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.