Boxing Thread

[Atticus_Finch]

Price has done nothing wrong so far, like you say managed well and is improving all the time, his power is serious. The ko on Saturday was brutal, irrespective of Audley's fall from grace (well from being an Olympic gold medallist not generally from his pro career).

It'd be great to see Price v Fury next, although the promoters may want to let it drag on a bit longer. Fury had a small go at Price on Saturday;

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/boxing/tysons-fury-watch-as-british-heavyweight-1379911

Price is a much more humble and likeable fellow than Fury and I think he'd have too much power for him.

I hope they fight soon, but what channel would get to show the fight?  Can't see it happening for a while, but who really ruined the chance of the fight happening the first time - Fury, Price or the promoters?  Price is a monster of a man, the height of both him and Fury is unreal.  Would love to see one of them fight a Klitschko simply to see what it would be like for a fight involving one of the brothers to be decided by boxing and not simply the physical advantages they have over the majority of fighters they fight.

Ultimately it will depend which promoter wins the bid.

I think it will most likely be Channel 5 (Mick Hennessy/Tyson Fury) vs Boxnation (Maloney/Price).  Sky basically shunned Maloney, they've no contract with Sky and while i have no doubt sky would like to show it they're unlikely to get it.

Personally i'd like to see Channel 5 get it, they've made a valiant attempt to bring back boxing to terrrestial tv.  A big fight like that being shown on terrestial tv can only be good for boxing.

[Atticus_Finch]

Just back from the bar where I learned of Manny Steward's passing on sky sports news.

Very saddened to hear about that, didn't realise the extent of his illness.

The list of champions he has worked with, speaks for itself. He was an excellent commentator and always came across as a gentleman.

The Kronk gym will live on and will undoubtedly continue to produce world champions for years to come.

[Atticus_Finch]

I was probably one brew past bedtime when I posted the above.  In the cold light of day I thought to myself will the Kronk gym actually survive without Manny Steward ? The below is what I came up with, welcome any feedback:

FUTURE OF KRONK GYM IN DOUBT AFTER THE DEATH OF BOXING LEGEND EMANUEL STEWARD

Rumours of his death had circulated for weeks but the final bell on Emanuel Steward's battle with stomach cancer tolled last Thursday evening.  The legendary boxing trainer passed away at the age of 68. Regarded by many as the best boxing trainer of his generation, Steward trained a record 43 world champions more than any other trainer.

As a boxer Steward compiled an amateur record of 93 wins and three losses before expressing an interest in training fighters.  He embarked on his true calling in 1971 when he became a part time coach at the Kronk gym.   He soon established a successful stable of amateur fighters and gave up his job as an electrician to concentrate on coaching.  In 1977, after receiving financial support from wealthy sponsors of the gym, Steward became a professional trainer with Tommy "The Hitman" Hearns.  It was as Hearn's trainer that Steward started to get recognition as a great trainer.  Hearns was part of a quartet of middleweight fighters along with Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvin Hagler that between them produced a riveting series of bouts that helped revive the sport of boxing.

In more recent times Steward's success came on the heavyweight boxing scene.  Lennox Lewis sought out Steward after losing his WBC belt to Oliver McCall in 1993.  Under Steward's tutelage, Lewis went on to not only reclaim the WBC belt but also became the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world when he defeated Evander Holyfield in 1999.  Following Lewis' retirement in 2004, Steward went on to work with Wladimir Klitschko.  In his first fight under Steward, Klitschko was defeated by Lamon Brewster.  The defeat prompted Steward to go back to basics with Klitschko focusing primarily on his footwork.  While this old school approach was initially to Klitschko's chagrin it clearly reaped dividends as Klitschko has not been defeated since then and is ranked as the number one heavyweight in the world.

Steward's boxing wisdom was not just confined to boxing rings and gyms.  The public were granted access to Steward's boxing knowledge and tactical insights through his boxing analyst role at HBO whom he worked for from 2001 up until September when he was hospitalised on account of his illness. 

Limerick boxer, Andy Lee will be hugely impacted by Steward's death.  Steward was in Lee's corner as recently as June, when Lee was defeated by Julio Chavez Junior.  Lee credits Steward with plucking him from relative obscurity in Ireland and believing in him.  Lee, who lived with Steward in recent years, paid tribute to him from his twitter account:

"Thank you to everyone who sent messages of condolence for Emanuel. It's a sad day. He was a great man who will be sorely missed.  "

Lee now faces the painful process of finding a new trainer, replacing a trainer of the calibre of Steward will be no easy task.  Fellow Kronk fighter, Wladimir Klitshcko who steps into the ring again on the 11th of November against Mariuz Wach has kept his trainer Kronk gym based by turning to fellow Steward prodigee, Jonathon Banks.   While life must go on for the Kronk fighters, the future of the Kronk gym is now uncertain after the death of Steward.

Steward not only had a transformative effect on many of his fighters but he also transformed the Kronk gym from a basement in a community centre into a stable of champion fighters who wore the famous red and gold colours associated with gym throughout the world.  Just 24 hours after Steward's death at the request of his sister, Diane Steward-Jones, the famous red and gold Kronk gym sign was taken down from the front of the Detroit gym.  In addition to this, fight photos and posters as well as the boxing ring were removed from the gym.  Steward-Jones defended this move by insisting she was protecting the legacy of her brother.

"There are people in the gym, scavengers; who would try and take everything out of my brother's gym. I've alerted the police. People are not going to rape and ravage that place. There will be nothing left. The ring is even being removed."

Steward-Jones has said she will consider locking the gym which would result in dozens of fighters seeking a new boxing home.

Steward and the Kronk gym may prove to have had a symbiotic relationship, a relationship where both parties depend on each other for survival.  His role at the Kronk gym gave him the opportunity to make a significant contribution to world boxing over the last 30 years.  This contribution was fully recognised when he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1996.  With the passing of man known to many as the "Godfather of Detroit boxing", the future of the Kronk gym now looks as bleak as its sign less exterior.

Atticus Finch

[Mickey Linden]

Thats a great piece Atticus. Well done. Not a huge boxing fan myself but found that to be genuinely interesting

[Aristo 60]

Is this the real Mickey Linden?

If yes, Hello Mickey - I think you are brilliant.

If not, I think it's brilliant that you've chosen Mickey Linden as your name, when it's not your name.

[JimStynes]

Is this the real Mickey Linden?

If yes, Hello Mickey - I think you are brilliant.

If not, I think it's brilliant that you've chosen Mickey Linden as your name, when it's not your name.

[Atticus_Finch]

Thanks ML for the feedback and thanks for drawing out a great post from Aristo.

Aristo - I don't know where you have been going trick or treating ... but I think you may have been given disco biscuits instead of your run of the mill biscuits by mistake.  Enjoy your holidays.

[gerry]

http://www.vipboxsports.eu/boxing/100993/1/wladimir-klitschko-vs-mariusz-wach-live-stream-online.html

[CiKe]

Painful to watch, that was a sustained beating.

[Atticus_Finch]

I avoid the majority of heavyweight boxing as it is boring and predictable.  The only thing of note to come of this fight was that it generated a controversial comment from Frank Maloney during ESPN coverage.  When asked how Klitschko would have been impacted by having to fight without having Manny Steward in his corner he replied that he would have been happy as he wouldn't have had to pay Steward the usual 10% fee.

Considering Steward passed away just over a fortnight ago, it was a tasteless comment.

Steward had a close relationship with all of his fighters and to suggest Klitschko would be happy as a result of Steward's death is outrageous.  The Kronk fighters, Andy Lee in particular judging by his twitter account, are furious.

The likelihood is that this comment will come back to haunt Maloney - if David Price (who Maloney promotes) is to fulfil his potential he will have to fight a Klitshcko and the likelihood of that happening now has suffered a blow.  Price is young enough to sit out the Klitshcko's reign but it would be a shame that what seems a rare exciting heavyweight match up should not materialise due to Maloney being a clown.

This Tuesday, Spotlight is going to focus on the issue of the Sandy Row boxing club and what the club secretary alleges that the club is ostracised by the wider Irish boxing community.

Should be an interesting watch !

[CiKe]

I avoid the majority of heavyweight boxing as it is boring and predictable.  The only thing of note to come of this fight was that it generated a controversial comment from Frank Maloney during ESPN coverage.  When asked how Klitschko would have been impacted by having to fight without having Manny Steward in his corner he replied that he would have been happy as he wouldn't have had to pay Steward the usual 10% fee.

Considering Steward passed away just over a fortnight ago, it was a tasteless comment.

Steward had a close relationship with all of his fighters and to suggest Klitschko would be happy as a result of Steward's death is outrageous.  The Kronk fighters, Andy Lee in particular judging by his twitter account, are furious.

The likelihood is that this comment will come back to haunt Maloney - if David Price (who Maloney promotes) is to fulfil his potential he will have to fight a Klitshcko and the likelihood of that happening now has suffered a blow.  Price is young enough to sit out the Klitshcko's reign but it would be a shame that what seems a rare exciting heavyweight match up should not materialise due to Maloney being a clown.

This Tuesday, Spotlight is going to focus on the issue of the Sandy Row boxing club and what the club secretary alleges that the club is ostracised by the wider Irish boxing community.

Should be an interesting watch !

Daft and tasteless alright. Price looks exciting but would be premature to be putting him in against Wlad I think. Should be targeting the likes of Chisora (when he is back), Adamek, Helenius, Solis, Povetkin etc first I think. The risk might outweigh the reward with these guys, but reality is that he hasn't been in with even a 2nd tier heavy weight at this stage.

[Atticus_Finch]

Did anyone watch the Spotlight programme last night ?

I thought the Sandy Row boxing club came across really badly in it.  Know a couple of lads that train out of there and they're decent lads but the fact that the club is coming out now with this sectarianism issue now when there just so happens to be a large funding pot to be divided up ..... suggests that there issues with the orange vs green in local boxing is motivated purely by a different kind of green (money).

The silence or absence of support from other protestant boxing clubs was deafening.

After the great success of the Irish boxing olympians, local boxing was on a bit of a high.  It's unfortunate that the Sandy Row boxing club felt the need to come out about this and cast a bad light on local boxing.

[charlieTully]

Did anyone watch the Spotlight programme last night ?

I thought the Sandy Row boxing club came across really badly in it.  Know a couple of lads that train out of there and they're decent lads but the fact that the club is coming out now with this sectarianism issue now when there just so happens to be a large funding pot to be divided up ..... suggests that there issues with the orange vs green in local boxing is motivated purely by a different kind of green (money).

The silence or absence of support from other protestant boxing clubs was deafening.

After the great success of the Irish boxing olympians, local boxing was on a bit of a high.  It's unfortunate that the Sandy Row boxing club felt the need to come out about this and cast a bad light on local boxing.

it seemed purely political, when did Jim Allister move to the row? sad really as it appears to be sport not affected by the usual tribalism. the club my son is a member off is cross community and no football tops etc allowed.

[Atticus_Finch]

Agree with you completely that in terms of local sports boxing is one of the ones least affected by the usual tribalism and that should be celebrated.

As with any sports here it's impossible to separate it completely from politics.

I'd say the sight of Paddy Barnes and Mick Conlon enjoying success as proud irishmen at the olympics galled many politicians like Jim Allister.

Politicians seem keen to install the usual age old divisions in boxing as well.  A couple of days ago the NIABA was established, it didn't get that much media coverage but in local boxing terms that was quite a significant event.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20303493

The reason I say that is because as it stands, boxers from the North compete in the Irish Amateur Boxing Association and cannot compete for the UK at international level.

The establishment of the NIABA will obviously change that but i'm still trying to find out the impact of it.  I'm trying to find out whether a boxer can only fight for Team GB if his club is a NIABA affiliated club or whether he has the choice who he represents.

[charlieTully]

Agree with you completely that in terms of local sports boxing is one of the ones least affected by the usual tribalism and that should be celebrated.

As with any sports here it's impossible to separate it completely from politics.

I'd say the sight of Paddy Barnes and Mick Conlon enjoying success as proud irishmen at the olympics galled many politicians like Jim Allister.

Politicians seem keen to install the usual age old divisions in boxing as well.  A couple of days ago the NIABA was established, it didn't get that much media coverage but in local boxing terms that was quite a significant event.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20303493

The reason I say that is because as it stands, boxers from the North compete in the Irish Amateur Boxing Association and cannot compete for the UK at international level.

The establishment of the NIABA will obviously change that but i'm still trying to find out the impact of it.  I'm trying to find out whether a boxer can only fight for Team GB if his club is a NIABA affiliated club or whether he has the choice who he represents.

has the potential to create the very divisions that have been avoided, and for the neutral rural clubs who would have young boxers from both communities are they now going to be forced into sticking or joining the NIABA.  the hope would be the vast majority of clubs prefer the status quo and dont join with NIABA.