John Murray: Onwards and upwards?

Mancunian lightweight John Murray needs to make a statement this week when he takes on the unheralded Karim El Ouazghari (11-1-2) in a defence of his European belt.

Murray is topping the bill at London's famous York Hall and has the chance to raise his profile and boost his world ranking.

With an impressive 30-0 record, with 18 knockouts, Murray has been bubbling under with only two fights per year since 2008. That's not nearly enough for this precious talent, who has a fan-friendly style and fights out of a fan-friendly city that loves its boxing.

Murray recently signed for Frank Warren from Mick Hennessy, who had been criticised for not delivering enough for his man.

El Ouazghari might be something of an unknown quantity but a glance at his record does not inspire great confidence, with no real names of note and only four stoppages on the ledger.

Murray has an intelligent and diligent trainer in Joe Gallagher, who is sure to have his fighter physically and mentally primed to avoid a potential road block on the road to a world title shot. I can't see Murray throwing this away and expect him to blow away his over-matched opponent within four rounds.

Hopefully this should boost Murrary's appeal to a wider audience.

York Hall is not too far away from rival Kevin Mitchell's Essex backyward of Dagenham and the "Here's Johnny!" promotional posters for this fight dotted around the capital (with Murray recreating the pose of Jack Nicholson in The Shining) are sure to wind up Mitchell and his following.

However, I'm not sure Murray should bother with Mitchell, who was blown away by Michael Katsidis last year in a challenge for the interim WBO Lightweight Champtionship.

The fight would attract a good crowd and probably a nice purse for the fighters but here's why the bout might not be worth it for Murray:

* Mitchell has not fought since May last year and had a shattering loss in three rounds to Katsidis in his beloved Upton Park stadium in front of his own fans. Since then, he's not had a tune-up of confidence-builder so surely going straight in against Murray would be too much.

* Promotional issues are concerns with claims recently that Mitchell was unhappy with the purse offered by Frank Warren for a contest with Murray. It was even said Mitchell may be forced to retire as a result. Speculation has been made by some, perhaps unfairly, that Mitchell is after a big payday to cash out with.

* The weight issue is another factor. Mitchell is a Super-Featherweight and looked tiny against Katsidis. So why would he carry on campaigning at Lightweight?

* Personal issues could be another concern. Rumours always swirl around the world of boxing and are often unfounded. However, if it's true that Mitchell is still regularly out on the town supping up the nightlife then that's a concern for a professional athlete who should be in his prime.

* Finally, does Murray need the hassle? He should be looking upwards, not sideways or backwards. Why wait around for Mitchell to sort out issues over the purse or build up his confidence with a tune-up fight? Of course, money talks so let's see what happens!

Malignaggi and Cotto: This is not a rematch

I'm sure, like many casual observers reading this eye-catching headline, I wasn't the only one to be mistaken: "Malignaggi to take on Cotto".

A rematch? What? Why? How?

Actually, brash but slightly jaded New Yorker Malignaggi is taking on Jose Miguel Cotto, the brother of the Puerto Rican superstar on April 9 on the undercard of Maidana - Morales and Guerrero - Katsidis.

The promotion of this undercard at least catches the eye, if nothing else. The fight might not have the dazzle of the younger Cotto's name in bright lights but it could still be a fun fight - if a little meaningless. Malignaggi can usually be relied upon to spice up proceedings a little beforehand.

Malignaggi, as far as I could see, was a small light-welterweight so I'm not sure what he has to gain fighting up at welterweight other than a few more opponents he has hasn't had the chance to take on.

Jose Miguel Cotto meanwhile has a similar sort of problem in that he spent his peak years as a lightweight contender.

Expect Cotto to play the bull and Malignaggi to play the matador. The winner might get a chance to be appointed gatekeeper to the welterweight division - but nothing more than that.

Yuriorkis Gamboa: Another win, another step towards Lopez

Fans are licking their lips at the prospect of Featherweight fighers Yuriorkis Gamboa and Juan Manuel Lopez shooting off in a fizzing Latino firefight.

Of course for Bob Arum, who promotes the two, there might be something of a dilemma: does he let the two unbeaten power punchers rack up more wins and clang the cash till? Given the two boxers' impressive knockout pedigrees - Gamboa has 16 from 20 fights,  Lopez 27 from 30 - there's always the danger that one of Arum's cash ringers might get wiped out of the picture if they meet.

Two lucrative boxers is better than one for a promoter.

Arum seems content to build up the prospect of a barnburner, rather than chuck the fighters in too early.

A little too raw, not enough seasoning - in other words, not enough cash: "I got two featherweights that will wipe everybody out, and when they meet everybody will go crazy," Arum replied. "Don’t I have the right to build it up?"

Last weekend Gamboa once again showcased his impressive skills, using his quick feet to move and dazzle before throwing booming shots to leave the respectable Jorge Solis (40-2-2 going in) in a heap.

As things stands, the consensus is that WBO belt holder Lopez is number one in the Featherweight division and WBA titlist Gamboa is number two.

Both are fast and explosive and, at the same time, both men are likely to leave themselves open as a consequence. The winner might be determined by who strikes first. Either way, it's unlikely the fight goes the distance.

Darren Barker: A Chance To Break Out

Darren Barker would probably be the first to admit he's had a slow burning career so far.

Frankly this talented and affable middleweight has been very unfortunate after personal tragedy, injuries and promotional difficulties have stopped him from achieving his full potential.

But Barker appears to be given a fresh opportunity to climb towards world honours after signing up with Matchroom, who appear to be building a neat stable of fighters.

He recently had a spot in the Sky studio, which is always handy for raising your profile, while his name was plastered across the ring during Wednesday's nights Prizefighter: Super-Middleweights tournament.

Barker is back is after more than a year out of the ring and is taking on the decent Italian Domenico Spada (32-3) at the end of April for the vacant European belt, which Barker has already won before.

Interestingly enough, footage of George Groves sparring Spada can be found on youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26PtVBs5iyQ.

Sparring is by no means the correct way to gauge proper professional fights but it's not hard to see Spada is a come-forward blitzer. He's perhaps a little predictable and easy to hit which is why Barker might be best advised sticking to his neat boxing skills, using a nice jab and moving in and out of range to befuddle Spada.

Make no mistake, Spada will be no pushover. He lost two apparently close points decisions for the Interim WBC Middleweight belt and his only other defeat was a split decision loss.

He brings experience and a fiery style to the ring but if Barker can shake off the rust and establish his jab he should be able to take control after the halfway point. With many pundits putting Barker on the fringes of the top 10 middleweights in the world, he has a lot to lose so should opt to play it safe and ride out a points victory.

Ajose Olusegun: Under The Radar

Tomorrow night (Friday 25 March) a Light Welterweight Champion-in-the-making is scheduled to take to the ring.

It's likely many of you will not have heard of - nor care - about Ajose Olusegun, a Nigerian-born British-based boxer with a perfect 29-0 record.

That's probably why he's having to travel to Algeria to take on a man named Ali Chebah (35-1), who is similarly under the radar as far as widescale recognition goes.

The fight is supposed to be a "final eliminator" for the WBC belt although goodness knows whether that will actually turn out to be the case. As in previous cases, a big name fighter coming out of retirement or jumping up in weight, will normally jump the queue.

Still, if the fight goes ahead - there's been little coverage nor publicity in advance - it's an opportunity for Olusegun to take a step forward to forcing a challenge and world honours.

Olusegun has previously won the British and Commonwealth titles and has some solid names on his record - Colin Lynes, Nigel Wright and Ali Nuumbembe. However, he's not really been given the chance to fight at a higher level - probably because he's dangerous, good and doesn't bring much money to the table.

His opponent appears something of an unknown quantity. His 28 knockouts look impressive on paper (Ajose has 14) but his one defeat was a knockout away in Mexico. His opponents on his resume don't look awe-inspiring with many having debuts against him or losing records.

Although apparently based in Canada but from France Chebah's last four bouts have been in Algeria. He's definitely the home fighter which could be a concern if the fight goes the distance.

However, I think Olusegun - if he's prepared right and has the right focus come fight night - will have way too much for Chebah, who hasn't mixed in the same company. It might take him a few rounds to get into the groove in different surroundings but I predict a knockout within seven rounds for the enigmatic Olusegun.

Sadly a win - or defeat - will not have fighters clamouring to take on a member of the "Who Needs 'Em" club.


* Postcript: Well, more disappointment for Olusegun who will have to wait out in the cold for longer.

The fight was called off at the last moment due to security issues in Algeria, with July likely to be the month the rescheduled fight will take place.

What does Olusegun do in the meantime?

Hopefully he maintains faith and confidence he will eventually get to mix it at world level. Many talented boxers have seen their careers stagnate due to the politics of the sport.

Prizefighter, 23/3/2011: More 'Wham Bam, Thank You Mam'

Mike Tyson once made a wonderful observation about boxers putting aside any niceties, any compassion, any feelings and any friendships to scrap like birds after crumbs when they dip under the ropes into the ring.

Prizefighter puts Tyson's theory into practice - eight hungry fighters putting it all on the line in the hope of walking away with £32,000 - as was the case in last night's entertaining Super-Middleweights tournament, which took place at Liverpool's Olympia.

Prizefighter is always fun, it's always frantic.

Yes, it has its knockers. There isn't usually the room nor time for technical fights in which a skilled practioner is able to pick and move, duck and weave.

No, normally that all goes out the window and the three round fights turn into 'wham bam, thank you mam' affairs with blood and guts and hoarse fans willing on their men.

Last night offered a great platform for the likes of Jahmaine Smyle and Tobias Webb, who with only 10 fights between them, were catapulted into the limelight.

Prizefighter, in cliched yet still engaging fashion, throws up some interesting stories before it's even kicked off.

You had 40-year-old former world champion and porn star Robin Reid, knife attack victim Joey Ainscough and a former squaddie desperate for redemption after a first round knockout loss, Carl Dilks.

There were four local lads there on the night, backed by a passionate and partisan crowd, plus the legendary John Conteh at ringside.

What a night!

On the night wildcard Rocky Fielding triumphed after beating Webb in the final and was handed a trophy from Conteh.

A man of few words, Liverpudlian Fielding - who seemed a little awed by the cameras and questions - did say he planned to celebrate with a night on the town with his band of supporters.

Well deserved, for sure.

Here are my observations from the night:

* It might be stating the obvious but the sight of former WBC Super-Middleweight Champion shuffling around in ponderous fashion was sad to see. Credit to his opponent Tobias Webb for using good movement to take a well deserved win. Reid may have come into the fight in splendid-looking condition but he lacked sharpness. Perhaps he'd been concentrating too much on conditioning and not enough on sparring. His reaction to losing was a little disappointing.

* How does Jahmaine Smyle make the 12 stone mark? The muscle-bound puncher from Leicester, who gave a very good account of himself, looked enormous for the weight. Perhaps having very thin legs helps him hit the mark. For some reason, I thought of Jermain Taylor - a similarly-proportioned boxer.

* While Rocky Fielding may have triumphed, arguably Jahmaine Smyle and Tobias Webb made the greatest impressions on the night. Both inexperienced fighters will have picked up great experience from the night and can look to pushing on towards domestic title fights in the not too distant future if they carry on their progression. Fielding can be proud of his win but one could make a case for him having an easier route to the final where he faced...Tobias Webb, who had already pipped Reid and Smyle in close contests and was clearly drained by this stage. No matter, that's the fun of Prizefighter!

* Tobias Webb's uncle Enzo Maccarinelli was ringside and is said to be trimming himself down from Cruiserweight to Light Heavyweight. Most people have concerns the drop in weight will further weaken his punch resistance. He looked a little drawn - from the effects of dropping weight?

* Finally, on a slightly sour note, just how did Ainscough get the judges' nod against Wayne Reed? Ainscough was game and brave but knocked down in the third round and appeared to be outboxed in the first.

Vitali Klitschko - Odlanier Solis: Premature Ending

The 19,000-strong crowd who gathered at The Lanxess Arena in Cologne may have felt a little short changed after they only got three minutes of action for a WBC Heavyweight Championship contest between Vitali Klitschko and Odlanier Solis.

In the opening round Klitschko used his long reach to try and push Solis - who had trimmed down a little to 249 and a half pounds - against the ropes.

Solis seemed to be happy to move backwards and stay around the edges, enabling him the chance to potentially jump in with counter combinations and also keep away from his opponent and try and box on his own terms.

Klitschko appeared to be pawing rather throwing heavy-handed jabs - although of course, this was the opening round of what was supposed to be a 12 round contest.

Again, while it's hard to gauge what might or might not have happened during the course of the fight, it was evident that Solis was impressively catching Klitschko, who looked a little open, with counters from his fast hands.

Then it was all over.

Klitschko connected with a hook to the top of Solis' head that appeared to rock him. His legs then buckled and he fell down, clutching his knee.

He rose unsteadily and referee waved the fight off.

Initially there were claims Solis had faked an injury and was actually reeling from the punch he sustained to the head rather than any knee injury. Fuel was added to the fire after Klitschko accused Solis of faking the injury.

However, medical records have since shown Solis suffered an anterior cruciate ligament rupture, articular cartilage damage and meniscal tear in the right knee.

The ending was unsatisfactory. Diffferent interpretations could be taken from the fight. Solis showed glimpses of what he might have been able to do with his fast hands, while Klitschko might have used his reach to keep the smaller man from coming inside.

Klitshcko and Solis surely have unfinished business.

DeGale - Groves: The Promotion Begins

It's a rarity to see two special prospects allowed off the leash to take on one another at relatively stages of their career.

But that's what's going to happen on the night of Saturday 21st May at The O2 Arena in London when British Super-Middleweight Champion James DeGale clashes with arch enemy George Groves, a Commonwealth title holder in the same division.

At the press conference which took place to publicise the fight today (17th May) it would appear both boxers have set out their stalls as far as publicity is concerned.

Floyd Mayweather Jr - Ricky Hatton would seem to be the promotional model.

Now bear with me, neither boxer has earned the right yet to be compared with the above two titans but it's the nearest match from recent memory in terms of exaggerated 'Good Guy v Bad Guy' personas.

DeGale appears to be playing the 'off the wall', flash, brash, (wannabe) superstar. Groves, by contrast, has come across as somewhat more subdued and perhaps more likeable. Of course, things may change in the build up if DeGale gets under Groves' skin and the more quiet character turns into somebody more agitated and animated.

It'll be interested to see what the public makes of it all - if they care.

DeGale has the Olympic gold behind him and might hope, or have hoped already, that he would be treated like a hero. After impressively beating Paul Smith in his Liverpool backyard to win his British belt he's certainly shut some critics up.

Yet, there are sure to be some boos for a person perceived by some as not having enough class or humility. It has to be said DeGale's ring entrance song, a rap entitled "Chunky", is cringe-worthy. So too his ridiculous dance step immediately after winning fights.

Mind you, does talk of naff music and silly poses sound like someone else who made a lucrative career from the sport. Yes, Chris Eubank, who always came to the ring to Simply The Best and used to do his peacock strut.

Eubank eventually won fans over and whether loved or hated, he appeared to make healthy money from the sport. So perhaps there's logic behind DeGale's attitude.

Groves could attract fans who simply want to see DeGale get beaten. While DeGale is impressive to watch when he gets his combinations going, Groves, by contrast, is arguably more fun and fan-friendly, if a little vulnerable.

Hopefully James DeGale against George Groves will boost the coverage of British boxing for all the right reasons. Maybe some casual observers are concerned after what happened when the heavily-hyped contest between David Haye and Audley Harrison took place.

This fight has all the ingredients to be a great night for British boxing. Let's hope it doesn't disappoint.

Charlie Magri: Champagne Charlie

This blog might have looked at great British boxers never to win a world title but one man who could very nearly have fallen into that category - but thankfully didn't - is a man they called Champagne Charlie.

Anyone wishing to experience the extreme highs and lows of being a professional boxer should pick up Charlie Magri's excellent autobiography, which was published in 2007.

Two parts of the book stick in the mind as memorable.

At one stage Charlie Magri was the WBC Flyweight Champion of the World Eloncio Mercedes and swaggering up and down the East End with his prized belt. The next moment, three years later at the age of 30, he was running through the streets with tears in his eyes as the realisation his career was over.

What does a man who has known and loved the routine of training, sparring, weight-making and fighting since a youngster do with himself now?

Magri could so easily have been a nearly-man after getting stopped twice earlier in his career and then having to wait - and wait - for a shot at the world title. Bear in mind Magri had a brilliant amateur pedigree and took the British Flyweight title in just three fights and the European belt in his 12th contest.

By the time he took on Mercedes he was 26 and he later admitted to being past his peak by this stage. Fortunately he picked up a win on cuts after a close contest. It was pretty much a slide down from there on but at least Magri was given his moment in the sun.

The book is not all doom and gloom though and for some humour try reading a section on Magri's British title triumph with Dave Smith. Needing to relieve himself in the toilet before the fight, who did Magri bump into? Only Dave Smith!

Smith apparently asked Magri if he was nervous to which Champagne Charlie stated there was no chance of that!

Nearly Men: Herol Graham

In the 1980s, as far as Sheffield was concerned, Herol Graham was king.

The Nottingham-born, Sheffield-based man could do nothing wrong with his dazzling footwork, blurring handspeed and switch-hitting style that had most opponents swiping at air. Their frustration would manifest itself as the delighted Graham would continue to dodge, duck and hit before cranking up the pressure.

Graham picked up British, Commonwealth and European honours at Light-Middleweight and the British and European Middleweight titles.

Perhaps defensive genius Graham was just too good, if there's such a thing. He just could not get a shot at a world title and wasn't until he'd had 42 fights and been professional for nearly nine years that he got his chance. Incredibly his final chance at world honours came another nine years later.

Unfortunately the opponent was not some predictable come-forward fireball but the exceptionally gifted Mike McCallum - who equally struggled to attract the big names.

The result of the 1989 bout for the WBA Middleweight Championship in London was a split decision loss for Graham.

A year later Bomber got another shot at a world title when he took on Julian Jackson. Graham boxed beautifully, cutting his opponent and having him on the brink of being stopped before he was caught with an explosive shot in the fourth round that left him out cold.

In 1992 after two back-to-back losses Graham retired. Nobody would have guessed four years later he would come back and make another run for the title.

After four straight wins Bomber got a chance to take on IBF Super-Middleweight Champion Charles Brewer. After a bright start Graham looked like he might just realise his dream but unfortunately the younger, fresher and much stronger Brewer came storming back. In the tenth round Graham was stopped with one judge having him a point ahead, the other a point behind and one judge having the score even.

Hard luck Herol.

At least he can look back on forging ahead with a flashy, tricky style that went on to become the hallmark of his trainer Brendan Ingle's fighters. The switch-hitting, hands-down style was later used to good effect by the likes of Johnny Nelson, Junior Witter, Esham Pickering and of course, Prince Naseem Hamed.

* Postscript: To discover the extent of Graham's popularity in Sheffield, see Johnny Nelson's autobiography Hard Road To Glory. Nelson lived with Graham for a period of time and admits to attracting attractive ladies to the house who were seemingly more interested in Nelson's more illustrive housemate!

Bute - Magee: Battle Of The Southpaws

It's great to see a hard-working, honest pro like Brian Magee get a return to the limelight after time spent seemingly in the wilderness - or at least under the radar.

It was more than eight years ago that Northern Irishman Magee (34-3-1) picked up the lightly-regarded IBO Super-Middleeight title. The belt might not have meant much but it led to some nice paydays in front of an adoring Belfast crowd - most notably a win over former champ Hacine Cherifi in November 2003.

Magee was being tipped for serious success but somewhere along the line Magee went a little off track. After beating Cherifi there were rumblings about Magee's chin when he was dropped in the first round against unheralded Jerry Elliott.

Then in 2004 Robin Reid came along.

At The Kings Hall, with a packed audience, a potentially exciting fight turned out to be a poor bout from start to finish in which the younger Magee had been expected to make an emphatic statement against his ageing opponent (who incidentally has just come out of retirement, aged 40!).

Reid knocked Magee down four times - posing more question marks about Magee's chin - but still only scraped through a points win after time wasting, holding on and mucking about. He got the job done though.

In 2006 Magee was stopped in the 11th round with a chilling knockout by Carl Froch, who had seemed out of sorts. Of course, with hindsight the result looks better over time given two judges had Froch only one round ahead after 10 rounds.

Since then he's unbeaten in 10 fights and last year impressively won the European Super-Middleweight title by stopping Mads Larsen in seven rounds, following that fight up with one defence.

Now it's Magee's chance to make a statement and wipe out past dissapointments. On offer is the IBF belt against Lucian Bute, considered by some to be the number one in the division.

Magee must fancy his chances - or at least the payday - after turning down a far easier shot at alphabet WBO holder Robert Stieglitz.

Credit to Magee for taking the tougher, but potentially more rewarding, road.

In front of a partisan Canadian crowd Magee has his work cut out and faces a quick, strong and punishing fighter who seems to be improving.

With six defences of his belt (five by stoppages), fellow southpaw Bute (27-0) will be the overwhelming favourite.

Magee can draw confidence from his close contest with Froch and has arguably improved a lot since then, teaming up with trainer Bernard Checa. He also appears to be hitting the weight more effectively after years of ballooning up and struggling to scale down.

Further, Bute has not always looked invincible - or at least one night he certainly didn't when he took on Librado Andrade, who nearly stopped Bute after having him rocking and reeling in the final round. Fortunately for Bute he already had built a healthy points lead and held on. One year later he switched from his box and move tactics deployed in the first fight to stop the aggressive, iron-chinned Andrade in four rounds in the rematch.

Bute looks in great shape, is unlikely to be too sloppy with lucrative contests against the likes of Froch and possibly Mikkel Kessler (who is expected to be at ringside) in the pipeline.

Magee is brave and ready. He boxes well and having experienced some highs and lows is unlikely to be too daunted. He fought in Larsen's backyard and is likely to be calm and collected.

However, Magee's recent resurgence could have gone as far as it will do. At the age of 35 he may have already reached his peak.

I would envisage Magee putting up a brave showing that will earn him some new fans. The class of Bute will tell as he selects his shots and looks to startle the oncoming Magee with combinations from a variety of angles. Bute could get the stoppage by the ninth round.

* Postscipt: The outcome was, as anticipated, a Lucian Bute stoppage. This came in the 10th round.

Brian Magee gave a good account of himself and was brave in there, providing a stern test of Bute's credentials.

However, Bute had too much in the arsenal and the bodyshots wore down Magee.

Magee may have enough left, and have earned the chance, to have a shot at a world title eliminator. He definitely showed he's a European class - if not better boxer.

Despite the defeat, he deserves credit.

Bute should now look at stepping up another level in a division filled with talent. Andre Dirrell perhaps? Mikkel Kessler would also be another possible opponent.

Vitali Klitschko - Odlanier Solis: Wasted Potential

This weekend a talented fighter with a wonderful amateur boxing pedigree will take to the ring and try and prise the WBC Heavyweight Championship from Vitali Klitschko.

Cuban Odlanier Solis - who beat David Haye and the exceptionally talented and legendary Felix Savon twice in the amateurs - stands in one corner. He has sharp hands and a nice fluid style.

In the opposite corner stands an upright and mechanical fighter from Ukraine - Vitali Klitschko. He can be stiff and at times ungainly but he's incredibly effective with 41 wins and only two defeats (one loss was due to an injury and the other due to cuts).

Here's the sting in the tail though - dedication.

Klitschko always comes in well conditioned. He fights with focus and control and while not necessarily being exciting he is brutally effective at shutting down his opponent with his huge reach, often simply only needing to exert a few jabs and straight rights to gain dominance.

Solis is a different kettle of fish. He has come into fights looking flabby and lethargic. Perhaps he's come to like a party of two? No matter what his excuse, it's a shame as he has the talent but not the dedication and he freely admits to not particularly enjoying boxing.

Solis' last fight was abysmal as he laboured to a poor, poor diqualification victory over 10 sorry rounds against 40-year-old Ray Austin - someone who was blown out in two rounds against Vitali's brother Wladimir, another world champion.

This week, at the press conference, Solis has not looked he has shed much weight in preparation for what could be a life-changing chance to become a heavyweight champion.

Of course the heavyweight division is so exciting as one punch can change everything, such is the power at that level. Undefeated Solis has 12 knockouts in 17 wins and if he comes in motivated - as he should be! - he has a chance of making things difficult for Klitschko.

However, while Vitali may be nine years older than Solis, at 39, I believe he will use his extensive experience to good advantage. He may wisely take a few rounds to eye up his prey and see what he's got. But after the halfway point expect Vitali to use his height and reach to start crashing in punishing straight lefts and rights to keep the 6ft 1in Solis at bay.

I think Solis - who had more than 200 amateur fights and won Olympic Gold in 2004 - will use his own experience to cling on and I would not be surprised to see Klitschko fail to score a knockout but instead win a dominant points decision.

* Postcript: I predicted a 12 round points victory for Klitschko and...Solis was stopped in the first round.

Close - but no cigar, as they say.

My observation of the opening round was that Solis' speed gave him a good chance of troubling Klitschko for as long as the fight continued. Klitschko meanwhile seemed to be able to keep Solis on the ropes for long periods - whether this was where Solis chose to be or was made to be, who knows?

As for the ending, despite some bloodthirsty fans calling Solis a quitter I feel this is grossly unfair. Medical reports showed he had damaged his knees. Whether the punch caused his knees to buckle and the injury to occur, or whether his knees buckled because of the injury in the first place, it's hard to tell.

Cotto - Margarito: This Time It's Personal

As expected, Miguel Cotto had too much for Ricardo Mayorga at the weekend and stopped his foe in the 12th round to reclaim his WBA Light-Middleweight belt.

Mayorga put up a spirited display but the ice-cool focus and undoubtedly better boxing skills of Cotto shone through, marking something of a resurgence for a fighter who had looked dispirited with the sport since losing to Antonio Margarito in 2008.

Bringing in respected trainer Emanuel Steward appears to have helped Cotto rediscover his zest for boxing. Margarito, on the other hand, is coming off the back of a brutal beatdown to Manny Pacquiao in which he absorbed 12 rounds of punishment.

Rewind to the night in July 2008 after Cotto and Margarito fought and their prospects were very different.

Julio Cesar Chavez entered the ring to cogratulate Margarito on his 11th round stoppage of Cotto after a thrilling fight in which Cotto had boxed well to take charge in the first half before Margarito's relentless pressure caught up with the back-pedalling Puerto Rican.

At that stage Margarito was king of the welterweights and looking ahead to fortune and fame but a downward slide was to follow after Margarito was found to have had tampered handwraps before taking on Shane Mosley. That night he was taken apart in nine rounds and his reputation and legacy were called into question.

People asked: Was the win over Cotto legitimate?

The roles have reversed and after beating Mayorga, Cotto is looking at facing Margarito in a rematch.

The tension between the two was clear at the after-fight press conference where Margarito, a spectator at the contest, came to the podium and offered his hand to Cotto only to be turned away with an icy glare.

If the fight goes ahead - with July suggested for the rematch to take place - this would be a chance for Cotto to move on from the dark clouds of that fight once and for all. Cotto may or may not have lost a bit of bounce since then but he still has the quality to beat most contenders out there.

Margarito has looked jaded since Mosley starched him but he's still got a sting in the tail. Cotto - who showed focus and purpose against Mayorga, keeping his emotions in check - will need the same approach if he's to overcome his nemesis.

DeGale - Groves: A Question Of Timing?

Next month two of Britain's brightest prospects are supposed to be squaring off against each other - James DeGale and George Groves.

I say "supposed to be" as there are still doubts whether the Super-Middleweight match-up - on 9th April The Olympia in Kensington, London - will really take place.

There are concerns the fight is coming around too soon - both in the short-term (DeGale and Groves both fought this month) and long-term (they have only fought 22 times between them). Some claim either of the two fighters may pull out injured in the meantime and/or promotional problems (both boxers have different promoters) could scupper the bout.

I don't want to rain on the parade as no matter whether the two talented boxers should be fighting now or in two years' time it's still an exciting domestic match-up which will have British fight fans drooling. While some believe the bout should wait until the two men are more seasoned - and possibly fighting for a world title - the danger is always that one of the two could have a bad setback loss to derail the match-up or a gap in class between the two could grow to ruin the prospect of a potentially close contest.

Ultimately this fight will stir up a great deal of interest and possibly draw in some casual fans along the way with DeGale and Groves appearing to have a long-running feud stemming from a disputed amateur win for Groves (both boxers always used to train at the same gym and spar together).

In advance of this proposed fight here are some points to consider:

Groves is the more in-your-face fighter of the two and will look to exert extreme pressure on DeGale. The Olympic Gold medallist has not had his chin properly tested, nor has been forced to fight at a relentless pace. Liverpudlian Paul Smith was supposed to ask those questions but was blown away both by DeGale's speed and class. It could also be argued Smith was a little too small at the weight to push DeGale back. Groves instead, drawing on the confidence of knowing Degale well at amateur level, will look to drive his man back and take him out of his comfort zone.

Groves, like his promoter and mentor David Haye, chooses to fight with his left hand low. There are different viewpoints on this style - some argue it allows the boxer to be loose and springy, with the angle the shot appears from often surpring an opponent. On the flipside there is every danger the boxer will be left exposed to a nice right hook and it's likely switch-hitter DeGale will look to use a southpaw stance to score right hooks with good effect. Groves was put down and shaken by Scotsman Kenny Anderson, who took the shot at Groves' Commonwealth belt at short notice. Hammersmith fighter Groves also admitted to being shaken up during a sparring session with Carl Froch (some, including DeGale, claim he was knocked out). So there are some question marks about Groves' defence and punch resistance.

Of the two DeGale would appear to have the better skills with a flashy set of combinations, sharp and fast hands and ever-improving footwork. Worryingly, he seems to be getting even better and has passed his recent tests - against decent domestic level opponents Carl Dilks and Paul Smith - with flying colours. I would envisage the Harlesden man looking to pick off Groves with sharp counters as the come-forward fighter leaves himself open by being a little reckless. I think Groves is too brave to be deterred and will not stop ploughing ahead - something which could either be his downfall or open up the door to success if DeGale finds he does not like the intense pressure.

Both men know each other so well that the opening rounds could turn out to be cagey as neither boxer would want to leave themselves open to a humiliating early exit. But after the nerves have been shaken off, who will prevail? Will DeGale conduct a dominant showcase of his repertoire of boxing skills? For me, Groves' best chance is to ruffle up DeGale, take him out of his comfort zone and whip in bodyshots to test the resilience of the man known as Chunky (who walks around at 190lbs).

I don't think it will be enough to stop the ever-improving DeGale's rise and envisage Chunky stopping his brave and game opponent in the latter half of the fight.

This grudge fight has the potential to be a memorable one for British boxing.


* Postscript: Today (17th March) it's been announced that the Degale - Groves fight will take place at the O2 Arena in London on 21st May on the undercard of Nathan Cleverly's fight with Jurgen Braehmer. The extra time to prepare has to be a good thing although this fight would perhaps be better suited as a headliner. This could still happen perhaps if Braehmer's legal issues stop the headline contest from going ahead.


* Poscript II: (30th March) Well, the excitement of the fight - listening to interviews, watching the head-to-head and considering other respected analysists' views - is getting me thinking.

My initial thoughts were of an intense, heated scrap with DeGale using his counter-punching skills to force a stoppage in the second half of the fight against a brave, oncoming Groves.

But based on watching DeGale's and Grove's previous fights in further detail I'm now not so sure. I'm undecided.

Groves, I feel, has better skills than he is credited and can rely on the wily, calm and assured advice of Adam Booth - who has done wonders with David Haye.

I think the Charles Adamu contest shows Groves at his best (against a fighter who is of course several levels below DeGale). The way he picked his shots was brilliant, keeping Adamu on the back foot. He moved in and out well and wasn't too gung-ho.

If Groves adopts a more cautious, shot-picking approach - avoiding DeGale's goading for him to fly in like a wildman - we could be in for an entirely different sort of contest. A more cagey, tactical affair. Many would argue this would favour the supposed better 'pure boxer' in DeGale. Let's see.

The questions I have, which should be answered come fight night, are these:

- What has Groves learned from his toughest fight to date against Kenny Anderson? Groves showed guts to pull through after looking open and being knocked down. Anderson hadn't had long to prepare for this fight and afterwards Groves took a lot of flak. He will lose if he fights with the same wild approach against DeGale. However, although many would question whether there's really enough time to do this, Groves could become a much better defensive fighter after learning from what happened here. The concern might be Groves believing the way he came through this gritty contest shows he can power through anything. That would be a big mistake against DeGale. A fighter that comes to mind is Kevin Mitchell, who pulled through against Carl Johanneson after a rocky patch that looked like he would be stopped. For me - despite showing a clever boxing approach against Breidis Prescott - Mitchell never appeared to learn from that fight, leading up to the devastating loss to Michael Katsidis.

- What has DeGale learned from his toughest fight to date against Paul Smith? DeGale looked fantastic in beating British Super-Middleweight Champion Smith in his backyard. He dominated proceedings and can rightly take huge confidence going in against Groves. DeGale's trainer, Jim McDonnell, claims fighters like DeGale only come along every 20 years. That might get some wetting their lips in anticipation about just how brilliant DeGale can become. However, while DeGale showed how talented he is against Smith, he didn't need to answer questions about his punch resistance. Will he be looking at the mistakes he made - and there were a few points in the fight when he looked a little sloppy - or will he not care?

DeGale and Groves are still slightly raw and most British fight fans would feel their vast potential has not been fully realised. When they take to the ring here's hoping they bring the best out of each other.

Ricky Burns: On The Road To Becoming The Greatest?

Ricky Burns, who defends his WBO Super-Featherweight title this weekend, is on the road to becoming Scotland's greatest fighter.

So says his trainer Billy Nelson (no bias there eh?) as Burns makes the second defence of his title against Ghanian Joseph Laryea.

Burns, who won the title after a thrilling tussle with Roman Martinez, is a credit to the sport. He's hard working, has nice, sharp skills and has learned from two earlier career defeats - to Alex Arthur and Carl Johanneson.

He's shown that a loss can be taken as a positive rather than a crisis and good on him.

Yet, I still think he still has some way yet to becoming Scotland's greatest champion and neither Laryea (14-4) nor Burns' previous opponent, Andreas Evensen (13-1 at the time), will help him fulfill that legacy.

It's no secret that Burns (30-2), a massive fighter for the super-featherweight division, struggles with the weight and it could well be his team is looking to rack up a few relatively easy defences to build up Burns' name and earn him more lucrative fights.

It would not be surprising to see Burns continue to improve, such is his attitude and dedication to the sport. However, for now there are some great Scottish fighters still standing some way above him.

Ken Buchanan (61-8): Some make a claim for Buchanan arguably being Britain's greatest boxer of all time. In 1970 he beat the great Ismael Laguma of Panama to win the WBA Lightweight Championship, making two defences - including a rematch with Laguma - before losing to Roberto Duran in 1972 after a controversial low blow. Buchanan's non-title fights are equally impressive, including a number of talented and dangerous former and future champions and contenders from the era as Buchanan took to the road, often fighting in America where he was highly thought of.

Jim Watt (38-8): Persistent is the word for Watt, both in style and career. A couple of earlier setbacks - including a points loss to Buchanan in 1973 - did not stop him becoming WBC Lightweight Champion in 1979 at the age of 30, more than 10 years after turning professional. Four defences against solid competition followed before he lost to the brilliant Alexis Arguello over 15 rounds in 1981.

Scott Harrison (25-2-2): What could have been? Harrison was doggedly determined, a swarming fighter who was massive for the weight and used his size to great advantage. Seven defences of the less regarded WBO Featherweight belt is impressive although he appeared a little fortunate to earn a draw in his defence against Columbian Victor Polo in 2005. In that fight Polo used movement to trouble the sometimes mechanical Harrison. Problems with alcohol and personal issues, coupled with legal problems, led to Harrison's demise and he's not been in the ring since 2005.

* Postscript: Today (Friday) Ricky Burns' manager Alex Morrison has issued a statement distancing himself from Billy Nelson's comments.


Morrison is quoted thus: “I wish to disassociate myself from recent comments in the media by Ricky’s trainer, Billy Nelson, in which he claimed Ricky is two fights away from becoming Scotland’s best-ever boxer.
"Ricky will be happy that he is being compared to former champions like Jim Watt, Ken Buchanan and Scott Harrison but will be very unhappy that anyone working closely with him has said he is, or even close to becoming, Scotland’s best ever-boxer.
"Ricky has a lot to live up to and I am sure he will do so. However, he does not need pressure like this put upon him.
 “My ambition for Ricky is that he leaves the ring like Jim Watt did, with his health, money, popularity and looks intact. Billy Nelson has done a terrific job with Ricky and has improved him to different levels. But he should remember that is where his role ends and let Ricky do his talking in the ring."

Nearly Men: Kirkland Laing

"The Gifted One". What an appropriate ring nicknmane for an extraordinarily talented fighter.

Of course Kirkland Laing was called a fair few other names during the course of his career. Perhaps his exasperated promoter Mickey Duff, who might have chosen to blame Laing for his loss of hair, would have preferred to call him "The Frustrating One".

That would be an understatement. Laing's life would make a cracking film.

The Jamaican-born Welterweight  from Nottingham with sideways-facing feet and lightening-quick reflexes climbed up the British rankings. With incredibly adept and agile defence (he usually chose to duck and move out the way, rather than block, successfully destroying his opponents' confidence), nice power and wonderful shot selection he looked the part but came down to earth with a bump losing his unbeaten record to Welshman Colin Jones in a British title fight he was winning by dropping his hands and getting caught.

He again lost to Jones after getting careless and cocky but one year later the smile would be back on his face when he surged into global consciousness with a stunning points victory over the legendary Roberto Duran in 1982. That should have the been the beginning of fortune and fame for the affable, curious and erratic pugilist.

No such luck as he disappeared for a year. Various rumours circulated that Duran had closed himself off the public with a woman in tow. Meanwhile, Duran came back to the fore and was reckoned to have made $6million during his next four years.

Finally Kirkland emerged but was knocked out by the unheralded Fred Hutchings.

That, as you might expect, was not the end of the story. In 1987 Laing had something of a resurgence - albeit at a lower level - with a win over Sylvester Mittee to reclaim the British title. He defended this three times and also went on to take the European Welterweight belt against Antoine Fernandez.

However, after a points loss to Patrizio Oliva in Italy - a fight he really should have won - Laing's career slowly slided away. In 1994 he had his final fight, with Glenn Catley, and was stopped in five rounds.

Laing was in the news in 2003 after he fell from his balcony at his Hackney flat. Then in 2008 he was fined £350 for dropping orange peel on a street in Nottingham. He is now said to be currently living with his family in Nottingham and I'm sure most boxing fans would wish the likeable maverick well.

Shots of his best moments in the ring at his best portray a relaxed and brilliantly unorthodox fighter at work. His dreadlocks bouncing up and down, a glint in his eye and those fast hands springing from all angles as his fluid footwork glides around the ring. A magician in one corner and no doubt a frustrated air-puncher in the other.

* As a footnote to Laing's captivating career I would point any fight fan in the direction of a fantastic, engaging book on the man. Oliver Jarratt's The Gifted One is well researched and nicely written and guess what - all profits from the book go to Kirkland Laing himself.

For further details, see http://www.oliverjarratt.com/.

Whatever Happened to: Six Heads and Vivian?

It looks like Vivian Harris has returned to his home country, Guyana, to continue his career after a number of setbacks in previous years.

The former WBA Light-Welterweight Champion has only won one of his previous five fights and is scheduled to fight against a TBA opponent on May 26th.

Harris is expected to be joined by former WBA Welterweight Champion Andrew Lewis - who was given the curious nickname of "Six Heads".

Both fighters - whose respective heydays were in America - are following a similar boxing route to former Middleweight world title challenger Howard Eastman in continuing their careers in Guyana.

However, Eastman is not scheduled to appear on the bill. He has been beset by legal problems and last year was remanded to prison after being charged with trafficking narcotics. Eastman pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Boxing Documentaries: Scott Harrison

It goes without saying that boxing makes a great subject for documentaries, offering the film-maker a chance to try and delve into the soul of a fighter.

What makes him tick? Why does he choose to punch people for a living?

Whether it's Eubank quoting a philosopher or Tyson racing pigeons, boxing often makes for a fascinating subject matter - as I recently viewed in the excellent BBC documentary Scott Harrison - On The Ropes.

The documentary is available via Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bspwkaRVV4

Here are the details:

In October 2007 former world champion boxer Scott Harrison announced his return to the ring, and began training for a comeback fight. A year later he was in prison.

Storyline had exclusive access to the worst year of Harrison's life, as the man once dubbed The Real McCoy made court appearances in Scotland and in Spain, and suffered personal tragedy while battling with the boxing authorities, the law and his own demons.

The result is a riveting, if somewhat naive documentary charting Harrison's attempts to make a comeback (the film-maker admits he's not a knowledgable boxing fan; referring to Scott Harrison as the greatest Scottish boxer of all time may not curry favour with those who remember a certain Ken Buchanan).

It's a chance to see just how hard a world champion pushes their body to the limits in training - in Harrison's case the Highland mountains. It's also a chance to see the descent of Harrison's career as personal and legal problems mount and (understandably) blight his focus on boxing.

A poignant documentary a mere few clicks of the mouse away. Well worth a visit.

Nearly Men: Michael Brodie

Here's the first of a series of articles celebrating (if that's the right word) the best British fighters never to get their hands on a proper world title. First up is Mancunian warhorse Michael Brodie...

Trying to find a classic Michael Brodie fight is a bit like trying to find a good Chinese restaurant in London's Chinatown - you're spoilt for choice.

'Mikie' couldn't be in a bad fight if he tried and despite having some neat boxing skills, more often than not he would get drawn into a tear-up with thrilling consequences.

Take your pick from his impressive legacy.

One of my personal favourites was Brodie's British Super-Bantamweight Championship see-saw battle with Neil Swain in 1997. These two warriors traded blows for fun, with either fighter looking ready to go at various stages of the scrap. The younger, fresher Brodie eventually prevailed in the tenth round and Swain was never to fight again - despite his heroic efforts.

Another classic battle came in 2003 against In-Jin Chi for the vacant WBC Featherweight title. Going into the bout Brodie was favoured over a relatively unknown South Korean opponent (whose best effort had been a valiant but clear losing effort to the great Erik Morales). In-jin Chi was massive at the weight and used a steam roller method to try and drive back the naturally smaller Brodie. The Mancuanian boxer tried to use the sharper skills and his best efforts came when he used sickening body shots which proved more effective against the granite-chinned Chi. It was hard to separate the two and after Chi had initially been announced the victor, the cards were checked again and a draw was the outcome.

Brodie didn't seem the same after that and lost his next two world title shots. First he was bulldozed by Chi in the rematch (Brodie at this stage appeared to have personal problems surrounding a messy divorce) and a 2005 shot against then WBO belt holder Scott Harrison - despite a few classy moments - ended in a fourth round knockout.

Despite two comback fights the road to a world title for Brodie has long ended.

Surely his best opportunity to win a world title was in 2000 against Willie Jorrin. Attempting to win the Super-Bantamweight Championship Brodie was desperately unlucky to lose a majority points decision after most obsevers had him winning.

It was a hard luck story for Brodie who never managed to get Naseem Hamed in the ring with him (the two had fought has amateurs, with Hamed prevailing). Unfortunately he neither got the chance to fight Spencer Oliver - a hugely talented Super-Bantamweight from Barnet who had to retire at the age of 23 after suffering a brain clot.

Michael Brodie unquestionably had the tools to be a world champion, though he was better suited to Super-Bantamweight as he often lacked the presence of size at featherweight. His strengths were an iron will, nice jab and ability to deliver wicked bodyshots.

To win the British and Commonwealth titles and to defend the European Championship five times is an impressive feat. While to cap it all off, delivering stunning fan-friendly fights is a fine accomplishment.

Assuming he doesn't return to the ring (his last fight was a third round knockout to Anthony Crolla last year), Brodie's record reads 36-4-1. This talented and brave fighter can be justifiably proud of his achievements if consider himself unlucky not to have won a world title.

Zab Judah: Short Attention Span

Zab Judah is back in the mix after picking up the IBF Light-Welterweight Championship with a seventh round stoppage of Kaizer Mabuza.

Picking up another belt at 140 pounds after previously going up to welterweight, and having similar success, is an impressive feat.

Of course he's not the number one at light-welterweight - although perhaps he could contend for the title of most dangerous with his lightening-quick hands and hard punch. Most would put Timothy Bradley and Amir Khan ahead of him, while you could make a claim for Devon Alexander and Marcos Maidana also being better placed.

According to reports this week, Judah has his eyes set on Juan Manuel Marquez: "I like the Marquez fight. I like what he is. I like what he’s going to bring to the table. That’s the kind of fight I’m looking for.”

A mistake if you ask me.

For all Judah's natural skills - speed, reflexes, shots from unorthodox angles, power and confidence - he has one major flaw which is crucial to the make-up of any elite boxer.

That's his attention span.

Take his second round defeat to Kostya Tszyu, where this deficiency was highlighted. During the first round Judah showcased his flashy skills, peppering Tszyu with fast flurries. He looked a level above his more patient, stalking - but slower - opponent.

Any observer might have thought the first round would indicate how the rest of the fight would be dictated. How wrong they would be. Judah foolishly switched off, Tszyu stepped in and...bang! It was all over.

In 2006 Judah still hadn't learned his lesson when he took on the previously unheralded Carlos Baldomir. Looking ahead to a lucrative clash with Floyd Mayweather Jr he lost his focus and came up short against a fighter with lesser skills.

Three months later the problem again was focus (along with the tremendous skills of Mayweather). After a bright start where Judah's speed troubled Mayweather, he again lost focus. His attention drifted and he looked to be heading for a stoppage loss until some low blows bought him a reprieve.

In 2007 Judah took on Miguel Cotto and once again had his moments, rocking his gritty opponent with dazzling shorts. Again he came up short under the constant attention and drive of his opponent. After a brave showing he eventually succumbed.

Juan Manuel Marquez. He's someone that doesn't suffer in the attention span stakes. In fact, it could be one of his best assets.

Where Judah is all bravado (often talking to the crowd and/or his opponent, poking his tongue out, wasting time with Super Judah t-shirts chucked to the crowd and flashing his diamoned-encrusted teeth), Marquez is all focus. He treats the spot like chess, looking for a tactical, counter-punching masterclass.

Marquez would relish the chance to show up his opponent. With a steely glare akin to Tsyzu focused on his opponent, I could see him taking control of the fight - should the 37-year-old's legs continue to defy his age.

I believe Marquez would be able to answer all the questions posed by Judah's speed and power. Judah, on the other hand, does not appear to like questions being asked of him. His focus drifts as the fight wears on. He prefers to dictate proceedings and against second level fighters often gets his way.

If the fight did go ahead, Marquez would have the perfect opponent to put on another boxing masterclass.