UK Fight Scene
By David Payne
06.12 - Welcome back to the news and
stories from the buoyant British scene, fresh from
the emergence of the latest 154lb star from these
shores.
The Secret is well and truly out!
From the shadows of Britain’s most
competitive division. ‘The Secret’ Richard
Williams 15-1 (13), announced his arrival on the world
Light Middleweight Scene, with a brutal two handed
destruction of valid world rated Aussie Shannan Taylor
29-3-1 (19).
Williams, the languid boxer/puncher
started slowly as the typically tough Taylor welcomed
him to world class with punishing left hand body shots.
The Australian was alert from the bell and was himself
looking to reconfigure his own career having lost
two of the last three - although defeat to P4P great
oh so sweet Sugar Shane Mosley raised his profile
as much as career best stoppage of a prime Willy Wise.
The always smiling Williams, who was
accompanied to the ring by the London Gospel Choir,
tried to appear confident through Taylor’s early
success. Although, post fight Williams would trumpet
his power, the punches didn’t seem to trouble
him reflecting on either Taylor’s Welterweight
history or Williams’ whiskers depending on your
viewpoint.
‘The Secret’ surged through
all the gears in the fourth, landing a choice right
hand early, the disorientated Taylor slumped to the
ropes as Williams rained in the blows, Terry O’
Conner looked ready to stop the fight until Taylor
snapped back with a chopping right.
This single shot failed to deflect the
soon to be IBO Light Middleweight Champion as he detonated
another flawless right that brought the packed York
Hall to its feet, O’Conner gave the ‘Bulli
Blaster’ every opportunity to fire back before
saving him at 2min 17 of the fourth.
Although 30, Williams is low on mileage
and high on skills and whilst the cynical hacks whispered
that Taylor was ‘damaged goods’ this particular
writer was as impressed as the ringside WBF Champ
Steve Roberts must have been at the awesome finish
Williams provided.
I could speak of the mouth watering
match ups available in the domestic 154lb division,
but regular readers will have grown tired of it by
now and Williams like rival Takaloo is already looking
beyond them.
Armour plated veteran
Amongst the entertaining undercard at
the world famous York Hall, Bethnal Green, ticket
seller Johnny Armour 28-1 (17) returned, almost a
year since his frantic battle with ringside observer
Francis Ampofo.
Appearing after the main event, Armour
tried desperately to stop game journeyman Ian Turner
7-7-2 (1), coming close in round four when he dropped
the Welshman.
Turner survived to drop a wide points
decision but enjoyed success with the retreating left
jab, Armour could only pour on the pressures in bursts
revealing his 33 years and virtual semi-retirement
of the last two years.
Of course Armour is unlikely to ever
reach the heights of genuine world class, having been
viscously destroyed by Carlos Navaro in his previous
excursion to that level. However, Ampofo v Armour
would sell tickets and as one spectator who thought
Ampofo nicked it last time I’d like to see a
return before both fighters have too much mileage
on the clock.
Rock and a hard place
In a mild surprise deep on the undercard,
Dubliner Jim Rock slipped a decision to unbeaten Hartlepool
campaigner Ian Cooper.
Jim ‘The Pink Panther’ Rock,
lacked authority in his punches, and although trying
valiantly to raise the temp could not sustain it through
the three minutes allowing the shaven headed Cooper
to catch the eye with his movement and counter punching.
And your appreciation for a very
game opponent.....Howard Clarke
The popular spotlight on one of the
sports many fighters, who provide experience and opposition
for country’s bright prospects returns, previously
we’ve celebrated the contribution of Mark Ramsey,
Woody Greenaway and Michael Pinnock.
This weeks tribute is to Nobby Nobbs
fighter, Howard Clarke 26-25-2 (6) the veteran Light
Middleweight of 53 contests. Clarke however, has enjoyed
some luminous nights most famously his courageous
attempt at the then unbeaten IBF 154lb Champion Fernando
Vargas.
Howard’s title shot came on the
back of his career best victory over Jason Papillion
in 8 rounds in 1998, since when Clarke has encountered
domestic prospects Anthony Farnell and Takaloo (both
of whom he took the 12 round distance), Gary Lockett,
Jawaid Khaliq, Ryan Rhodes and current sensation Richard
Williams.
At 34, and with a 14 fight losing streak
behind him the sun is setting on the entertaining
career of the Warley fighter or perhaps there’s
one more upset in the roller coaster career of Howard
Clarke. Either way we salute his contribution.
Takaloo to return in February
Hardly a week goes by without more announcements
from Britain's most competitive division, latest news
is that Takaloo will return to face slippery Ryan
Rhodes in February following a hand injury.
Takaloo, like contemporaries Alexander
and Williams seems uninterested in making the fights
with domestic rivals. Presumably the risks are not
worth the financial or ranking risks when tactical
manoeuvring amongst P4P contenders like Oscar DeLaHoya,
Fernando Vargas and soon to arrive Sugar Shane Mosley
could set them for life - who are we to argue.
Hatton Planning World Domination
Only a week until Ricky ‘Hitman’
Hatton’s latest defence of his spurious WBU Light
Welterweight crown against rugged Antipodean Justin
Rowsell, and the Frank Warren PR machine is already
at work.
The Rowsell record appears to be a triumph
of presentation over substance, collecting a respectable
31-1-2 (23) record without encountering anyone of
world note - Lovermore N’Dou stopped him in six.
And with youthful student of the sport
already talking of football stadiums and Kostya Tszyu
it would be probably be prudent not to miss the first
four rounds of their Wembley encounter.
Domestic rivals Eamonn Magee and Junior
Witter would be credible and awkward match ups for
Hatton, particularly the latter, but the rib crunching
mancunian has grown beyond the prospect tag (despite
yet facing a top 20 light welter) and is clearly keen
to ‘arrive’ in 2002.
On talk of meeting Tszyu at Maine Road
next year Hatton said:
""That would really
be a dream come true. It would most likely happen
next summer and would be an open-air show although
I would fight him tomorrow."
Calzaghe - The Storm Brewer on Ice
As reported last week, Cardiff Super
Middleweight Joe Calzaghe begins his latest quest
to convert the Americans with a February 9th encounter
with tough, former IBF champ Charles Brewer 37-8(26).
Brewer is unquestionably a valid and
dangerous opponent who has knockout power and skill
enough to have taken current IBF incumbent Sven Ottke
to two tight decisions on Ottke’s home turf.
Calzaghe’s hopes of smiling for
the cameras on route to an impressive victory have
been snatched from him though, with broadcaster Showtime
overcommitted in their coverage of the Winter Olympics.
However, if the unbeaten southpaw comes through, the
whispers of a Jones Jnr superfight may just be more
audible on both sides of the pond.
Hamed finally speaks.....to the Sheffield
Star!
Almost eight months since his dethronement
at the hands of Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera,
the silence has been deafening from Prince Naseem
Hamed.
Finally, this week he has spoken out
of his plans for 2002. The inside track is that Hamed,
no longer the benefactor of HBO’s enormous generosity,
has struggled to summon the discipline or hunger to
return to training. The prospect of Sheffield’s
damp streets at 5 am didn’t appeal when Hamed
was a fledgling as a well stuffed Turkey, to the tune
of £30 million or more - it can’t be easy
to summon the will, but Hamed is more than the money
and his much craved legacy needs a scalp or two yet.
In his absence, Frank Warren has been
swift to use his notoriety to gain column inches for
his two recently signed featherweights Scott Harrison
and WBO Featherweight champion Juan Pablo Chacon.
Watch this space.
Magee - Bringing Down the Britez
Empire?
On Monday night talented Super Middleweight
Brian Magee will try to wrest the IBO 168lb title
from veteran Argentinean Ramon Britez 33-12-1 (22),
who took the title from Adrian Dodson last spring.
The composed, effective and unbeaten
southpaw will have much to celebrate if he becomes
only the second man to stop Britez, who has shared
a ring with a few names along the way.
Magee, still a 13-0 fight novice when
all said and done, will be extended on Monday but
should he win could soon be looking for domestic piers
and former world champions Robin Reid, who always
needs an opponent, and Glen Catley.
Around the world - Brits abroad
In the latest chapter of the Lewis v
Tyson saga, we may be about to witness Lennox ‘Perry
Mason’ Lewis entering the courtroom to protect
his right to beat up creaking Iron Mike Tyson in April.
One assumes Tyson may be struggling for character
witnesses.
Having lampooned Tyson repeatedly for
the calibre of his recent opponents, it would seem
that Ray ‘Merciless’ Mercer, even at 40,
is a bit too credible and in Lewis’ opinion may
do something terrible like hit poor Mike.
Heaven help us Lennox, if we’re
to believe he needs you more than you need him get
out of the courtroom and into the ring with Chris
Bryd, Kirk Johnson or A.N. Other valid contender.
Elsewhere, junior British contender
Danny Williams will make his long awaited US debut
on the Ruiz v Holyfield III undercard, Shawn Robinson
12-1 (10) gets the first dance with the debutante.
Howard Eastman is apparently in negotiations
for a William Joppy rematch, quite why Joppy needs
the Battersea Bomber following his razor sharp victory
is unclear, although there aren’t an abundance
of lucrative opponents amongst the 160lb men.
Over and out from the UK.....see you
next week.
UK Fight Scene
By David Payne
29.11 - Another interesting week on
the British scene, the action lacked the gravitas
of last week's Las Vegas bill but the boxing press
haven't been short of news.
Ticket Sellar Thompson loses to Ezra
in 4
In a hugely entertaining encounter,
IBO Cruiserweight champion Carl Thompson 28-6 (21)
was given a strong nudge towards retirement by American
slugger Ezra Sellars 24-4 (22) in four barnstorming
rounds.
Carl 'The Cat' Thompson, now 37, still
troubled Sellars, knocking him down twice but looked
vulnerable to big punches as he had done against veteran
Uriah Grant back in February despite winning in the
fifth.
Sellars, who has only been the distance
twice in a 28 fight career suddenly becomes a viable
opponent for WBO Cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson.
Of course Thompson has been campaigning for that fight
since his debated stoppage loss to Nelson two years
ago, the irony will not be lost on either fighter.
Indeed, archrival Nelson was swift to
encourage Thompson to move into retirement and with
his punch resistance waning within a big hitting division,
it may just be the right move. For those who read
my round up last week, I hoped we'd see Thompson v
Nelson II before one of these brave fighters grew
too old in the way Michael Ayers did this month -
proving to be one of my more prophetic moments!
Nelson Cruises to WBU Heavyweight
title....
Johnny Nelson, 41-12-1 (27), Sheffield's
enigmatic WBO 190lb champion took a late notice shot
at the vacant WBU Heavyweight championship against
game, but limited, Russian Alex Vassilev 15-9-1(8).
Nelson is no stranger to the heavyweight
division where he listlessly campaigned during the
mid nineties losing to moderate luminaries like Henry
Akinwande, Adilson Rodrigues and Corrie Sanders. Throughout
his long streak as WBO champion he has 'called' out
virtually every heavyweight of public notoriety from
Tyson to Williams to Olympic novice Audley Harrison,
usually in the name of publicity for a hard to sell
show.
But with his experience, chin and evasive
style he could yet prove an eminently avoidable nights
work for many smaller or inexperienced heavyweights.
Of course he would struggle to discourage the truly
big players, a fact Nelson probably recognises but
he also sees the pay cheques the heavies offer and
at 34 he'd like a slice of the cake.
However, his stated intention to keep
his Cruiserweight title reflected his sobriety in
the wake of an easy nights work over the flabby Russian.
Vassilev, who despite victories over
Mark Potter and Wayne Llewellyn, offered little other
than target practice for the typically cautious Nelson
- who declined the opportunity to finish the job in
the seventh - and was a deceiving yardstick of Nelson
potential impact on the division.
Brodie muscling in on the feathers.
Despite campaigning successfully at
Super Bantamweight, culminating in a controversial
(to put it mildly) points defeat to William Jorrin,
Michael Brodie 32-1 (22) could yet be the dark horse
in the Featherweight 126lb division.
His second round knockout of Sean Fletcher,
who slips to 25-7 (19), with a cluster of choice body
shots, was a joy and with champions like Manuel Medina
and Juan Pablo Chacon available Brodie could yet beat
fellow Brits Scott Harrison and Prince Naseem to a
world title in 2002.
A composed and efficient puncher Brodie,
ranked 14 at www.boxrec.com, has now stopped his last
three opponents in quick time proving that he still
carries punching power in the higher division.
'Rocket' Lockett ready for take off
Talk of the British Light Middleweight
division is hot right now, but youthful Gary 'The
Rocket' Lockett 15-0 (12) could yet emerge as the
hottest of all. No mean feat in a division that includes
Wayne Alexander, Steve Roberts, Takaloo, Anthony Farnell,
Ryan Rhodes and Richard Williams but Saturdays destruction
of bemused Chris Nembhard, 6-3-1, was evidence of
the crumbling effect of Lockett's left hook.
The affable Lockett, hailing from Cwmbran,
a recent capture for Frank Warren's influential Sports
Network stable, looks ready for a progressive step
up and will doubtless provide entertaining undercard
action in the year ahead as Warren tries to manage
the hunger of this collection of 154lb hitmen.
The British public, well satellite viewers
at least, will be well treated if the fights can be
made.
'The Secret' Could be Out
Richard 'The Secret' Williams takes
on world rated Aussie Shannan Taylor 29-2-1 (19) this
weekend at the York Hall, Bethnal Green. Williams,
who has looked rusty since his long injury lay off
will certainly have a launch pad to lose his 'Secret'
moniker this weekend.
Taylor, stopped by Sugar Shane Mosley
at Welterweight in five rounds earlier this year represents
a step up for one of Britain's gilded Light Middleweight
division and a recognised 'name' on the world scene.
However, at 30, time is not Williams'
greatest ally and this is a calculated but imaginative
match-up by manager Barry Hearn. Williams will need
to recapture his smooth skilled best to overcome the
tough Aussie who also realises the career cross-roads
this fight represents.
Too hard to pick, I'm just pleased I'll
be ringside for what promises to be a great fight.
'And your appreciation for tonight's
very game opponent...Michael Pinnock!
As part of our regular catch up of the
British scene, we pay tribute to the undercard regulars,
rarely in the spotlight but whom contribute immensely
to the future of our sport. Previously we've focused
on Woody Greenaway and Mark Ramsey, this week we go
up the weight divisions to Light Heavy-Cruiserweight
where he find Michael Pinnock, 4-50-8 (2).
The Birmingham veteran, always a fit
and live opponent, has fought frequently since his
professional debut in 1995, only a handful of stoppage
defeats in half a century of losses reflecting his
courage and resilience.
Last weekend he offered four rounds
of typically stubborn resistance to latest up and
comer Steve Spartacus, but Pinnock has also shared
the ring with British wannabes Brian Magee, Tony Oakey
and recent WBC title challenger Leif Keiski.
An undercard regular in his signatory
purple shorts Michael Pinnock, now 36, has proved
a worthy late sub and trial horse for a host of British
fighters, we celebrate his contribution.
Calzaghe talking the talk
Fire fisted Welshman Joe Calzaghe, the
long standing WBO Super Middleweight champion is again
setting his sights on conquering America, ultimately
targeting his much hyped but surely never to materialise
bout with Roy Jones Jnr.
For now Calzaghe is requesting American
Charles Brewer 37-8 (26), the former IBF Champ, to
be fair, is probably the most meaningful fight available
Stateside. Don't be deceived by the 32 year Philadelphian's
record, amongst his 8 defeats two split decision losses
to current IBF Champion Sven Ottke in Germany (where
away victories are as rare as Audley Harrison fights)
and a controversial stoppage defeat to Antwun Echols
(who Brewer dropped thrice in the first round) cloud
his true value.
His recently acquired NABF Super Middleweight
title doesn't really help us assess him though there
remains credibility in putting a full stop on ageing
Herol Graham's career back in 1998.
Calzaghe though is on a hot streak,
and with his speed, chin, power (brittle hands and
injury withstanding) and southpaw stance make this
a winnable fight and may help him achieve the status
he craves over the pond.
Unlucky Reid facing another late
sub
Likeable Liverpudlian Robin Reid is
yet again reflecting on the withdrawal of another
credible opponent just two weeks ahead of his next
Super Middleweight fight. Knowing Reid's fortune over
the last couple of years, the replacement will have
to wrapped in cotton wool and chained to the ring
to ensure he's there come fight night.
Reid, the former WBC champ, who gave
Calzaghe the kind of problems that prevent rematches
a few years ago, is desperate to build on the limp
springboard of his spurious WBF title to claim 'real'
world honours and lucrative fights with Catley and
Ottke, although Eric Lucas is believed to be first
choice.
Intended opponent, Antonio Ramirez,
rather than bringing a note from his mum, actually
had the temerity to fit in a quick tune up ahead of
his fight with Reid, which broke the fight contract
but not only that Ramirez actually got knocked out!
Reid's promoters are left with the increasingly familiar
task of finding an opponent that sells to the public
and will provide a decent excursion for the always
tuned and marketable 30 year old.
Rigby claims fringe belt
Wayne Rigby 19-7 (7), the tough Mancunian
warrior, finally succeeded in claiming a peripheral
version of a world title when snatching a unanimous
and slightly generous points win over Dominican Antonio
Ramirez, a former opponent of Justin Juuko and Jose
Badillo.
Rigby, who contributed hugely to two
epics with recently dethroned IBO champion Michael
Ayers, inevitably sank into another war against the
tough but slow starting Ramirez. The Dominican seemed
to land the heavier shots throughout and may feel
mildly aggrieved at the loss particularly when the
generosity of the margins from all three judges suggested
a knockout was the only way he could have won.
Around the world….
A big weekend for the heavyweights over
in America, Oleg Maskeav and Derrick Jefferson continue
their returns but in a big New York, which was to
be headlined by Izon v Klitschko, Oquendo takes the
late notice job following the Ukrainians injury. Here
are my quick pix of these and other 'big' fights in
the week ahead.
Lucas v Thobela - Lucas UD12
Lucas too fresh, come on strong mid to late
Ottke v Mundine - Ottke TKO 10
Even light hitting Ottke too much for raw Aussie.
Whittaker v McCline - Whittaker KO9
McCline shocked Grant but he wont shock Goofi.
Oquendo v Izon - Oquendo UD
A tough one but Izon will be there to hit for either
stoppage or point scoring, of course Izon must be
rusty too.
Over and out from the UK. See you next
week.
