Boxing Thread

[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.

[fitzroyalty]

How is anyone meant to take Sandy Row BC seriously? 10 years of 'sectarian abuse' and they only go public this year? Unbelievable. Funny how no one else ever witnessed this 'abuse', regardless of what club they came from. No other 'Protestant' clubs said they had any complaints either which to me shows the agenda these boys have when the moneys being rolled out - pathetic, not to mention refusing to even meet the f**king sports minister! 

I'd also be far from convinced re this new NIABA. Well done to Sandy Row, they've just built the foundations for segregation in a sport that normally avoided the usual sectarian trappings in NI. You know when Jim Allister is championing something that it can't be good. Sensationalist victimised crap.

[Milltown Row2]

Bit of an own goal, watched it last night and I was slightly embarrassed by it all. Midland and the Shankill road club didn't even bother to row in behind them says it all.

[AZOffaly]

Saw this on the Twit Box. Very sad to hear it.

SportsCenter ‏@SportsCenter

BREAKING - Former boxing champion Hector Camacho on life support after being shot Tuesday outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

[Declan]

That's sad alright AZ - hope he recovers

[The Iceman]

Yeah sad news alright - i heard at first he was dead.

[Atticus_Finch]

Camacho has been declared brain dead.  Relatives will now decide whether to remove him from life support.