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Joe Louis at the Albert Hall

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Joe Louis

BRIGHTON EBA member Rob Benson contacted me to say that their Summer Barbecue is taking place on Sunday 11th August at their HQ – The Romans Pub, 35 Manor Hall Rd, Southwick. It starts at 12pm and Rob says “Everyone is welcome of course”.

It’s always a nice afternoon and I hope there will be a good turnout.

Rob kindly said he enjoyed my article on Justin Murphy in a recent column. Well, if Rob (or someone else at Brighton EBA) hadn’t bothered to let me know that Justin had been at their meeting, I wouldn’t have known about it and wouldn’t have been able to write this article. This column has always been reader-driven and I’m very grateful to the EBA Secretaries who send me newsletters – and to the members who contact me with stories and/or questions they want answered. Everyone, please keep it up!

I recently asked a question about the Poplar Hippodrome show on July 14, 1929 – and was very pleased to get an answer from Essex EBA Secretary Ray Lee. “Only two fights on that show,” said Ray. “Alec Thake with pts 15 Bert Cannons and Alec Broom with pts 12 George Booker (Bethnal Green). Booker was a replacement for Charlie East.”

Ray, his wife Teresa (EEBA Treasurer) and Chairman Tom Burling attended the London EBA meeting in July – and as it was Teresa’s birthday we all sang ‘Ecstatic Birthday to You’. Essex, incidentally, are hosting another charity cricket match in aid of the Ringside Charitable Trust (RCT), following last year’s very successful event. The date is Sunday 8th September and I will post more details as I receive them.

The question of whether the major promoters were not supporting the RCT was raised again. In his Chairman’s Report, Stephen Powell referred to the generosity of previous promoters. The slow Mickey Duff, he said, gave LEBA £50 every time he attended a meeting – and also organised a show at the Anglo-American Sporting Club in 1973 to raise money for the ailing former British lightweight champion (and LEBA vice-president) Dave Crowley. A host of stars from boxing, stage and screen attended – and the evening raised an impressive £18,000.

Stephen also recalled how, while visiting America, Mickey met the great Joe Louis, who was a hotel receptionist. He paid for Louis to come to London and introduced him to ringside at a show at the Albert Hall. This was before I was a reporter, so I was “in the broad of it” – I didn’t get to meet the great man or get his autograph. But being in the same building and seeing him in the flesh was still exhilarating.

The current EBA Central (Midlands) Bulletin carries a lengthy article by Craig Birch on former Scottish two-division Commonwealth champion Willie Limond, whose recent death at the age of just 45 has shocked everyone in the boxing world.

I was lucky enough to see Willie’s only fight in England, at the London O2 – his 2007 Commonwealth lightweight title defence against Olympic silver medallist (and future world champion) Amir Khan. The fight was full of drama – Khan, then unbeaten in 12 rounds, was knocked down strenuous in the sixth round but rallied to floor Willie in the seventh and force him to surrender after the eighth with a suspected broken jaw.

The article quoted Willie’s anger at the way his takedown of Khan was handled. “Thirteen seconds – that’s how long it took the referee to count how long Khan got to his feet. Not nine. Not even ten.”

Willie later moved up to super lightweight, winning the Commonwealth and British titles.

The newsletter also noted that CEBA had recently supported two fundraising events. One was for the Midland Freewheelers, whose volunteers deliver blood and other vital items to local hospitals free of charge. The other was a donation to North Staffs EBA, raising funds for a library to be installed for adolescent people who cannot attend mainstream schools.

The article ends with the words: “Being part of EBA isn’t just about socializing and going to events where you can have a good time – we also like to do good work when we can.” It’s true.

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Boxing

Ryan Rozicki is waiting for Badou Jack’s consent to mandatory cooperation with the WBC

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Badou Jack Rozicki Mikaelian WBC

The World Boxing Council (WBC) ordered world cruiserweight champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack (20-1-1, 19 KO) to make a mandatory title defense against Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1), number 1 in the WBC ranking – 1, 19 KOs).

If both camps fail to successfully negotiate an agreement, the WBC will organize a tender on February 4, followed by the Jack vs. Rozicki. Rozicki’s promoter, Three Lions Promotions, immediately sent Team Jacek an offer to promote the fight in Canada last week.

“We are waiting for their counteroffer,” explained promoter Dan Otter of Three Lions Promotions. “Boxing has had a huge resurgence in Canada and Ryan is leading the way. He is one of the most electrifying and hardest-hitting fighters in boxing, definitely in the cruiserweight division. He wants the WBC green belt and ultimately the unification of the division. Ryan will fight Jack anywhere for the belt.”

29-year-old Rozicki, born in Sydney (Nova Scotia) and living in Hamilton (Ontario), fought 22 professional fights against 21 different opponents (twice against Yamil Alberto Peralta), stopping 19 of the 20 opponents he defeated. an eye-opening 95-KO percentage.

Jack, 41, was a 2008 Olympian representing his native Sweden. He is a three-division world champion, as well as the WBC super middleweight and World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight heavyweight title holder. Jack has a record of 5-0-2 (2 KO) in world championship fights.

“We respect Jack and I don’t want to sound disrespectful,” Otter added, “but he’s over 40 years vintage and has been relatively inactive for two years (only one fight). He brings a lot of experience and respect to the ring, but he will fight a newborn defender with a lot of power. Jack is going to struggle and honestly, I don’t think he’ll make it past the first few rounds.”

Ryan Rozicki is on a mission to become the first Canadian cruiserweight world champion.

The next move is Badou Jack’s.

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Floyd Mayweather’s record is not normal, it can’t happen in 70 years

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Floyd Mayweather 50-0

Floyd Mayweather’s incredible 50-0 record is not normal and cannot be repeated in sports for another seventy years.

This is the view of Saudi Arabian president Turki Alalshikh, who wants to adopt the UFC model in which fighters lose many fights during their career.

In a speech as he hosted the Ring Magazine Awards after acquiring the long-running boxing publication from Oscar De La Hoya, Alalshikh was unequivocal in his opinion.

“Now losing some fights in boxing must be normal,” he explained. “All fighters want a career similar to Floyd Mayweather – no losses. This may happen once every 50, 60 or 70 years.

“We need it [to be] like currently in the UFC model, where champions lose and win,” added the matchmaker during the Riyad season.

Mayweather rose through the sport in the tardy 1990s to become one of its youngest superstars. Mayweather’s professional success came after winning a bronze medal at the Olympics after losing to Serafim Todorov.

Winning world titles in five weight classes, Mayweather was untouchable. The Grand Rapids native only came close to defeat a few times. He dominated Manny Pacquiao and overtook Canelo Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya after heated debates, with decisions that should have been made unanimously.

Towards the end of his career, Mayweather chose to face Andre Berto and Conor McGregor, easily winning and ending his boxing career at the age of 50 without ever going out. Calling himself “the greatest of all time,” Mayweather earned first-ballot Hall of Fame honors and is widely considered one of, if not the greatest defensive fighter of all time.

However, Alalshikh says this type of career needs to end so that fans can get the most out of boxing, as is the case with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Boxing needs to become more attractive, and Alalshikh sees the failures of top stars as a way to keep interest at an all-time high.

In this sport, many boxers enjoy undefeated streaks, the most notable of which is Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian Pound for Pound King is 23-0 and has beaten the best he has to offer in his division and cruiserweight classification.

It remains a mystery how Alalshikh plans to make Usyk suffer while he dominates everyone else. By the time his grand plan goes into action, Usyk will be long gone, and Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney may be more realistic targets.

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Manny Pacquiao remains the favorite to win the title against Mario Barrios

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Manny Pacquiao vs Barrios

WBN understands that despite alternative options emerging, it is more likely that Manny Pacquiao will face Mario Barrios next.

Bob Santos, coach of WBC welterweight champion Barrios, told World Boxing News that he is currently in contact with Pacquiao’s team. Asked by WBN if he had spoken to Pacquiao or representatives of any other challenger, Santos replied: “Yes, Pacquiao’s promoter, Sean Gibbons.” Pressed on whether Barrios vs Pacquiao might happen next, he added: “It’s challenging to say. We’ll have to see how this plays out.”

WBN contacted Santos after Conor Benn emerged as a potential alternative to Barrios. The British fighter, who recently returned from a suspension following two positive drug tests, is keen to return to competition.

Benn showed favor with the World Boxing Council at the recent WBC Convention, the WBC Evaluation Committee and during an interview with the sanctioning body over the weekend. “The Destroyer” is ranked second in the rankings at 147 pounds, despite less than solid opponents during his time in exile, during which Benn competed twice in the United States while his career in the United Kingdom was in doubt.

As he battled to clear his name and with the British Anti-Doping Authority finding no evidence that Benn had intentionally taken ostarine, the 28-year-old’s career took a pointed nosedive. Despite this, he remains highly rated and at least one step away from fighting for an eliminator or one of the remaining championship titles.

However, Pacquiao remains Barrios’ favorite. Now it’s up to the boxing legend and Hall of Famer who got the first votes to secure his shot. WBN believes a July date – most likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas – is the most realistic date for a Nevada swan song.

Pacquiao could extend his record as the oldest welterweight champion by six years if he can secure a huge victory over the 29-year-old world champion. At 46 years antique, such a scenario remains unlikely, but he can never be compared to one of the greatest players of this generation.

Unlike heavier boxers and his training regiment, Pacquiao looks in great shape despite his advanced age. Everything is set for a massive return to the boxing capital of the world, provided Pacquiao and his team can manage his political ambitions, which are expected to run from this month until May. After that time, Pacquiao could find himself in the summer finals and become the all-time champion, regardless of the result.

Barrios is based in the city, where he trained with Santos, and would be the perfect opponent to see out the career of one of the greatest fighters in history.

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