The Boxing Glove Awards 2015
Squeaky Wheel Award
Amir Khan, David Haye, and Andre Ward
Squeaky Wheel Award
Amir Khan, David Haye, and Andre Ward
The Squeaky Wheel award is won by the boxer (or boxers) who generally do more talking than fighting. A Squeaky Wheel likes to talk about the opponents he is going to face and beat, the big fights he has lined up, and yet, when it comes down to it, something invariably happens to scupper these big fights. Usually it is the squeaky wheel himself who find s a reason or a way to get out of the fights that he had seemed so intent upon taking just a short while earlier.
Amir Khan is an inveterate ‘Squeaky Wheel.’ His pronouncements upon his ‘inevitable’ showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. have become almost legendary over the past few years. Unfortunately, Khan has been doing more talking about how, when and why, he should be given a shot at Floyd Mayweather Jr., more than he has been fighting in the ring. Since his July 2012 defeat at the hands of Danny Garcia, Khan has had just 5 fights, and while he has won them all, he has hardly been impressive. While he has been so eager for a big fight (and huge payday) against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Khan has been more than reticent about a possible match up with fellow Brit, Kell Brook. With Mayweather now seemingly ‘retired’ and Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley set to fight each other (again!) rather than Khan, a match against IBF world welterweight champion Brook is far and away the biggest paying match that Khan can hope for at this point in his career, yet still Khan squeaks, rather than fight.
During the “Super Six Super Middleweight Tournament” Andre Ward proved himself to be the best Super-middleweight in the world and one of the best boxers in the world pound-for-pound. The future seemed bright for Andre. However, since his impressive December 2011 victory over Carl Froch, Ward has fought just 3 times, with his most demanding opponent in that time being a weight drained Chad Dawson.
There have been injuries, and promotional disputes, but there has also been a great deal of ‘squeaking’ from Andre Ward of late. He seemed annoyed when the much lighter Gennady Golovkin decided that the time wasn’t right to move up in weight and challenge Ward. He then talked about a late 2016 showdown with light heavyweight world champion Sergy Kovalev, but only after having a number of ‘warm up’ fights. The first ‘warm up’ fight was due to take place in November, but after Ward’s choice of opponent was widely criticized, Ward pulled out of the fight. Ward’s only fight of 2015 was an undemanding and unimpressive performance against Paul Smith in June.
Ward is scheduled to fight next in March 2016, against an opponent, yet to be named, but Wards fights have a habit of constantly falling through, and at this point, one hopes that Sergy Kovalev is not pinning all his hopes for 2016 upon a big fight with Andre Ward.
David Haye is as adept at squeaking as Amir Khan, and has managed to keep his name alive with a series of abandoned big fights and cancelled comebacks. The squeaks became louder this year, with the rise of Anthony Joshua, and Tyson Fury winning the World heavyweight title, David Haye has been finally dragged out from his semi-retirement, and is due to have his first fight in 3 and a half years on January 16, 2016. Haye is already demanding a fight with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua before he has even had his first come back fight. The guy never stops squeaking.
Amir Khan is an inveterate ‘Squeaky Wheel.’ His pronouncements upon his ‘inevitable’ showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. have become almost legendary over the past few years. Unfortunately, Khan has been doing more talking about how, when and why, he should be given a shot at Floyd Mayweather Jr., more than he has been fighting in the ring. Since his July 2012 defeat at the hands of Danny Garcia, Khan has had just 5 fights, and while he has won them all, he has hardly been impressive. While he has been so eager for a big fight (and huge payday) against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Khan has been more than reticent about a possible match up with fellow Brit, Kell Brook. With Mayweather now seemingly ‘retired’ and Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley set to fight each other (again!) rather than Khan, a match against IBF world welterweight champion Brook is far and away the biggest paying match that Khan can hope for at this point in his career, yet still Khan squeaks, rather than fight.
During the “Super Six Super Middleweight Tournament” Andre Ward proved himself to be the best Super-middleweight in the world and one of the best boxers in the world pound-for-pound. The future seemed bright for Andre. However, since his impressive December 2011 victory over Carl Froch, Ward has fought just 3 times, with his most demanding opponent in that time being a weight drained Chad Dawson.
There have been injuries, and promotional disputes, but there has also been a great deal of ‘squeaking’ from Andre Ward of late. He seemed annoyed when the much lighter Gennady Golovkin decided that the time wasn’t right to move up in weight and challenge Ward. He then talked about a late 2016 showdown with light heavyweight world champion Sergy Kovalev, but only after having a number of ‘warm up’ fights. The first ‘warm up’ fight was due to take place in November, but after Ward’s choice of opponent was widely criticized, Ward pulled out of the fight. Ward’s only fight of 2015 was an undemanding and unimpressive performance against Paul Smith in June.
Ward is scheduled to fight next in March 2016, against an opponent, yet to be named, but Wards fights have a habit of constantly falling through, and at this point, one hopes that Sergy Kovalev is not pinning all his hopes for 2016 upon a big fight with Andre Ward.
David Haye is as adept at squeaking as Amir Khan, and has managed to keep his name alive with a series of abandoned big fights and cancelled comebacks. The squeaks became louder this year, with the rise of Anthony Joshua, and Tyson Fury winning the World heavyweight title, David Haye has been finally dragged out from his semi-retirement, and is due to have his first fight in 3 and a half years on January 16, 2016. Haye is already demanding a fight with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua before he has even had his first come back fight. The guy never stops squeaking.
Copyright © 2016 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com
Ward wins this hands down, the last three years in a row.
ReplyDeleteNo-one can live with Andrea when it comes to not fighting.