Tyson Fury Shakes Up the World: Thanks So Much For Having Me

By Peter Silkov

 

The word ‘upset’ is one that is overused today, along with ‘champion’ and ‘great’, but last night Tyson Fury (25-0, 18koes) certainly performed a genuine, real deal upset, by separating Wladimir Kitsch (64-4, 53koes) from the World heavyweight crown, which he has called his own for over nine and a half years.  In doing so, Fury also snapped Dr Steelhammer’s 11 and a half year unbeaten streak.  Looked at in the cold light of day, this was a magnificent victory for Fury.  Few outside his loyal circle of family and friends gave him a chance of beating Klitschko.  After all, despite being nearly 40 years old, this wasn’t a champion who was showing signs of deterioration in his recent fights.  If anything, the super-fit Klitschko has been enjoying the best form of his career in recent years.
 
The fight itself was not a physical thriller, such as the Ali vs Frazier or Holyfield vs Bowe classic wars, it was a technical chess match, a duel of jabs and feints. The fact that Tyson won this way makes his performance even more noteworthy. Had he knocked out Klitschko, then the early defeats of Dr. Steelhammer would be pointed to, and it could be said that Klitschko was never the most durable of champions.  But, those defeats are a long way away now and with the help of his former trainer, the late Emanuel Steward, Wladimir has long since devised a style that makes him extremely hard to hit cleanly, let alone knock out.

Yet, Fury was able to beat him at his own game, he out-boxed the boxer, out-counter punched the counter puncher.  But perhaps even more importantly, Tyson seems to have won the mind games with Klitschko, both in and out of the ring.  During the fight it was Klitschko who seemed to be the overly cautious, nervy fighter, while Fury seemed to grow in confidence the further that the fight went.

It wasn’t always pleasant to the eye, but Fury’s fight strategy was picture perfect. Fury’s whole team deserves a lot of credit for how they have guided him to the world title, and how they stood up for him in the final run up to the fight. We had glove gate, when Klitschko tried to force Tyson to wear gloves that weren’t suitable for him, then we had foam gate, when the ring was found to have an extremely spongy canvas, due to 3 layers of foam, which was finally removed after protests from team Fury.  Finally, less than hours before the fight was due to start, we had the slightly more sinister hand wrap gate, when it was discovered that Klitschko’s hands had been wrapped without supervision from a member of the Fury team.  Again there were forceful protests, and Tyson’s Father, John Fury, threatened to pull his son out of the fight, until the wraps were removed, and replaced while under supervision. The job that Tyson’s team has done in making sure that he got a fair deal cannot be underestimated.

Fury remains a polarising figure. In the wake of his victory last night, there are many today with egg on their faces. The reaction of these people in the coming days will be to jump belatedly onto the Fury bandwagon, or else dismiss his victory yesterday with the kind of negative comments that have already started to appear in some areas of the social media.

The truth is, it is very hard to find negative outcomes emerging from Fury’s victory over Wladimir.  Whatever you may think of him as a person, there is no denying that he is a breath of fresh air at the top of the division that has become staid and predictable under the reign of Wlad, and his now retired brother Vitali. The division has been crying out for new blood, and a champion who has the personality to reach beyond the confines of the sport. In Tyson Fury, boxing finally has a personality that can invigorate the division, and inspire interest in the sport itself.  Tyson’s whole story is inspirational, from being born 2 months prematurely and weighing a mere one pound, to winning the Heavyweight championship of the world. 

Fury has won the world title at the perfect time, with possible fights looming with the likes of Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, and the possible comeback of  David Haye. The future of heavyweight boxing is suddenly looking far from boring, especially in England.  Firstly, Tyson is likely to make his first defence against the deposed Wladimir Klitschko, in what is likely to be the biggest heavyweight fight in many years.  The rematch is also likely to be more dramatic than the first fight, now that Klitschko knows that he can be out-boxed by Fury.  Klitschko will have to change his approach in any rematch or else he will be simply out-boxed again.

The new blood has already got the heavyweight division flowing again.    

The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com

James Degale Retains IBF Title With a Hard Fought Win Over Bute

Photo: BBC Sports

By Peter Silkov

James Degale (22-1, 14koes) beat Lucian Bute (32-3, 25koes) last night at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, after a hard fought contest, which saw the British fighter stretched to his limits.  Bute had been considered by many to be a spent force since his destruction at the hands of Carl Froch a few years back, yet against Degale, he produced a performance that showed that he is far from washed up as a fighter.  After a slightly tentative start, it was Bute who forced the action for much of the contest, often driving Degale into the ropes and landing with both hands. Degale started brightly and aggressively. He and seemed to be looking for the early knockout that he had predicted. By the middle rounds, (Degale had predicted a 5th round knockout) it was Bute who was coming on strong, while Degale fell into his old habit of easing off the gas, and going on the back-foot.

The second half of the fight found Bute pressing and attacking, while Degale was looking to counter. While the quality of Degale’s boxing was world class at times, his lack of work rate and constant retreating often made him appear far too negative in comparison to Bute.  Cheered on throughout by a very vociferous Quebec crowd, it seemed in the later rounds that Bute had done enough to wrest the title from Degale.  In the end, however, Degale retained his title with scores of 116-112, 117-111, and 117-111.  If Bute had not done quite enough to regain the world title he had certainly done enough to make the fight very close, and the judges scoring certainly did not reflect the fight that this writer watched.  The Boxing Glove scored the fight 115-112 for Bute.

Degale now is looking towards a possible unification fight with WBC world super-middleweight champion Badou Jack.  There are also possible fights with Gennady Golovkin if he decides to move up and Andre Ward, should he finally decide that he is still a super-middleweight, rather than a light-heavyweight.  Add to this the rumours of a comeback by former champion Carl Froch, and Degale has some lucrative opportunities ahead of him.  Whether he would be able to emerge victorious against any of the aforementioned fighters, by boxing in the manner that he did against Bute last night,  is another thing entirely.

Watch the final post-fight press conference:


 Watch the fight:





Copyright © 2015 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com

Miguel Cotto vs. Saul Canelo Superfight Or Super Farce?

By Peter Silkov

It’s been billed as one of the year’s most anticipated showdowns, a real genuine ‘superfight’ from which it is hard top pick a clear winner.  Despite the initial good vibes that this clash seemed to provoke, the shine soon began to fade from it. First there was the long protracted negotiations between the two fighters, which at one point began to resemble the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao debacle.  Eventually, both men agreed to the terms enough so that the fight could go ahead, but only after there was a ‘catch-weight’ clause pinned onto the fight that gave it a 155- pound weight limit.  With the fight supposedly being for Miguel Cotto’s 40(33koes)-4, WBC world middleweight championship, which has a 160-pound weight limit, the catch-weight clause was a contentious issue, how can both fighters contest the 160 title when the fight is made at 155 pounds. Sadly, it seems that the last vestige of integrity in boxing’s weight divisions is slipping away, if they are a big enough name, fighters can now change the weight limits of their division’s when it suits them.

It’s an irony that Saul Alvarez 45(32koes)-2-1, protests that he is not large enough to be considered a true middleweight, yet it is well known that by fight time he re-hydrates to well over 170 pounds. This is actually heavier than what Gennady Golovkin re-hydrates to in the last hours before fight time.

At least we know that, for his part, Cotto is indeed a small middleweight, although such things were simply shrugged off by boxers of previous eras.  The truth is that the real reason behind the 155-pound limit for this contest is that both men’s disinclination to get into the ring with WBO and WBA world middleweight titleholder Gennady Golovkin. The 155 ‘catchweight’ limit for Saturday’s fight is a convenient excuse for both men to use as to why they will not fight Golovkin.  'We are too small!' they are both trying to say, but the truth is that there is very little size difference between Cotto and GGG and in the case of Alvarez, if anything the Mexican is in truth the bigger man.  Alvarez certainly weighs as much, if not more, than Golovkin, when he enters the ring for his fights.  But it is precisely this size advantage that Alvarez has over most of his opponents, that makes him unwilling to face Golovkin.

With GGG the interim WBC champion, and the number one challenger for the WBC title, it is perhaps not surprising that the general boxing public is inclined to be more interested in either Canelo or Cotto taking on the unbeaten Golovkin, than they are watching both men fighting each other.  It is interesting to note that, while Cotto vs. Canelo has generated interest, it has by no means proved to be the blockbusting sell out that some might have believed it would be. The reason for this could be that the fans are somewhat jaded and disenchanted by both men’s avoidance of Golovkin.    

The fight suffered another blow to its credibility on Tuesday, when just 4 days before fight night, the WBC announced that they had withdrawn recognition from Miguel Cotto as being their champion. The reason for this seems to be quite simply that Cotto has refused to pay the sanctioning fees demanded by the WBC, which amounted to 300,000 dollars.  This is in addition to a hefty 800,000 dollars that Cotto was asked to pay Golovkin in step aside money. The amount itself seems to be vast, even taking into account the fact that Cotto with be picking up around about 30 million collars for this contest.  From the WBC’s point of view, Cotto is refusing to comply with the very rules that he has always played along by when it has suited him. 

The WBC has been especially indulgent of Cotto since he won this title from a stricken Sergio Martinez 18 months ago.  Cotto has defended the title just once so far, (a one-sided blowout of Daniel Geale) and was allowed to impose his own weight limit onto the fight.  Now, when the rules are not so advantageous to him, Cotto seems to bypass them.  It is worth remembering that the sanctioning fees are something that every champion has to abide by and indeed this is how Cotto came by the WBC title in first place.  It is a distasteful development, which leaves the WBC title vacant, with only Canelo able to claim the title should be beat Cotto.  If Cotto wins the match, the WBC title will still be registered as vacant.  Also up for grabs will be The Ring magazine belt, a prestigious belt in its time, as it signifies the acceptance of boxing's most famous magazine.  However today that prestige is muddied, as The Ring is owned by Oscar De la Hoya, Saul Alvarez's promoter and mentor, hardly a recipe for unbiased fairness and integrity.  Will Cotto keep hold of The Ring belt if he wins the fight?.  It seems doubtful, yet it would also seem somewhat perverse if Cotto were to be stripped of The Ring belt, which should be independent coming under any influence from any of boxing's world bodies.  But again, The Ring is now owned by De La Hoya.

With hindsight, this is probably not such a blow for Cotto, who seems to have no intention of fighting Golovkin should he beat Alvarez on Saturday. Indeed it would be no surprise to see Cotto announce his retirement on after the fight, no matter what the result.

The fight between Cotto and Canelo has definitely suffered as a result of the political and financial wrangling. Most tellingly is the feeling that whoever wins, it will not decide who is the best 160-pounder upon the planet, until Gennedy Golovkin is involved in a showdown with Saturday’s winner.

Away from all the boxing politics, Saturday’s match is an intriguing contest. It is difficult to pick a sure winner.  While Cotto has the advantage in experience when it comes to fighting against big name opposition, Canelo has the advantage of youth and size against Cotto.

Canelo seems to have just too much size and youth for Cotto, but this fight should be entertaining while it lasts. Look for a Canelo victory via a late round stoppage, somewhere after the 9th or 10 rounds.


Copyright © 2015 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com

Sugar Ray Robinson's Final Fight: The True Pound-4-Pound King

Fifty years ago today, Sugar Ray Robinson, considered by many as being the greatest fighter, pound-for-pound, to ever enter the ring, had his final fight. Boxing in the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Robinson was beaten on points over 10 rounds by the clever and tough Joey Archer.  But, Robinson’s real opponent that night was father time, and at the age of 44, having what was his 201st professional contest, father time won.

It was to be the final fight of a professional career that had begun a quarter of a century before, in 1940.  Robinson had reigned at welterweight and middleweight, and dominated the sport.  In his prime and even past it, Robinson epitomized just why boxing was sometimes known as the ‘Sweet Science.’  Sugar Ray Robinson had been the sweetest ever, sweet and deadly.  When Robinson lost to Archer, grown men shed tears at ringside, as they watched greatness turn into mortality.  It wasn’t that Archer was a bad fighter, he was a very good boxer, and rated number one middleweight contender in the world at that time, but he wasn’t Sugar Ray Robinson.  No one would ever be Sugar Ray Robinson again.  

In his autobiography "Sugar Ray" written with Dave Anderson, Robinson describes his final match:

"At the final bell, I just wanted to get out of that ring. Disappear.Vanish. But, that was impossible.I knew I had to stay there and wait for the announcement and I always had stayed there when I knew the announcer was going to tell me that I had won. While I was standing in my corner, several dozen people gathered in the aisle below me and stood there applauding and looking up at me. Man, that gave me a feeling. 

After the decision was announced, I was turning to climb through the ropes when I saw Millie. "That's alright Honey," looking up at me with tears in her eyes, "You didn't get hurt!"

She meant physically, inside, I was in agony. I wished I could disappear, but when I got to my dressing room, a strange thing happened. All the sports writers were around me, instead of over in
Archer's dressing room. Television cameras were there too. 

After a few minutes, Archer came over to go on TV with me, imagine the winner coming to the loser. He told me, "Ray you were the greatest Middleweight I ever saw."
He made me feel better. Everybody was trying to cheer me up, but some of them tried too hard. The Ray Robinson of old, I remember somebody said to me. You looked like the Ray Robinson of old.
Man, be serious, I thought. I hadn't been the Ray Robinson
of old. I had been an old Ray Robinson" 

Copyright © 2013 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com

Tim Bradley Breaks Ironman Rios in 9th Round: Rios Retires

Photo Source: HBO Boxing

By Peter Silkov

Timothy Bradley Jr. successfully defended his WBO world Welterweight Championship tonight with a conclusive 9th round stoppage of  Brandon Rios at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas . It was a lively performance by Bradley, who was having his first fight with new trainer, Teddy Atlas. After starting the fight looking as if he was going to go toe-to-toe with Rios, Bradley adjusted his approach. He began using the ring more, moving in and out, and giving Rios a lot of angles.

Bradley’s movement and hand speed troubled Rios from the beginning. Even when the two men were up close on the inside, the only place where Rios could hope to win the fight, Bradley was still having the better of things with his superior hand speed.  While Bradley looked sharp and focused through out the fight, Rios wore the look of a man who really wished to be somewhere else.  Never known for his self discipline outside of the ring, the news that Rios weighed as high as 171 on the night of the fight must pose grave doubts about his fitness going into the fight and the methods that were used to help him get down to the welterweight limit the previous day. 

After managing to stay with Bradley for the early rounds, Rios began to visibly wane with each passing minute, and by the 6th round, he had little left in the tank.  At this point, Rios’s main response to Bradley’s punches was a weak smile as if the shots were not hurting him, yet as the rounds went on it, it became obvious that Rios’s almost notorious punch resistance, was wearing down.  When the end came, it was Rios’s stomach that let him down, rather than his iron chin.  Several blows by Bradley had Rios crumpled up on his knees, and even though he beat the count, another sharp attack by Bradley sent Rios down again, and this time Referee Tony Weeks had seen enough, and mercifully waved the fight over. 

For the rejuvenated Bradley, the future holds the promise of several big fights in a division now seemingly free of Floyd Mayweather Jr., and full of a number of top boxers, whom over the next few months, will be seeking to prove that they are the new number one at 147 pounds.

For Rios the future seems much grimmer, certainly from the point of view of his boxing career.  Rios is a very marketable fighter because of his fan-friendly style, but tonight, after the first three rounds, he looked like a washed up fighter.  He had no snap in his punches, and no bounce in his legs.  Indeed, his demeanor throughout the fight was disturbingly detached.  Directly after the contest, Rios announced his retirement to HBO’s Max Kellerman, which is probably his wisest move after this showing.

Rios told Kellerman “"I don't wanna hurt my body, I don't wanna hurt my family, I don't wanna hurt my close friends around me, so I think it's time to hang up the gloves."

In all, it was great night for Bradley, but some of the shine will have been lost from his victory due to the dubious conditioning of Rios. The whole issue of weight making and the huge amounts of weight that are lost and gained by fighters in the run up to their fights, needs to be looked into urgently, before a fighter suffers a serious injury as a direct result of this dangerous game.  Tonight, Brandon Rios looked at times as if he was in danger of being seriously hurt.  Ironically, the body blows that stopped him in the 9th round, may well have saved him from a much more serious beating.

Copyright © 2015 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com

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