Opinions & Features
Chris Eubank and Steve Collins at the Battle of Millstreet
Published
1 month agoon
Over the last forty years, there have been several fights between British and Irish fighters that have created a legacy that transcends fight nights and will long be remembered by fans as more than just a fight – becoming immortalized in the pantheon of great fights.
In lithe of what could become one of the most iconic British-British world title fights of all time between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois at Wembley, it seemed appropriate to look back to the history books and relive other monumental British clashes from the last 40 years. years.
In my opinion, this list will feature five of the most memorable, dramatic and fierce world title fights between British and Irish fighters in up-to-date history.
On March 18, 1995, approximately 8,000 fans gathered at the Green Glens Arena in Millstreet to see who would become the WBO super middleweight world champion. Undefeated current champion Chris Eubank will fight for this honor, while WBO middleweight champion Steve Collins will be the challenger.
Eubank finished with 15vol defended the title with a record of 41-0-2. During his reign, the champion took part in many grueling battles. Many believed Eubank was not the same player after what happened to Michael Watson four years earlier. This didn’t stop him from being a dominant champion, but cracks were starting to show.
Up to that point, Collins had been knocking on the door of the massive event for several years and knew he had to make a massive fight when his chance came. Luck was on his side as another Irishman, Ray Close, was scheduled to face Eubank but was not cleared to fight, so Collins was approached. A year earlier, after three unsuccessful attempts, he won the WBO middleweight world title and did not reject any chance to become the world champion in two weight categories – by defeating Eubank, he unlocked recent fighting possibilities that he had never seen before.
“Celtic Warrior” approached the mental war accompanying the prelude to combat in an unconventional way. He claimed that he had hired a professional hypnotist to trick his mind into believing that he was invincible and that he could not lose. The hypnotist even claimed that Collins managed to see punches delivered three times slower than usual and even see a target three times its actual size.
These mind games had a very real and real effect on Eubank, who seemed very concerned about Collins’ claims. It was clear that he was still very emotional about the second fight with Michael Watson. He even threatened to withdraw from the fight and appealed to the supervisory board.
“That’s why I’m scared, that’s why I wanted to cancel the fight, because I’m going into uncharted territory,” Eubank told Sky Sports on fight day. “I don’t know what I’m dealing with tonight.
“You’ve seen what I’ve done in the past. I have proven my heart, as I said before, I don’t want another man to be the father of my children because I am not capable of it. the worst thing that ever happened to me.
When the time finally came for the two to fight, it was a scorching heat in the arena packed with thousands of Irish fans supporting Collins. He performed the theme song “Rocky” and Eubank performed Tina Turner’s customary “Simply the Best” – with an accompanying lithe and pyrotechnics show as part of Eubank’s world tour.
The first rounds were a cautious fight between two very technical counter-attackers. This should not be confused with a non-action fight, however, as both men threw menacing lines with long spear thrusts and counterattacks. Collins had the advantage in the early rounds with his work rate and willingness to attack, using looping left hooks and three-shot combinations.
Eubank usually started slowly, but the fight seemed to be getting out of hand from round to round as Collins outworked him. Eubank seemed to find his rhythm and was potentially looking to attack overdue in the championship rounds after allowing Collins to wear himself out defensively and on the granite chin.
In the eighth round, Collins caught Eubank with his arms at his sides and hit him with a straight right hand to the stomach that knocked the champion down. Eubank jumped back and begged the referee not to let it be a knockdown. While it wasn’t a shot to the chin that sent him to the canvas, it was still a neat shot, earning Eubank eight points.
Both men looked as if they were beginning to feel the frantic pace of the fight that was reminiscent of a game of blitz chess, with both fighters technically gifted enough not to want to give away any obvious advantage, but also fierce enough to look for quick and powerful combinations. The eighth-round knockdown revitalized Eubank, forcing him to take more and more risks as he approached the championship rounds.
In a shocking moment, Collins was caught by the arms as Eubank charged in with a powerful right hand that clipped the chin of the ‘Celtic Warrior’, who was dazed and unable to stop himself from going down. This once again sparked a burst of energy in the ring as Eubank aggressively pursued Collins, who must have known by this point that he needed a knockout to win.
Collins fought brilliantly in the championship rounds to survive a brief onslaught from the champion and put in a sensational performance, simply defeating one of the kings of the golden era of British middleweight and super middleweight fighters.
The Irishman defended his recent title six times, including twice against Nigel Benn, further improving his record. He was scheduled to continue fighting Roy Jones Jr in the US, but this never happened and Collins retired as champion.
Read the first part of James Hicken’s series here: Lennox Lewis and Frank Bruno’s Cardiff heavyweight classic | Boxing News (boxingnewsonline.net)
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Opinions & Features
Chris Billam-Smith: The story so far
Published
13 hours agoon
November 13, 2024IN many ways, Chris Billam-Smith embodies the relentless work ethic and obsessive attention to detail of a professional athlete.
Reaching an elite level in his chosen sport is most often a thankless and ruthless task, reserved only for those who are willing to make extraordinary sacrifices to realize their burning desires.
And yet, clearly, the arduous process involved in becoming a world champion – fulfilling a childhood dream – is not lost on Billam-Smith, someone who is passionate about maximizing his potential.
While other fighters resent the process – the long sets, the strength and conditioning, the making of weight – the WBO cruiserweight champion from Bournemouth is the opposite.
In fact, he not only embraces the labor-intensive side of his training, but also takes pride in knowing that when all is said and done, there will be no stone left unturned, and no sleepless nights spent thinking about what could have been done differently.
And this is what primarily focuses the professional athlete’s attention; focusing on the fact that reacting to failures and therefore always finding room for improvement is often the key to success.
Chris Billam-Smith – local hero and powerful world champion
Before his professional debut, Billam-Smith was, by his own admission, a solid if unremarkable amateur.
However, despite the lack of pedigree attached to his name, the south coast technician was able to attract the attention of esteemed trainer Shane McGuigan, who, along with his father, Irish boxing legend Barry McGuigan, decided to take a chance on the unproven youngster.
But really, from the McGuigans’ point of view, there was no risk at all. In any case, they had seen enough of Billam-Smith’s sparring sessions with former super middleweight king George Groves to know that, in time, their investment would be rewarded for his persistence.
And so, with an experienced team at his side, the Briton took nine victories on the compact indoor track before rising to the next level to face domestic rival Richard Riakporhe.
His lack of experience in the heat of battle had no bearing on his performance, however, as Billam-Smith, who ultimately lost by a hard-fought split decision, gave an account of himself in which he demonstrated his incredible stamina and unwavering determination.
And that’s what eventually made him famed: a fighter who, although not the most talented, will always put on an awe-inspiring spectacle.
Indeed, this reputation was only strengthened when Billam-Smith won his first belt, stopping the brave but circumscribed Craig Glover with a brutal fifth-round finish for the Commonwealth title.
Dominant wins over Nathan Thorley and Vasil Ducar then preceded his clash with Tommy McCarthy, the European champion and close friend of former two-division king Carl Frampton.
However, with the deep-seated feud between Frampton and the McGuigans taking center stage in the build-up, Billam-Smith was forced to deal with more pressure than he perhaps expected.
Nevertheless, the fan-friendly operator handled the situation with a high degree of professionalism, resulting in a widely controversial split decision, and less than a year later, he put on a much more decisive showing in the second meeting.
By this point Billam-Smith had quickly developed a devoted fan base and on his next appearance he was given the opportunity to stage his eagerly anticipated homecoming to Bournemouth.
Not only did the rising contender put on the first-ever televised boxing show in a seaside town, but the main event – a compelling 12-round fight against Isaac Chamberlain – left fans yearning for even more action in the evening.
Needless to say, Billam-Smith did not disappoint. After extending his undefeated record with a knockout over Armend Xhoxhaj, the local hero scored his first shot at the bull’s-eye in a world title fight against his former stablemate Lawrence Okolie.
And while he was undoubtedly preparing for the toughest test of his career, the end goal – a clash at the Vitality Stadium, home of his boyhood football club – provided, to put it mildly, enough motivation.
Meeting Okolie, a prolific knockout artist, obviously came with a lot of pressure. But pressure, as The Gentleman often points out, can be a privilege.
And so, after knocking down his opponent three times, the significant underdog secured a monumental majority victory – albeit in a somewhat gritty affair – and snatched the coveted WBO belt from his former sparring partner, becoming Bournemouth’s first world champion since Freddie Mills.
It is also possible that this night will never be equaled. Still, not willing to sail off into the sunset, Billam-Smith later defended his brilliance against seasoned veteran Mateusz Masternak before rematching Riakporhe at Selhurst Park, where in his second fight at a Premier League stadium he put in a much more convincing performance show. revenge on the Londoner.
Now the 34-year-old is preparing to fight WBA cruiserweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez in a mouth-watering unification fight. But regardless of the result in Saudi Arabia this Saturday, Billam-Smith’s story will always be defined by his mental determination, perseverance and, no doubt, unwavering passion to eliminate the competition through tough work.
Opinions & Features
Jaron “Boots” Ennis is not expected to move up to 154 pounds just yet
Published
1 day agoon
November 12, 2024JARON “Boots” Ennis’ performance last Saturday night was met with criticism from all quarters because we all know that the IBF welterweight champion is capable of winning in a much more attractive and convincing manner.
Firstly, Boots’ defense was completely inadequate and mentally he just seemed out – probably frustration caused by the expectation of a quick KO and the lack of guidance from his father/corner, Derek “Boza” Ennis.
It is worth noting that Boots did not score a knockout in his first fight with Karen Chukhajian or, why insist on one now?
Bozy’s advice to “get him out of there” always seemed confusing. Chukhadzhian lost decisively, but Boots’ performance wasn’t entirely dominant. Chukhadzhian won several rounds and responded with significant punches.
Fighting at an angle, Chukhajian time and time again he clipped Boots with pointed shots and consistently turned around to start casting from a novel angle, with great volume.
Boots is a capable defensive player, although there were clearly holes and Chukhajian showed the world where Boots is ultimately vulnerable.
And while the Philadelphia hometown hero retained his belt, and the victory is undoubtedly a victory, it is critical for the 27-year-old world champion to fix how he handles the pressure from busy high-level fighters, which is an achievement of the highest order. regarding cornering directions before moving up to 154 pounds.
An alternative game plan that would befit Boots when facing sluggers who prefer boxing in the pocket is literally energetic footwork: compact steps after holding to get out of reach while taking advantage of his long reach. With a reach of 74 inches, consistent toe-to-toe combat seems completely unnecessary.
Ideally, you’ll achieve one last decisive victory, presenting much-needed improvements to both the media and fans. It’s not realistic to shoot for a knockout against any opponent – just fight astute, make every quick decision with intention and strive for victory.
For Boots, as for any fighter, moral failure is mentally similar to justifiable failure, and it’s certainly not the right place to start when heading into a division full of agile, heavyweights.
Opinions & Features
Caleb Plant focused on modern life development and boxing
Published
2 days agoon
November 12, 2024WHEN Caleb Plant returns to the ring on Saturday night for his first fight in 18 months, he will do so under pressure unlike anything he has ever felt in his decade-long professional boxing career.
The 32-year-old has not boxed since the fight of the year with David Benavidez in March 2023, which he lost by unanimous decision, and one of the reasons for his absence was the change of the PBC network.
But in his absence from the ring, his daughter Charly has grown from a baby into a toddler who spends time in the gym, Plant says, during every sparring session. And on Saturday he will take part in a real fight for the first time.
“She’s in the gym with me almost every day and every time I spar, so there’s not a lot of extra pressure, but I have to put on a show for her,” Plant says with a smile.
“This will be her first fight in the building. We have compact headphones for her if it gets deafening, but this will be her first fight.
The moment will be especially meaningful for the Tennessee native, who has spoken openly about the tragic loss of his first daughter, Alia, who suffered from an unknown disease that Plant said caused 150 seizures a day. On January 29, 2015, at the age of just 19 months, Alia died in her mother’s arms.
Plant was then 5-0, 3 KOs, and in the nine years that followed the tragedy, he won world titles and emerged as one of the leading figures in American boxing. Plant says two-year-old Charly doesn’t leave home for training camp and is always present at his sessions.
“He runs around the gym and when I’m sparring he shouts, ‘Go, daddy!’ Good job, daddy! or he walks around and says, ‘Revenge trip,'” adds Plant. “It’s great fun, I love it. There’s nothing better than being a dad.
“I’m not a fighter who would have a problem putting my hand in the cookie jar or anything like that. I like being around my family, my wife doesn’t disturb me and I don’t have any distractions at home. Whether I’m at camp or not, I’m home and able to spend time with my daughter.
“I don’t do all the chores with her that I do outside the camp; [wife] Jordan is really progressing and managing most, if not all, while I’m training, but I still get to spend time with her throughout the day. I love being a dad, it’s great fun. I have a wonderful child who rarely whines or cries. He’s a really cold kid who’s always in a good mood, which makes life easier.
“Every morning he tells me and my wife, ‘I want to go to the gym, I want to go to the gym.’ I will leave and go to the gym and soon they will be behind me. He comes to all my sparring sessions. He says, “I want to go to the gym, spar with daddy, box with daddy, usk usk!”
Sometimes when I’m sparring she’ll say, “Daddy punches, Daddy punches,” so she knows what’s going on. She knows what’s going on.
Now she will have the opportunity to see her father in his real workplace for the first time, but the undefeated Trevor McCumby desperately hopes that this moment will be an unhappy one for the Plant family. The 31-year-old Glendale, Arizona native is 28-0, 21 KOs, but has never boxed longer than 12 rounds or fought anyone of Plant’s caliber. Therefore, its width is as much as 9/1 in the case of some bookmakers.
However, Plant’s favorite not only didn’t disrespect McCumby, he felt “personally offended” by his opponent’s decision to accept the fight at all.
“My coach was right,” Plant begins. “If he was that confident in his abilities, he wouldn’t have waited until he was 28-0 to escalate his effectiveness. Most players do this beforehand. I advanced with only 17 fights to fight for the world title as an underdog. Not many people do this, but most people raise the bar before 28-0. If he was confident, why would he wait until now?
“So in terms of me always taking it personally, I always have to compete eventually. Do you think I’m up to the task? Do you think you’ll go against me and take care of things? This won’t happen. I take it personally. I take it personally that he called me a quitter too.
“He said, ‘Caleb is giving up, we’ve seen this before,’ and that when our fight gets hard, I will find a way to give up. I felt offended because you could ask any boxing fan in the world and the last thing they would tell you is “Caleb is giving up.” I don’t know where the fuck he got that from, but we’ll find out on the 14th. We’ll see who leaves then.”
Despite this insinuation from McCumby, the truth is that any questions about Plant’s heart were emphatically answered in his last appearance, when he persevered until the final bell despite receiving shellac blows at times against Benavidez at T-Mobile Arena in Vegas. It was the type of fight that can change a fighter forever and was the epitome of courage that boxing fans will never forget. But, unsurprisingly, 22-2 Plant doesn’t look back positively on that night.
“Even as an amateur,” he says. “One thing my dad always told me was that he never cared if I won male athlete of the night, and he never wanted me to win fight of the night. Me and David won Fight of the Year, but obviously you don’t want to be in too many of them because that means there was a lot of action and it was a close fight. If necessary, I’m ready to go out there, I’ve proven that, but the goal is to go in there and win easily.
“The only fight I focus on or care about is the one in front of me. It’s one fight at a time, September 14th, get to work. I know I have some gigantic fights ahead of me and I’m ready to take them.”
But first, he has to draw the line between having the longest break from the ring in his career. However, he assures that he has not grown vintage on the shelf and Saturday evening will be the culmination of the most successful training period of his life.
“There were times when the break seemed to go by slowly, but now that I look back, like most things, it actually went by quickly,” he adds. “Time flies when you’re having fun.
“I have been very busy and after today’s sparring I have done 359 rounds since my last fight. Of course, I’m very busy, even if you haven’t seen me. I’m crazy acute right now, I’m in crazy good shape and this is the best I’ve ever done in camp, the sharpest I’ve ever looked, and the most complete player I’ve ever been. He comes from sparring, just like me. But I’m almost to the point where I haven’t left everything in the gym, so I feel really good for this fight, I’m extremely confident and I’m excited.
“Of course I like training, but I do it for the glory. A warrior lives for one reason only: to fight, and he fights only to win. Training was fun, but I want to get out there, under those lights, and do what I love most.
And for the first time he will do it under the supervision of his youngest fan.
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