Wladimir Klitschko vs. David Haye official

After months of intense and often fruitless negotiations, the much anticipated match-up between Wladimir Klitschko and David Haye has finally been signed and sealed.

The date is set as June 20th, with the venue still to be decided. Many observers, including the Hayemaker himself expect the fight to be held in Germany, rather than London’s O2 arena as was widely touted during early negotiations.

A classic piece of matchmaking pits the smaller, faster Haye against the size and strength of Klitschko – the reigning IBF, WBO and IBO Heavyweight champion.

Both men hold fearsome power, although Haye’s punch remains unproven at elite heavyweight level, having knocked out both Monte Barrett and Tomasz Bonin in his two previous outings at this level, neither of whom can claim to be big players in the sports lacklustre marquee division.

Despite the apparent size and weight differential between the two, Haye is confident he can finish the fight before the final bell. “I’ll guarantee I’ll knock him out in spectacular fashion. I’m his worst nightmare,” Haye remarked. Also adding that all he needs to win the fight is a “ring, some gloves and a referee who can count to ten.”

Haye’s confidence is clear for all to see. It remains to be seen however whether Haye can deliver the knockout performance he has so insisted upon and usher in a new era of British Heavyweight dominance.

The return of Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Although there has been no official announcement , the date of July 11th has widely been reported as a possible return date for Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Pretty much every great fighter in history retires and comes back – Ali, Robinson and Leonard spring to mind as perhaps the three most famous ambassadors of the short-lived retirement.

The need for glory, attention and greatness prove to be far more tempting than a quiet, out-of-the limelight existence.

The difference between the three aforementioned greats and Floyd Mayweather is that, aside from Leonard’s first comeback, all three came back past thier prime, still believing they could produce the mind-blowing performances of their peak years. Mayweather is in his prime, and has well documented unfinished business in the Welterweight division.

So why did he retire?

He believed his own, self-created hyperbole. He thought he was too great, better than Ali, Leonard and Robinson. 

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of the skills Mayweather possesses, but in order to go down in history as one of THE greats (which he has the talent to achieve), Floyd must prove himself the best in his own division. A massive challenge considering the natural size advantages that Welterweights such as Margarito and Mosley hold over Mayweather.

The three most widely discussed fights for Floyd’s return, in no particular order are:

• vs. Shane Mosley
• vs. Juan Manuel Marquez
• vs. the winner of Manny Pacquaio vs. Ricky Hatton

To prove himself the best Welterweight in the world, Mayweather must beat a rejuvenated Sugar Shane Mosley. The fight that has been discussed many times in the past but has never come close to actually happening. A fight against Mosley would be a great battle – speed against speed, ring-savvy against ring-savvy. I’d pick Floyd, but Mosley’s power would make it a tough fight.

By far the biggest of the three listed match-ups, in terms of determining the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, is Mayweather vs. Pacquaio, assuming Pacquaio beats Hatton in May of course. This fight would be astronomical. A genuine history fight. A fight that would prove greatness. This is what Floyd Mayweather can bring back to the sport of boxing.

Whoever he fights. Mayweather must remember: its not neccesarily how good you are, its who you beat that counts.

Predicting Roy Jones vs. Omar Sheika

Predicting the outcome of a Roy Jones fight used to be a bet-the-house job: Jones by unanimous decision. Time and time again during his virtuoso prime years, this would be the result in the papers on Sunday morning. 

Then Jones got old. He lost his unfathomable reflexes. He started to get hit. Predicting a Roy Jones fight is no longer simple fayre. But being the brave soul I am, I’ll try anyway.

Jones has the obvious advantages in speed and boxing ability. That is unquestionable. Jones probably has the edge in power too, having racked up 38 of 52 wins by knockout, compared to Sheika’s 18 of 27 record.

Neither guy has the greatest defence, although Sheika has the more orthodox style of the two. Since his reflexes have slowed Jones has had to employ more of an orthodox defence rather than rely on the extradinary athletisicsm showcased during his golden years. 

Sheika probably has the most to lose. If he gets beat, there’s pretty much no chance of him fighting a marquee name again, let alone be in the frame for world title shot. Jones on the other hand has solidified his legacy long ago. Nothing will take the shine off his accomplishments. He can, however, add to his legacy by winning another world title. Unfinished business: It could be the driving force behind Jones’ prolonged ring career.

Intangibles – Heart, desire, mental strength – probably won’t decide this fight. It won’t be that type of battle. Speed kills and this fight will be no different.

Enough small talk. Expect Jones to fight cautious early on, trying to pick his spots as Sheika comes forward as the aggressor. By the middle rounds, Jones’ obvious advantage in hand-speed will begin to show as he catches Sheika more frequently.

Sheika may have his moments, possibly with body-shots in the same way Felix Trinidad did when he fought Jones. But factoring in Sheika’s inactivity and subsequent ring rust, he will probably end up soaking up punishment as the clock ticks down. Jones may go for the knockout in the championship rounds, or more likely, will produce some vintage flash and sizzle on his way to a dominant points victory.

Same result as the Jones of old, just not the Jones of old.

What next for Amir Khan?

After Saturday’s dominant victory over Marco Antonio Barerra, Amir Khan may have put himself in line for a world title shot later this year.

Many observers will argue that Barerra was shopworn and the gruesome cut he sustained in the first round changed the fight , forcing the Mexican to go looking for a knockout rather than pacing himself for the distance.

These are of course valid points. But after watching the fight over, it’s painfully obvious that Khan was much too quick for the 35 year old Barerra. Employing a much tighter defence and more cautious style than seen in previous outings – no doubt the work of Freddie Roach – Amir was imposing a clinical beating on Barerra before the stoppage. The cut just shortened what would have been a long and painful night for the Mexican.

With the win, Khan has now established himself as a major player in the talent-rich Lightweight division, opening the door for mouthwatering matchups in the next couple of years, as well as adding the first big name to his resume.

Post fight, Khan’s promoter Frank Warren made it clear that he wants to put Amir in a position to fight for world honours, “We are going to move him on and get him into a position to fight for a world title. That’s what he wants to be – a world champion. I think he is a world champion in waiting”.

Khan should have one or two more fights against decent opposition before challenging one of the Lighweight kingpins. Amir will undoubtedly push for a rematch with first round conqueror Breidis Prescott. This fight is must for boxing fans and will give Khan the chance to gain redemption for what was a humiliating loss. Ironically, it is probably the loss to Prescott that has inspired Khan to push himself to the next level.

Expect fights against the likes of recent Manny Pacquiao victim David Diaz and the aforementioned Prescott this year before a world title shot in late 2009/early 2010 (assuming Khan is victorious in any fights he takes before then).

Amir Khan vs. Marco Antonio Barerra: Pay-per-view worthy?

This weekends matchup between Amir Khan and Marco Antonio Barrera is a big fight for both men, but is it really pay-per-view worthy?

ESPN’s Dan Rafael seems to think so. I for one cannot agree, especially when the American audience are being asked to cough-up $24.95 to watch an up and coming British prospect fight an ageing Mexican warrior (I’m British by the way). If Khan wants to make a name for himself in America, placing bouts on pay-per-view at this stage of his career, before Khan has developed any sort of fan base or following, is not the way to go about it. Why not make intriguing fights such as this one available to a much larger audience so potential fans in the States can see what Khan is all about? That makes sense to me.

Imagine if Khan puts on the performance of his life and convincingly disposes of Barerra. Would anyone Stateside see it? Probably not. Would it make Khan an overnight sensation in America? Again, probably not. Sure, he’d get acclaim for such a victory, but not the same exposure and instant success he would gain if the fight was on cable TV.

Consider another British export by the name of Ricky Hatton. The Hitman has a huge following on both sides of the Atlantic, meaning that his fights will sell. And if he is is in against another big name (think Floyd Mayweather), the fight will sell extremely well - 850,000 buys in America I believe. The point is, Khan needs more fights on cable TV in the US to build his name up to the point where, if Americans know Khan is on pay-per-view, they will buy it.

I can just about understand the fight being aired on Sky Box Office in the UK – Khan is already a household name over here, and though he won’t generate as many buys as Ricky Hatton, the fight should sell. It’s not often you hear a Brit sympathising with his American cousins, but a raw deal is a raw deal…

Roy Jones vs. Omar Sheika: What is the point?

On March 21st, a once-great Roy Jones Jr. will square-off against Omar Sheika. The consensus feeling when this fight was announced was, “Why?”.

In his prime Roy Jones was a master. Blessed with incomparable hand and foot-speed, he was untouchable. An artist who carved a path to greatness from Olympic heartbreak to the pinnacle of World Heavyweight Champion. As boxing writer Thomas Hauser observed after Jones’ landmark victory over John Ruiz, “Jones deconstructs the art and science of boxing and reassembles the pieces to his liking.”

Today Jones is a faded vision of a one-time virtuoso. Still able to produce glimpses of genius, though not the sustained brilliance witnessed during his prime years. He looked impressive for the first two rounds of his bout with Joe Calzaghe last November, even knocking the Welshman down in round one. It became apparent by the middle rounds however that Jones was thoroughly outgunned. It seems as though Jones has joined the list of all-time greats who lingered for too long, trying to recapture the greatness of times gone by. A greatness that we as fans and critics know has been and gone.

Omar Sheika on the other hand has been inactive since a 2007 victory against largely unknown Tiwon Taylor. Like Jones, Sheika is a name in the W column of Joe Calzaghe’s resume. This is where the similarities with Jones end. Fighting largely in obscurity, his four notable fights have been losses, one apiece to Calzaghe and Jeff Lacy and back-to- back losses to Scott Pemberton. Of Sheika’s last ten fights, he has lost 6, including the losses to Pemberton and Lacy, winning just four.

Why is Sheika coming back after such a long lay-off? The answer may be simple: he needs a payday. Or the answer may be similar to Jones’. Sheika believes he can deliver one last great performance, turning back the clock on his career and showing Jones that two can play that game, but only one can win.

Why this fight is on pay-per-view is beyond belief. In today’s financial climate, who has the money to fork out on spectacles such as that on March 21st? Considering that in recent weeks fans have been treated to mouthwatering match-ups including Mosley vs. Margarito, without having to pay extra, Jones vs. Sheika being distributed on pay-per-view is nothing short of scandalous.

Jones will win this fight, probably on points, but it will add nothing to his legacy. Hopefully, with his pride intact, he will realise the time is right to hang up the gloves and call it a day on a glittering career.

Hope rarely becomes reality.

Are ‘hybrid’ Boxing/MMA events the future?

On March 21st in Florida, Roy Jones Jr. takes on Omar Shieka in his hometown of Pensacola. Doesn’t sound like anything special, except when you consider that the other featured bout of the evening is Ken Shamrock vs. Bobby Lashley. Hold on, isn’t this an MMA contest?

Turns out it is an MMA contest. In actual fact, the night features an MMA card headlined by a boxing match would you believe. The Roy Jones Jr. promoted night is not the first of its kind, although it is the first boxing/MMA event to bring together such widely recognised fighters from either sport.

Is this type of card the future? I for one, believe that the concept can work if done properly. With the recent trend of high-profile pay-per-view boxing events flopping, MMA organisations such as the UFC are becoming more and more attractive to the general public. Offering all-out action and spectacular knockouts, its easy to see why. However, these  knockouts are also MMA’s downfall when it comes to pay-per-view events – with so many bouts ending early, short nights are to be expected.

A combination of the two, although controversial to die hard fans of either sport, is good for both. A much larger audience would gain exposure to a sport they may not have thought much of in the past, and they’d pretty much be guaranteed a big-bang for their buck as they say. Plus if fans like what they see, the events become more popular, which means larger audiences and more money. Everyone’s happy.

In order for it work you’d need top-draw match-ups in both sports happening on a regular basis, which sadly, is rarely the case in boxing nowadays. Promotional contracts and politics would surely get in the way as well: who gets the higher slice of the revenue, the boxers or the MMA fighters? which sport headlines the card? I could probably go on about seemingly petty arguments, but that would be, well, petty.

Bottom line is, I think it would work, but there are lots of hurdles before cards like March 21st become mainstream.

Just imagine a night with Manny Pacquaio vs. Ricky Hatton  and Anderson Silva vs. Chuck Liddell in the same ring…

Amir Khan vs. Marco Antonio Barerra: Who wins?

The upcoming battle of youth vs. experience on March 14th at the M.E.N. Arena pits young British hopeful Amir Khan against ageing Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera. As reported on Eastside Boxing, Barerra is confident of victory over his relativley inexperienced rival. A 72 fight veteran, including that memorable trilogy with fellow Mexican great Erik Morales, Barerra has every right to be confident.

Khan on the other hand believes he has the tools to send Barerra into retirement. We all know about the speed and athletisiscm that Khan brings to the table, but I believe he also has the heart required to win what I predict will be a war with Barerra, although I’m sure there are many who completely disagree. Getting up off the canvas to win fights with Willie Limond and Michael Gomez shows immmense desire, he not only won these bouts but did so by stoppage. Khan’s impressive knockout of Oisin Fagan should be testament to the fact that the demons of last September’s devastating loss to Breidis Prescott are firmly at the back of his mind.

Way back when, a prime Barerra mops the floor with the young Khan, much like he did with Naseem Hamed. Sadly though, for Mexican fans, today we see a much less-than-prime version of Barerra, and in my opinion, not even Khan’s suspect chin will prevent the proverbial torch passing ceremony next weekend. A late round knockout of the Mexican is even possible, but my money’s (not that I’m a betting man) on a wide points victory for Khan.

Khan’s traning partner and previous Barerra-conqueror Manny Pacquaio may just have a few inside tips for Amir as well…

Tyson Fury: The next great British heavyweight?

He’s no Iron Mike just yet, but Tyson fury has a bright future ahead of him in a heavyweight division desperately in need of fresh talent.

Fury’s victory this past Saturday underlined the former ABA Super-Heavyweight Champion’s immense talent, albeit against a limited opponent in the rather rotund form of Norwegian Daniel Peret.

For the sake of boxing fans and Mr. Fury himself, I hope he is not held back too much by his promoter Mick Hennessy. Obviously a little care and discretion is needed, but Fury himself is clearly chomping at the bit, having declared his intentions to fight Sam Sexton even before stepping into the ring against Peret on Saturday night. He is simply too good to become embroiled in meaningless fights that actually hinder his development as a professional, and god forbid, become the next Audley Harrison.

Some will argue that Fury is vastly over-hyped, and considering today’s heavyweight landscape, I can’t blame them. But the excellent movement and hand-speed of the Manchester man should be enough to convince fight fans that Fury is not just a passing storm. Considering he is still nowhere near tip-top fighting condition, expect dramatic improvements to an already impressive arsenal in the coming months and years.

For my money, Tyson Fury will challenge for world honours in due course, perhaps becoming the dominant force of the division when his time does finally come.

The future’s bright, the future’s Fury you could say…