Scott Harrison must wonder what he has to do to capture the hearts of the public. Being Scotland’s first world champion since, well, since I was a fetus should be enough, in theory. However, the boxing world is rarely so clear-cut. If Harrison finishes his opponent too fast, the fight is farce. If, God forbid,…
Let it never be said that Bernard Hopkins can’t talk up a fightâ€â€or anything else, for that matter. Having just witnessed first hand Hopkins in full flow, I assure you that the man can talk for America…and then some. Topics ranged from Howard Eastman to the latest happenings in the NFL. These exchanges, admittedly, left…
Ah, Michael Gomez, the apparent scourge of my countrymen. Yes, folks, the love-him-or-hate-him pseudo-Mexican has been goading Scotland’s most credible champion, clearly not content with the current crop of Scottish scalps dangling from his belt. The real question is what initiated this very public challenge? Well, it could be any number of things. After all,…
I remember when I was a relatively small child, back when Tyson ruled the roost, and a new Rocky movie was never far away. Even back then, as I watched Rocky and Ivan Drago pummel each other, I was fully aware that what I witnessed on screen was a virtual caricature of the real thing….
Having just witnessed one of the poorest displays of Scott Harrison’s career, I feel dejected, almost let down by what I have just seen. It was a draw on my card, but it could and should have been a much more satisfying result. The fifth round was Harrison’s best of the fight and, rather ironically,…
“I’m going to win. That is the only way for me.”-Howard Eastman. An official conference call was held for the media last Friday in England for middleweight contender Howard Eastman to answer questions pertaining to his future challenge to undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins. The promotion is named “Exxecution Day,” but Eastman is in no…
Farnell just after he became the WBU champ click for larger image © Paul Speak The last time I spoke with Anthony Farnell, the man affectionately known as The Warrior, he had recently recovered from one of the worst years of his life. Having battled back against an ostensibly career-killing bout of viral meningitis, Anthony…
Did you know that boxing is in the midst of its worst period since, well, ever? If you’re a boxing fan in the purest sense, you’re probably shaking your head. If you’re not shaking your head, or at least employing some other method of objection, you’re probably a more casual fan. There’s nothing wrong with…
“I could beat anyone in the world at my weight.”-Carl Froch. Click for larger image© Action Images Carl Froch, the prodigiously talented Nottingham native, has gradually been building a fierce reputation for himself. There’s nothing strange in that, right? There isn’t. That is, of course, until you realize that he has only fourteen professional bouts…
Ricky Hatton Click for larger image © Mike Cleary How many of today’s top fighters went unbeaten in there first thirty-seven fights? Not as many as you might think. Even fewer won all thirty-seven. Therefore, it’s mighty puzzling why a fighter with a record of 37-0, who regularly attracts crowds of 15,000-20,000 to each fight,…
Alex Arthur is a man who firmly contradicts many of the traits associated with your stereotypical Scotsman: always bubbly, talkative, well-spoken and very charismatic. Oh yeah, and he’s an extremely gifted boxer, something that firmly sets him apart from the vast, vast majority of his countrymen. Having received rave reviews for his performance against Eric…
What is it that defines a fighter? Sometimes a fighter is defined by his achievements, sometimes he is defined by an outstanding fight-or fights-he has participated in, sometimes he is defined by an opponent, someone who brought out the best in him, someone who mixed with him to elicit a sense of euphoria within the…