Imagine Boxing - Blog RSS (Opinion)

Weight Categories: Middleweight

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 09:15:01 +0100

With data suggesting fights started at this weight back in the 1840s, middleweight boxing is one of the oldest divisions in the sport, going as far back as the bare-knuckle era. Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris contested the first “middleweight championship” fight in 1867, with Chandler taking the glory.

The current regulations stress that a middleweight boxer is a maximum of 160 pounds (72.64kg), and the division is one that a number of former Olympic champions have made the most succes...

By Chris White

Weight Categories: Welterweight

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:31:50 +0100

Arguably the best weight division in terms of the skill of the boxer, the welterweight category is one of the hardest to dominate, with so many fighters plying their trade at this level at some stage of their career, including possibly the best welterweight ever – Sugar Ray Robinson.

Weighing in between 140 and 147 pounds, (63.5kg and 66.7kg), this is the “average” weight division if you like. Henry Armstrong rem...

By Chris White

Weight Categories: Lightweight

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 09:12:19 +0100

Ranging between 130 and 135 pounds, the lightweight division is one of the most fiercely contested with so many of the sports big names competing at the various stages of their careers.

The likes of ‘The Golden Boy’ Oscar de la Hoya, Mexican great Juan Manuel Marquez, and arguably two of the best boxers of a generation, if not all time, Floyd Mayweather ...

By Chris White

Weight Categories: Featherweight

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 09:30:30 +0100

In the early days or organised boxing, the official weight limits for featherweights seemed to vary, depending on what country you were in, until eventually the authorities settled on the limit of 126 pounds in 1920, used by the British throughout.

The first fight referred to as a featherweight championship fight took place in 1860 between Nobby Clark and Jim Elliott, although the division only became accepted as an official weight division in 1889 following the match between Ike Weir...

By Chris White

Weight Categories: Bantamweight

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 09:14:26 +0100

Derived from ‘bantam’ chickens, this weight category is one above the lightest weight class, the flyweights, covering boxers between 115lb and 118lb, or 52.1kg to 53.5kg.

The first title fight in this category was way back in 1889, between Chappie Moran and Tommy Kelly when the weights were up to 110lb, before the British set the limit at 118lb in 1910.

The longest serving of the curr...

By Chris White

Weight Categories: Flyweight

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 10:54:19 +0100

The lightest and most recently added weight class in professional boxing, flyweight covers those fighting between 108lb (49kg) and 112lb (51kg).

Before 1909, any fighter under featherweight classification was considered to be a bantamweight, regardless of how far below the classification. In 1911, what was to become the British Boxing Board of Control held a match in which Sid Smith was crowned the world’s first flyweight champion. But it was Jimmy Wilde who was recognised as the first...

By Chris White

Countdown Continues

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:50:56 +0100

David Haye is at least still talking a good fight as his “career defining” fight with Wladimir Klitschko grows ever closer. The WBA World Heavyweight champion takes on the Ukrainian who holds the IBF and WBO titles in what could be his last fight.

By Chris White

Warren And DeGale Push For Groves Rematch

Tue, 24 May 2011 12:26:36 +0100

Having lost his British super-middleweight title to George Groves, Olympic champion James DeGale and his promoter Frank Warren immediately called for the powers that be to order a rematch.

Groves won the fight at the O2 Arena on Saturday night by a close points decision, so surely that’s it. Groves won the fight and DeGale lost the fight. Move on. Promoter Frank Warren on the other hand has said that Groves “should be ashamed of that victory.” Why, because DeGale wasn’t good enoug...

By Chris White

Haye Brands Klitschko "A Fraud"

Thu, 12 May 2011 16:18:41 +0100

The pre-match banter has started ahead of David Haye's eagerly anticipated clash with Wladimir Klitschko, with the WBA Heavyweight champion labeling the Ukrainian as "a fraud."

Haye claims that Klitschko only has his fearsome reputation and his record of 49 knockouts from 55 victories out of his 58 fights because of the "fat American MO (Modus Operandi) that they like to fight."

The British WBA Heavyweight Champion's comments came at a pre-fight press conference in Hamburg's Imtech...

By Chris White

Pacquiao And Mosley Fight Not Exactly A Knock Out

Tue, 10 May 2011 17:09:20 +0100

This weekend's WBO Welterweight title bout between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley has received intense criticism from the media and boxing fans for being a complete mismatch.

38-year old Mosley looked a shadow of his former self, and was beaten on a unanimous points decision by his 32-year old opponent, prompting calls for Mosley to retire before tarnishing his record any further.

Title-holder Pacquiao knocked Mosley down in the third round, and Mosley was judged...

By Chris White

The World Awaits

Fri, 06 May 2011 11:01:52 +0100

Ahead of the eagerly anticipated bout between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley, we take a look at the history of two of the best fighters to have graced our boxing rings.

Pacquiao, widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter, puts his WBO Welterweight title on the line against 39-year old Mosley in Las Vegas this weekend. The Filipino has 52 victories from his 57 career fights, 38 by knockout, his last victory coming against Antonio Margarito in November. Some of the big victories...

By Chris White

Legend

Wed, 04 May 2011 18:01:36 +0100

The boxing world was stunned this week with news of the death of Sir Henry Cooper at the age of 76. The former British, Commonwealth and European Heavyweight Champion passed away at his son's house, just days before his 77th birthday.

'Our Enry' is remembered most for his two fights with the then Cassius Clay in the 1960s, the first of which on 18th June 1963 saw 'Enry's Ammer' put Clay onto the ropes before eventually losing the fight. Clay's next fight was against Heavyweight Champion...

By Chris White

When did boxing become so tame?

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:03:33 +0100

The debate is still raging whether the Amir Khan v Paul McCloskey fight at the MEN Arena last weekend should have been called off in the sixth round after a clash of heads regardless of whether the decision was right or wrong, there is an underlying issue here and that is that boxing has become somewhat ‘watered down’ in recent years.

Last Saturday, 18,000 fans crammed int...

By Shaun Edwards

The McCracken ban madness

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:45:12 +0100

Rob McCracken had his licence revoked earlier this week after the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) introduced new regulations which prevented any coaches with ties to professional sport from amateur events.

The British Olympic Association has now said that it will investigate the situation of behalf of the GB Boxing head coach. In addition to his role at GB Boxing, McCracken is also a coach to WBC super-middleweight champion Carl Froch which is where the issue has...

By Shaun Edwards

Is this boxing's last chance saloon?

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 13:48:19 +0000

The BBC’s Ben Dirs recently labelled boxing as a sport, the kid that every classroom has; super intelligent but they will insist on mucking around.

Dirs says boxing is capable of some of the finest displays of technical prowess and bravery and much like that metaphorical child, every once in a while in what is a vast ocean of shortfalls a truly world-class piece of work is produced. The Hayemaker v Klitschko bout is one of those moments.

Drawn out negotiations have ...

By Shaun Edwards

Why Pacquiao's switch from HBO changes things

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:08:11 +0000

Manny Pacquiao, easily the biggest and best fighter in the world of boxing right now, has sent ripples through the industry. Pacquiao’s forthcoming fight with Shane Mosley will not be broadcast on the usual HBO but rather on Showtime, a rival network owned by CBS Corporation.

The deal will see the fight heavily promoted on CBS's prime time sports programming, chat shows, and more in the weeks leading up to 7th May and this will, it is hoped, amount to a massive upswing in pay-p...

By Shaun Edwards

Haye goes for easy option Mormeck

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 18:11:32 +0000

When Wladimir Klitschko announced his re-scheduled bout with British Heavyweight Dereck Chisora, the whole boxing world's hearts sank.

Wladimir and his representatives with K2 Promotions had been in long term discussions with another Brit WBA Champion David Haye, regarding a unification at some point in 2011. This was and still is the fight that boxing fans want to see, but it does not look like it will happen before Haye's projected retirement of this coming October. With Klitschko...

By Shaun Edwards

A look back at Amir Khan vs Marcos Maidana

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 08:40:48 +0000

So we’ve looked at the Manny Pacquioa vs Antonio Margarito fight, but now time to look back at the best fight of 2010 – Amir Khan’s stunning win against Marcos Maidana.
The boy from Bolton did good as they say! He was phenomenal and he proved all his doubters wrong. He proved he is a world class talent and that he has the ability to go toe-to-toe with the best in the business in his division.
So what happened? Well Khan went to Las Vegas saying he could take everything Maidana, the hard...

By Jeff Dawson

Looking back at 2010

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 10:51:06 +0000

There were two fights that stood out for me this year and they both happened in the latter part of 2010. Firstly, Manny Pacquiao’s war with Antonio Margarito and Amir Khan’s murderous encounter with Marcos Maidana earlier this month.
These two contests epitomised what boxing is all about and underlined the quality of fighters out there in the smaller categories. Let’s take a look back on both fights that lit up the calendar and gave fight fans the kind of action they crave and desire.
...

By Jeff Dawson

2011 will be a big year for DeGale

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 14:05:49 +0000

I can’t wait for the boxing scene to get up and running again in 2011 following a thoroughly stunning year in which British fighters have seen their stock rise to unfathomable heights.
This year we have seen Amir Khan defend his WBA light-welterweight title, we have seen David Haye become the biggest draw in the heavyweight division following his performances to win the WBA heavyweight title and we have seen the emergence of the likes of James DeGale and George Groves in the super-middleweight divis...

By Jeff Dawson

DeGale silences doubters

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:45:46 +0000

I’ve had my doubts over the quality of James DeGale. I’ve wondered whether he is all hot air or if he is really as good as he believes he is. And having seen him dismantle Liverpudlian Paul Smith and win the British super-middleweight crown in front of 11,000 Scousers with a supreme performance, I think he has answered the questions being posed.
The Olympic champion was as confident as he always is before this fight and many, including myself, felt this would be where he met his match. Thro...

By Jeff Dawson

Khan's chin stands up to toughest test

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:49:59 +0000

Well how wrong could a group of ‘experts’ be? And although I don’t necessarily put myself into that group, I have to hold my hands up and admit that Amir Khan’s chin isn’t as susceptible as we all thought it was. In fact, after the performance and the shots he took on Saturday, it’s safe to say that the fears he has a glass jaw are now well and truly laid to rest. He is the real deal. And he showed it on the biggest, brightest, most high profile stage possible after an unanimous points win over ...

By Jeff Dawson

Big test for Khan

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:59:52 +0000

Amir Khan faces the biggest test of his career tomorrow night in Las Vegas when he takes on Marcos Maidana in the third defence of the Brit’s WBA light-welterweight crown.
The 24-year-old from Bolton has come a long way since his silver medal at the 2004 Olympics and boasts an impressive record that consists of 23 wins and one defeat – the humbling 56-second knockout suffered at the hands of Bredis Prescott.
I think that defeat has been one of the best things to ever happen to Khan in ...

By Jeff Dawson

Harrison to extend career

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 11:24:04 +0000

Sometimes in sport, you know you’re done. You know it’s time to give up the ghost so to speak. And sometimes you carry on too long. And not there is another sad case of the latter in boxing as Audley Harrison has confirmed he will be returning to the ring.
Sad for two reasons. Firstly Harrison should recognise that he has achieved all he can in the sport and leave with some dignity instead of becoming a journeyman that will take any fight for any purse just to gain a little recognition.
And sec...

By Jeff Dawson

Klitschko wants Haye

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:44:06 +0000

The comedown from the disappointment of David Haye’s destruction of Audley Harrison appears over, but now there is one question that needs to be answered – what next for the Hayemaker?
It is much publicised that both he and the Klitschko brothers – Vitali and Wladimir – want to fight each other but to date nothing has been set in stone. So will these fights happen?
I think that they will, as long as both fighters in each bout obtain equal terms from the financial side of the deal. This ...

By Jeff Dawson

What a joke!

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:40:10 +0000

What a joke! What an absolute farce! Yep, David Haye’s victory over Audley Harrison shows just what a joke Harrison is and he should now realise it’s time to give up.
His ‘destiny’ was the win the WBA heavyweight world title from Haye but after watching Saturday’s thoroughly disappointing fight, it proves his ‘destiny’ is now to fall silently into the background and enjoy the windfall he has made from the Box Office encounter.
Harrison landed just one punch on Saturday in nearly thre...

By Jeff Dawson

It's all about the money!

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 10:37:24 +0000

Many people have questioned the integrity of this weekend’s big fight as David Haye puts his WBA World Championship on the line against fellow Brit Audley Harrison. People have rightly asked why Haye, a world class fighter, would get in a ring with the former Olympic champion who has lost four times – to relative nobodies – in his professional career.
And it is quite simple. The interest this fight has generated and the money it will make by packing out a 20,000 seated arena and sales through...

By Jeff Dawson

Lewis backs Harrison for upset

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 14:56:28 +0000

The countdown is on and fight fans all across the world only have a few more sleeps to wait until the biggest British boxing showdown at Manchester’s MEN Arena on Saturday.
And this weekend, Lennox Lewis, perhaps the greatest British heavyweight of all time, has thrown his support behind the challenger Audley Harrison, claiming the former Olympic Champion has the power to cause an upset and knock out current WBA World Heavyweight Champion David Haye.
Last week I claimed that this would...

By Jeff Dawson

Is Khan ready for Mayweather?

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 12:21:13 +0000

There’s a story in the news today that needed a double take – Amir Khan has said, and wait for it, that he will be ready to fight Floyd Mayweather within 12 months! Yes, you read that correctly, the Bolton fighter believes he can take on one of the greatest boxers of all time.
You have to admire Khan’s confidence but I believe it would be a demolition job and the outcome would be the same and when he fought Columbian, Breidis Prescott, in September 2008. Watching that fight, it proved that Kh...

By Jeff Dawson

'A Force' will be down in the fourth!

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 16:01:35 +0000

In just over a week we will see one of the biggest showdowns in British boxing history when WBA World Champion David Haye puts his title on the line against Audley Harrison. And it promises to be a fantastic show but don’t count on it being a close fight!
There is a massive rivalry and hatred amongst the pair who used to be close friends and come the MEN Arena showpiece on November 13th this will mean an explosive fight. But, and this is the question on everyone’s lips, who will come out on...

By Jeff Dawson

Hypocrite

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 14:41:28 +0100

I’m sure that everyone who’s British remembers the scandal in British politics regarding MPs using their expense accounts to file for huge amounts of fraudulent activities. ‘It’s not right’ the British public thought, ‘it’s one rule for them and another for us.’ Well, that argument unfortunately now has to be made about Ricky Hatton. Legendary boxer though he was, Hatton has now been cleared of any criminal activity despite it being very obvious that he has been abusing drugs, and there having ...

By Shaun Edwards

Guts

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 16:47:06 +0100

Talking above your expectations is a fairly common habit for boxers, and it’s also fairly common for this to land them in hot water every now and then. Unfortunately, Dereck Chisora may be one of the men who has found himself in a lot of trouble after arranging to challenge Wladimir Klitchsko’s IBF and WBO belts in December.

Whilst there is the obvious fact that Chisora should probably be nowhere near challenging for any world title, given that he’s ranked in the top 15 by onl...

By Shaun Edwards

The Real Deal

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 13:08:46 +0100

It’s pretty rare (or it was at the time) for a youthful cruiser-weight champion to immediately come out after his first title victory and announce that he was to immediately go after the current world heavyweight champion. It’s even more of an intimidating prospect when you consider that the current world heavyweight champion at the time was Mike Tyson. But then, Evander Holyfield was no ordinary boxer.

The ‘Real Deal’s first two heavyweight fights were won by knockouts in rounds f...

By Shaun Edwards

Haye v Klitchsko

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 17:49:55 +0100

With Vitali Klitschko defeating the also ran Shannon Briggs to retain his WBC Heavyweight title, surely everyone realises that it is now time for him to reach out and pick a fight with the one person every boxing fan in the world is itching to see him battle: WBA World Champion David Haye.

With Haye currently occupied in the lead up to a fight with fellow Brit Audley Harrison – a choice of fight that has more or less bemused everyone in the UK – it gives Vitali, and indeed his brother...

By Shaun Edwards

The Gold Rush

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:49:06 +0100

Lastweek, we asked which of our British boxers would have the best chance atobtaining a gold medal at the commonwealth games. Fortunately, the young men flying the flag on our behalfhave gone out and dominated the boxing competitions, posting not one but fourgold medals!

Primarycongratulations have to go to the Northern Ireland bruiser Paddy Barnes. The light flyweight had been earmarkedby more or less everyone (Imagine included!) to bring home ...

By Shaun Edwards

King of the World

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 09:30:58 +0100
As a British sports fan, it’s fairly routine for our representatives in the various different disciplines to plod forward and be fairly average, whilst our press routinely builds them up so much that even if they are to become the best in the world it would still be a letdown. This stream of constant mediocrity and under-achievement is sharply contrasted by a wave of adulation whenever a British sportsman or woman prove themselves to be genuinely exceptional: it happened to Sir Steve Redgrave, ...
By Shaun Edwards

The Commonwealth Hopes

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 17:16:55 +0100
With the Commonwealth games now underway, it’s time to take a look at the British Boxers who will be hoping to make an impact on their respective weight divisions, as well as giving themselves the potential to earn a professional boxing contract. One of the bright sparks at the games will be Northern Ireland’s Paddy Barnes in the light flyweight division. Having won Bronze in Beijing two years ago, and then the Gold in the European Championships, it’s going to take a lot to beat the 23 year old...
By Shaun Edwards

The Bright Young Hope

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 01:30:53 +0100

Congratulations are in order for Nathan Cleverly, after deservedly winning the Boxing Writer’s Young Boxer of the Year award. The young man has had a truly fantastic year and does fully deserve the recognition. With the recent disgrace of Ricky Hatton, it seems like it’s time for him to take the reputation as being the most exciting young boxer in Britain.

What he’s achieved at such a young age is genuinely quite remarkable, even in a sport that frequently generates hyper achie...
By Shaun Edwards

The Shock of the Century

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 16:37:20 +0100

February 10th, 1990. The Tokyo Dome, Japan. ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson is fumbling around the mat, searching for his mouthpiece as the referee reaches the ten count. The bell rings. The boxing world is shocked. Mike Tyson has lost the world championship to James ‘Buster’ Douglas.

No-one, repeat no-one, can believe what they’re seeing.

It was supposed to be a formality: Mike Tyson, then 37-0-0 in boxing, was supposed to dismantle Buster Douglas, a journeyman boxer who was simply...
By Shaun Edwards

The Money!

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 09:58:32 +0100

‘I respect what Sugar Ray and Mohammad Ali did for the sport, but I am the greatest, and this is my time.’

Fighting talk for anyone involved in boxing. Stating that you’re a greater sportsman than Mohammad Ali is something that 99.99999999% of people would shrink away from doing.

But then 99.99999999% of people are not Floyd Mayweather Jr. He is simply, pound-for-pound, the greatest boxer of the last twenty years. Whether or not he was actually better than Ali is ...
By Shaun Edwards

Tyson! Tyson! Tyson! Part 2

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 18:58:31 +0100

“[He] called me a ‘rapist’ and a ‘recluse.’ I’m not a recluse.” – No…words…

"My main objective is to be professional but to kill him." – That’s that sorted, then.

"This is my career. I have children to raise. I have to retaliate. He butted me. Look at me. My kids will be scared of me." You know what, Mike? I’m sure they will…

"You're sweet. I'm going to make sure you kiss me good with those big lips. I'm gonna make you my girlfriend." – Mike declaring h...
By Shaun Edwards

Ricky Hatton is a legend!

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 17:10:49 +0100
I’ve going to stick me neck out here and defend Ricky Hatton despite his recent bad publicity. I’m even going to go as far as say that he is a legend of the sport that he has now disgraced with his cocaine-fuelled benders out on the town.
And the reason I’m going to do this is because no sportsman should be labelled for what they did off the pitch, canvas, oche or wherever it is they perform.
Hatton is a legend for one reason and one reason only. In the ring he was an entertainer. H...
By Jeff Dawson

Tyson! Tyson! Tyson!

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:39:20 +0100
‘Lennox Lewis, I'm coming for you man. My style is impetuous. My defense is impregnable, and I'm just ferocious. I want your heart. I want to eat his children. Praise be to Allah!’ – Er, right you are, Mike, ‘Fear is your best friend or your worst enemy. It's like fire. If you can control it, it can cook for you; it can heat your house. If you can't control it, it will burn everything around you and destroy you. If you can control your fear, it makes you more alert, like a deer coming across the law...
By Shaun Edwards

Haye v Harrison

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:40:49 +0100
The upcoming title fight between Haye and Harrison is going to be a belter. I genuinely can’t remember looking forward to a fight this much in years: there is literally going to be no loser in terms of the British paying audience. If Haye wins as expected, then we still have a British World Champion, who will then go on to presumably fight one of the Klitschko brothers, hopefully Wladimir, in what would be an undisputed championship fight: something the whole world wants to see. Secondly, it’s far more entert...
By Shaun Edwards

The last great heavyweight champion - Lennox Lewis

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:51:13 +0100

When we start to gain an interest in a sport we all have one person who is responsible for stirring something up inside - and for me with boxing - it was the greatest British Heavyweight Champion of all-time, Lennox Lewis.
'The Lion' was just making a name for himself when I was growing up and it was seeing this huge man demolish all that stood in his way that really got me interested in the sport. He was the last great heavyweight champion of the world. He was the last heavyweight to dominate...
By Jeff Dawson

A truly inspirational rags to riches story

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:24:59 +0100

He went from thug to boxer to heavyweight champion to preacher to heavyweight champion to successful businessman – quite a story for guy who was mugging and brawling on the hard streets of Houston’s 5^th ward at the age of 15.
Yet George Foreman’s rags to riches story is down to hard work and a belief in himself that many others could only dream of.
Foreman, the man who is now known for his Lean Mean Grilling Machines, was saved from a life that was headed towards prison by...
By Jeff Dawson