Is Anthony Joshua advanced enough for world title bid? Would Eddie Hearn want to commit his young charge at this stage of his development? Well it looks as though Hearn has some serious thinking to do, because the newly crowned IBF champion Charles Martin has been offered up by promoter Leon Margules. As of now, the O2, April 9 date set down for Joshua's next fight, is still devoid of an opponent. Margules said that Martin is more than willing to put his title on the line in London on April 9. It would be a huge punt if the challenge was accepted. Eddie's sphincter must be working over time right now.
Good enough to challenge for a world title you'd say probably not, good enough to take on 'champion' Charles Martin you'd say yes. Surely if this is a genuine offer they have to take it, he'll never have a better chance to become world champion
My mate Lee McGregor on the left just after sparring the world no2 at 56kg. Lee training like a beast at present and now that Team GB have stepped him up to 56kg happier with weight. Wants to win the British title early summer and throw the cat amongst the pigeons for selectors for Rio. As a member of the GB potential podium squad its possible he may displace someone from the elite group. I think he will.
Just came across this. Have a quick read, it's a shocker. http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/the-tortured-soul-of-edwin-valero/
Andre Ward's next opponent, four time amateur world champion and unbeaten light heavyweight pro Sullivan Barrera getting lessons from Golovkin. Barrera is half decent, but he's a complete novice against the wily middleweight Golovkin.
Seems Charles Martin wants ship loads of money to fight Anthony Joshua. Fast Eddie though reckons that the fight might just be made, but also hinted that they have several other options. He said that the final announcement would be made in about 24 hours. What do you reckon, title fight or something else? My betting is something else.
Interesting thoughts on what might happen if the Martin - Joshua title fight come to fruition. Tyson Fury reckons that Martin would be too good for the young challenger. He thinks that the southpaw's combinations and power would bring Joshua undone. He pointed out the weakness shown by the Englishman when Whyte managed to tag him early on. Fury said that if Wilder, Haye, Klitschko or him had been in the ring that night when Joshua was stunned, it would have finished in a knockout. David Haye on the other hand reckons Joshua will make short work of Martin.
It's an intriguing one. I think Joshua would go in there with a live chance of knocking Martin out, but if I promoted him I would want him to take 4 more fights before going in there for the World titles. because once you are a champ, you're always dealing with world level, so any lessons you need to learn will be learnt the hard way with titles on the line. Time is Joshua's friend at the moment. The longer he waits for a world title, the older and slower Haye and Klitschko get. Wilder will probably gain a couple more KOs to hype himself up in the U.S. and who knows what Fury will be doing by then! Joshua IMO has a chance of beating them all right now but would go in as underdog and 50/50 in a couple of them at least because of inexperience.
Looks like the Wilder - Povetkin fight might get off the ground. Povetkin is the mandatory for Wilder's WBC belt, and the champ has stated that there is no way he'll allow himself be stripped of the title. He wants Povetkin. Lou DiBella is chasing Povetkin's folk, trying to work out a deal for May 21. If they can't get it done, WBC chief Mauricio Sulaiman that if the two sides can't agree to something, he'll order a purse bid for Feb 26. I wish Fury would get his finger out.
Climbing into the ring for a world championship bout can set set a fighter up for life, even if he loses. Of course the purses can stretch from miserly to obscene, but you'd expect that even at the lower end, the money would be enough to bring a smile to any fighter's face. That's not so though. Until a couple of years ago, I was a bit naive when it came to payment of boxers in title fights. I unwittingly believed that any world championship bout must offer serious money to the combatants, like a minimum of a $100,000 or more. Fffftttt, what a joke. I've just read that McJoe Arroyo's first defence of his IBF Super Flyweight belt, a bout against the mandatory challenger Jerwin "Pretty Boy" Ancajas went to a purse bid. There was just the single offer. It went for just $25,000. As the champion, Arroyo is entitled to 85% of the purse, $21,250. Ancajas gets to stick $3,750 in his pocket. Out of this paltry sum will come his fight costs. He'll be left with bugger all. Those of us who happily cheer on the under dog will hope he can win and earn more as the champ, but at $21,250 a pop, nobody's going to get wealthy. There are probably millions of fighters, spread across all corners of the planet, who will spend a generous part of the prime being punched about the head for next to no return. I as much as anyone rejoice at the deeds of Golovkin, Fury, Gonzalez, Kovalev and co, but rarely does my mind wander to those untold numbers who's lives have been damaged by a brutal pastime, and who have walked out as poor as the day they walked in.
Yeah officially announced by Eddie Hearn. Who do we think Tyson Fury's surprise opponent is? Could it be David Haye despite all the talk of not giving him the fight. Haye has o2 booked for 21st May and Fury has come out today saying his next opponent is a surprise one
I'm torn on this, reckon he'll do Martin easy but with a world title on his arm he'll have to fight the top guys and don't think he's quite ready yet.
Agreed on both counts. I think he can stop Martin and win the IBF belt, but I'd want more experience before fighting some of the dangerous guys out there. Having said that- Eddie Hearn isn't stupid or a Don King. He'll choose a couple of mandatories first before any unification fight happens. I've said it before and I'll say it again- time is on Joshuas side from a Klitschko and Haye point of view. Also, Tyson Fury is the undisputed champ for goodness sake- is he really that much to be scared of? I think Joshua knocks this guy out inside 4 rounds. I'd be wary of Haye and wary of Wilder purely because they can bang, but Joshua knocks both out as long as he doesnt get silly. Then who are we down to? Let Fury and Wilder fight first (the seed has been sewn with Fury gatecrashing a post-fight interview) so Fury has a Klitschko rematch and Wilder to negotiate before anything crazy happens for Joshua. I think he'll be able to get at least 3 fights in before having to fight Haye. He should be round about ready by then, and then he can look at Fury/Wilder winner.
Yep 1-7 is bullshit. Martin at 9-2. Initially I thought Joseph easily, but I'm not so sure anymore. Remember that feeling we had about Fury going into the Klitschko bout? We all thought he'd lose, but there was something about him that had us excited. I get the same feeling here for Martin. I think this has the making of a very nice fight. As for the Fury fight, this could be huge. Who is out there that comes with a wow factor? " u will not believe who!!!!!! " He had to make a visit to London for the news and the name seems to have come as a complete surprise to him. So who would be a surprise to him? Certainly not Joshua, people have been talking about that clash forever. Not Haye, we all know Haye would love it, but it wouldn't be a surprise to him that Haye wants him. Not Haye. (Well maybe not Haye Smoke) Martin is tied up with Joshua and Wilder is well down the track with negotiations for the Povetkin bout, so he's out. Who's left? Sergey Kovalev stepping up from Lightheavy? Unlikely. All of the above aside, you know who would make major news? Good old Dr. Ironfist himself. Big bad Vitali. He was well and truly pissed at his brother's loss. And it's said that he's stayed pretty fit. He's 44 and I think no longer in office. I know it's from left field, but it wouldn't surprise me too much if it was him.
I'd be tempted to take 14/1 on him wining sports personality of the year. If he wins the fight he'll have a voluntary defence at the end of the year so will still be champion.The only people I see beating him would be Andy Murray (would need to win 2 grand slams) and an Olympian.
