British Scene Weekend Recap: McCloskey & Sexton Win in Northern Ireland

Matt Chudley recaps this past weekend's British boxing action.

Friday saw mixed fortunes for two of Northern Irelands most popular fighters as Paul McCloskey claimed the European Light-Welterweight title in Magherafelt, while Martin Rogan failed to regain the Commonwealth Heavyweight title less than 40 miles away in Belfast.

First to enter the ring on the night was McCloskey, who found himself in a favourable matchup against Daniel Rasilla for the European strap after champion Souleymane M'Baye withdrew less than two weeks before.

Giving away 3 inches in height to the Spaniard, McCloskey swept the first three rounds with the greater volume and accuracy as he bobbed and weaved from side to side in his customary style to avoid the oncoming. Renowned for his sharp reflexes, the local fighter’s quicker hands allowed him to fire out a more authoritative range finder, as he managed to out-jab the taller Spaniard in the early going, while showing more pop as well.

In the 4th, a slightly discouraged Rasilla started to open up, and McCloskey responded by bringing his right hook into play, briefly stunning Rasilla at the back end of the round.

Unable to cause any serious punishment with Rasilla pressed up against the ropes on a couple of occasions in the 5th and 6th rounds, the Dungiven southpaw became more patient in his approach and looked to pick Rasilla apart as opposed to pressuring him.

McCloskey's patience was rewarded in the 9th when he caught his wide open opponent with a short counter right on the inside that put the man from Santander down. With plenty of time left in the round, McCloskey missed with a few wild uppercuts before catching Rasilla coming in again, this time with a straight left. The second knockdown prompted Rasilla's handlers to enter the ring and save him from any further punishment.

Improving to 20(10)-0, McCloskey can now look forward to bigger fights against the likes of Junior Witter, Souleymane M'Baye and Andreas Kotelnik, who all occupy the upper echelons of the European rankings.

Another possibility for the Matchroom Sport fighter is a clash with the winner of Matchroom’s December 4th edition of the prizefighter tournament which features 140lb fighters, 3 of which are already ranked by the EBU.

Over in Belfast, Martin Rogan once again found himself at a packed out Odyssey arena despite a much less stellar supporting cast than his last visit. Spurred on by his massive support, he came out more aggressively than the previous fight and tried to throw a barrage of hooks to the body of Sexton, who had seemed to have some stamina issues last time out.

With Rogan wanting to work on the inside, the 25 year old champion did his best to hamper the action in close by holding, while trying to keep the fight at longer range where he could use his snappy jab and straighter punches.

The best punch of the early going was a solid right from Sexton in the 3rd which stunned Rogan, but Sexton noticeably slowed down in the next two rounds. An overhand right in close quarters shook him in the 5th, but Rogan smothered much of his follow up attack, and the 38 year old challenger was unable to capitalise.

After composing himself in the interval, Sexton settled back into the contest with his trusty jab and began to catch Rogan with right hands as the 6th wore on. The closing moments of the round saw a despondent Rogan with his hands low and his head bowed.

After returning to his corner with a look of resignation, trainer Paul McCullough was left with little choice but to pull his fighter after a distant Rogan offered nothing back, later citing an arm injury.

With the loss, it looks like Rogan's unlikely run in the heavyweight division may have come to an end. If that’s the case, it’s still fairly remarkable what he’s been able to accomplish after turning pro at 33 years of age.

With the contest doubling as a British title eliminator, Sexton can look forward to challenging an old and shop worn Danny Williams for the Lonsdale belt next.

On the under-cards...

On the undercard in Magherafelt, British featherweight champ Martin Lindsay improved to 15-0 with an 8 round shutout of Ghanian Alfred Tetteh, while the 22 year old Barry McGuigan managed 122lb prospect Carl Frampton advanced to 3-0 with a third round stoppage win over 1-6-2 Hungarian Ignac Kassai.

In Belfast, local favourite and former WBO welterweight challenger Neil Sinclair (33-7) dispatched 38 year old Hungarian Janos Petrovics (18-29) with a vicious body attack, eventually forcing the referee’s stoppage in the 4th round.

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British Scene: Rogan vs Sexton II & McCloskey vs Rasilla Previews

Matt Chudley previews tomorrow night's Sky double-header, featuring two shows from Northern Ireland.

Sky Sports continue their impressive autumn line up with a split location live double header from two big cards in Northern Ireland this Friday.

In Belfast at the Odyssey Arena, local favourite Martin Rogan will be looking to regain the Commonwealth Heavyweight title he lost in controversial circumstances to Sam Sexton at the same venue back in May.

Meanwhile, across Lough Neagh at the Meadowbank Arena in Magherafelt, Dungiven's unbeaten southpaw Paul McCloskey headlines another big card with a challenge for the vacant European Light Welterweight title against short notice opponent Daniel Rasilla.

Sam Sexton vs Martin Rogan II

At 38 years old and having parted ways with highly regarded trainer John Breen to work out at a local amateur gym, the short but exciting career of Martin Rogan could be under serious threat. His moniker 'The Entertainer' is undoubtedly well earned with 2 domestic fight of the year candidates already in the books and another thriller is likely on the cards.

Rogan was a huge favourite heading into the previous encounter in May, and was criticised by many for taking on a soft opponent ahead of a possible European title fight. However, Sexton proved a far tougher opponent than originally given credit for, and the bout turned into a back and forth battle, that ultimately saw Rogan pulled by the ring doctor with his left eye almost completely shut, while Sexton was on the brink of being finished.

Though he may have almost completely lost the use of his left eye, Rogan had turned the fight on its head in the 8th after a tough 7th and after appearing to hold back against a defenseless Sexton for a stoppage from Dave Paris, the defeat left a bitter taste.

Sexton will no doubt look to once again capitalise on his superior boxing skills and try to pick the brawling Rogan apart from the outside. While Sexton did seem to have a good game plan and the necessary skills last time out, his lack of conditioning was almost his downfaill. This could once again be a factor, as having yet to go beyond 8, the scheduled 12 still poses questions for Sexton whereas Rogan showed during the Matt Skelton fight in February that he can stay strong into the championship rounds.

The added confidence and experience from claiming the belt last time out can only benefit the once beaten fighter from Norwich, while the 13 year age gap also looks favourable after a six month layoff for the pair.

Paul McCloskey vs Daniel Rasilla

Barry Hearn brings his unbeaten charge Paul McCloskey back to his home county of Londonderry in a fight for the European title with a strong supporting cast. The 19-0 southpaw had been set to challenge European champion Soulymane M'Baye for the strap but the Frenchman withdrew and vacated after sustaining a bicep injury in training.

While almost all of the biggest names in Irish boxing including John Duddy, Any Lee, Bernard Dunne and Rogan have suffered tough setbacks in the last 18 months, McCloskey has continued to quietly gain momentum in the 140lb division posting solid wins over the likes of Cesar Bazan and Colin Lynes.

An accomplished amatuer, having represented Ireland on numerous occasions and winning a silver medal in the EU championships, McCloskey got a late start to the pro game at 26 and reliant upon his sharp reflexes may need to be moved quickly if he’s to fulfill his potential.

Unsurprisingly there wasn’t a que of fighters atop the EBU rankings eager to take on the tricky stylist a few miles from his home on less than two weeks notice. The unenviable task fell to unheralded 15-2 Spaniard Daniel Rasilla who enters as an opportunist with nothing to lose.

A career lightweight, Rasilla has ventured to Ireland before in dropping a 12 round decision to Andy Murray for the European Union lightweight title in March on the undercard to Dunne-Cordoba. Up from his natural weight and with only 4 KOs to his name thus far, Rasilla will likely play spoiler and see if he can cash in on the erratic and often questionable mainland European judges provided by the EBU.

Also on the card in Magherafelt is British featherweight champion Martin Lindsay (14-0) who looks to stay busy over 8 against teek tough Ghanian Alfred Tetteh (10-3-2) ahead of a fight with mandatory challenger Jamie Arthur in the new year.

In action as well is Barry McGuigan prodigy Carl Frampton (2-0) who appears in his homeland for the first time as a pro. A successful amateur, having boxed internationally Frampton will be taking on 1-5-2 Hungarian Ignac Kassai as he looks to make an impression on the domestic super bantamweight scene.

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Adamek Beats Up Golota In Poland

By Lee Payton

Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

As expected, Tomasz Adamek took care of business with a 5th round stoppage of faded former heavyweight contender, Andrew Golota. This one was really all about money, as it's been many years since Golota has shown he can fight at a world class level. The show took place in Lodz, Poland to maximize profits, and in the end everything worked out nicely for Adamek in his first foray into the heavyweight division.

Golota came out unusually fast during the first 3 rounds, probably knowing that he has too many miles - not to mention pounds, as he came in at a career high 256 - to fight the scheduled 12 rounds. To his credit, he did try his best to come forward and land the big one, but it was not to be. He found himself on the canvas in the first, evidence that his legs just aren't what they were.

Adamek thrived under the bigger man's pressure and used it to showcase some of his seldom seen boxing skills. This was not the stone-faced terminator who is only looking to line up a short right hand. On this night, "Goral" used educated feet to sidestep his opponent's rushes, and swift combination punching to do the damage.

By round 4 Golota was still trying, but had slowed down considerably. He was breathing heavily and his enthusiasm seemed to be sagging. A familiar sight. The end was near.

Adamek landed his money punch at the start of round 5, and it sent the old guy to the canvas. He got up, but was swamped by a world class fighter in his prime. A few more solid shots later and Golota was on skates, prompting referee Bill Clancy to call a halt to the exhibition.

With the win, Adamek picks up a ranking in the IBF's top 15 at heavyweight. No one is sure whether he will continue to fight the big guys or if he'll go back down to cruiser to defend his world title.

Usually smaller fighters move up because the heavyweights make more money, and no doubt that would be the appeal for Adamek, as potential fights with either of the Klitschko brothers would generate mega-bucks.

Is it worth it though? Does Adamek have a realistic chance of even being competitive with the giant Ukrainians, or even one of the smaller top heavies like Alexander Povetkin, David Haye or Eddie Chambers?

Given his frame once allowed him to compete at 175, and taking into account that Steve Cunningham had him wobbling badly in the 4th round of their cruiserweight fight, you have to seriously question whether Adamek has the capacity to absorb the kind of fire-power he'll be facing against the big men.

To put it bluntly, going in that direction seems like a cash-out, and with the potential to reign for a few more years at cruiserweight, is that a wise idea at this stage? Especially when you consider that Adamek should be able to make some decent money at 200 pounds. He can obviously draw well in his native Poland, but he's also proven himself a big draw at the Prudential Center in New Jersey where his last 3 bouts have done very well.

Besides, there are fights below heavyweight that fight fans want to see.

A rematch of that incredible fight with Steve Cunningham would be a great place to start. It's an irresistible clash of styles that has already proven to be TV-friendly. Cunningham has been lobbying for a return bout, but in the meantime is settling for a chance to reclaim his belt - vacated by Adamek - against Matt Godfrey.

Ola Afolabi is another top guy who could make for an exciting night. Earlier in the year he knocked out Enzo Maccarinelli and will now be taking on undefeated Marco Huck for a title belt.

I'm not sure what's going on with the enigmatic Guillermo Jones these days, but that's another potentially violent scrap.

Whatever does happen next - it must be worthwhile. After Jonathan Banks, Bobby Gunn and now Andrew Golota, fans are anxiously waiting to see Adamek take on someone they think has a serious chance.

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British Scene Weekend Recap: Harrison wins Prizefighter Heavyweight III

Matt Chudley recaps this past Friday night's Prizefighter Heavyweights III show.

By clinically dispatching the Prizefighter field, once prized commodity Audley Harrison not only gained £32,000, but appears to have put himself in line for yet another opportunity to make a dent on the heavyweight division.

The victory could not have come at a better time for Harrison, as it appeared the Sydney Gold Medalist was out of chances after losing to Martin Rogan and being let go by Frank Warren last December.

Let’s get right to the action…

Round 1 – Scott Gammer vs Coleman Barrett

The first bout of the night saw former British champion Scott Gammer taking on inexperienced and undersized Irishman Coleman Barrett. A former bronze medalist in the junior world amatuer championships almost a decade ago, Barrett displayed his speed and quick hands early, peppering the bigger man and quickly moving in and out of the pocket.

Looking for the big shots, Gammer was outworked early as Barrett kept moving while Gammer plodded. Setting his feet and looking to land heavier shots, Gammer found more success in the 2nd with accurate left hooks, using his size and strength to pressure the younger man.

The underdog Coleman was back on his toes in the third and despite a late push from Gammer in the closing seconds, did enough to get the nod on the judges scorecards with a 29-28 verdict on all three cards.

Round 1- Danny Williams vs Carl Baker

The second bout pitted former world title challenger and one of the most popular fighters in the UK, Danny Williams against unheralded southpaw Carl Baker.

Showing little regard for the early threat of the 287lber, Williams seemed happy to engage the heavy handed brawler. That proved a mistake, as a powerful right hand from Baker in the opening exchange caught Williams high on the side of the head and sent him down to the canvas. Williams rose on unsteady legs to beat the count but was down again soon after by a partially blocked right hand and absorbed further punishment while covering up on the ropes.

Still not fully recovered Williams was back on the canvas early in the second from what appeared to be another right cross but fortunately for him it was mistakenly called as a slip. Despite the further trouble, Williams started to find his way back into the contest in the round, and knowing he needed a knockout, came out firing in the final frame.

He went straight after the fleshy torso of the Sheffield man, before rocking him with a right hand that left Baker reeling around the ring and seemingly on the verge of being stopped. With the crowd on their feet Baker tried to hold as best he could and Williams managed to smother much of his work, leaving the 27 year old to see out the 3rd and take a huge upset victory on the cards.

The shocking loss deprived the 5,000 strong crowd at the Excel center the chance of seeing the anticipated rematch between Williams and Harrison, but once again proved that anything can happen in the Prizefighter format.

Round 1… Audley Harrison vs Scott Belshaw

With his bitter rival now gone, Harrison launched his campaign against Scott Belshaw. With Harrison starting cautiously, it was Belshaw who appeared to be taking the first round with greater activity. That was until Harrison caught Belshaw coming in with a straight left to the chin. The big man from Northen Ireland dropped after a delayed reaction.

Harrison was happy to sit back in the second too, but later in the round once again found Belshaw flush with a short left after Belshaw charged in behind a wide looping right. The sound of the bell was not enough to save Belshaw as referee Dave Paris waved off the fight.

Round 1… Danny Hughes vs Neil Perkins

The final opening round match-up saw two unheralded novices and former sparring partners in Danny Hughes and Neil Perkins fighting for the right to face Harrison in the Semi-finals.

After a lively and aggressive start, Hughes stepped forward, putting all his weight into a huge right cross that caught the smaller Perkins flush on the chin. Perkins struggled mightily to get up, and did manage to get to his feet but the bout was wisely stopped. It was all over in less than a minute.

Semi-Final…Coleman Barrett vs Carl Baker

In match-up of upset winners, the lightest and heaviest fighters squared off in the first semi as Coleman Barrett took on Carl Baker.

Having come through the war with Williams, Baker again started well, arguably taking the first round with an accurate jab that landed whenever he threw it. However it became apparent in the second that Barrett had been pacing himself early, and was much the busier of the two fighters the rest of the way. He intelligently moved in and out of range, catching Baker with quick hands and rocking him the third with a two fisted attack to take the fight by 29-28 scores on all 3 judges cards.

Semi-Final… Audley Harrison vs Danny Hughes

Employing a different strategy this time, Harrison took the centre of the ring and looked to push Hughes back, believing that he would be much less effective on the back foot. Though enforcing his ring generalship, Harrison was decidedly negative, not committing with anything until midway through the second when Hughes started to try and press the fight. After taking a couple of solid lefts in the second, Hughes was put down in the 3rd from Harrison’s accurate counters and forced to hold on. The scores were 30-26, 29-27, 29-28 in favor of Harrison.

Final… Audley Harrison vs Coleman Barrett

With clear similarities between the tournament format and the amatuer game, it was probably no surprise that the two most decorated amatuers in the field found themselves in the final.

The bout got off to a nasty start as Barrett deliberately headbutted Harrison on the blind side of referee Dave Paris. Had the man in charge seen the infraction, it would have almost certainly meant a deduction on the cards.

Instead it may have served to rattle the always anxious Harrison, who found himself thoroughly out boxed by the Irishman in the first 3 minutes. Barrett moved in and out quickly throughout the opening frame, hitting a confused Harrison at will.

After continuing to look panicked and out of ideas in the second, Harrison suddenly came to life, finding success with his powerful left. After a good 30 second stretch where the big man landed some sharp blows, he connected with a hard left hand that caught Barrett flush on the chin as the Irishman was backing away.

A lifeless Barrett fell backwards on the ropes and down to the canvas, with his corner quickly on their way into the ring. Barrett managed to get to his feet, but Paris had seen enough and the 37 year old Harrison was the winner.

Following the trophy presentation the self-managed fighter who is now based in California stated that he had formed an alliance with the events promoter Barry Hearn and will be looking towards British and European titles once more.

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David Tua Can Still Make Some Noise

It was past midnight (EST) and I wanted to see some decent boxing. Allan Green had just bored me to tears while once again proving that he is not a threat to any of the world's best 168 pound fighters.

I considered throwing in an old tape of one of my favorite classic battles (never a bad idea), but there was another enticing option. David Tua was fighting Shane Cameron in New Zealand, and the fight was available via PPV live stream from SecondsOutTV.com.

The bout was billed as "The Fight Of The Century". Even though I wasn't likely to be treated to anything resembling that classic from '71, I'm a fight junkie, and this was my best chance to calm the withdrawals. I bought the show and was not disappointed.

The card delivered a bit of everything. There were competitive 6 rounders featuring pugs who came to win, untidy scraps between local talent, and an intriguing main event that delivered a surprising and welcome message: David Tua is back!

You heard right. The Tuaman can still go.

He absolutely crushed Cameron, knocking him down and out in the first round. The only reason it even went into the second was due to the referee inexplicably allowing Cameron to continue, despite having to hold the badly concussed fighter up. Only 7 seconds in to the second round, a frighteningly violent volley - reminicent of Ray Mercer finishing Tommy Morrison - produced the official KO.

Now I realize that Mr. Cameron is no world beater, but this was a performance worth getting excited about for a few reasons.

1. There's a heavyweight out there who can turn the lights out with a single bomb.

2. That heavyweight showed up in solid shape. 237 is not a bad weight at all for him at age 36.

3. That heavyweight actually has some talent!

As Vitali Klitschko is showing us, in these dark days of heavyweight boxing, an older fighter with some real ability can still be the man. The way I see, it's not unrealistic for David Tua to still claim a major belt - a prize that alluded him back in his prime years despite having more good wins than a lot of the other fighters who have been able to call themselves "world" champions.

This is a guy who fought John Ruiz, Oleg Maskaev, Ike Ibeabuchi, David Izon and Hasim Rahman all before getting a title shot. As an aside, compare that tough schedule to the kind of insultingly safe matchmaking we have come to accept just 10 years later.

After that impressive run, he lost to an all-timer in Lennox Lewis, before being thrown in with slick lefty Chris Byrd and coming away on the short end of a 12 round decision. He got back on track with a stoppage win over awkward jab and grab specialist, Fres Oquendo, but then was held to a draw in a rematch with Hasim Rahman.

Since then, he's spent more time in court than in the ring. A nasty split with Kevin Barry left him on the shelf for far too long and before last night, it had been about 6 years since he had any really meaningful business in the ring.

But that mess is behind him now. It's 2009 and the division is a slum. If there was ever a time to pick up that elusive belt, it's now.

On top you've got the Klitschko brothers.

Vitali, the slightly bigger, much tougher brother is likely the best and would present a horrible stylistic challenge. Too tall, too long and not fragile enough.

Wladimir, on the other hand has shown a vulnerability to big punchers who will attack him with some speed. As it stands right now, this is his best chance to make a splash, because it says here that little bro is going to have a hell of a tough time standing up to the kind of violence Tua is capable of. If he gets tagged, Wlad will fall. Hard.

There's also a good chance that David Haye will take Nicolay Valuev's title later this year. A Haye-Tua tilt would be an explosive affair, to be sure. The one huge edge you have to give to the old guy is in the chin department. In a sure war, give me the guy who can take it.

The challenge is getting him another opportunity to knock off one of the top guys. It's up to those in charge to make responsible choices from here on out. I've heard that Rahman or Kali Meehan could be up next. Meehan is rated ridiculously high by the WBA for no reason at all (I know, they don't need a reason) and he would have virtually no chance against the destructive force I saw last night, so that's probably the smartest path to take. It would do good business too.

Whatever happens, I'm just happy to have a heavyweight back on the scene that can create some excitement. He's old, never had the deepest lungs, and won't throw as many punches as I want him to, but there's nothing out there as aesthetically pleasing as a David Tua left hook to the chin. I'll take it.

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British Scene: Prizefighter Heavyweights III Preview

Matt Chudley previews tomorrow night's Prizefighter Heavyweight tournament.

Tomorrow night at the Excel Arena, Sky Sports presents the 3rd Heavyweight installment and 7th overall addition of Barry Hearn's Prizefighter series. With the highest bounty to date on offer, Hearn has managed to entice some of the biggest names in the domestic heavyweight scene to tomorrow night’s tournament – though the withdrawal of former British and Commonwealth champion Michael Sprott has left the field's overall star power somewhat diminished.

The early demand for tickets caused the one night tournament to be moved from the pokey confines of the York Hall to the 5,000 seat Excel Arena which also saw the two previous encounters between the two men expected to meet in the final, Danny Williams and Audley Harrison.

Williams and Harrison's first fight at the venue drew 8 million viewers on ITV with Harrison heading into the bout unbeaten in the pros after clinching a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics, and Williams not long removed from memorable victory over Mike Tyson and a world title challenge against Vitali Klitschko. Though the circumstances might be very different this time around, the rivalry remains as hotly contested as ever with Williams risking his British crown to follow Harrison into the 8 man elimination tournament.

Opening the show and tipped as the third favourite, former British Champion Scott Gammer (18-4-1) comes in on the back of four defeats in his last five fights. In 2006, Gammer became the first Welshman to claim the Lonsdale belt in 22 years but was soon relieved of the title by an in shape and motivated Danny Williams.

He then went on to lose fights to John McDermott and unbeaten European prospects Francesco Pianeta and Robert Helenius. Still only 32 and having once shown promise, Gammer could potentially cause Williams problems over the 3 round distance in the semis as he held his own early in their previous fight.

Going up against Gammer in the quarters is undersized Irishman Coleman Barrett, who sports an unspectacular 8-0 record with 2 stoppage wins. The 6'1 southpaw was essentially a cruiserweight through his first 6 fights before taking an almost four year hiatus from the sport and returning as a heavyweight. While there’s little on his pro ledger to signal himself as a threat for the £32,000 prize, Barrett did capture 5 Irish amatuer titles and a bronze at the junior world amateur championships so may be suited to the three round format.

With the presence of Danny Williams, the tournament can boast having a reigning British Champion in the field for the first time – certainly a sign of the event’s increasing appeal among fighters in the British Isles. Williams may have lost his last three fights in the eyes of many but a stoppage defeat to Albert Sosnowski sandwiched between controversial majority and split decision wins over John McDermott have done little to discourage the 36 year old from choosing to continue his career. As ever it’s almost impossible to predict how the mercurial Williams will perform on the night, but should he show up in shape and keen to boost his bank balance, he must be considered the favourite.

Looking to upset the Williams apple cart is the equally unpredictable and bloated Carl Baker (8-3). The 6'4 southpaw from Sheffield, who often tips the scales at over 300lbs has managed to avenge two of his three defeats with the other being to fellow entrant Scott Gammer and has acquired the meaningless 'British Masters' title in the process. Spurred on by the dismissive words of Mike Tyson who said that he had no chance when the former World Champ conducted the draw, Baker is eager to prove a point.

Once again talking of world titles, Audley Harrison gets a last chance to make a mark on the professional boxing ranks after a career of unfulfilled potential and wasted talent. A 6'4 Southpaw with an Olympic Gold Medal and a large contract from the BBC, Harrison seemed set for big things but a series of lackluster performances against weak opposition caused many observers to label him as 'Fraudly' even before he went on to lose to the likes of Danny Williams and Dominick Guinn.

With all the necessary physical advantages but none of the intestinal fortitude, Harrison was given second and third chances after signing with Frank Warren but was then dumped by the promoter after dropping a ten round decision to Martin Rogan. At 37, Harrison could find himself in a fight for the vacant British title by clinching the tournament and could possibly have one last throw of the dice with three wins on the night.

Facing Harrison in the first round of the competition is Northern Ireland's Scott Belshaw. The 6'7 puncher was overmatched last time out against Tyson Fury and while his technique is horrendous, he does possess the kind of size and power that have terrified the Londoner before. Labeled as the Irish George Foreman early in his pro career by promoter Frank Maloney, Belshaw is there to be hit and should Audley show any kind of desire his passage to the next round should be assured.

Yet to face an opponent with a winning record is Sunderland’s Danny Hughes. The fleshy 6-0-1 fighter was set to face Michael Sprott, but with the former British and Commonwealth champion pulling out of the event following the death of his sister, Hughes will now take on Neil Perkins in a battle of unheralded and inexperienced fighters.

Like his opponent, the 4-0 Perkins is yet to post a victory over a fighter with a winning record and the victor is likely to be a massive underdog at the semi final stages. A former ABA finalist and only 4 fights into his pro career, Perkins may benefit from being stuck in his amateur ways with the 3 round distances. Read more!

Vitali Klitschko vs Chris Arreola: Round by Round Blog

Welcome to The Boxing Bulletin's live round by round blog coverage of the heavyweight showdown between Vitali Klitschko and Chris Arreola.

The HBO broadcast is set to begin at 10 PM EST, and updates will start as soon as the show starts.

Vitali Klitschko 37-2 (252) vs Chris Arreola 27-0 (251)

If you are here early, check out some of our recent stories... The Man to Beat Floyd Mayweather Jr... by Jeff Pryor The Mayweather vs Marquez Big Screen Experience by Jeff Pryor Chris Arreola Has The Tools To Rise Above Expectations by Michael Nelson Has Arreola Sacrificed Enough To Beat Klitschko by Lee Payton

Refresh this page often as updates will be frequent 9:50 PM EST... 10 minutes until the show starts. 10:05... HBO is live from the Staples Center, but first they are replaying last weekend's Mayweather/Marquez fight. According to Jim Lampley, it will be another hour before the heavyweights come on. I'll be back then for the round by round of Klitschko vs Arreola. 10:40... The Mayweather/Marquez replay is through 8 now. Hopefully tonight's fight will be starting around 11. 11:02... After the replay, Lampley interviewed Mayweather. Nothing really worth relaying, as Floyd didn't give anything away regarding his future plans. 11:04... Arreola is pacing inside his dressing room. Now HBO's going to do a little hyping with a Ring Life piece on the challenger. 11:10... Merchant on Arreola... "He jiggles in place he shouldn't jiggle in." 11:13... Now we're seeing some clips of Vitali. Neither fighter has made their way towards the ring yet. 11:15... Tale of the tape... Vitali has a 3 1/2 inch height advantage, plus a 3 1/2 edge in arm length. 11:16... Here comes Arreola. 11:17... Arreola is in the ring. He's wearing a black robe with silver trim, with the words "Chris The Nightmare" emblazoned on the back. 11:17... Vitali making his way towards the ring. 11:18... "Two very big men in the ring... let's go to Michael Buffer for the official introductions." - Lampley 11:19... The ref is Jon Schorle. 11:20... The crowd is buzzing as Arreola is introduced. 11:22... Not quite the same warm reception for Vitali. 11:22... Final instructions have been given. We are moments from starting. 11:25... Vitali with his left low, pawing with the jab as Arreola trying to get close. Arreola trying to get inside and eats a right hand. Vitali backing away as Arreola tries to get inside, and manages to tie Arreola up and get away. Arreola charges forward, but doesn't catch the big man. Now Vitali with a 1-2 that's blocoked. Vitali sticking a couple jabs home from long range. Vitali with a right hand uppercut. 1:30 to go. Arreola looking to get close, but no luck so far. Now Vitali ties him up. Vitali with a right hand, and another one. Now Vitali with that awkward jab/hook of his. 45 seconds left. Vit with a jab. Another jab, and a right that's blocked. Vit now misses with a right. Arreol is coming forward, but Vit keeping him at his range. 15 secnds left. Arreola tries to jab his way in, and gets one home. Now Vitali with a 1-2 that is short. Arreola tries to respond, but doesn't connect. There's the bell. 11:26... A lot of celebs in attendance. Mike Tyson got a big hand. Stallone and Arnold are there too. So is Kobe. 11:30... 1-0 on Harold's card for Vitali. Arreola with a couple jabs. Vit with a jab in response. Arreola with a right hand to the body, and Vit fires back. Vit with a 1-2, and Arreola fires back and pushes Vit into the ropes, but gets tied up. Vit with a jab. Vit sticking the jab home. Now a 1-2 from the big guy. Arreola coming forward, but not getting close enough. Now he eats a 1-2 again. Vit lands and then gets out of there. Arreola keeps following, but eats another right hand. Vit with a jab. Another jab and a right. Arreola keeps coming, but he's getting hit for his troubles. Arreola now chases Vitali accross the ring, but doesn't really land anything in the process, and Vit resumes banging Arreola with the jab and right hand. Another 1-2 from Vitali. Vit is also working that hook in there too. Arreola having to lunge to get close. There's the bell. Another round for Vitali. 11:30... Arreola is making Vitali work hard, but is he's taking some punishment in the process. Not sure he can do that for too long. We'll see. 11:33... 2-0 on Harold's card. Vit with a jab. Lampley commenting on Vitali breathing through his mouth, and then adds that he always does that. Vitali with a right hand. Arreola tries to respond, but misses. Vitali with a hook/jab. Vit just sticking the jab in ther as Arreola follows him around the ring. Vit is circling to his left. Now he catches Arreola with a 1-2. Arreola did get his own right hand in though. Now Arreola lunges in with a right, and gets caught again. 1:20 to go. Vit with a 1-2. Arreola keeps edging forward, he's got his gloves up when he does, but his head is too stationary and he's getting tagged with jabs. Vit with another 1-2. Arreola making Vitali use his legs a lot here. Vit with another jab. Arreola tries to respond just before the bell, but gets tied up. 11:37... Lampley mentions that Arreola's face is beginning to redden and show some damage. 3-0 on Harold's card. Arreola comes forward, eats a jab, but lands a right hand. Vitali on the move... going left. Arreola chases him and throws a 1-2, but is short as Vitali gets away. Vit moves back to the middle of the ring. Arreola comes forward and eats a jab. Vitali with a jab, but misses the follow up right hand. Vit with another jab. Arreola chases Vit into the ropes, and fires off a right hand that lands. Vit responds with a 1-2. Vit with a jab. Vit with a right. 1:00. Merchant commenting that Arreola is closing the distance a little bit, but still catching a lot more than he's landing. Vit with a jab. Arreola misses with a right hand. Vit sticking out the jab, and Arreola fires a right hand to the body. Vit with a jab. Vit with his left hand low keeps sticking out the jab when Arreola comes forward. There's the bell. 11:38... Between rounds, we got a highlight of a little left hook that Arreola landed on the inside. 11:41... 4-0 on Harold's card. Arreola coming forward, leans in with a jab that's short. Vitali responds with a right hand that lands. Vitali with another right, and then he slips away to his left. Now he goes to his right and Arreola tries to chase him down. Vitali though sticks the jab and moves. Vitali with another jab. Arreola lunges in and gets tied, but he bangs the body in the clinch. 1:40. Arreola charges forward, eats a jab, but keeps pressing and pushes Vitali into the ropes. Vitali with a right. Vit with another right. Vit is landing a lot of shots, but Arreola keeps coming. Another jab. "Arreola has got to find a way to get inside if he wants to stay in this fight." - Merchant. "Vitali not fighting like a 38 year old." Larry adds. Vitali with another jab. Vitali moving to his right. Sticking the jab home when Arreola advances. Now a right hand. Now a jab. Steward thinks Arreola's confidence is growing. Vitali with a 1-2 just before the bell. 11:46... Round 6 underway. 5-0 on Harold's card. Vitali moving to his right. He sticks the jab in. Arreola tries to respond, but doesn't have any luck as Vitali backs away and then slips off to his right. Vitali with a jab. Follows up with a right hand. Arreola edging forward, but Vitali bangs home a 1-2. Arreola pushes Vitali into the ropes and gets tied up. Vitali with a right uppercut. Vit with a jab. Action now in the middle of the ring. Arreola just not able to get inside, and he's not presing the way he did this round as he was in the previous round. Just as I say that, he forces Vitali into the ropes. Now Vitali lands a right, and Arroela comes back and presses Vitali again, but I don't think he got his shot home. Viali with a jab. 40 seconds left in the round. Vitali with a right hand to the body. Vit with a jab. Vit with a 1-2. Vit with a right hand. And another right. Arreola with a couple jabs, but is short with them. He tries to land a right, but Vitali backs away and the round ends. 11:50... 6-0 on Harold's card. I'd assume all 3 judges have it the same. Arreola eats a 1-2 as he tries to get inside. Vit with a right hand. Arreola rushes forward, firing his right hand, but Vitali escapes without getting tagged with anything serious. Vitali now moving away to his left. 2:00 to go in the round. Vit with a jab, and slips away to his left, now moves to his right and gets back in the middle of the ring. Arreola resumes following, but just can't get inside. Vitali sticks home a body shot. Vitali with a right hand. Vit with a jab. 1:00 to go. Vit got turned around and Arreola whacked him in the back. He's given a quick word by the ref. Vitali with a 1-2. Vitali with a right hand to the body. Larry comments on Vitali's fantastic conditioning. The pace of this round is a little slower. Arreola tries to get something started in the last few seconds and rushes Vitali. There's the bell. 11:50... Vitali has to be getting tired with all this movement, but at the same time, Arreola's pace seems to have slowed as well, and he's taken a great deal of punishment so far. Even if Vitali tires a little, not sure if Arreola will have anything left to press him with him. 11:54... Arreola resumes following Vitali around. He gets inside and Vitali grabs him, but with a free hand he bangs the body. The ref has been very quick to break them on the inside as he does so on that occasion. Harold pointed that in the previous round. That's certainly not helping Arreola. Now Arreola chases Vitali into the ropes, and he lands a hard left hand that got Vitali's attention. He followed up with a right hand, and Vitali was forced to hold on. Vitali fires back, but Arreola with some real energy fired off another right hand that forced Vitali to clinch. Now Vitali ties him up again. Vitali with a right hand. Arreola rushes forward, eats a right, but keeps coming and pushes Vitali into the ropes. Arreola looks like he's going for a broke here. Vitali fires to the body. Arreola fires a right hand. Lampley points out that blood is coming from Arreola's nose. Vitali fires a right hand. Vitali with a right hand. Arreola appeared to tag him with a counter, and then chases the big guy into the ropes. There's the bell. Definitely Arreola's best round so far. 11:54... Arreola's corner tells him to keep doing what he's doing. 11:54... Vitali's corner urging him to keep using his jab. 11:58... Arreola comes forward to start the round. Vitali with his hands down, firing off the jab. Arreola now tries to jab his way in, but Vitali slips away to his right. Vitali with a jab. Arreola pushes forward and eats a 1-2. Action in the middle of the ring now. Arreola fires off a hook, but misses. Vitali digs to the body with a right hand. Arreola comes forward and wings a right hand, but gets tied up. Now Vitali slips away and sticks Arreola with the jab. Now they clinch. Vit with a 1-2. Vit with a hard right hand that got Arreola's attention, but Arreola immediately comes forward. Vit with a right hand. Merchant comments that this is as one sided as last week's Mayweather/Marquez fight. Arreola tries to get inside, but gets tied up. Vit with a jab. Vit with another jab. Arreola is looking tired here and Vitali backs him into the ropes just as the round ends. 12:02... Round 10 coming up. Harold has it 8-1. Arreola comes out pressing. Vitali keeping his distance with the jab. Arreola following Vitali and eating jabs here. Arreola trying to get inside, but having no luck. He just chased Vitali into the ropes but couldn't land anything and Vitali responded with a 1-2. Vitali digs a shot to the body. Vitali with a 1-2. Vit with another 1-2. Arreola not pressing with the same enthusiasm he was earlier. His rushes forward are getting increasingly infrequent. Now he comes forward and misses witha hook. Vit with a jab. Vit with a right hand. Vit with another right hand. Vit with a jab. Vit with another jab. This is very one sided stuff. Vit with a 1-2. 12:02... It's over. Arreola's corner has ended it. 12:03... Or maybe the ref is the one that called an end to it. Either way it was a good decision, because the last two rounds were extremely one sided and it was looking like it was only going to get worse. 12:05... Here's Michael Buffer with the official announcement. He asks for a round of applause for the courageous challenger. "Referee Jon Schorle steps in and calls a halt to the bout at the end of round 10. The winner by TKO, Dr. Iron Fist, Vitali Klitschko." 12:06... Merchant is with Vitali. "Was this as easy for you as it looked to us?" Merchant asks. "It's never easy." 12:08... Arreola comes over and has a congratulatory word for Vitali. Now Larry's talking to Arreola, and he's really broken up. "I didn't want to quit. I wanted to the full 12 rounds." 12:09... "I just couldn't get to him, man." - Arreola 12:10... Larry tells him that he gained a lot of fans tonight. He gave it his all tonight, you have to give him that. 12:11... That's it for our coverage. I hope you enjoyed it and please check us out again next time.

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British Scene Weekend Recap: Fury Controversially Tops McDermott

Matt Chudley recaps Tyson Fury's much disputed English heavyweight title win over John McDermott.

Photos © Chris Royle

Tyson Fury captured the first title of his fledgling pro career this Friday in Brentwood, Essex under highly controversial circumstances, courtesy of a mystifying scorecard from referee Terry O'Connor.

Going into the tenth and final round, Fury was told by his corner to go all out for the stoppage after John McDermott's snappy jab and chopping overhand rights had given the youngster fits for the best part of the nine previous rounds. Fury had a good last 3 minutes, but it didn't appear to be enough to overcome McDermott's inspired effort - but as soon as the final bell went O'Connor marched over to Fury and lifted his arm, later revealing that he had only given McDermott 2 rounds.

Check out The Boxing Bulletin's McDermott vs Fury Photo Gallery

After a drawn out and boisterous ring walk, Fury looked anything but in the first round. Pumping out the jab and looking tentative, Fury was caught with a big right hand midway through the first and sensing that his opponent wasn't intimidated he pressed his head into McDermott's at the bell forcing O'Connor to break them up. Buoyed by what he'd seen in the opening stanza, Frank Maloney ran to the corner of his charge to offer words of encouragement in the interval.

With McDermott not overwhelmed by Fury's power, the Manchester born fighter started to box at range and looked more composed in the second and third rounds doing so, leaving McDermott looking to work the body. Even on the outside with his 9 inch reach advantage, Fury was still prone to momentary lapses in concentration allowing McDermott to connect with right hands over the Fury jab and occasional left hooks.

Fury showed brief flashes of his impressive hand-speed in the fifth, pinning McDermott on the ropes at one stage and unloading with several quick shots. However, having never been beyond four rounds, he began to feel the pace in the second half of the contest, and often looked ragged, dropping his hands, while flicking and cuffing his shots.

The penultimate round saw both fighters keen to tie-up in close and catch a rest, but Fury putting forward the higher volume of work. Under the impression that he only needed to survive the final round to retain his belt, McDermott turned his back on Fury a couple of times but also continued to push the bigger man back at times.

While most felt Fury was extremely fortunate to come away with the decision, it must be said that the brash 21 year old showed real character in handling his first dose of professional adversity. He took McDermott's heavier punches well and forced out all the offense he could muster in a game effort to outwork the title holder.

Both fighters called for a rematch after the fight and with appeals being launched by the McDermott camp there is a strong possibility that the BBC of C may mandate the fighters go at it again for the English title.

On the under-card…

The heavily fancied Fury may have struggled, but the other house prospects had no such issues, with flyweight Ashley Sexton and heavyweight novices Tom Dallas and Larry Olubamiwo all overwhelming their limited foreign opposition in under 3 minutes.

There were mixed fortunes for two former British champions on the card. Former British light-middleweight champion Gary Woolcombe overcame a first round knockdown to scrape past former European title challenger Roman Dzhuman by a round on referee Ken Curtis's scorecard while former 118lb British champ Martin Power was stopped in 8 by 6-0-1 Stuart Hall.

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Photo Gallery: John McDermott vs Tyson Fury

Heavyweights Tyson Fury and John McDermott went at it over 10 bruising, and ultimately controversial rounds on Friday night at the Brentwood Centre in Essex.

The questionable decision handed out by referee Terry O'Conner (pictured right with McDermott) has been the talk of British boxing, with promoter Frank Maloney raging at O'Conner work.

Photographer Chris Royle was ringside to capture all the hard hitting action.

John McDermott vs Tyson Fury

Photos © Chris Royle - Click on the images to enlarge. Promoter Frank Maloney has a few words for his English heavyweight champion John McDermott. Despite holding the title and a 25-5 record, the unheralded Essex fighter entered the bout as a decided underdog. Big Tyson Fury, the odds on favourite brought a perfect 7-0 record into the contest with all victories coming inside the distance. Confounding the prevailing opinion of how the opening rounds would play out, it was McDermott that started the stronger of the two heavyweights. He pressed the action right from the beginning, and backed the youngster up, landing some heavy right hands in the process. The mid rounds were fought at a good pace, with neither fighter shying away from contact. Despite never having gone beyond 4 rounds, Fury kept pace with his more experienced opponent, and was the busier of the two fighters. An excited Frank Maloney has a few words between rounds in the McDermott corner. The promoter would have plenty more to say after the contest. Fury used his left jab to good effect and made a point of going to the body, finding the mark often on McDermott's midsection. Despite Fury's greater activity, the cleaner harder punches were consistently landed by the English champ. Below he follows through with one of several hard right hands he landed during the bout. Above - An angry Frank Maloney reacts as referee Terry O'Conner lifts Fury's hand in victory at the conclusion of the 10 rounds. While the bout was competitive throughout, the consensus at ringside was that McDermott had clearly done enough to retain his title. Certainly nobody agreed with O'Connor's astonishing 8-2 scorecard. To Fury's credit, he's expressed a willingness to do it again and a rematch would appear likely for later this year.

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British Scene: Tyson Fury vs John McDermott Preview

Matt Chudley previews tomorrow night's Sky show featuring British heavyweights Tyson Fury and John McDermott battling it out for McDermott's English title.

Photo © Justin McKie

The most talked about prospect and arguably one of the brightest in the UK, Tyson Fury (pictured right) makes his first foray into the 10 round scheduled distance and title contention when he takes on John McDermott in Brentwood, Essex this Friday.

In doing so, Fury will be facing very different circumstances to the ones he has become accustomed to so far in his pro career. Having fought as the house fighter in front of favourable crowd support in all his previous contests, Fury will now be stepping into his opponent’ s backyard as the challenger after McDermott's promoter Frank Maloney won the purse bids to this English title contest.

This card will also be the first in over 2 years to be televised live on Sky without the presence of the traditional 12 round British, Commonwealth or European title fights. The previous occasion was David Haye's heavyweight debut against Tomasz Bonin and following the postponement of the originally scheduled headliner between Gary Davis and Ian Napa, the broadcaster has deemed that Fury's appeal is strong enough to carry the card.

Storming out to 7-0 with all the wins coming early, Fury has held little regard for his contemporaries in the pro ranks thus far and has hounded his domestic rivals at every opportunity. An onslaught of sound bytes and press releases would rarely endear a fighter to the public but to date Fury has made good on all the hype in taking on as good a competition as could be expected and proving to be the aggressive and powerful heavyweight craved by the fans to this point.

After looking out of shape against the 3-6 Aleksandrs Selezens last time out following a run of niggling injuries, Fury has left little to chance and once again traveled to Germany to get quality sparring amongst the large contingent of Eastern European heavies based there. With British champ Danny Williams risking his title by stepping into the next prizefighter tournament, Fury could soon find himself fighting for the vacant Lonsdale belt with a good performance on Friday and will once again be eager to make a statement of intent to the rest of the division.

Compiling a fairly modest 25-5 record and always appearing to be carrying a little excess weight, John McDermott has received little fan fare to date but has proved that he belongs at British title level after dropping controversial majority and split decisions to reigning British champ Danny Williams in his last two fights. After extending his record against very poor opposition to a soft 16-0 McDermott was dispensed of by the very average Nikolay Popov and Mark Krence and put to the sword by Matt Skelton in under two minutes. However, he has since produced a credible win over Scott Gammer and can rightly feel aggrieved with the decisions of the judges in those defeats to Williams.

With his greater maturity and experience McDermott is unlikely to lose the fight before he steps into the ring like many who have been intimidated by the 6'7 puncher and will be looking to soak up the pressure early and see if Fury becomes discouraged when things don't go his way. Should McDermott see the 4th and 5th rounds, Fury's stamina may also be tested since he has yet to go beyond 4 rounds let alone 10.

On the under-card…

Former British light middleweight champion Gary Woolcombe will be taking on a yet to be named opponent, as he looks to get back in line for another shot at domestic honours. Having won the Lonsdale belt in December of 2007, Woolcombe lose by stoppage to Ryan Rhodes in his first defense. With Rhodes taking on Jamie Moore for the European crown next month, the path appears open for Woolcombe to work his way back into the mix for a shot against current British champion, Anthony Small.

Also in action is 7-0 flyweight Ashley Sexton who stays busy against 17-7-1 Brazilian Darli Goncalves Pires as he builds towards a British title challenge. Former British bantamweight champ Martin Power also sees action against the 5-0-1 Stuart Hall, while Frank Maloney's own giant heavyweight prospect Tom Dallas looks to make an impression against the 12-15-1 Hungarian Mihaly Nemet.

e-mail Matt Chudley

Video of Tyson Fury warming up before his fight with Scott Belshaw courtesy of Justin McKie:

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British Scene Prospect Watch: Tyson Fury

Dave Oakes concludes his look at the top prospects in the UK, with a profile of young Manchester heavyweight, Tyson Fury.

Tyson Fury

6ft 7ins behemoth fighting out of Manchester. He’s attracting a lot of attention around the world just because of his name; he’s currently 7-0 with all seven wins coming by way of knockout.

The Positives:

He’s obviously got height and reach advantages over most other heavyweights, can hit hard and is technically pretty good for a heavyweight. His fitness is improving with every fight and it won’t be too long before he’s fighting for domestic honours.

The Negatives:

No one knows how he’ll react when he gets caught by a big shot and he keeps his left hand dangerously low for a heavyweight. He’s also got to be careful not to believe his own hype, he must remember he hasn’t achieved anything yet and there’s still a lot of work to be done before he does.

The Future:

He fights John McDermott in early September in what should be a good test for him. If he comes through that fight, which he should, then he can start to target fights against the likes of Derek Chisora, Danny Williams, Matt Skelton and the winner of Martin Rogan v Sam Sexton.

For more on the big youngster from Manchester, check out Dave's story from earlier this year: Introducing Tyson Fury: Story & Photo Gallery

e-mail Dave Oakes

Previous Prospect Profiles Don Broadhurst Stephen Smith Ryan Walsh Jamie Cox George Groves Kenny Anderson Ricky Owen Tony Bellew In case you are wondering where the 2008 Olympians are, Dave decided not to include them in order to highlight some of the other young fighters that haven't yet received the same kind of attention.

British Scene Season Preview British Scene Season Preview Part One; Simpson vs Truscott, O'Donnell vs Glover, Davis vs Napa, Fury vs McDermott & Olusegun vs Daws British Scene Season Preview Part Two: Macklin vs Asikainen, Thaxton vs Murray, Sexton vs Rogan & Booth vs Hunter

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Chris Arreola Has The Tools To Rise Above Expectations

Michael Nelson takes a look at Chris Arreola's chances of toppling Vitali Klitschko in next month's heavyweight showdown.

Photos © Ray Kasprowicz

The critics of the upcoming Arreola-Klitschko bout are many. The consensus of the hardcore boxing fan base seems to be that Chris will get blown out in the early rounds, or gas midway through the bout and get blown out then. Either way, the contest won't be very competitive, they say.

Much of the venom spewed comes from resentment towards the notion of yet another fighter allowed to walk down an HBO crafted red carpet without paying dues. That this particular fighter balloons between showcases and doesn't show up to the ring in optimal shape is insult to injury. Meanwhile, HBO ignores whole divisions full of dedicated men who live the boxing lifestyle 24/7, not just when convenient (when's the last time they aired a bout between Cruiserweights?). If it doesn't seem fair, it's because it isn't.

The reason for HBO's push is clear though: Arreola is the rare Mexican-American heavyweight. Any measure of success he has at the championship level is huge. And if he becomes the man to uproot the Klitschko brothers' hold on the division, we're talking about one of the biggest boxing stories in recent memory. The reawakening of the heavies would be Adderal to the casual fan's attention span.

The question remains, does he have a real shot at defeating Vitali Klitschko? Or is this the '09 redux of Michael Grant vs. Lennox Lewis? The lack of tough fights on Arreola's resume makes it hard to come up with a definitive answer, but I'd argue that Chris has better tools than anyone the Ukranian has fought since Lewis in 2002.

Most discredit Arreola's chances because of how his weight has skyrocketed within the past year and some change. Undoubtedly, he should be in better shape, and he'll need to have more discipline between training camps to remain near the top of the division for long. But his current condition doesn't necessarily doom him against Vitali for a couple of reasons. One, he's shown himself to be well-conditioned in his longer fights - going seven rounds twice and eight rounds once - maintaining a work rate that's closer to the average middleweight than the average heavyweight. While it's true that the last time he's gone more than four rounds was two years and 10-20 pounds ago (depending on how much he weighs on September 26), it's a mistake to assume that he'll be out of gas by the middle of the fight when he hasn't had stamina issues in the past.

Secondly, he will have worked with strength and conditioning specialist Darryl Hudson for over two months come fight night. Having a proven track record with Shane Mosley, Chad Dawson, Winky Wright, and others, if anyone can get Arreola into championship level condition, it's Hudson.

He should have the best camp of his career. What happens in rounds nine, ten, and beyond still remains a mystery, but Arreola's pressure and work rate suggests he has the ability to set a pace that can take Klitschko out of his comfort zone... at least for two-thirds of the bout.

The man Chris is trying to yank the title from has been dominant since his TKO loss to Lennox Lewis six years ago. But the 37 year old Klitschko has also been injury prone and inactive. Moreover, the opponents he has dominated are a who's who of fat fighters with careers plagued by stamina issues, coming in grossly overweight for their title shot. Kirk Johnson showed up nearly 20 pounds above his career high weight and summarily got harpooned; Corrie Sanders, Danny Williams, Sam Peter, and Juan Gomez came in at or near their career highs, were on E by the 7th round, and got beaten into submission shortly after. I'd honestly be shocked if Arreola isn't in much better shape than all of those guys.

Lennox Lewis was at his career high weight as well when he gave Klitschko his second loss. His first loss came at the hands of Chris Byrd, one of the few talented opponents Vitali has faced that managed to come in shape. While Klitschko fans will argue that both losses resulted from injuries, it's no fluke that they came against men athletic enough to push him.

Nevertheless, the odds are no doubt against 28 year old from Riverside, CA. Ironfist has the better footwork and defense. He has the quicker, straighter punches. He has a painful jab. And his whiskers appear to be sturdier. At first glance, the gulf in technical acumen appears insurmountable, but peer beyond the surface and you'll see Arreola's advantages; a far better inside game, body attack, and variance of shots that start to level the playing field. Add in Vitali's age and friable frame, and the sweet scent of a brewing upset might float into your nostrils.

Fact is, Arreola has a potent mix of attributes that Mexican fighters are known to possess: combination punching, body punching, and a nefarious left hook along with a healthy dose of heart and balls. Barring an early knockout, Vitali will have to deal with several rounds of the rare big man who throws more than one or two punches at a time. He'll have to deal with a man pounding him to the ribs, arms, and shoulders whenever his chin can't be reached.

The aging champ faces something he hasn't seen in several years. Far from the sideshow many bill it as, this is a real fight with real ramifications. Understandably, low expectations are born out of cynicism of groomed careers and manufactured saviors. Just prepare to be shocked next month if you choose to keep them low.

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Has Arreola Sacrificed Enough to Beat Klitschko?

By Lee Payton

Photo © Ray Kasprowicz

On September 26, Chris "The Nightmare" Arreola will have a chance to become the first ever Mexican Heavyweight Champion when he challenges Vitali Klitscko in front of what is sure to be a passionate crowd at Staples Center, in Los Angeles. A former amateur stand-out, Arreola has gone undefeated in 27 fights as a pro, with almost all of his wins coming by way of knockout. When you see this guy fight, there's plenty to get excited about, but I have to admit that despite his potential and kill or be killed mindset, I just can't get behind him.

Let me start my explanation off by saying that I generally love Mexican fighters. Gimme the delightful arrogance of Morales, the deadly offensive discipline of Marquez, the brutal clinch work of Castillo, the almost psychotic style of Limon, and the hard-nosed work ethic of Ramirez (I could go on forever), and I'm gushing. These men are what boxing is all about for me. Of course, gutsy, granite chinned, go forward at all cost fighters with nasty hooks to the liver come from scary places all over the world, but those are traits of the prototypical Mexican warhorse. They're a joy to watch if want to see a man broken down in a violent way. They will test your heart, win or lose. You can count on it.

I think Arreola has some of that guerrero in him. I really do. He seems like a guy who loves fighting, and I can't see him pulling the plug when things get rough. He's also got some classic Mexican weapons, like a solid uppercut and a nasty left hook. What he lacks in speed and snap he makes up for in physical strength and heavy punching technique.

The problem is hunger. When those guys I mentioned earlier were on the way up, they were starving. You can't tell me that Arreola's desire is anywhere near the same level. The proof is in his rather comfortable financial situation and his waistline. He's hardly fighting his way out of poverty.

As a rare Mexican heavyweight who can fight, he's been moved along expertly by his promoter, Dan Goossen, who knows just what he has on his hands. Arreola has been paid well throughout his career to beat guys he was supposed to pound on. Many of his fights have been televised, including his last two, which were featured on HBO. What other heavyweight in the world gets on thee big time boxing network against Travis Walker and a retired Jameel McCline? He's been getting the Michael Grant treatment. Not the fighter's fault, obviously, but let's call it like it is.

Heavies rarely fight killers on their way up these days (there are none out there anyway) so I'll give him a bit of a pass for that. My main concern is with his pear-like physique. The man is just way too fat. He's good enough that it doesn't matter against a certain class, but boxing has never been overly kind to anyone who isn't willing to put the work in. At the highest level, this game has to be more than a day job or something you do a few times a year.

I find it astounding that he could be so soft at his age, given his profession. I think you'd actually have to be trying to be as overweight as he often is. Every movement is accompanied by an unsightly jiggle we're just not used to seeing in the ring.

There have been reports that Chris is taking this fight more seriously than others, and I believe them. I also believe those who say he began camp at about 280 lbs. I read that he is so serious about this fight that he actually started jogging! What?! Jogging?!!

Look, I'm sure that he's going to work harder than he ever has, but there is no way he can possibly come into this fight at his best fighting weight. I think those who are hoping for anything below 250 are going to be disappointed. There's just not enough time for him to get into peak condition, in my opinion.

Apart from the issues Arreola has with discipline, I think he's facing a difficult stylistic challenge, as well. Vitali is a 6'7 fighter who understands distance and how to utilize his height both on offense and defense. He uses a steady jab, that tends to come up from his hip, to keep his opponents at bay while sets them up for his other punches. I don't see Chris getting out of the way of these shots too often because he's not very quick of hand or foot, and he has virtually no head movement. Steadily pressing has never worked against Big Brother. He's a master of taking advantage of quasi-aggression from shorter fighters. At 6'3 or so, and with a head that is sure to be right there, I think Arreola's chin is on a tee.

And call it a hunch, but I don't think he's all that difficult to hurt. Not that he has been seriously buzzed all that often, but the way he reacts to shots doesn't exactly remind me of other stone-chinned Mexicans like Chavez and Castillo, who rarely ever blinked inside the ring.

Yes, Vitali Klitscko is 38 years old. He does have a history of injuries, and he has had it pretty easy in his two comeback fights. But we have seen him take flush bombs from real hitters like Lennox Lewis and Corrie Sanders without going down, so I find it hard to question his mettle, even at this stage. I think it's also important to point out that he has been an athlete his entire life. If you saw Arreola on the street, "athlete" is not a word that would cross your mind. As much as this sport is about mental preparation, it is still a physical contest, and in that category, it really is "no-contest".

In the end, it's about sacrifice. You don't truly love and respect this sport unless you are willing to accept the work that comes along with it. I don't believe Chris Arreola has struggled hard enough so I am picking Vitali Klitschko to win by knockout. It will be a painful lesson for the young man.

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Slimmed-down Eddie Chambers Dominates In Germany

Michael Nelson gives his thoughts on Eddie Chambers' performance yesterday in his impressive victory over Alexander Dimitrenko.

"Fast" Eddie Chambers proved the naysayers wrong Saturday, thrashing the favored Alexander Dimitrenko. One of those naysayers being me.

He said he'd snatch the WBO title eliminator by winning so convincingly he couldn't be denied victory, even in Dimitrenko's backyard. Judge Paul Thomas tried his best to deny him anyway with an incomprehensible 113-113 card (more on him later), but his two colleagues made certain that justice prevailed with scorecards of 116-111 and 117-109. I was a non-believer, having heard Eddie say the same before, just to look hesitant and lackluster against Calvin Brock, Alexander Povetkin, and Sam Peter.

An indication that he wasn't selling wolf tickets this time was when he weighed in at 208 and 1/4th pounds Friday, the second lowest of his nearly nine year career. He didn't exactly have a six-pack, but he was clearly more defined in his chest, back, and shoulders. The man came to put some hurt on his much larger foe.

The first four rounds were competitive, though largely controlled by the Pennsylvania native. Dimitrenko found it difficult to hit his 6'1" inch target, as Chambers did a good job slipping jabs and ducking under right hands. And every time Dimitrenko left his left hand out as a measuring tool, Chambers didn't just slap it away, he nailed it with a left hook. Fast Eddie was showing wrinkles to his game that seemed to frustrate the 26 year old giant.

In round five, the beating began; Chambers would move Dimitrenko around with stiff jabs and counter right hands, and strafe him with him left hooks and uppercuts when he got him along the ropes. Compounding Dimitrenko's issues was the punishment he received whenever Chambers directed his attention towards the midsection. He turned his back to Chambers and doubled over in pain in the 7th while complaining about a kidney punch as Referee Genaro Rodriguez gave him a standing eight count. Alexander would react badly to a body shot at least two other times in the remainder of the fight.

Eddie punctuated the most impressive win of his career by knocking Dimitrenko down with a beautiful left hook in the 10th, and rocking him several times in the final stanza.

To be sure, while Chambers noticeably increased his punch output, he wasn't exactly '92 Holyfield in there. He had a hurt, gassed man in front of him throughout the second half of the bout and didn't apply enough pressure to stop him. He still lacks a certain blood lust. But he threw his hands enough to be dominant, and if he continues fighting at that pace against opponents more dangerous than Alexander Dimetrenko, he'll be a tough man to handle for anyone.

Indeed, something is in the air. 2009 has been a comeback year for talented fighters who have refused to let their hands go in the past. In the last four months, we've seen Brian Viloria, Rocky Juarez, and now Eddie Chambers give inspiring efforts against opponents who were sizable favorites over them. Each man has recently been through a rebuilding process with a new, highly acclaimed trainer. In Eddie's case, Rob Murray Sr., who trained Steve Little and Will Taylor, took over after the Povetkin fight to smooth some of Eddie's technical deficiencies.

It appears to have paid off. Now he's in line for a shot at Wladimir Klitschko. If he comes in similar shape, he may make it an interesting fight. He'd undoubtedly have to apply more even pressure, and learn how to work harder inside of the clinch against someone who would drape his arms over him as soon as he got close.

But for now the slimmed-down Chambers has introduced himself as a major player in the division. A David amongst Goliaths, he may be the best heavyweight America has.

113-113?

Judge Paul Thomas managed to score Saturday's fight 113-113. Think about that. He found seven rounds to give to Dimitrenko.

I've seen incompetence, and this is stretching beyond incompetence. To score seven rounds for Dimitrenko would mean to give at least two of Chambers' dominant rounds to the German in addition to the competitive ones. There weren't seven rounds anywhere near close enough to even feign legitimacy for a 113-113 scorecard.

Thomas, a man from the United Kingdom, seems to have become favored by the German promotion company Universum. This year, he's judged bouts involving Firat Arslan, Denis Boytsov, Ruslan Chagaev, and Andriy Kotelnik.

Make your own conclusions.

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