Boxing "Elimination Tourney" April Bethnal Gree- g

[whicker]

Boxing News mentioned a heavyweight Elimination tournament, in April at the York Hall.

This sounds like a really nice idea. 8 Boxers pair off, and fight three 3 minute rounds, the winners then face off in a semi final, and the winners of that meet in a final, all settled on the day.

As such, the most any fighter will fight is 9 rounds.

I think this sounds a really good idea- every single fight would at least be competative, with each fighter trying to win to progress. Winning the tournament would be good for the fighters prestige, too.

If this is a success, it could be the start of a new style of boxing event- competative tournaments, rather than the current format which is " Main event, plus a series of prospect V journeymen workouts on the undercard. "

[steve689]

I think BN are naming them this week. I like the idea but the format worries me. Wouldn't it have been better to make them 8 or 10 rounders and spread them over a couple of months? I can see that ther 3x3's is to ignite excitement on the night but i'm not convinced.

[whicker]

Boxing news have suggested Chris Burton, Billy Bessey, David Dolan, Colin Kenna and Paul Butlin so far..

As for the round format, I think the whole point is that it is done on a single night.

[WildWaylon]

Not keen on the idear of 3x3. I dont even like 4 round contests. Many very good boxers start slowly and come alive after 3 or 4 rounds.

[whicker]

Not keen on the idear of 3x3. I dont even like 4 round contests. Many very good boxers start slowly and come alive after 3 or 4 rounds.

This is a fair point, although realisitically for it to work on a night thats all they can do.

I guess if it IS a success fighters could adapt their styles to suit this kind of thing, if need be.

Anopther potential problem is fighters picking up injuries- most notably cuts- and then being required to fight again a few minutes later, when typically they would require some medical attention. I assume that they would have to forfeit.

[Podmore_Birmingham]

"Another Conroy heavyweight, David Ferguson, has been accepted into Barry Hearn’s novices heavyweight competition in London on April 11 which is why he's not fighting on the show," is what i read on a North East newspaper's site.

Would mean that the likes of Butlin, Bessey and Burton won't be involved.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Not keen on this idea at all, this is like something from a circus booth. Professional boxing is a dangerous business, and I think this cheapens it personally.

Three round contests for experienced professional fighters, sounds ridiculous to me.

If they want to have a heavyweight tournament, why not schedule it over a month or four weekends.

[TerribleTerry]

K1 have held these 8 man tournaments for years and it isnt always the best man who wins them, but the best preserved.

Injuries are common place so you need stand-by fighters to stand in when someone is too injured to continue.

In the long term it would lead to boring early round matches as the fighters look to avoid injuries and simply squeeze past their opponent into the later rounds.

I agree a tournie held over a series of seperate shows would be far better.

[1southpaw]

Boxing news have suggested Chris Burton, Billy Bessey, David Dolan, Colin Kenna and Paul Butlin so far..

As for the round format, I think the whole point is that it is done on a single night.

micky steeds has been asked to enter aswell

[whicker]

Not keen on this idea at all, this is like something from a circus booth. Professional boxing is a dangerous business, and I think this cheapens it personally.

Of course, if there were safety issues then it should never go ahead.

But still- whats so wrong about "circus booth" style entertainment? At the end of the day, professional boxers make their living because people are prepared to pay money to see them perform. If this sort of thing can be run at a profit, and done well and competativly, I fail to see a problem.

Competative boxing is dying out. Increasingly people are only going to shows to see an individual "superstar" or a personnal friend fight an "opponent." The concept of "Going to an evenings boxing" has been replaced by "Going to see Amir Khan."

If this sort of thing can breathe life back into the concept of professional boxing shows AS SHOWS then its a good thing.

[jamesmcdonnell]

How exactly is this going to help professional boxing?

What helps professional boxing are even and entertaining matchups between gutsy, committed and well trained professionals.

There's a reason there are no longer boxing booths at the fairground, at least partly because the public appetite for such things has long since vanished. People want to see class competitors in sports these days, and watching a load of three round fights is not going to attract people in my opinion.

If one competitor gets cut, and a stand in comes in, or they are knocked out and not allowed to fight, then how does that benefit the sport?

People follow sports because of the action, but also because the know the characters involved. This is why Khan has been so successfully marketed, people have seen the journey.

The only way to get people along to live boxing is to put on evenly matched shows, if there are enough of them, people will want to follow the fighters.

However, I think domestic boxing will remain in decline, as people want to watch the perceived top dogs in action these days, it's the 'Champions League' syndrome of wanting to see the best talent on show at all times.

[Poncey]

James, don't be a grump!

Billy touched on it recently when he said he was gonna apply. It allows boxers who maybe cannot fight at British level taste a bit of glory. Similar to the Masters title being discussed in another thread. I'll probably go to see Colin fight.

Now have a cup of tea and a KitKat!

Billy, congrats as you sounded unsure you'd get in.

[whicker]

What helps professional boxing are even and entertaining matchups between gutsy, committed and well trained professionals.

I agree 100% .

The problem with boxing is that very few matches are even, its the typical "prospect V journeyman/foreigner" set up nearly all the time.

If a tourney format matches two fighters of even ability, who are both trying to win, then surely thats entertaining?

[leforge]

Will the results count on there record?

[Dirk Kelly]

Be interested to see the format of this as will they seperate fighters such as Colin and Billy as they are stable mates till the later rounds?

Billy you and Colin must know each other inside out, what could you guys do different in the ring if you had to fight each other and how do you feel with the prospect of fighting him?

[leforge]

Who will be the 8?

[rhino222]

the BBB of C state that there must be a gap of at least 7 days between professional fights, that is the minimum period of time that can lapse, i cant see them bending the rules for this competition. there will be uproar if they do and they are already under scrutiny !!

[rasputin]

How exactly is this going to help professional boxing?

What helps professional boxing are even and entertaining matchups between gutsy, committed and well trained professionals.

There's a reason there are no longer boxing booths at the fairground, at least partly because the public appetite for such things has long since vanished. People want to see class competitors in sports these days, and watching a load of three round fights is not going to attract people in my opinion.

If one competitor gets cut, and a stand in comes in, or they are knocked out and not allowed to fight, then how does that benefit the sport?

People follow sports because of the action, but also because the know the characters involved. This is why Khan has been so successfully marketed, people have seen the journey.

The only way to get people along to live boxing is to put on evenly matched shows, if there are enough of them, people will want to follow the fighters.

However, I think domestic boxing will remain in decline, as people want to watch the perceived top dogs in action these days, it's the 'Champions League' syndrome of wanting to see the best talent on show at all times.

I disagree with certain things you said james !
Firstly i think this tournament would attract a very healthy number of spectators ,i already know a good number of people from Hartlepool who are set to make the journey.

Secondly you said that people follow the sport because of the action and the people they know involved! Well isnt that what this tournament would provide a number of well known well skilled fighters?

I think this is a novel idea that if promoted properly would be a hell of a night and good luck to all who enter

[nickd]

They'll be classed as exhibition bouts I am sure.

[oliverfennell]

the BBB of C state that there must be a gap of at least 7 days between professional fights, that is the minimum period of time that can lapse, i cant see them bending the rules for this competition. there will be uproar if they do and they are already under scrutiny !!

But if the boxers are licensed to do 10 rounds, on this night the maximum they'll have to do is nine.

[TerribleTerry]

the BBB of C state that there must be a gap of at least 7 days between professional fights, that is the minimum period of time that can lapse, i cant see them bending the rules for this competition. there will be uproar if they do and they are already under scrutiny !!

But if the boxers are licensed to do 10 rounds, on this night the maximum they'll have to do is nine.

Fewer aggregated rounds, but they would be made up of (potentially) 3 seperate professional fights, therefore they would contravene the current rule I would have thought.

[Poncey]

the BBB of C state that there must be a gap of at least 7 days between professional fights, that is the minimum period of time that can lapse, i cant see them bending the rules for this competition. there will be uproar if they do and they are already under scrutiny !!

But if the boxers are licensed to do 10 rounds, on this night the maximum they'll have to do is nine.

Fewer aggregated rounds, but they would be made up of (potentially) 3 seperate professional fights, therefore they would contravene the current rule I would have thought.

I mentioned before in the last time this was mentioned in a previous thread, Don King found a way to get round it as there was gonna be one in December 2006 with Austin, Brock and Sanders involved.

[TerribleTerry]

But if the boxers are licensed to do 10 rounds, on this night the maximum they'll have to do is nine.

Fewer aggregated rounds, but they would be made up of (potentially) 3 seperate professional fights, therefore they would contravene the current rule I would have thought.

I mentioned before in the last time this was mentioned in a previous thread, Don King found a way to get round it as there was gonna be one in December 2006 with Austin, Brock and Sanders involved.

yes but that tournie was not to be fought under the auspecies of the BBBofC

[Poncey]

Fewer aggregated rounds, but they would be made up of (potentially) 3 seperate professional fights, therefore they would contravene the current rule I would have thought.

I mentioned before in the last time this was mentioned in a previous thread, Don King found a way to get round it as there was gonna be one in December 2006 with Austin, Brock and Sanders involved.

yes but that tournie was not to be fought under the auspecies of the BBBofC

Are you implying they "don't fly straight"?

[rhino222]

the BBB of C state that there must be a gap of at least 7 days between professional fights, that is the minimum period of time that can lapse, i cant see them bending the rules for this competition. there will be uproar if they do and they are already under scrutiny !!

But if the boxers are licensed to do 10 rounds, on this night the maximum they'll have to do is nine.

its the amount of bouts, not the amount of rounds