Big Write Hook April Bellew Haye

ISSUE 016 // APRIL 2018

Taylor v Taylor v Bustos Taylor v Bustos Bustos Taylor Taylor v Bustos Taylor v v Bustos Bustos Luke Jackson

Taylor v Bustos Taylor v Bustos Taylor v Bustos Taylor v Bustos Taylor v Bustos Taylor v Bustos

KATIE TAYLOR

SET TO GO TO WAR IN WORLD TITLE UNIFICATION.

Bellew v Haye 2 Bellew v Haye 2 Frampton v Donair Bellew v Haye 2 Frampton v Donaire Luke Jack Bellew v Haye 2 Frampton v Donaire Bellew v Haye 2 Jackson FramptonLuke v Donaire Bellew v Haye 2Luke Jackson Frampton v Donaire

“Boxing encompasses the very worst and very best of human nature and its beautiful brutality is a marvelous contradiction for a writer. It conjures up so many irreconcilably antagonistic feelings.” Brian D’Ambrosio

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L 0 I 0 0 R 0 0 L I R P A 0 8 0 1 0 0 20 0 L I R P A 0 8 0 1 0 0 20 0 L I R P A 0 8 0 1 0 0 0 020 L I R P A 0 8 0 1 0 0 0 020 L I R P A 0 8 0 1 0 0 0 020 L I R P A 0 8 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 L 0 I R P A 0 8 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 L 0 I R P A 0 8 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 L 0 I R P A 0 8 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 L I 00 R P A 0 8 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 L I 00 R P A 0 8 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 L I 00 R P A 0 8 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 L 0 I 0 R P A 0 ISSUE 016 // APRIL 2018

4// EDITOR’S LETTER // LEWIS CALVERT

6 // MONTHLY ROUND UP // STEVEN BATESON

8 // PRO QUITTING IN A FIGHT // TIM HAMMERSLY 10 // ANTI QUITTING IN A FIGHT // PAUL DALEY 12 // AUSSIE BOXING // ANTHONY COCKS

14// BOXING COACHES // MATTIE DOUGLAS

16 // BOXERS USING SOCIAL MEDIA // GARRY WHITE

18 // BOXING AND RELIGION // CHRIS WEATHERSPOON 20 // 12 ROUNDS WITH // LUKE JACKSON 22 // PREVIEW // FRAMPTON V DONAIRE

24 // PREVIEW // TAYLOR V BUSTOS 26 // PREVIEW // BELLEW V HAYE 2 28 // POETS CORNER

30 // GOLDEN YEARS

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Story lines offer increasing hype for each fight

The World Boxing Super Series has been, with the exception of a Juergen Braehmer pull out and baring a George Groves injury for the supermiddleweight final, a rousing success.

But is this fight so important because it will see either Murat Gassiev or Oleksandr Usyk crowned an undisputed Cruiserweight champion of the world or is it because it will see one man win the most prized possession in boxing: the Muhammad Ali Trophy?

Okay, so I hadn’t heard of it either before the tournament was announced and in a bid to enlighten my ignorance... or save my blushes on Twitter, I had to Google whether it was something my I may have overlooked in my nightly historical researching of the sport. As it transpired, it turns out to be a nice marketing move. I mean the £38 million prize fund is not to be sniffed at by the fighters either. However, that is not to say, #AliTrophy will not be held in great esteem in future. After the Ring Magazine and Big Wrtie Hook belts of course.

The current crop of fighters are trail blazers for a tournament that looked at the Super Six, took the best of it, made some tweaks and struck gold. Yet it does beg the question, is the cruiserweight contest only held in such reverence because it provides a solution to

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The success of UFC is, in part, down to the fact fans understand who the world champions are and the product is not diluted or convoluted with a plethora of super, regular, interim, diamond, international, silver, and other alphabet belts. This combination of confusion about current champions put all the more pressure on boxers to unify divisions, for the future credibility of the sport. It is no surprise then that at the appeal of a tournament to some fans is simply that offers some much needed clarity.

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Written By: Lewis Calvert @BigWriteHook

These words, boom out twice every iFL TV interview you have the luxury of watching for free. The necessity of advertising a small annoyance to sustain the quality insight that we would otherwise have to pay for. The idea of this message is to attract more pay-perview buys to watch what is arguably the most eagerly anticipated fight in of one of boxing’s least glamorous divisions in the past decade.

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more adverts. And more money for the people putting these events on because they are attracting huge numbers of curious eyes. So we will see more of them.

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A boxing “match” is winner takes all. A boxing tournament is winner takes all on steroids. Even more so if you throw in some Mexican meat. And what a tournament does is provides a narrative. Whether on one night like Prize Fighter did or over the course of a few weeks like the popular Contender series did, all those years ago.

Story lines offer increasing hype for each fight, but it also puts the fighters a collision course to actually prove who is the best rather than just say it. Unlike the current climate we see today with online arguments over purse splits, venues and a host of other problems that can surface from the murky swamp often referred to as “politics in boxing”.

Weller were. Or are. And I’m sure many of their fans don’t know who Gassiev or Usyk are. And none of them know who I am.

Boohoo, poor me. But nevertheless, the lucrative venn diagram of where boxing tournaments and the digital boxing fan meet has manifested itself as the Ultimate Boxer. (Which we preview later in the magazine. So read it all, thanks.) Similarly, Ireland’s Last Man Standing is aiming to do the same. They are both Prize Fighter like nights - on a smaller budget, with promotion being beamed into the mobile phones of an army of young technophiles.

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These smaller tournaments, together with the WBSS and even the Olympics (corruption aside) have have the potential to be the future of boxing. Expect a rise in the number of unsustainable start-up tournaments which try and cash in on this movement. And who knows, with so many tournaments competing with each other, there is one way to find out which one is the best... “for the first time in history, all four tournaments in every division will belong proudly around the waist of one man.”

Added to that, the landscape of what fans want and what sells, is shifting like we have never seen before. The rise of the digital age has seen Youtube celebrities become amateur boxers and garner millions of views online, which only means one thing: “For the first time in history, all four belts in the cruiserweight division will belong

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April 2018 // Big Write Hook // Page 5

MONTHLY ROUND UP // Written by Steven Bateson @StevenBateson1 Date:10/03/18 Sergey Lipinets vs. Mikey Garcia Mikey Garcia scored a unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Sergey Lipinets to win the IBF Junior Welterweight Championship, becoming a four weight world champion in the process. Garcia, who joins Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao with titles wins at 126, 130, 135 and 140 pounds, dropped Lipinets in the seventh round on a counter left hook but was forced to box for the decision as the defending champion displayed admirable resiliency throughout the bout whilst scoring with plenty of his own punches. Lipinets made it an extremely tough night for Garcia, who was forced to box and move throughout whilst trying to offset the constant pressure.

The scorecards of 116-11 and 117-110 twice, did not do the Kazakh any justice and he arguably deserved more rounds. Although admittedly, the correct fighter had their hand raised in victory. For Garcia it is another notable championship win, in what is sure to turn into a hall of fame career. He has countless options at multiple weight classes now, mega fights with the likes of Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Jnr, Vasyl Lomachenko or Jorge Linares will all be on the radar for him in 2018 and beyond.

Date: 24/03/18 Frank Buglioni vs. Callum Johnson Callum Johnson made a huge statement as he stormed through Frank Buglioni in a one round shootout to win the British Light Heavyweight Title and successfully defend the Commonwealth title simultaneously.

Both men chose to march forward and trade shots from the outset and it was Johnson who landed first with a right hand to the side of the head, knocking Buglioni’s balance out of kilter. Buglioni was trying to fight fire with fire but was a static target for Johnson, absorbing too many shots, and soon he was forced to hold on before

another blow had his legs wobbling again.

Johnson pushed his opponent back into the corner and then he landed the punch that had the former British champ down for an eight count. There was still plenty of time left in the round and Johnson smelt the blood in the water, he detonated a left hook and then another right hand to Buglioni’s jaw that sent the Enfield man scrambling toward the ropes again. This time the referee had seen enough and stopped proceedings, perhaps a little prematurely but every time Johnson was landing he had Buglioni all at sea and the official probably saved Buglioni from a more severe knockout.

Browne against the ropes. Browne stumbled forward and tried to engage but Whyte shrugged him off and sent his man facefirst on the canvass with a wrecking bell of a left hand. Browne was out before he hit the deck and the referee’s count was not necessary. Whyte now finds himself within touching distance of a world title opportunity.

Date: 24/03/18 Dillian Whyte vs. Lucas Browne

The Brit, put on a controlled display, keeping Parker on the end of the jab throughout the fight, using good footwork to avoid the sparse attacks from the challenger. The bout did lack the all action style Joshua is known for and this is in some part down to a poor referee who was far too quick to split the fighters up when they got in close, nullifying any chance of inside work. Parker was understandably cautious for the first eight rounds, and by the time he did try to up the pace the damage had been done by AJ. Though the fight did lack a spark, Joshua got the win and went 12 rounds with ease. It also acts as another step towards the mega-fight with Deontay Wilder to become undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world.

Dillian Whyte produced a clinical and destructive performance as he knocked out Lucas Browne in the sixth round of their WBC Silver Heavyweight clash.

Whyte was dominant from the outset and used excellent movement and jabbing to pepper the face of the Australian before opening a cut over Browne’s left eye with solid right hands on the inside.

Browne looked heavy and cumbersome and he just did not have any idea on how to implement any gameplan. He was a walking punchbag, hoping to win the lottery with one lucky shot. He just seemed to be walking on to punch after punch from the Brixton man, perhaps his time out of the ring showing here. Whyte scored a huge right hand in round three and was attacking the body of Browne at will, but it seemed like the former world champion would not be budged by anything within the Whyte arsenal.

Blood was continuously streaming down the face of Browne and then in round five his nose was bust by another succession of jabs and straight right hands. Round six began and Whyte knew his man was on the brink of collapse so he upped the pace with a body and head attack and knocked

Date: 31/03/18 Anthony Joshua vs. Joseph Parker Anthony Joshua added one more belt to his collection in his quest for world domination as he beat fellow champion Joseph Parker by a unanimous 12 round decision.

On the undercard, David Price was knocked out in spectacular fashion by Alexander Povetkin in the fifth round. The Scouser had also been dropped in the third, but showed great courage in getting back to his feet and even wobbled the Russian at the end of the same round with a huge left hook of his own, which resulted in the 38-year-old getting a standing eight count. The shootoame to a close with the defenceless Liverpudlian on the wrong end of a vicious left hook. This latest defeat, to another drug cheat, could spell the end of the road for popular heavyweight.

Mon th ly Round U p Monthly Round Up Page 6 // Big Write Hook // April 2018

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April 2018 // Big Write Hook // Page 7

An Argument FOR Quitting in a Fight.

An Argument FOR Quitting in a Fight.

An Argument FOR Quitting in a Fight.

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Page 8 // Big Write Hook // April 2018

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QUITTING ISN’T COWARDICE // Written By: Tim Hammersly @timhammersley27

B

oxing is a combat sport. Fighters are going to get hurt. And sometimes, it’s deadly. However, it is almost engrained within fighters that they should abide by, as Chris Eubank Snr calls it, the “Warrior’s Code”.

The wellbeing of a fighter should always be the number one priority for everyone involved in a fight; whether that’s promoters, referees or trainers. But a fighter is the only one who truly knows when enough is enough. They are the one taking the punches and feeling the damage. No fighter should be expected to put their life on the line when they enter the ring. Yes, fighters know what they are getting into when they become a professional boxer; they are going to get hurt, physically and emotionally. But they have a duty to themselves and their family to protect their health and to protect their career.

Now what exactly constitutes a fighter quitting? No fighter is likely to tell the referee “that’s it, I’m done” are they? Recent controversial examples of Ohara Davies’ loss to Josh Taylor and Kell Brook’s defeat to Errol Spence have caused debate as to where the point a fighter “quits” is. These examples both suggest that by taking significant evasive action, be it Davies turning his back or Brook taking a knee, that fighters are clearly indicating to their corner or to the referee that they feel physically unable to continue. If, in such a situation, the fighter is clearly showing they are unable to continue, then there is nothing to be ashamed of.

Those who argue that boxers should know what they’re getting into are right, but by arguing that, one must also accept that boxers also know when to stop. In the case of Brook, he has received a near identical injury in the opposite eye during a fight with Gennady Golovkin less than 12 months before. He knew what an injury

of that type could do to him; he’d been through it before. By submitting the way he did, he was protecting not just himself as a fighter, but his livelihood. Had that fight carried on any longer Special K could well have lost the sight in that eye.

No win, no belt, no vision. No amount of acclaim should ever come before safety.

The debate around quitting can be boiled down to one word, trust. No one would reasonably expect a fighter to carry on knowing full well that to do so would result in a career ending injury. If they believe they are too badly hurt to carry on, indicating that point to the corner or referee should bring no shame, it is difficult to argue that point. Where the issue lies is to whether or not a fighter genuinely is hurt or if they have simply lost heart and given up. If that was the case, then those fighters would not be professionals.

They know what they are doing. They know there will be pain. Fighters without heart don’t make it to the professional level; they get found out in the amateurs. We should be able to trust a professional boxer to know their own body, if they think they are too badly injured to carry on in a fight then we should believe them, it is their job, they deserve our trust. If they give up because they have lost heart, they should not be professional it is that simple. Safety must come first and we as fans and members of the boxing community must always respect that.

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THE DEBATE AROUND QUITTING CAN BE BOILED DOWN TO ONE WORD, TRUST. NO ONE WOULD REASONABLY EXPECT A FIGHTER TO CARRY ON KNOWING FULL WELL THAT TO DO SO WOULD RESULT IN A CAREER ENDING INJURY.

February 2018 // Big Write Hook // Page 9

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Page 10 // Big Write Hook // April 2018

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ANTI QUITTING IN A FIGHT // Written By: Paul Daley @TopClassBoxing

F

ighters waving the white flag of surrender dates back to the creation of the sweet science. It’s not uncommon to see a combatant with the shake of their head, opt out of a difficult fight, often leaving fight fans to voice their dismay.

The stigma of quitting can follow a boxer throughout their career and I’ve always been an advocate of “it’s better to stop the fight early than not at all”, having seen more than my fair share of fighters leaving in ambulances, never able to return to the glories that they were promised.

So to defend a debate against boxers quitting during a fight is difficult, because automatically I start to think primarily about the health concerns involved, but can also see the reasoning behind fighters continuing, when you know deep down they can.

Often, it can be out of frustration that a fighter will not want to continue of his own accord. Others find excuses in a minor injury to allow their corner or referee to intervene.

The biggest example to date would be Roberto Duran’s ‘No Mas’ contest with Sugar Ray Leonard back in November 25, 1980. The teak tough Panamanian turning his back on Leonard before uttering the infamous words which to this day have lingered over his otherwise incredible career.

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That night it was out of pure frustration that Duran quit; the speed and movement of Leonard mixed with the clowning nature was too much for one man to take, even a man like Duran. But here is where I would have hoped to find a fighter, who had been born into hardship only to make it in the toughest of sports, to have shone through and seen out the contest whether win, lose or draw.

Unfortunately, we were robbed of a conclusion.

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I suppose you could also couple Mike Tyson’s ear biting of Evander Holyfield in the quitting debate, for the same reason as Duran; frustration getting the better of him. Iron Mike was left to find a way out of the contest but unlike Duran it was without the scrutiny of being called a quitter.

More recent times have thrown up the likes of Victor Ortiz who clearly did so against Marcos Maidana and you could also say he did the same with Floyd, staying down when we knew he could get up and continue. Even more recently, you could add Ohara Davies, who I felt could have fought on against Josh Taylor but instead turned his back after a tough 7 rounds in which he was dropped twice and didn’t look like he could have swung the fight his way. These are just a couple of examples that spring to mind.

Fight fans ultimately want their fill of blood, sweat and tears from boxers. We as consumers are put off by a fighter who quits, I mean why should be pay our hard earned cash to watch someone find a way out when times get tough, after all they are getting paid a hell of a lot?

Conflicted, the risks of stepping into the ring, let alone not quitting come at the ultimate price. Magomed Abdusalamov, Gerald McClellan and to my hometown hero Johnny Owen, are just a few names that have suffered fatal injuries in the sport.

Those men knew no limits, unfortunately that leaves most to ponder on his/her actions at a later date, if of course they are able to do so.

We love the thrill of the ride: Hagler vs. Hearns, Ward vs.. Gatti and Barrera vs. Morales, all of whom put everything on the line and in so doing have become the the very fabric the sport. Their names act as the benchmark of what fighting spirit is and as such, they are carved into the history of boxing.

escape route. It is our natural instinct.

It’s important to remember that we as humans are also taught never to give up from an early age, which is applicable to all walks of life. It is only the ones who dare to dream that make it to the top of the mountain in their chosen professions.

A fight can turn in an underdog’s favour with a well placed shot, whether behind on the scorecards or little to no prospect of winning. We have seen fighters dig deep before, Diego Corrales would be one of the biggest examples of such, he didn’t quit even though the odds were stacked against him against Jose Luis Castillo: he had been dropped twice, bleeding from his nose and mouth, behind on the scorecards but from nowhere, he found something. Corrales somehow turned the tide, immortalising the bout as one of the greatest fights of all time and it was because he made that conscious effort to keep fighting in the face of adversity.

In doing so, his legacy will live forever.

I don’t have a problem with a fighter quitting when injured or to avoid long term issues.

However, I do have issues when a particular fighter is only there for a payday, knowing that a brisk wind would call for a halt to the bout. Fight fans who pay their admittance fee, deserves more than that. That individual should give his all and fight. We see it far too often with B-side fighters, flown over to the UK from the far flung corners of the Baltic states or South America. They come, fall over after a round or two and then go home.

Though you could put the blame down to promoters over matching their own fighters.

We all love an underdog story, the hope that any fighter can find one punch, in the last second of the 12th round, when everything is stacked against them, to somehow win a fight. That is what makes boxing so special, that is what makes great sport so special. You always have a chance. Providing you don’t quit.

There was simply no quit in those men, but in everyone there is a flight or fight response. Some will stand and trade, whilst others will try to find an

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April 2018 // Big Write Hook // Page 11

BOXING IN COLONIAL AUSTRALIA

A

Australia is a country that prides itself on its sporting success. Producing world-conquering sportsmen and women is part of the national DNA. But what is often overlooked – or simply forgotten – is just how important bare-knuckle boxing was to forging the national identity that persists today.

The Sparkes Cup is a 19th century solid silver goblet that was awarded to Australian bare-knuckle fighter William Sparkes for good sportsmanship after his 67 round bout against the legendary middleweight Nat Langham at Richmond, England in May 1847.

Born in 1820, Sparkes was the son of convicts and the eldest of four brothers brought up in the town of Sparkes Run on the Cook River, New South Wales. In his fight against Langham, Sparkes had the ascendancy until the 63rd round when he appeared to break his arm. Despite this debilitating injury, Sparkes fought on for another four rounds until his manager flung his hat into the ring in the time-honoured tradition as a signal of defeat. Despite coming second in a two horse race, Sparkes was greeted by a crowd on his return at Sydney quay as a national hero.

An entry in “Bell’s Life in Sydney and Sporting Reviewer” dated 18 September 1847 declared that Sparkes’ return was “more like the triumphal entry of a conqueror than a vanquished man whose prowess had been compelled to yield to superior science, linked with accident”.

He put the science into the sport. Bathurstborn Larry Foley was one of his students.

Along with his successful gym, Mace ran a pub in Melbourne. His five years in Australia advanced the sport in unfathomable ways.

By the late 1800s Australia had become an important stopover for the world’s leading pugilists. Much of the credit must go to Foley, who introduced the Marquis of Queensberry rules to the antipodes and with the encouragement of the Marquis, was able to overcome opposition from powerful social forces in the colonies who would see that the sport was doomed if they had their way. Foley had a “saloon” in Sydney that became the college and university of many an Australian gloveman.

A glance at the list of names who came through the doors of his academy include the mercurial featherweight Young Griffo, leading heavyweights of the time Peter “The Black Prince” Jackson, Frank “Paddy” Slavin, and future world heavyweight champion Bob Fitzsimmons, born in Cornwell,

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DURING THE LARGELY LAWLESS DAYS OF THE GOLDRUSH IN THE MID-1800S BOXING WAS A COMMON FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT ON THE GOLDFIELDS WHERE YOU HAD TO MAKE YOUR OWN FUN.

The engraving on the cup is telling: “Presented to W. Sparkes by the gentlemen of Richmond for his manly conduct in the late fight with Langham, May 17, 1847.”

Pugilism gave Australian men an identity, an aspiration, a sense of superiority over their English masters. It made heroes of ordinary men and taught that anything is possible, regardless of your station in life, with a little bit of dedication and a whole lot of toughness, resilience and the willingness to give it a go.

Sparkes was arguably Australia’s very first national hero.

Australia’s most famous bushranger Ned Kelly was unofficially regarded as the north-eastern district boxing champion after defeating Isaiah “Wild” Wright in a 20-round bare-knuckle boxing match at Beechworth in August 1874 shortly after his release from Pentridge Prison for horse theft when he was 19 years old. That victory furthered his reputation at the time and, later, his mythology.

The arrival of pugilist pioneer Jem Mace on Australian shores in 1877 paved the way for a generation of Australian men to become capable glovemen. Mace was a clever boxer, known as the “Father of Modern Boxing”.

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Pugilism was a popular pastime in colonial Australia for over 70 years, until it was superseded by the Marquis of Queensberry rules in the 1870s.

England but claimed by the Kiwis. Australia led the way in adopting the Marquis of Queensberry rules and played a strong hand in keeping the sport alive worldwide when forces at play wanted to end it for good.

During the largely lawless days of the goldrush in the mid-1800s boxing was a common form of entertainment on the goldfields where you had to make your own fun.

In the heart of Victoria’s goldfields the town of Sandhurst was renamed Bendigo in 1891 in tribute to English bare-knuckle boxing champion William Abednego Thompson, Bendigo being a derivation Abednego.

An early Australian shepherd on the Ravenswood Run, who was also a bareknuckle boxer had a style that mimicked that famous English southpaw, used the same nickname which was then applied to the area and, eventually, the regional city.

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The first Australian claimant to a world boxing championship was Young Griffo, born Albert Griffiths in Sydney in 1869 or 1871 depending who you believe, a one-time protégé of Foley’s who made a name for himself as a defensive wizard in a time when defence consisted of catching punches with your face. The featherweight marvel trained at Foley’s White Horse Hotel gym and was rumoured to be a member of the violent Sydney street gang “The Push” from the Rocks.

Young Griffo fought at the end of the bare-knuckle era but made his name as a gloved fighter. A notorious alcoholic with an aversion to training, Griffo would often have to be dragged out of the bars and slapped into semi-sobriety in order to fight.

Griffo developed a saloon trick that he used to great effect. He would lay down a handkerchief on floor and challenge anyone in the bar to hit him while he stood on the small square of fabric. It was an easy was for the incorrigible Griffo to cadge another drink.

In September 1890 Griffo bested New Zealand’s Torpedo Billy Murphy at the Sydney Amateur Gymnastic Club to claim the world featherweight crown recognized by Britain and Australia and held it for a number of years.

Griffo made his way to America in 1893 at the age of 22 where he was an instant success. In an era when the only way to win a fight was by KO, Griffo was handicapped by the lack of a killer punch. Many of the draws on his ledger would be clear-cut victories today. With this in mind, Griffo’s record against former world champions and future Hall-of-Famers like Ike Weir, Solly Smith, Kid Lavigne, George Dixon and Joe Gans can be viewed favourably.

Griffo boxed on until 1904. No longer young, his talents eventually eroded in a haze of booze. He ended up broke and destitute on the streets of New York in the later years of his life where he died at age 56, but his legacy paved the way for the likes of famous Australian fighters Jeff Fenech, Kostya Tszyu, Vic Darchinyan, Daniel Geale, Sam Soliman, Sakio Bika and most recently, world welterweight champion Jeff Horn to make their mark in America.

Written By: Anthony Cocks @el_pollo_loco

April 2018 // Big Write Hook // Page 13

Boxing Coaches Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or Tacticians P.E. teachers? or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Tacticians or P.E. teachers?

Page 14 // Big Write Hook // April 2018

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Written By: Written Mattie Douglas Written By: Mattie Douglas Mattie Douglas By: Mattie Douglas Written By: Mattie Douglas Written By: Mattie Douglas Written By: Mattie Douglas @MattieDoug87

H

ow important are coaches in boxing? Are they the masterminds? Are they the brains of the operation? The puppeteers? Or just glorified P.E. teachers?

Probably all of the above in some instances.

Delving into some of Britain’s most well known fighters of recent years it’s a toss up.

Take David Haye for example, with Adam Booth he was unified World Cruiserweight Champion. His performance against Nikolai Valuev to capture the Heavyweight Title was one of patience and discipline put together by the boxing tactician in his corner, known for meticulous planning.

Of course we all have our off days and Haye’s infamous sore toe seemed to spell the end of the line for such a successful partnership. More recently, Haye partnered up with Shane McGuigan, but didn’t really give the young coach the time to change his life long habits and Hayemaker seemed to be the one in charge by going off to play basketball on a boat in Miami, while Bellew was probably doing hill sprints in the pissing down rain listening to Z Cars on repeat. There is no substitute for hard work.

Amir Khan is a well publicised gym hopper: forgetting his recent celebrity hiatus, he had been training under Virgil Hunter, a man who guided Andre Ward to arguably the top of the P4P rankings. Ward though, is a fantastically gifted boxer, everything is subconscious in his movements and he is truly one of the best to grace the sport in recent decades.

Khan on the other hand is no Ward and that is not a jibe at the Bolton man. I have always been a big Khan fan, the lad has got heart by the Kirkby skip load. He gets tagged?

He bangs his chest and goes to war when all he needs to do is cover up and hold on.

But its in his blood to be a warrior. Hunter seemed to reign him in slightly, but when he gets caught flush, the primal side comes out and the old Amir emerges. The same one who got folded in half by Danny Garcia.

Khan is undeniably a terrific fighter, he was boxing well and in my opinion winning the fight against Canelo until one mistake and it was lights out. Does he stick with Hunter? Time will tell. He was rumoured to be training in Gallagher’s gym with the Smith Brothers and Anthony Crolla. There he will have a decent level of sparring, but I am not sure if Gallagher’s style will suit Khan. His time with Freddie Roach was not exactly time well spent either, Roach is an aggressive coach, he is a Jurgen Klopp type; great attack but no plan B. Hunter is more of a Mourinho - he might set up his side to grind out a victory and still lose 1-0, but will never get snotted 5-0 either.

Tony Bellew has seen his career hit heights that he himself never even dreamed of. His

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long time coach Mike McAllister brought him through the ranks as a young lad from the streets of Liverpool to boxing Adonis Stevenson for a World title in Canada. Okay, so he got absolutely bingoed and didn’t look on the same level as the champion, but his career could have plummeted from there. The second he was knocked out by Stevenson, he looked destined to be more known for his mouth than his boxing ability.

Bomber knew he needed a change, so he left his home comforts and teamed up with Dave Coldwell and he hasn’t looked back since: European champion, Cruiserweight World champion, slayer of David and now due a rematch in what promises to make him a fortune. Win that and he could potentially be in the Wilder/AJ/Fury mix.

Who would have thought it while he was boring everyone to tears at the Echo Arena against Isaac Chilemba years ago?

On the other side you have Joe Calzaghe, who reached the pinnacle of boxing under the tutelage of his father and coach Enzo. Joe had so much natural ability, stamina for days, speed, heart, granite chin and a boxing brain. He had an uncanny knack of knowing exactly when to put his foot down and throw a 5 or 6 punch combination and snatch a round.

Enzo Calzaghe has not really had a great record as a coach barring his son. His other student, Enzo Maccarinelli, was a Cruiserweight World Champion but since his sickening knockout loss to Haye, he never looked the same. Could Joe have been even better if he trained with a World Class coach? Or are the home comforts and the trust he had for his dad as a coach all he ever needed to encourage his natural talent?

Looking at some of our fighters in Britain the one with all the natural athletic ability to be a World Class fighter is Chris Eubank Jnr. But that lad is crying out for a proper coach. He can throw every punch in the book but on both occasions when he has come up against fighters who can hit and move, he has came unstuck. Moreover, it has been against fighters who you could easily argue did not have the same physical attributes as the Brighton man, but had a better game tactics. Billy Joe Saunders and George Groves used hit, move and smother approaches to secure points victories. Something that was lacking from Eubank Jnr in both fights was the ability to dictate range and distance; he needed to work his way to the inside but just didn’t have the boxing brain to do it. No feints, no head movement, and his jab was as present

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as his auld fella’s fashion sense. He carries his hands low and his style would gel pretty well with someone like Adam Booth, whose fighter seem to carry that low guard and flick out a stinging jab. It is patently obvious that Eubank Jnr needs to break away from his dad and stand on his own two feet, as he is in danger of drifting into the abyss.

Writing this has really made me think, how many boxers could have made it to World honours had they been in the right environment? How many have slipped through the net and were just needing the right thing said in their ear between rounds?

David Price with the right fitness coach and sports psychologist would be in that heavyweight title mix now had he not tried to steam-roll Tony Thompson and taken his time. He gassed and got stopped, the right coaching would have told him to keep his cool and wait for the shots to land and not try to force it. Instead he left with his first defeat and was never the same again.

Although it is worth noting that he has been the victim of drug cheats. He is making another comeback, against another drug cheat and lets hope he can get a victory and right all the wrongs he has suffered because he really is one of boxing’s nice guys.

Some coaches and fighters were made for each other like Groves and McGuigan, others aren’t so good like Khan and Roach.

The old cliché that styles makes fights is as relevant now as it ever has been but fighters are people too. If they are happy, comfortable and healthy, they will perform.

Some want to be round their family during camps like Carl Frampton, others want to move away from home and be isolated in a different city like AJ in Sheffield to get into the zone. Some coaches and boxers are friends, others are strictly business partners and that will work for some fighters and not for others.

It really is a case of horses for courses.

Men like Calzaghe manage to make it to the top with the fella that first changed their nappy. Others have to travel the world and end up just 13 miles away from where they first started like Khan. But the career of a boxer is short and we can’t blame them for trying different coaches and gyms to find something they are lacking or to find something they once had and lost all in the pursuit of securing their family’s future. The vast majority will be trying in vain to find something they simply will never have. Who’d be a boxer ay?

March 2018 // Big Write Hook // Page 15

WHEN BOXER’S USE IT //

Page 16 // Big Write Hook // February 2018

Social media allows fighters to build their brand, for better or worse, with the public, and provide personal insight on their own terms. Conversely, it also opens the door to conversations between boxers that once would have been nonexistent, private, or at least managed via theatrically staged press conferences.

Several fighters have fallen foul of their overly verbose approach to twitter messaging. In their own way creating a parody of the drunken 3am social media rant that is all too familiar. Sometimes, these can be artful and entertaining but it can become uncomfortable when the abuse aimed at opponents reaches unacceptable levels. Others, like Billy Joe Saunders have been censured for an overestimation of their own comic ability and good taste. One man’s well timed gag for another is mere crude, tasteless and bovine repartee. This is clearly not a state of affairs intrinsic only to the world of boxing.

At its best, social media provides a vital link between fighter and audience. An opportunity for the man in the street to peer into the world of champions and even converse with them directly. For those lower down the pecking order it provides the means to increase their visibility and develop their brand. Where money is tight and purses low, it is a useful mechanism to glean additional sponsorship and sell tickets.

This has become a well-timed and critical development as the mainstream news media has gradually de-prioritised all but the biggest names and fights. But, fighters need to remember that whether willingly or not they are the window into our sport.

They drive the image of boxing in the eyes of the outside world and the barely interested punter. One whose reputation is already sullied via poor management, drug cheats, title proliferation and overly flexible sanctioning bodies. Some fighters could do well to remember that not everyone has the eloquence of Muhammad Ali and thus would be better served by doing their talking only in the ring.

It is all too easy to fall into the trap of focusing on the minority of miscreants and omitting the positives. In the aftermath of the Scott Westgarth tragedy the boxing world rallied together. Fighters and fans in alignment sending their best wishes, shedding their collective tears and contributing to the “GoFundMe” page set up for the fallen warrior. It was after all social media that made all of this possible.

Written By: Garry White @LWOSGarryWhite

A little known super middleweight by the name of Tyan Booth has recently had his licence suspended by the British Boxing Board of Control. It followed injudicious remarks made on Twitter, although this particular adjective, in many people’s eyes, does not go far enough. Instead, you could easily replace “injudicious” with: disgusting, despicable or a whole raft of numerous other more forceful and direct terms. And of course in the Twitter sphere, many people did just that.

I won’t repeat any of the content of Booth’s tweets here as I wish to deny him the oxygen of any further publicity. Suffice to say that they included the ring death of Scott Westgarth and references to 90’s fighter Gerald McClennan’s ongoing battles with brain injury and permanent disability. I set the troll free from cyber-space only as a mechanism to illustrate a point about some of the negatives of social media.

Booth is one of those fighters whose early record showed indications of someone that might do something in the fight game. Instead, his career has fizzled out to almost nothing. He now exists in the lobby outside of the main room petulantly beating on the door for attention. In this way he is no different to the trolls that are the scourge of all areas of social media.

People whose abusive language and approach makes them easy to dislike in the strongest way possible. Their every barb laced with a chronic need for attention as evidenced by their desperate requirement to turn every conversation back to themselves. Even when, in the case of Booth, it was manifestly inappropriate to do so. Such clunking self-obsession is usually an indication of insecurity and is nearly always a recipe for pity rather than hate.

The 21st century game-changer is that social media gives boxers, like everyone else, a voice, no matter how incoherent. One that isn’t filtered by a newspaper journalist or other third parties, but instead projects itself straight to the marketplace. Sadly, as so often in life, it is the unqualified, third rate and the anonymous who shout the loudest and court controversy in order to be heard above the otherwise intelligent debate.

However, for a sport that is struggling to maintain its profile, social media provides an excellent opportunity for boxing to engage directly with the consumer. It helps remove barriers and allows access and information flow between, boxers, promoters and their public. For example, Anthony Joshua has 1.9 million Twitter followers and Floyd Mayweather 8 million. An impressive sales pipeline by anyone’s measurement.

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Social Media

Written By: Chris Weatherspoon @christoph_21

M

ichael Moorer crumpled like an autumn leaf. As his back met the cool white of the canvas, his senses confused, he lifted his head. It was all he could lift.

Across the ring, George Foreman waited patiently in a neutral corner. As the count of ten reached its end, Foreman looked skyward and then, remembering his place, turned and knelt in the corner in prayer. As much of the MGM Grand erupted around him, in a city famed for its sleaze, Foreman’s first thought was to thank the Lord for his newly found rapture.

It marked the end of a journey that had begun 17 years earlier. Though 1974 had brought Foreman’s famous loss to Muhammad Ali in Zaire, it would be another three years before ‘Big George’ took his leave from prizefighting.

In the aftermath of a loss to Jimmy Young, the man once labelled by many as the most fearsome on the planet turned to God, becoming an ordained minister and stepping back from the sport for a full decade.

Foreman’s tale is a vivid example of the link between religion and boxing, but it is far from the only one. It is hard not to find such a link bemusing. In a sport where the primary objective is to pummel your opposing number into submission, to see so many fighters refer to their faith seems almost hypocritical.

“

The juxtaposition of war and peace is a stark one, yet it is a line that has been drawn by countless boxers over the years.

Where Foreman found Christianity, his first defeat came at the hands of a man who placed his faith in Allah. Muhammad Ali had been born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., only shunning his “slave name” upon his conversion to Islam, by which time he was already a world champion. Ali, himself a myriad of contradictions, joined the Nation of Islam and, for a period, tied himself closely to their views on racial distinctions.

Indeed, so strong were his religious beliefs that they contributed heavily to him missing out on his peak as an athlete. Ali’s decision to dodge the Vietnam War draft was firmly rooted in the teachings of the Nation, and it cost him four years of his career.

The heavyweight division is littered with flirtations with the divine. Mike Tyson, following his incarceration after being found guilty of rape, turned to Islam too. After his first professional defeat to the almost unheard of James ‘Buster’ Douglas, Tyson referred to the question of religion when trying to make sense of his startling loss. “Minor animals don’t get God upset,” Tyson said.

“God has to keep the big animals in check so they won’t get lofty on their thrones.”

Starved of reason or logic, Tyson could only believe that his loss was a warning sent from above. Douglas himself had praised the man upstairs for his victory, claiming that “with God on my side” no feat was beyond him.

ear and attempts to break Francois Botha’s arms came after his conversion.

Post-fight appreciations of a higher power frequently feel forced rather than genuine.

That is not to say that fighters’ faiths don’t shape their careers. Certainly, Foreman and Ali’s did. In the modern day, Amir Khan’s strict observance of the Ramadan fast impacts not only when he can fight but also the lengths to which he must go afterwards in order to get himself into shape. Meanwhile, where Khan’s religion arguably inhibits the British welterweight’s chances in the ring, Andre Ward’s enhances his. A devout Christian, Ward abstains from alcohol and partying and keeps well clear of the excesses that tempted Tyson and many more both before and after him. It has helped him become one of the best boxers on the planet.

Whether authentic or otherwise, fighters have long since turned to the religions of the world in searching for answers, both in victory and defeat. It should not come as a surprise. Many are from backgrounds that tell bleak tales of abandonment and strife; sometimes, a belief in the sacred might be all that keeps young men going.

Without doubt, Foreman’s win over Moorer had more than a hint of the blessed about it. At 45, Foreman became the oldest man to win a world heavyweight title, a feat all and sundry had said was beyond him. Yet George himself had never doubted it could happen. After succumbing to defeat in Zaire, a humbling which he himself admits left him “broken”, it seems rather fitting that his resurrection came with a little help from above.

“

Moorer’s loss of his world heavyweight titles happened inside a tenth round that bucked the trend of the previous nine. For 27 minutes, the unified champion had mastered his opponent, throwing with accuracy and moving into distance before a glove could arrive by way of reply. As the final punch came hurtling towards him, a piledriver of a right hand, carefully hidden behind a long jab, Moorer was ahead on all three scorecards. Yet now he was out, beaten down by a man eighteen years his senior.

To many onlookers, it constituted a miracle.

In some ways, such ties are loose ones.

Often it appears that fighters only discuss their faith when the moment suits. Tyson’s reading of Islam was an odd one, given that his chomping of Evander Holyfield’s

WHETHER AUTHENTIC OR OTHERWISE, FIGHTERS HAVE LONG SINCE TURNED TO THE RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD IN SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS, BOTH IN VICTORY AND DEFEAT.

Page 18 // Big Write Hook // April 2018

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The heavyweight division is littered with flirtations with the divine. e heavyweight division is littered with flirtations with the divine.

BOXING AND RELIGION //

Fighting the Good Fight @BigWriteHook

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April 2018 // Big Write Hook // Page 19

12 ROUNDS WITH //

Luke Jackson Written By: Connor Hutton @CanvasBoxing

1. Who is your favourite all time boxer?

Kostya Tszyu and Floyd Mayweather 2. Who is your favourite active boxer?

Vasyl Lomachenko, but I also love Gennady Golovkin, Terence Crawford, Saul Canelo Alvarez, Errol Spence and Mikey Garcia

Boxers have

losses

record be and

can

but

world have

3. Are tournament competitions like the World Boxing Super Series and Ultimate Boxxer the future of the sport and are world titles a thing of the past?

I would never say that world titles are a thing of the past but the tournament competitions mean that you can only have one true champ at each weight which forces the top fighters to fight each other

obviously

4. What is the key to winning your next fight?

Tra i n i n g h a rd and l i st e n i n g to my c oac h B i l l y H u s s e i n

on

their

st i limportant l was that experience 5. How

you gained in the Olympics now your in the professional game?

My amateur career in total put me in good stead to push for a world champion title. The Olympics was obviously the pinnacle of my amateur career and the personal and leadership skills were equally as important as the competition itself.

champions a

successful

very

ca reer, 6. Who wins Canelo or Golovkin?

Canelo

however,

remaining

undefeated you

a

mental

gives

significant advantage.

7. How crucial is it to have a good team behind you?

It’s critical to have a good support team but when it comes to putting in the hard work at training and trading punches in the ring, it’s all down to you 8. Who is the hottest Australian prospect?

Andrew Moloney is destined to be a wo r l d champion.

9. How important is it to remain undefeated?

Boxers can obviously have losses on their record but still be world champions and have a very successful career, however, remaining undefeated gives you a significant mental advantage 10. What is the hardest thing about boxing?

Making weight and losing fights 11. Which two fighters from any era would be your dream fight?

Floyd Mayweather vs Sugar Ray Leonard; or Roberto Duran; or Vasyl Lomachenko 12. What do you want your lasting legacy to be?

A guy that worked hard every single day and took no shortcuts to achieving his goals

A FIGHTING CITY

CARL FRAMPTON V NONITO DONAIRE //

Written By: Connor Hutton @CanvasBoxing

A

city full of history. 11, 000 people on their feet at the SSE Arena.

This can only be one place. This is Belfast. A fighting city.

What better way to endorse such a place with a culture as this, than having one of your own tear up the division he once conquered. Carl Frampton aims to get back onto that World title scene with a tasty dust up with none other than former four weight champion Nonito Donaire on April 21.

‘The Jackal’ has hungered to be back amongst the elite since losing his WBA Featherweight strap to Leo Santa Cruz in the second of their two fights back in January 2017. Through no fault of his own, he has only been in the ring once since defeating Horacio Garcia in a war back in November. Frampton didn’t look his best last time out with new trainer Jamie Moore, but that is understandable due to ring rust and not having much time with his new mentor beforehand. Don’t be surprised though, if the Frampton of old turns up this time, the same one that put on a masterclass against Scott Quigg and Santa Cruz first time out.

‘The Filipino Flash’ is a veteran of eighteen world title fights, having claimed world honours in four weights classes across a distinguished career. Known for the fast hands that gifted him his nickname he has boxed some of the top operators in the boxing. Now at the age of 35, with

Page 22 // Big Write Hook // April 2018

notable losses against Nicholas Walters, Guillermo Rigondeaux and Jessie Magdaleno. It would be a mistake to count out Donaire as being ‘past it’. The Flash still has plenty left in the tank to cause Frampton issues, and should that happen, it could be tough for Frampton to recover his career despite his staunch fanbase.

A man with a working-class background from Shore Road, Frampton had to do it the hard way to be where he is today. He took a bold move in changing trainer from one of the best in the world in Shane McGuigan back in 2017 and moved to Jamie Moore.

From the look of his training camp it seems to be paying off: Frampton has done most of his preparation in Tenerife, daily runs up Mount Teide with Moore’s ever growing stable of excellent fighters, he looks to be in a good frame of mind and even better shape.

winning his first world title in 2007. He is known for being one of the best boxers to have ever come out of the Philippines.

It takes a lot out of a fighter who comes back from defeat when they were at the highest level. The desire to be back at the top of the tree is one that they will never be able to shake off as long as they are within this sport. Frampton and Donaire are both of the same mind set, they were formerly in the pound for pound list of top fighters with too many trinkets to carry. One more slip up and they may struggle to recover.

This fight could be the difference between a world title shot next or the end of the road.

Can The Jackal succeed on home soil or will The Flash be too hard to catch?

We will find out one way or another because this is Belfast. A fighting city.

Donaire was born in the Philippines where he would go to the same school as boxing icon eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao and was raised there until he was 11 years old. He then moved over to the United States. It was in the USA he started boxing as a child where he gained an impressive amateur record and then turned to the paid ranks in 2001,

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April 2018 // Big Write Hook // Page 23

Be he

“

“

“UNIFYING THE LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION WAS A GOAL OF MINE FROM DAY ONE IN THE PROS AND I WANT TO HAVE ALL THE BELTS BY THE END OF THE YEAR.”

Page 24 // Big Write Hook // April 2018

Written By: Josh Campbell @joshcampbell888

K

Katie Taylor continues her claim for lightweight supremacy, as she attempts to unify against Victoria Bustos at the Barclays Centre on April 28.

Matchroom USA’s second event in the States sees the Irish star appear on the undercard of Daniel Jacob’s bout with Maciej Sulecki, alongside Jarrell Miller and new signing Daniyar Yeleussinov.

“Unifying the lightweight division was a goal of mine from day one in the pros and I want to have all the belts by the end of the year.”

Even prior to her debut, less than two years ago, the accomplished amateur and Olympic gold medallist had been widely tipped as a potential undisputed champion. Taylor’s performances thus far have impressively matched the undoubted promise that has surrounded much of her career to date, as she appears to go from strength-to-strength.

Taylor makes the second defence of her WBA title, following a superb unanimous decision victory over the tough Jessica McCaskill. This night acted as her most challenging test in a fight, where she took a slip to the canvas early on and would lose a point for holding in the seventh round.

The Irishwoman would ultimately outclass her opponent but McCaskill also impressed, applying continuous pressure and often forcing Taylor onto the back foot. Unlike many of Taylor’s previous foes, the American was able to land big shots and buzzed the former amateur star on a couple of occasions, most notably in the sixth with a big left hook.

Taylor’s hand speed however, would be one of the deciding factors, as she eventually went on to win her first headlined event.

Despite such a strenuous contest in a year where she would fight six times, Taylor is showing no signs of slowing down in 2018:

“Last year was great but I’m not really one for looking back and it’s all about the next challenge… I believe that winning my first world title as a pro is just the start of it, I want to fight all the other champions and unify the lightweight division.”

First up in her path, is IBF titleholder Victoria Bustos, an experienced champion who has been a pro since 2011.

“Bustos is one of the longest reigning champions in women’s boxing so I’m expecting a very tough fight.”

Taylor said ahead of the contest.

The 29-year-old Argentine, will be making her sixth title defence and first outing outside of her home country. Bustos has accumulated 18 wins since entering the pro ranks in 2011, securing her first world title two years later via a unanimous decision win over Ana Laura Esteche for the vacant IBF strap. ‘La Leona’ does have four defeats to her name, two at the hands of fellow countrywoman and former world champion Erica Anabella Farias, the last of which in July last year for the WBC super lightweight title.

Bustos will be Taylor’s second Argentinian opponent, with the Bray standout winning her WBA title from Anahi Esther Sanchez on the Joshua vs Takam undercard in October. Taylor admitted that this wasn’t her best performance, saying “I got wild at times and left myself wide open occasionally, it was a very tough fight.”

Taylor however, never looked like losing her eagerly anticipated first title appearance, downing Sanchez in the second round with a crushing left to the body, on her way to a comfortable unanimous decision.

Although Sanchez and McCaskill have shown that Taylor can be hit, none of her previous 8 opponents have managed to compete with her skillset. Bustos is a tough veteran with solid fundamentals but has a comparably low punch output and is yet to force a stoppage in her pro career. Bustos will also likely look to apply pressure, but Taylor’s speed and punch selection should prove too much against a fighter with limited lateral movement. Bustos is durable, but this should be viewed as an opportunity to make a statement at the top level.

Experience is always enviable, but Taylor has demonstrated an unwavering mental robustness and has fought twice since Bustos’ last bout back in August 2017.

In just 8 fights, she has already fought in some of the world’s most iconic venues too, including the Principality Stadium and twice at Wembley. This will be her second appearance at the new east coast home of American boxing and there will undoubtedly be huge support for the Irish favourite.

Victoria Bustos will unlikely be the opponent who defines Katie Taylor’s career, but unifications are always defining moments and if Taylor is to end the year with all the belts, this is merely the next stepping stone on her quest to be crowned the greatest female boxer of all time.

April 2018 // Big Write Hook // Page 25

THE REMATCH // Written By: Sweet Scientist @boxingbloggeruk

P

rofessional boxing is a business. It is about making as much money as possible during what is a short and dangerous career.

The first fight delivered! Haye, the bookmakers’ favourite going into the fight, was supposed to be victorious by way of an explosive early knockout.

However, as it turned out, he was the man clubbed into submission in the 11th round, in a fight were his performance was severely hampered due to a ruptured achilles he suffered in the 6th round.

Bellew has made no secret that he wants financial security and has long been rumoured that Haye squandered his earnings from his “initial” career.

With limited footage of either in training thus far its hard to know what we will ultimately see, but I think it will be a very different fight from the first. While Bellew is always intensely focused, my feeling is that the fighter who can and will improve is Haye, I expect the Hayemaker to weigh in at around 210lbs and Bellew 214lbs .

I believe that the addition of Salas will result in speed and variation to his shots and that in the opening rounds Haye will return to boxing, establish his jab and look for openings in Tony’s tight defence. As Haye starts to break through and grows in confidence, I expect him to then whip in quick hooks, countering Bellew’s work.

Haye is known for his punch selection but low work rate and this can work for him in this fight, as once he is sure Bellew is feeling the weight of them, he will start to open up.

The pick is therefore for a mid to late round stoppage win for Haye. This will allow him to move on to another big money fight. I don’t think that the world will be calling for Haye v Anthony Joshua after the fight but with Tyson Fury on the road back, the winner of this will add a further dimension to already bustling world scene.

The fight will live long in the memory, not only for the result, but for the unforgettable sight of a Haye stumbling around, falling to the

“

So with that we have The Rematch! That is, of course, unless another “freak accident” to David Haye forces him to pull out of the fight again. We Canelo and GGG now off, we wait with baited breath whether WORKING the fight will go ahead on May 5th.

BELLEW IS ONCE AGAIN AWAY DILIGENTLY WITH CALDWELL AT THEIR ROTHERHAM BASE AWAY FROM MEDIA ATTENTION AND HAYE HAS BEEN LOCKED AWAY UNDER NEW TRAINER ISMAEL SALAS IN LONDON.

“

Page 26 // Big Write Hook // April 2018

Bellew is once again working away diligently with Caldwell at their Rotherham

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@Ryan_The_Designer

B B B BE B B BE

BEL BE BELL BE B BE BE BELL

YE 2 AYE 2

So began a feud which at times descended into the gutter, so much so, it lead to the British Boxing Board of Control fining Haye £25,000 for offensive comments he made about some of Bellew’s fans attending a pre-fight press conference.

Fast forward 5 months later to March and Bellew and Haye stood across the ring from each other in O2 Arena, London.

Haye (224.5 lbs) thought that he could simply blast Bellew out. There was no plan B... or C. And Bellew, displaying his boxing and defensive skills, managed to nullify and absorb early attacks, before dragging Haye into the later rounds where his achilles and weight worked against him. However, at the time of the stoppage both men looked exhausted. In the immediate aftermath, despite selling close to 600,000 PPV buys on Sky Box Office for which Haye received a reported £4m and Bellew £2.8m, there was no strong cry from the public for a rematch.

The post fight talk from both camps was of injury or retirement, quelling talk of a return.

However, given the result and box office success of the first fight, it meant even bigger money is on the table this time around. It was the only logical step for both parties.

base away from media attention and Haye has been locked away under new trainer Ismael Salas in London.

2 E2

The back story is well known. After Bellew bounced Haye’s longtime friend BJ Flores off the canvas multiple times in October 2016, he turned his attention to Haye; jumped from the ring and verbally assaulted the former heavyweight champion.

canvas, with white tape strapped around his ankle. Much was made about Haye’s injury, but its often forgotten that Bellew suffered a broken hand in round two, and that prior to Haye’s injury, Bellew had boxed well, sticking to the game plan trainer Dave Caldwell had devised. That plan was meticulous and centred around Haye’s weight and inactivity.

2 E2

As such, the rematch between the former kings of the Cruiserweight division, Tony Bellew (29-2-1, 19 KO’s) and David Haye (28-3, 26 KO’s) was the only fight which made financial sense for both at this point.

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poets’

corner

poets

THE

FIGHT

So now I must write.

I know I will win the fight.

Punching out emotion blocking out bad thoughts.

Tell my paranoia to step off.

I am continuing to strive the things I love.

Comedy and poetry is my passion.

Nothing can cause me to start crashing.

I stand up, never look down.

At anyone who cares I am not a clown.

So I remove my big red boxing gloves from my tired hands.

I take a breath and lay down in my twin bed at night.

So tired from working all these things out, I know I am winning this fight.

It can happen, I will make it.

The victory belt will reside in my room and there be in my sight.

Everything will be just fine.

It’s gonna be alright.

Just gotta win the fight.

1 2 3 Ding!

Here I go take over the ring.

Nobody against me is ever going to own me!

Punch!

Bam! Pow! The referee hold up my arm.

I won!

So it’s all on me now.

I can do this be a leader.

Influence every fan of mine whether a fan or reader.

I’m not just a fighter, I’m a believer.

Written By: Luna Casablanca https://hellopoetry.com/poem/852888/the-fight/ Page 28 // Big Write Hook // April 2018

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FIGHT

THE

s’

1893

Andy Bowen vs Jack Burke (1893) Long before the 12 round boxing match became standard; with the three minute round in its infancy as the Queensbury rules slowly caught on to revolutionise the sweet science, a fighter would enter the ropes not knowing when or indeed if he would leave. Stamina was key.

On April 6th 1893 two talented lightweight fighters were matched at the Olympic Club in New Orleans, the same venue which 6 months earlier had seen James J Corbett beat John L Sullivan and become the first world heavyweight champion to win the title wearing gloves.

Golden Years

Andy Bowen was a stocky slugger who would stand his ground, the epitome of the ‘take two to land one’ boxer. Having gone past the 40 round mark several times in his career he was no stranger to marathon fights.

Jack Burke though less experienced than Bowen, had won the lightweight championship of Texas in 1891 and served as an instructor at a New Orleans boxing club. With the title as well as $2500 at stake, the opening bell rang at 9.30pm and nobody present could have possibly known just how long they would be there for.

According to one contemporary account the slight favourite Bowen started the aggressor, landing a stiff right in the opening stanza. Burke clinched but was driven back to the corner. The next round saw Burke draw first blood but in the 3rd was on the back foot once more.

The referee Professor John Duffy (Professor being a commonly selfbestowed title for the sweet scientist of the time) cautioned Bowen for foul fighting and clinching in the 7th. The fight wore on and in the 21st round Burke started landing more of his own shots. He found himself dropped in the next round only to recover and floor Bowen twice before the bell.

he mentions is the 49th swiftly followed by the 57th when members of the audience start calling for a draw. However, Captain Barrett, the police officer in charge of preserving order in the venue decides there isn’t sufficient brutality to warrant such a decision and lets the battle continue.

At 2.40am with an air of futility, the newspaperman notes that there is still no prospect of a finish in sight but observes that both are weakening in both body and judgement.

After round 93, no doubt with a deadline to meet, the writer is forced to end his piece by simply stating ‘At 3.45 o’clock the fight was still in progress.’ We now know Burke and Bowen fought on for another 17 rounds until shortly before 5am, after 7 hours 19 minutes and 110 rounds, both were too exhausted to continue and Duffy announced the longest fight in boxing history was a No Contest.

Burke fought several more times but retired in 1900 to concentrate on his vaudeville act. Bowen, incredibly, won an 85 round fight just the following month to cement his claim as champion lightweight of the South but was tragically killed the following year when he was knocked out by Kid Lavigne whilst trying to win the US lightweight title.

Written By: Jim Marshall @BoxingTriviaGuy

At this point the journalist’s stoicism starts to crumble as the next round

Page 30 // Big Write Hook // February 2018

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Editor & Writer: Lewis Calvert Twitter: @LewCalvert91 Email: bigwritehook@gmail.com Design & Layout: Ryan James Wilson Twitter: @RyanTheDesigner Website: www.ryanthedesigner.uk Chief Historian: Jim Marshall Twitter: @BoxingTriviaGuy Writer: Connor Hutton Twitter: @CanvasBoxing Website: onthecanvasboxing.wordpress.com “A huge thank you too all our guest writers this month for their time, effort and dedication.

If you would like to contribute to @ BigWriteHook please message us on Twitter.�

Page 32 // Big Write Hook // April 2018

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