brilliant) career statistics.

Lionel Rose: Rest In Peace.

DeGale and Groves: Countdown to the battle

Exciting unbeaten British prospects James DeGale and George Groves have been banging the publicity drum for their forthcoming grudge match on May 21.

This promotional video may whet your appetite: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-_6y2ruEy8

Fittingly a mini press conference took place last week in the ring at the former gymmates' old gym, Dale Youth Boxing Club in West London.

Talk is cheap and actions speak louder than words.

For that matter, one wonders whether it was a good thing or bad thing that Groves was sporting a black eye. Positive in the sense that he appears to be having hard sparring to prepare him for his toughest fight to date. On the flip of the coin, does his appearance underline his "leaky defence" (as referred to by DeGale) is not being rectified. Also, how much of himself will he leave in the gym?

All will be revealed on fight night but for my money Groves' trainer Adam Booth is a smart man who will surely leave no stone unturned in fine-tuning Groves physically and mentally for this contest.

I still feel that this fight is likely to boil down to the simple point - what do these young boxers know at this stage of their careers?

Groves was asked all sorts of questions by Kenny Anderson in his Commonwealth scrap last year. He was put down and his defence looked patchy but he did get back up to stop his foe. Just how much as he learned from that contest? Has he - or can he - improve and show himself to be a better fighter than that.

What does he know about himself and DeGale that would allow him to win?

As for DeGale, few questions have been asked of him so far. He's cruised through his challenges and was under no real difficulty in what was supposed to be a tough ask against Paul Smith for the British title last time around. Yet, coming into the fight would DeGale have benefitted from the dip that Groves has experienced? For all his confidence - and he has every right to be has confident in his undoubted ability - how will DeGale react if he finds himself in trouble?

DeGale and Groves both have superb potential. Perhaps many would suggest DeGale has more natural ability but don't write off Groves in this fight. As the pressure cranks up a notch, who will fold?

Saul Alvarez - Ryan Rhodes: Youthful Exuberance v Wise Experience

It's been announced this week that Mexico's unbeaten WBC Light-Middleweight Champion Saul Alvarez will take on Britain's classy operator Ryan Rhodes.

The contest takes place on June 18 at The Arena Vicente Fernandez Gomez in Guadalajara Jalisco, Mexico.

The underrated Rhodes (45-4) really has a much better chance of getting an upset than is generally expected across the Atlantic in America and Mexic0. He has never lost at Light-Middlweight, brings a lot of experience and is a savvy and intelligent operator in the ring with a tricky switch-hitting style.

Alvarez (36-0), who is just 20-years-old, is at the early stage of his career and life where he doesn't care - nor does he need to - about what his opponent does. He simply walked through Matthew Hatton (smaller and less superior to Rhodes), not worrying about getting caught as he took an easy 12 points decision.

Can he get away with that against Rhodes or will he be punished?

It's a great clash between youthful exuberance and wise experience and you know what - Rhodes really might just pull it off.

Watch this space.

John Murray and Kevin Mitchell: A tear-up in the making

With the ink apparently drying on the contract and a date fixed for fight night British boxing fans should no doubt be delighted to hear John Murray and Kevin Mitchell are finally set to get it on.

On July 9 these two top British competitors will tussle in the ring at a venue to be determined, most likely in London.

The bout had veered off course after Mitchell squabbled with his promoter Frank Warren over the amount of money being put on the table. A sub-plot of rumours then surfaced with claims Mitchell might retire, while there was talk of him hitting the bottle, losing his mojo and having his confidence squashed by last year's three round stoppage to the excellent Michael Katsidis.

None of this should matter anymore though with Mitchell presumably desperate to silence his critics by getting in there and mixing it up with Murray.

Here are the promotional quotes from both men:

Murray: “I thought Mitchell had bottled it once and for all when he turned down the opportunity to fight me earlier this year, but I am glad we finally have a date as this fight has been a long time coming and, apart from the world title, this is the only meaningful challenge left for me in the UK.”

Mitchell: “Murray’s done well but he hasn’t faced me yet and, if he had, we wouldn’t keep hearing about his unbeaten record, I was 31-0 too with more stoppages than him, until I lost out in my 32nd fight which he will too. Personally, I am over the moon that the fight is taking place in London so I can show my legions of fans that last year was a one off an Kevin Mitchell is back.”

It's easy to make a convincing argument for either of the two fighters triumphing - which is why it's such a potentially exciting contest.

Here's why John Murray should win:

1) He's the bigger man: A naturally stronger fighter who uses these advantages to bulldoze his opponents. There are suggestions he has been struggling with the weight so this might work against him - however, it's likely he will be much bigger than Mitchell, a natual super-featherweight, come fight night and look how the Dagenham struggled against the enormous Katsidis.

2) He's got the better form: Despite looking a little flat and open to shots against Karim El Ouazghari last month, let's face it - he got the job done. Murray is 31-0 and you can't argue with that. Mitchell is 31-1 and hasn't fought for a year since being broken by Katsidis. He's admitted to going off the rails and downing his sorrows so what sort of backdrop will there be concerning the training and preparation for this contest? In theory, Murray should be the more confident man.

3) Incentives: If Murray wins then ultimately he's cleaned up at domestic level and can finally look to secure a proper world title or at least world title eliminator. Murray knows just how much is riding on this fight - he can't afford to lose - and this could and should spur him on to new heights. Mitchell meanwhile, who upset his promoter Warren with his approach to training for Katsidis, may not have the same chance of a world title shot if he comes through with a win.


Here's why Mitchell should win:

1) Resume: I think it's fair to say Mitchell has narrowly faced the better competition. At domestic level he survived an epic and fraught tussle with Carl Johanneson for the British Super-Featherweight Championship before stepping up a level to wonderfully outbox Breidis Prescott. He also holds a win over respectable challenger Walter Estrada. Then there's Katsidis. Mitchell might have lost but if nothing else, he surely learned something from getting in at that level. Murray's record lacks Prescott and Katsidis but he still holds good wins over Lee Meager, Lee McAllister, Jon Thaxton and Gary Buckland. While Mitchell jumped from British to world level, Murray has been stuck somewhere inbetween at European level.

2) Skills: As shown against the somewhat technically limited but highly dangerous Prescott, Mitchell can box reasonably well when he elects to. He has some good movement and a nice jab. If he decides to stick and move rather than stick himself in a phone box with Murray then it's feasible to foresee a points victory. That's a big ask, of course. Against Katsidis he was unable to keep him off so it will require something special to keep off the train-like Murray.

3) Home support: If the fight takes place in London, as expected, then the Essex-based Mitchell will bank on a good turnout. This could spur him on to get redemption after letting them down against Katsidis. Murray meanwhile sells a lot less tickets and his fans face a long journey down from Manchester. Could the crowd be a factor?


Conclusion: This is a 50/50 fight in my view. Will the superior strength and power of Murray win the day or will the better boxing skills of Mitchell swing the bout his way? Personally, I think it's a little too deep for Mitchell to go after such a long time out. Mitchell will need to redeem his confidence and train and prepare properly this time. It's a weight above his normal size too. That said, I think Mitchell will fight with heart and focus, desperate to make up for the Katsidis blowout. I don't think it will be enough but I forsee a close fight with Murray coming on strong as the fight progresses to get a points decision.

Bank Holiday Boxing Round-up

Britain has been bathing in a relatively sun-drenched Bank Holiday weekend but that's not to say boxing has been on the backburner. Here are a few snippets of news and views from the past week...

First of all, it's with sad regret to note the passing of iconic former British heavyweight champion Henry Cooper who has died aged 76.

Charismatic Cooper was perhaps best known for three key moments in his life and career - one, knocking down and coming close to stopping a young Cassius Clay; two, losing a controversial decision to Joe Bugner in his final fight; three, taking part in regular humorous British television adverts for masculine aftershave Brut with footballer Kevin Keegan.

A closer look at his boxing record shows there were a fair few more worthy moments of recognition.

Cooper retired with a record of 40-14-1 (with 27 knockouts). He won three British Lonsdale Titles outright, as well as picking up Commonwealth and European honours. Cooper challenged for the world title against Muhammad Ali and also took on Floyd Patterson, losing both fights. He was on a seven-fight winning streak before losing to Bugner on a decision that he continued to dispute over the years.

Interestingly, Henry Cooper never appeared to weigh more than 200 pounds which in today's terms would make him a cruiserweight in today's fight weights.

It would be interesting to see how far he would have gone if he had been competing in the modern era.


*****


On Saturday night Darren Barker reclaimed the European Middleweight Belt he had been forced to relinquish with an impressive points victory over the durable and underrated Domenico Spada.

After more than a year out due to injury and promotional difficulties Barker put himself back into the limelight with this showing, which was broadcast on Sky Sports and promoted by his new promoters Matchroom Sport.

Watching Barker speak before this fight, there seemed a real sense of maturity and intelligence about his approach to the sport - despite some of the bad luck he had endured.

In the ring he pulled out a close but clear victory thanks to his clever boxing skills against a come-forward and rugged opponent. Barker climbs to 23-0, while Spada drops to 32-4.


*****


There's often concern when a professional boxer comes back to the sport after retiring off the back of performances which show his skills have diminished and he was no longer the same force as old.

That was the case with Mancunian warrior Michael Brodie, who retired in 2005 after being stopped by Scott Harrison. He looked tired of the sport at that point but came back in 2009, pulling out an exciting victory against the unheralded Mark Alexander, who had him down twice. He was then stopped in three by Anthony Crolla after looking sluggish (he had struggled to make the weight).

Last week Brodie appeared in a local newspaper, the Salford Advertiser in Greater Manchester. Fortunately this was an altogether more positive story.

Former British, Commonwealth and European champion Brodie had given up his time to be in the corner to assist youngsters fighting out of Irlam Boxing Academy at Royal Arms Club in Cadishead, Salford.

Here's what he had to say:

"I am looking to give something back to boxing and was asked me if I wanted to come along to the Irlam show. It was great to see the young fighters doing well in the ring but enjoying it as well."

Now that's a good news story concerning a (hopefully) retired professional fighter. Let's hope for more of them.

Berto and Ortiz produce fireworks, Khan and McCloskey fizzle out

The Foxwoods Resort Casino and The MEN Arena are two very different places.

Nestled away in Mashantucket, Connecticut, with deep Native American roots, Foxwoods was where Carl Froch stopped the clock ticking away to a points defeat with a wonderful last-gasp stoppage of Jermain Taylor in 2009.

The MEN Arena - or Manchester Evening News Arena if you prefer - is easier to find. It's famed for its passionate Mancunian fans who come pouring in for a good night. It's near to some enticing restaurants, bars and clubs - and adjoined to a train station if you need to get out of town quickly.

At the weekend boxing fans witnessed to two very different sorts of fights.

Two sides of the coin.

On the one side we had a wonderful, enthralling fight between Andre Berto and Victor Ortiz for the WBC Welterweight Championship. Both fighters scored two knockdowns each and the result was pretty much immaterial as the spectacle was what mattered.

For the record, Ortiz, who showed tremendous heart and resolve, took home the title - 114-111, 114-112 and 115-110 on points.

Last week on Sky Sports' resurgent Ringside show - http://bit.ly/hNSrSx - Boxing News editor Tris Dixon reflected on how too much emphasis is placed on a fighter having an unbeaten record and that a loss is not the end of the road. In fact it could be the beginning of something better.

This piece of analysis can be applied to both fighters. Ortiz was written off after losing to Marcos Maidana in 2009 (his second loss as a professional). He's regrouped and despite looking a little shaky since that night in previous fights has rebounded big time with this victory.

Ortiz would probably say losing has made him a better fighter. Now Berto (27-0 before the weekend) faces a challenge to come back stronger - although his heart is not in question, such was his brave showing at the weekend.

Let's flip the coin and look at Amir Khan's contest with Northern Irish fighter Paul McCloskey for the WBA Light-Welteweight Championship.

To be frank: the build-up to this fight left a bad taste, the actual contest was poor and the outcome and aftermath left a sour impression.

Dogged by a dispute with Sky - who pulled the fight from pay-per-view for it to instead be shown on Sky Sports 3 instead because the undercard, and headline fight for that matter, was not up to scratch - Khan's team decided to switch to little-known broadcaster Primetime.

To watch the broadcast (legally) fans would have to shell out £15.

McCloskey was unbeaten and a European champion. A respectable and respectful man, but with all due respect he wasn't the additional ingredient Khan needed to make this worthy of a pay-per-view showing. Ultimately he was brought in as a relatively low-risk candidate for a money-making voluntary defence.

Khan endeared himself to no-one by calling himself a "pay-per-view fighter" beforehand. He certainly didn't fight like one. He used amateur-like flurries to bank the points against the slower and more methodical McCloskey, who elected to send over the odd looping left hook. Despite this, Khan looked open to shots, was quite flat-footed and was made to miss himself. McCloskey was awkward but looked like he was watching the fight go by - unless, as he claimed, he had some masterplan to take Khan out late.

After six rounds a clash of heads opened a wound, the doctor jumped in and the referee waved it off, leading to a technical decision in Khan's favour. Just like that. It was a very poor stoppage in so far as the cut wasn't deep and the blood had been stemmed within seconds. McCloskey wasn't hurt and air of bemusement filled the arena - along with a good measure of anger.

Boxers fighting in world title contests have endured much, much worse cuts and continued. How awkward it was to see Khan's American promoter Oscar De La Hoya - who endured a few cuts in his career - to try and justify a stoppage it was clear, despite the superficial appearance, he found as startling as everyone else.

In the aftermath of the fight McCloskey's team, including promoter Barry Hearn (who shouted "disgrace" several times at the referee), were spitting feathers. Meanwhile, Khan's team tried to justify the farce, which didn't help matters - particularly the suggestions that McCloskey had quit.

It wasn't a good showcase of British boxing. Amir Khan has seemingly had enough of fighting in Britain. Too much hassle and not enough cash.

He's looking at a unification match with Timothy Bradley, which sounds appetising. Bradley is a dangerous foe and the increasingly confident Khan needs to tread carefully. Weight may catch up with him - he seemed to struggle getting down to 10 stone for last weekend's fight and appears to be filling out as he gets older.

Khan might also want to consider the old adage 'too many cooks spoil the broth'. For the McCloskey contest he was backed by Golden Boy Promotions, Hatton Promotions and his new company, Khan Promotions. Too many distractions, too many people wanting a slice of the pie - that can't be healthy for his focus.

The best thing Khan can do is cut free the entourage craving a piece of the meal ticket, listen and listen and listen to the wise words of his brilliant trainer Freddie Roach and utilise his brilliant boxing skills - while neutralising the chance of getting caught with good defence.

That's easier said than done though.

Amir Khan - Paul McCloskey: Press Conference Notes

There was simmering tension at today's press conference at Manchester Town Hall for WBA Light-Welterweight Champion Amir Khan's contest with unbeaten Paul McCloskey and it all revolved around one thing - money.

"This will all certainly make good copy," an Irish scribe turned to me and chuckled at the close of play, a glint in his eye.

Khan and McCloskey might have been conducting the stare-down for the cameras but really most of the press wanted to see the fighters' managers Asif Vali and Eddie Hearn square-off after they exchanged furious barbs during the conference.

Perhaps jetlagged, Oscar De La Hoya, who chaired proceedings (his company Golden Boy has a stake in Khan), looked tired and talked tired cliches at the start but he was certainly awoken by Hearn's sharp retort in the middle of the conference.

"I respect you but not your knowledge of the UK TV market," Hearn fired over towards the powerful American promoter.

The argument hinged on this: Amir Khan's fight which takes place this weekend was recently pulled from Sky Pay-Per-View because the promoters' undercard was deemed not good enough, following the withdrawal of several fighters. Khan's team then chose to switch to the unheraled Primetime TV.

It's reckoned this could lose Khan up to a cool £1 million. McCloskey may lose out too - though nowhere near as badly. It's also got fans' backs up with claims the £15 price tage is not worth it in these credit crunch-induced times. Further, a smaller audience will help neither fighters' profile - nor help the sport get the coverage it needs.

Still, De La Hoya tried to put some gloss on proceedings by hyping the link-up with Primetime as a good thing and doing his bit to drum up more support among the assembled media and hanger-ons.

However, tensions erupted when Eddie Hearn was handed the microphone.

The son of long-serving Barry Hearn had a lot to say, starting with an attack on Khan's team - Khan Promotions, driven by Khan's hard-bargaining manager Asif Vali - questioning their professionalism in leading to the fight being pulled by Sky.

Hearn made the claim that he had never known a team to be so unprofessional in all his time involved in boxing.

He then went on to ask of Khan how he would maintain his focus in such circumstances after his big pay cheque had seemingly been shredded down. Meanwhile De La Hoya sat ashen-faced while all this was going on.

Vali hit back by furiously suggesting Hearn was more interested in "lining his own pockets" than his man McCloskey's chances in this contest.

However, he did concede this about the promotion of the fight: "It's been difficult at times, we know that..."

As for McCloskey and Khan, they cut more dignified, restrained figures.

"I stay out of the politics," McCloskey said, looking calm and confident. He spoke clearly and with conviction and really fancies his chances of pulling off an upset.

Khan was somewhat more tense. While McCloskey showed off his trim, whippet-like frame in casual clothes, Khan's shoulders were hunched in his dark suit. He said little but gabbled the usual pre-fight words: preparation great, thanks to the media, it'll be great, let's get it on.

McCloskey was and probably still is a big underdog going into this fight but all this commotion will help his chances that bit more. He has quick hands and great upper-body movement, he can also punch but lacks much in the way of footwork.

But is he ready to step up from European level to the world class standing Amir Khan inhabits? All will be answered this Saturday.


* Both fighters have weighed in at 139lbs.

Erik Morales cooks up some humble pie

Sometimes it seems easy to call a boxing match-up.

Evidence should suggest that the wear and tear consumed over a long career at the summit spent sparring thousands of rounds, blowing up and down in weight and frequently fighting in the trenches for the fans should eventually spell the end of a career for good - and sooner rather than later.

That rule was supposed to apply to Erik Morales who took on the frightening puncher Marcos Maidana at the weekend.

Here were the facts going in: Morales was 34 years of age, he'd had 57 fights (a large proportion of which were bruising encounters) after starting at super-bantamweight. In 2007 he's retired for two and a half years after four back-to-back losses (including two knockouts). Further, he was fighting a prime fighter with 27 knockouts from 29 wins.

Yet, Morales proceeded to rip up the form guide and shove it down the mouths of all those, including myself, who dared question whether it was safe for him to be in the ring against Maidana - let alone last the distance and be in with a shout of winning.

Here's to humble pie.

Now, Morales may not have actually won but he took the contest to the wire. The judges' scoring only told one story - 116-112, 116-112 and 114-114 to Maidana. The fans were on Morales' side though and heartily cheered his name afterwards.

I was compelled to think of another legendary Hispanic fighter, Roberto Duran, who so often had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. His closely-fought loss to Marvin Hagler (of which Maidana bears no comparison of course) springs to mind.

We're all talking about Morales - and he wasn't even the victor!

Consider this: Morales was rocked about in the first round and had one eye grotesquely closed shut and swollen. That he fought back and had some observers claiming he should have got the nod demonstrates so much about the man's bravery and let's not forget his skill.

Let's also not forget Maidana's part in proceedings. He too was brave and dug down to get the decision. Interestingly, he seemed more troubled by Morales' shots than the Mexican was of his. Afterwards he appeared gracious in victory and said Morales would get a rematch.

A fight for the ages with a wonderful story. Was it Morales' last hurrah? I've learned my lesson and would certainly not make any predictions on that score!


In a less satisfying encounter at the weekend former WBA Light-Welterweight Champion Vivian Harris was stopped after one round after taking on unbeaten welterweight prospect Jessie Vargas.

After being wobbled Harris told the referee he could not continue. It was a sad sight but at least Harris saved himself from further punishment.

Vivian Harris is a worry. He's been stopped in his past three fights and four fights ago a no contest was ruled after a head clash meant Harris was unable to continue.

He's not won since 2008. Harris should be saved from the sport - either he retires for his health or if he insists on continuing it must be at a lower level in Guyana, perhaps at a higher weight.

Stieglitz - Gevor: The Super-Middleweight's B-Side Fight

Khoren Gevor knows a thing or two about questionable judging.

The Armenian-born scrapper - fighting for the WBO Super Middleweight Title tomorrow night - lost a previous challenge for the WBA Middleweight strap against Felix Sturm in 2009 that had many observers crying robbery.

After appearing to score a flash knockdown - ruled for some reason as a slip - Gevor went on to impose his sort of fight, breaking down Sturm on the inside.

How did the judges see it?

Well, they saw it like this: 115-113, 115-113 and 117-111. To Sturm, the house fighter of course. One fight writer described  the judges' interpretation as "completely incomprehensible scoring". That just about sums it up.

Understandably Gevor has some reservations as he bids to win Robert Stieglitz's belt on his opponent's turf - and on his opponent's promoter's turf.

“Everyone knows that in sports there’s always a home advantage," Gevor has said.

“Unfortunately, this is especially true in boxing. I am a guest at [the promoters] SES event in their city. I have no illusions that here in Magdeburg it will be very difficult for me to win on points.

"I don’t want to insinuate that the judges or referee will consciously evaluate the fight incorrectly. But everyone knows that the home promoter pays the bills – also for the judges – and the audience contributes by cheering wildly for every punch the home boxer throws and not reacting at all to the clear punches landed by the guest boxer.

"No judges in the world are immune from that. So I know that I must win by KO – but this is okay for me. I am prepared for it and I have the goal to knock out Stieglitz. I don’t want there to be anything to discuss at the end.”

It's concerning that a talented boxer like Gevor (31-5) should feel this way but of course most experienced boxing fans will tell you that's just how it goes when you fight in an opponent's backyard.

It's not right of course - just ask Robin Reid. The Super-Middleweight was denied a fair victory against long-reigning champion Sven Ottke (who won a series of dubious decisions) in 2003. Poor Reid was constantly interrogated by the referee, given a warning after landing a punch and had a genuine knockdown ruled as a slip. He didn't get the decision despite appearing to - despite the referee's outrageous behaviour - win more rounds than his opponent. One wonders how he found the strength to carry on in the sport after that disgraceful evening.

Back to Gevor's forthcoming fight and for my reckoning, and with all due respect, Stieglitz is far from being an elite champion. He has good power and brings experience but in two bouts where he stepped up in class - against Alejandro Berrio and Librado Andrade - he was stopped.

Since winning his belt he has made three defences against mediocre opposition.

In a division stuffed with the talents of Carl Froch, Andre Ward, Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham, Andre Dirrell and Lucian Bute; Stieglitz is not even a top-five fighter, despite his belt.

However, that may not matter for Stieglitz. If he continues to fly under the radar he can make easier defences and bank the cash without facing the big boys. That's not healthy for the sport and shows how devalued many world title belts have become.

Don't blame Stieglitz - he's just playing the game.


* Postscript: Well, sadly there was a controversial ending to this fight.

Reports state that Stieglitz was the sharper, more accurate puncher, while Gevor was as game as ever, coming forward and trying to press his advantage.

Things turned in the tenth round though.

Gevor, frustrated in a clinch, rabbit punched his opponent. After being broken up, the two fighters clinched again, with Stieglitz wrestled to the ground by Gevor.

Stieglitz got up, displaying a laceration above his right eye and Gevor was disqualified.

So incensed was Gevor that he argued with Stieglitz's cornermen and apparently attacked the referee for good measure.

That's not the sort of image boxing needs.

New Look Boxing News

Today sees the launch of a new look Boxing News - the longest running boxing magazine still in publication, dating back to 1909.

The magazine - or paper, as some of the traditionalists like to refer to it - has undergone a few changes since Tris Dixon took over as editor from Claude Abrams in 2010. These include changing the date Boxing News comes out from Friday to Thursday, while other new features have been introduced, such as having a weekly guest columnist.

Now whenever a long-standing publication undergoes a change a lot of people used to and content with the current order of things will often grumble.

Glancing at internet boxing forums this morning that seems to prove the point with naturally opinionated posters complaining the design too closely resembles an MMA publication. The point has been made in connection with Boxing News' sister publication, Fighting Fit, which has more of an MMA focus.

However, while change might not always be welcome it is an inevitable fact in the publishing world as magazines and newspapers seek to progress, as well as keep in touch with the changing times. Let's not forget too that the evolution of internet and declining publication sales (of which Boxing News has apparently bucked the trend and continues to prosper, I must add) means editors (or their bosses) are always looking for new ways to keep ahead of the game - or just keep up.

As a nostalgic person who misses the days of Boxing News resembling something more akin to a broadsheet paper I must say I'm still not sure if the new design is my cup of tea (particularly the use of 'News' to represent the 'I' of 'Boxing').

That probably says more about my tastes though!

I have a feeling the design will grow on people. The changes being implemented under the stewardship of Dixon, including regular online features - see: http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/ - are steps to helping modernise the magazine, diversify its audience and push for continued, or even improve, solid sales figures.

That can't be a bad thing for boxing of which Boxing News has always been a wonderful ambassador most humble writers covering the sport can only aspire to achieve.

101 years and not out. That's not bad going eh?

DeGale - Groves: The build-up continues

Intrigue continues to mount as James DeGale and George Groves step up their preparation for next month's mouth-watering contest.

As things stands it appears that only DeGale's British title is at stake, although that's not to rule out the belt Groves brings to the table - the Commonwealth strap - also being up for grabs.

No matter what title or titles are being contested this is still effectively a domestic undercard contest and one wonders what Welshman Nathan Cleverly, who is fighting for the WBO Light Heavyweight title, makes of it all. He is the headliner on the night after all.

Perhaps not having the hassle of the limelight might be a blessing in disguise.

George Groves is currently in Miami training alongside his mentor the heavyweight champion David Haye and has conducted sparring sessions with the mercurial Super-Middleweight Andre Dirrell - a world-level fighter. This seems like a sensible move in preparation for a snappy, flash contestant like DeGale.

James DeGale has based himself in Essex under the notoriously tough taskmaster Jim McDonnell. The man called 'Chunky' said he blows up to 190 pounds outside of fights but it's unlikely he won't come into this contest in great condition given McDonnell's reputation.

Some of McDonnell's previous training orders have included getting fighters to pull along cars with passengers sat inside, while it was rumoured he even got one former fighter to sleep in a separate bed to his wife in order to conserve energy!

This week George Groves' promotional team Hayemaker have thrown a barbed counter toward DeGale's side with a heavily-edited video designed to make 'Chunky' look foolish. Entitled 'James Defail', it can be found here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjDBy-JJrsA

James DeGale hasn't being keeping quiet either (no surprise there). He's hit back at Groves as a "chinny" fighter.

Here's what he had to say: "There is something wrong with his chin, there has to be if he keeps going over all the time, and I will exploit that."

DeGale has based his theory on Groves getting stopped in the amateurs as well as floored by Kenny Anderson last year and in a sparring session with Carl Froch.

I think it's safe to dismiss the Froch spar here. Groves has been open about being floored and let's face it, Froch is a superb, experienced world champion who hits very hard while Groves is green as a professional. It's also been said that Carl Froch does not hold back in sparring and surely Groves will have gained something as a result.

The Anderson knockdown could also be brought into question as a measure of Groves' chin Anderson has a genuinely good punch and Groves left himself exposed to the Scotsman's best shots . He took some blows, went down and then got back up to win (although the stoppage appeared a little premature). Rather, it seemed Groves' defence (or lack of) was the issue - not necessarily his chin.

Of course, DeGale is hyping the fight and he's trying to get under Groves' skin. Both fighters will want to carve out every possible advantage before fight night and a bit of winding up can go a long way.

Just ask Ricky Hatton about his pre-fight exchanges with Floyd Mayweayther Jr.