Reckon there'll be more pull-outs before Saturday?

Lugh · Post by **Lugh** » 11 Dec 2003, 06:25

Well?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 11 Dec 2003, 06:31

Esham Pickering aint boxing on the Reid-Ottke undercard now. Looks like Esham will be fighting for the European title on Jan 16 in England!!!! (hopefully) Fightnews says Leeds, but it might take place in Bradford.

As for any other pull outs....... it's getting late now. Can't see any.

Lugh · Post by **Lugh** » 11 Dec 2003, 06:46

lightsoot wrote:Esham Pickering aint boxing on the Reid-Ottke undercard now. Looks like Esham will be fighting for the European title on Jan 16 in England!!!! (hopefully) Fightnews says Leeds, but it might take place in Bradford.

As for any other pull outs....... it's getting late now. Can't see any.

Can't quite figure out how I have never seen Esham Pickering fight - for a while he was due to be the next big thing wasn't he?

Wincobank fighter?

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 11 Dec 2003, 10:08

Lugh wrote:Can't quite figure out how I have never seen Esham Pickering fight

Yes that is indeed a puzzler considering the lad has been pro now for what 7 years? And many of his fights have been on Sky. You need to pack in with that cricket nonsense Lugh.

Pickering is a nice little fighter although for him to pick up this Euro belt the other co-challenger will surely have to be a level below that of the previous champ (Monshipour).

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 11 Dec 2003, 11:21

Gigliotti looks a decent fighter, but Italian boxing is going through a particularly bad patch at the moment and the rows of empty seats at shows screened from Italy on Eurosport, are all too evident.

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 11 Dec 2003, 11:45

I think we should be pretty safe now, fighters don't often pull out this late although you never know. Remember Holyfield v Akinwande? They weighed in and everything. Shame that never happened (not that Sky were showing it anyway). I fancied Akinwande to win that quite handily.

I suppose the latest pull out has to be the dressing room strike by Mike Williams before his bout with Tommy Morrison. But would Bob Arum let that ruin the show? No way. All we do is bring in a journeyman from the audience. Sorted.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 11 Dec 2003, 11:48

Kilburn wrote:I think we should be pretty safe now, fighters don't often pull out this late although you never know. Remember Holyfield v Akinwande? They weighed in and everything. Shame that never happened (not that Sky were showing it anyway). I fancied Akinwande to win that quite handily.

Yes I remember, didn't Mercer pull out of the same bill for exactly the same reason has Akinwande. Infact, I think he was lined up as Akinwande's replacement if memory serves me correct.

Wasn't thats when Evander eventually faced Vaughan Bean.

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 11 Dec 2003, 11:49

The whole show was knocked on the head I believe.

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 11 Dec 2003, 11:53

Hey - wasn't there going to be a huge bill once in the states with Bruno v Mercer, Hide v Morrison and another fight involving Steve Collins? It all got scrapped for some reason.

What's the story with that? I can hardly remember many details. Mercer would've had to have been in bloody poor form not to have beaten Bruno IMO.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 11 Dec 2003, 11:59

Kilburn wrote:Hey - wasn't there going to be a huge bill once in the states with Bruno v Mercer, Hide v Morrison and another fight involving Steve Collins? It all got scrapped for some reason.

What's the story with that? I can hardly remember many details. Mercer would have had to have been in bloody poor form not to have beaten Bruno IMO.

There was something like that in Hong Kong. Barry Hearn's backer failed to come up with the funds and the whole event was called off. Billy Schwer was supposed to be challenging Rafael Ruelas for the world lightweight title on the bill, and, yes, I think Bruno was fighting Mercer, which would have been very interesting indeed. Mercer was an underrated fighter. He later jabbed Lennox Lewis's head off.

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 11 Dec 2003, 12:09

Ah yes. It was being billed as "Showdown In Shanghai" or something like that.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 11 Dec 2003, 12:15

Kilburn wrote:Ah yes. It was being billed as "Showdown In Shanghai" or something like that.

I remember Mickey Duff squaring up to Barry Hearn when the show was called off (it was always a bad move trying to stage a show over there, but Hearn was badly let down by John Daly, a Brit who had been behind the Ali-Foreman closed circuit-TV success and seemed to have a spotless reputation). Duff was going ballistic at Hearn, and the Matchroom boss wasn't backing down. It was the only fight of the night.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 11 Dec 2003, 12:20

To be honest (and I could get slated for this) Mercer would have been one of only 2 live and dangerous opponents that Bruno faced without a world title being on the line. The other being James "Bonecrusher" Smith.

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 11 Dec 2003, 12:21

Was it called off right at the last minute?

"High Noon in Hong Kong" is the official tag. What a cracking bill that would've been. I'm trying to find out who Steve Collins was down to face, I know it was a top U.S opponent. I've found a ticket online but I can't read the names on it.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 11 Dec 2003, 12:25

Kilburn wrote:Was it called off right at the last minute?

"High Noon in Hong Kong" is the official tag. What a cracking bill that would've been. I'm trying to find out who Steve Collins was down to face, I know it was a top U.S opponent. I've found a ticket online but I can't read the names on it.

I seem to remember it being called off at the weigh-in. There was a pic of Billy Schwer's parents crying in disappointment. Collins was lined up to face the American Lonnie Beasley.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 11 Dec 2003, 12:28

I think Rafael would have been too much, it pains me to say cause Billy was one of my favourite fighters.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 11 Dec 2003, 12:30

stujones wrote:I think Rafael would have been too much, it pains me to say cause Billy was one of my favourite fighters.

Yes, they met in Vegas a little while later and Ruelas won on cuts in about eight rounds. Schwer's best chance to win a world title had gone. Ruelas wasn't a great fighter.

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 11 Dec 2003, 12:31

I've never seen the fight, was Schwer a fair way behind before the retirement?

Lugh · Post by **Lugh** » 11 Dec 2003, 12:33

Kilburn wrote:I think we should be pretty safe now, fighters don't often pull out this late although you never know. Remember Holyfield v Akinwande? They weighed in and everything. Shame that never happened (not that Sky were showing it anyway). I fancied Akinwande to win that quite handily.

Wasn't Akinwane diagnosed with Hepatitis B?

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 11 Dec 2003, 12:35

bennie wrote:
stujones wrote:I think Rafael would have been too much, it pains me to say cause Billy was one of my favourite fighters.
Yes, they met in Vegas a little while later and Ruelas won on cuts in about eight rounds. Schwer's best chance to win a world title had gone. Ruelas wasn't a great fighter.

Oh yeah, actually forgot it WAS Reulas he did meet in his first attempt. If I remember Reulas was just about edging it, always looking that little bit better. Although, Schwer was still very much in it (as he always was).

I often think what the happend to David Tetteh, the guy who KO'd Schwer in the last round a few fights after. He was only something like 22, but looked about 32. I really did expect massive things from him. I remember he had some good battles with the (still) world rated Billy Irwin. However, haven't heard much from him since.

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 11 Dec 2003, 12:38

Lugh wrote: Wasn't Akinwane diagnosed with Hepatitis B?

Yep. As was Mercer, but he was only fighting a journeyman.

Evander had a lucky escape there I reckon.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 11 Dec 2003, 12:39

Kilburn wrote:
Lugh wrote: Wasn't Akinwane diagnosed with Hepatitis B?
Yep. As was Mercer, but he was only fighting a journeyman.

Thought it was Tim Witherspoon who was going through a good spell, they eventually fought and Mercer was awarded a very dodgy SD.

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 11 Dec 2003, 12:44

stujones wrote:Thought it was Tim Witherspoon who was going through a good spell, they eventually fought and Mercer was awarded a very dodgy SD.

Yeah it was a bit dodgy indeed. Witherspoon faded a little over the last 3 rounds but did enough for sure.

Mercer got seriously rattled at one point (I think the 6th) when they both opened up. He definitely "went" for a few seconds and had to hang on. I bet Lewis didn't enjoy watching that round.

Blue · Post by **Blue** » 11 Dec 2003, 14:33

Stujones Posted: 11 Dec 2003 16:35
I often think what the happend to David Tetteh, the guy who KO'd Schwer in the last round a few fights after. He was only something like 22, but looked about 32. I really did expect massive things from him. I remember he had some good battles with the (still) world rated Billy Irwin. However, haven't heard much from him since.

David Tetteh is a classic example of a fighter who was frozen out.

http://boxrec.com./boxer_display.php?boxer_id=004894
Both of his losses were blatant robberies to very well connected fighters.

If U don’t sign with the big boys, U don’t get the decisions.
Nor do U get the big fights.