Who would want Kugan Cassius's job?

[Fray Bentos]

The way Dere(c)k Chisora spoke to Kugan Cassius was uncalled for. I didn't know Derek - perennial tory and enthusiastic capitalist with many Bentleys and other trappings of wealth was a committed socialist who was for 'sharing the pie' that sounds dead left wing for a man of his standing and views - I have to say Kugan took it the only way he was able to - and then I thought how I would hate to do his job!

I would hate to listen to the likes of Chisora, Bellew, Saunders, Tyson Fury and the rest of them for the rest of my working life, I don't care how much they pay me, I would end up in a loony bin somewhere within the next three years! Can you imagine the start of your day and you have to interview Billy Joe Saunders - how much coffee and talking to yourself after having a good cry on the toilet would you need to do to get out of bed and force yourself out of the front door?

I am not saying there aren't decent guys in boxing - there are! Arnie Farnell, Esham, Ryan Rhodes - but I couldn't do what Kugan Cassius does for any length of time and probably that is why Kugan Cassius has got the franchise for Edward's media outgoings.

You could pay me a million pounds a year and I would be driven up the wall and quit within a year! Kugan Cassius deserves a medal - I know some of you are thinking 'I could do that' but could you really? Let's find out

[Twinkle Toes]

In case you didn't know Saunders is one of bent legs best mates.

[Fray Bentos]

In case you didn't know Saunders is one of bent legs best mates.

There you go! That proves my point! Kugan Cassius deserves a medal and is the best man in the UK for the job he does.

[fizzjambo]

No chance. I’ve always been a huge boxing fan but I’m happy to accept that in all likelihood that many of the guys I enjoy watching in the ring may well be complete pricks outside of it.

That’s why I don’t get the interest in most the social media and IFL type YouTube stuff. I honestly couldn’t care less what any of these people are like, out with a boxing context. I don’t care whether they are characters, or funny, or humble, or spend their life round their nans making her cups of tea. I Cannae really understand why anyone does.

That’s probably partly from being an old fashioned socialist who is into sport but has to accept a long time ago that many involved in it were chasing extravagant amounts of money to waste on rubbish that they neither need or probably even want. Hard to square the two sometimes

I’m really just interested in what goes on from the first bell to the last and hopefully it’ll involve two evenly matched fighters who each have an above average level of talent and are there for their ability rather that some fake beef, their ramblings on Twitter, some inspiring background story or selling their old socks to weirdos over social media. With any luck sometimes the styles will gel, we’ll get a good fight and they can pay off their mortgage and get out before they get hurt.

I wouldn’t do Kugan’s job for a million years but that’s mainly because it just seems completely facile. I’d respect him, or any other journalist of whatever media type, if they had some principles and asked some tough questions. Kassius clearly isn’t there for that, has never done it and never will - primarily because the source of his meal cheque comes from the very people he’d have to hold to account. He’s basically just a PR man for the top promoters and fighters, and to be fair to him bloody good at it. He is not in any way shape or form some kind or investigative reporter and to be fair to him he hopefully wouldn’t claim to be.

At first I watched a fair bit of IFL content as boxing gets absolutely no space within the wider media and the channel gave many within boxing a platform which was long over due. They were always going to have to plump one way or another though, journalists or cheer leaders. One was more principled and probably better for the long term health of the sport, but wouldn’t send your kids off to the local private school, one was other was just based on click bait and treating everyone like your mate but would keep you in D&G trainers. He’s made his choice and that’s fair enough.

I’ve no sympathy for him when he gets called out, even when it is by Chisora who is ironically just as guilty of all the stuff he accused Kugan of. He is a complete brown noser trying to be mates with all the top fighters and promoters so that he can continue to chase the coin, so when he gets called out for it it’s time to suck it up princess. It’s hardly a revelation though and it must be tedious existence

[Fray Bentos]

An excellent post, Fizzjambo!

[(craig)]

An excellent post, Fizzjambo!

Yep spot on

[ash.123]

What did Chisora say?

[Fray Bentos]

What did Chisora say?

h/t to RKO for having to listen to Chisora and write it all down for our benefit.

Chisora asks why Kugan doesn’t share access

“I don’t get it. Why are you the only guy in here and the other guys are not here?” said Chisora to IFL TV interviewer Kugas Cassius. “I’m just asking in the bubble. What kind of deal do you have with Eddie [Hearn]?

“Why does he like you more than the other [interviewers from other outlets]? I’m just asking because most journalists aren’t here and you’re here. You’re a media, so why are the other media not here?

“Would you swap your slot one day for another media guy to come in as a good suggester as a good journalist to say, ‘I’ve done some more, how about we let another rival to go?’ Yes,” Chisora said when asked if he would swap his position in fighting Usyk on Saturday to let one of his friends face him instead.

“Tell me who? Give me an idea. Don’t turn it [the camera] off. I’m just saying who? I’m saying, you give up your position for one of the shows coming up like Katie Taylor’s, and you give it to like, who is your rival?

“Let’s say we give it to Boxing News or Boxing.com or whatever it’s called, the blogger’s name or whatever. Would you? It’s a simple answer, Kugan. Yes or no, for f*** sake. Just f**** answer the question. No, no, no.

“We’re not talking about this fight. You’re here for this fight for the big fight, fine, but Katie Taylor’s fight. Would you give it to somebody else? Because what you’re doing is not fair,” said Chisora.

-------------------------
Dereck says Kugan eating the whole pie

“You know why? Because you’re eating the whole pie by yourself. You’re not sharing the pie. To share the pie, ‘You know, Eddie, I’m going to do these shows, but I think I’m going to pass on the buck to another guy coming up.

“Is that all right? No, Eddie. That’s fine, that’s good. Share the f**** pie,” said Chisora.

Kugan: “I question whether someone would do that for me.”

Chisora: “You’re missing the point,” said Dereck to Kugan on the subject of sharing the media access that he has with Matchroom. “Share the pie. You’re here. though.

“You’ve done Dillian’s fight; You’ve done the whole fight camp, and you’re doing this. Other guys haven’t gotten a taste of doing it and being in the bubble,” said Chisora.

Kugan: “That’s not my fault, is it? Is that my fault?”

Chisora: “It’s not your fault. This is what I say. ‘Eddie, I’ve done all these fights, do you mind if I let someone else come in from another blogger for these fights so he can get some viewers?’ That’s what I’m saying. Share the f**** pie.”

Kugan: “They have the option to do that.”

Chisora: “And they say, ‘no?’”

Kugan: “Last time, Boxing Social has been in the Fight Camp, SecondsOut has been in the Fight Camp, alongside IFL. That’s Matchroom’s choice, not my choice.”

Chisora: “But you can tell Eddie that these guys need to eat as well.”

Kugan: “That’s down to them [Matchroom]. It’s like.”

Chisora: “What I’m saying is get your other colleagues to get paid as well by coming into the bubble for you not taking all the f**** space.”

Kugan: “You think I have the power to do this?”

Chisora: “Yes, you do. Yes, you have the power.”

Kugan: “I think you’re giving me too much credit now.”

Chisora: “Yes, you’ve got the power.”

Kugan: “No, I don’t believe I do.”

Chisora: “Every man has got power. Like I said, I’ve got power in this show.”

Kugan: “You own this show.”

Chisora: “I don’t own this show.”

Kugan: “You’re the main event on the show. That carries weight. I own the camera, that’s it.”

Chisora boots Kugan from room

Chisora: “You’re such a liar.”

Kugan: “I own the camera. I have absolutely no influence in telling Matchroom media who they can bring into the bubble or who not.

“All I know is in the Fight Camp, Boxing Social and Secondsout have been in there. Why they’re not in there, I don’t know.”

Chisora: “Listen, you’ve got the power. You’re just being an a***** anyway.”

Kugan: “Thanks, mate.”

Chisora: “You’re being an ******. Happy anniversary of ten years.”

Kugan: “Lovely thing to say, Dereck.”

Kugan: “Alright, I’ll turn the camera off.”

Chisora: “Turn the s*** off and get the f*** out.”

Kugan: “Alright, no problem, mate. No problem.”


Chisora: “Happy anniversary for being an a******. I don’t believe you’ll make it five years after this interview. You f**** a****.Get the f*** out of my room now.”

Kugan: “I wish you the best of luck tomorrow night.”

Chisora: “Kiss my black a**. Get the f*** out of my room. Turn your s*** off and leave.”

Like I said, not worth the money.

[Noxy]

I wouldn’t want Kugan‘s job. I don’t even watch all the interviews. I saw the Del boy one, it was strange. I thought Kugan handled it as well as could be expected.

[milpool]

Just touching on fizzjambo's post, maybe I wouldn't want Kugan's job interviewing boxers but I'd be happy to do it for a sport I'm not overly fussed about. At least that way, you're heroes won't disappoint you and you wouldn't end up hating the sport you love by mixing business with pleasure.

[Frostieballs]

Many, many, years ago, I did a ‘similar’ job to Kugan.

Right at the outset of the dotcom boom I was a co-founder of BritishBoxing.com (which was eventually merged into SecondsOut.com, whom I briefly worked for).

Every day (for around 3 years) I had to produce 2-3 news stories, so was constantly interviewing people.

The major difference though, was that this was before video took off.

So the vast majority of our content was written, with interviews being conducted over the phone and then translated into a traditional article.

With a few exceptions, everyone in the sport was a pleasure to work with, extremely accommodating and grateful for the exposure.

I don’t have the same passion for the sport now, or the same energy levels, so I’d never go back to it, but it was a very enjoyable experience.

I think perhaps the video aspect puts the interviewer more in the firing line.... I could hide behind the words and had the ability to edit copy until it was right.

[Ricky]

Chisora's an idiot, nothing he said made amy sense. iFL is a business that's won access to the promoter. I reckon Chisora's taken too many shots to the head, i seen a guy in the interview cracking under the pressure knowing be was coming up against a superior fighter. Fair play to Kugan for not being intimidated by him either.

[high tower 1]

No. Wouldn’t fancy it. Can’t be much money in it and with long hours.

I liked his amateur boxing segments he used to do where he’d visit the gyms and talk to passionate trainers and much less bullshit - Eddie hearns interviews last almost an hour with him talking out of his ass.

[Nightmare Roy]

No. Wouldn’t fancy it. Can’t be much money in it and with long hours.

I liked his amateur boxing segments he used to do where he’d visit the gyms and talk to passionate trainers and much less bullshit - Eddie hearns interviews last almost an hour with him talking out of his ass.

He’s got over 600,000 subscribers, I reckon with add revenue he’s making well over a million a year easy

[Noxy]

If so, I take back what I said in my previous post. If he makes anywhere that coin, the job suddenly becomes more interesting.

[Nightmare Roy]

If so, I take back what I said in my previous post. If he makes anywhere that coin, the job suddenly becomes more interesting.

He gets a lot of stick but he’s worked had to make it the brand it has become, fair play to him

[Fray Bentos]

If so, I take back what I said in my previous post. If he makes anywhere that coin, the job suddenly becomes more interesting.

He does a very professional job with his filming and editing, I am sure he puts in a lot of work for it to be that polished. He is sponsored by MTK and I am sure he is making really good money but is it worth the money to sit and listen to Dilian Whyte every fortnight.

[Fray Bentos]

If so, I take back what I said in my previous post. If he makes anywhere that coin, the job suddenly becomes more interesting.

He gets a lot of stick but he’s worked had to make it the brand it has become, fair play to him

He produces a good, quality product for what it is.

[Ricky]

If so, I take back what I said in my previous post. If he makes anywhere that coin, the job suddenly becomes more interesting.

He does a very professional job with his filming and editing, I am sure he puts in a lot of work for it to be that polished. He is sponsored by MTK and I am sure he is making really good money but is it worth the money to sit and listen to Dilian Whyte every fortnight.

iFL youtube broadcast live MTK cards on YouTube. Fair play.

[Ruthless-RKO]

No. Wouldn’t fancy it. Can’t be much money in it and with long hours.

I liked his amateur boxing segments he used to do where he’d visit the gyms and talk to passionate trainers and much less bullshit - Eddie hearns interviews last almost an hour with him talking out of his ass.

He does these same sit down interviews that last an hour with Franky Wrren too.

[jameswilson]

No. Wouldn’t fancy it. Can’t be much money in it and with long hours.

I liked his amateur boxing segments he used to do where he’d visit the gyms and talk to passionate trainers and much less bullshit - Eddie hearns interviews last almost an hour with him talking out of his ass.

He does these same sit down interviews that last an hour with Franky Wrren too.

And they used to be employed by Warren on allegedly with their own show.

The notion that they only give coverage to Matchroom has always been laughable. Over the years they have been at every Queensbury, Hennessy show as well bar I think 2. They didn’t do a Frampton show after rumours of a fall out with McGuigan, and I think there was a Ckeverly show years and years ago after Barry Hearn did an interview with them where he responded to Warren saying some stuff, that interview got taken down but I remember Barry Hearn saying the only way Warren drives me anywhere is if he becomes my chauffeur.

We all Moan but I prefer the IFL coverage to the old days where the only interviews Warren did were clearly where he had vetted the questions before. That and his piece in the Sun.

[margaret thatcher]

i knew someone with a big youtube following and wasnt making nearly 1m a year, that type is for like the mega youtubers, not a boxing dude, even if he has debt ko ads

lot of the youtubers make a lot of their money from other sources too

[cormack]

you should have added options like

yes its money for old rope

or I just love sucking up to dillian whyte so yes I would

[Loftgroov]

I like to listen to Kugan's dulcet tones each night whilst lying awake worrying about my debts.

[margaret thatcher]

I mean, sure there are dicks in boxings, but surely we all deal with plenty of these daily anyway. well that sounded a bit gay didnt it