I was really hoping that was going to be a denial or he was just using it as a way of promoting his gym/shows. Thing is Katsidis could get away with this as a long overdue Aussie homecoming. No-one can begrudge the warrior an easy night for once but it's a shame Earl might be the sacrificial lamb. If it goes ahead at least we know he won't be taking a prolonged beating. It will be the opposite in the extreme.
When I read about this my first reaction was to laugh. Then I thought about the more serious implications of the challenge. Graham Earl has had his day and if he wants to stay in the sport he should be concentrating on helping young fighters in the Luton Gym and hang his gloves up for good. He could get seriously injured in a brawl with the heavy hitting Katsidis and if its just for the payday I feel sorry for him. He surely cant believe he has any chance of winning. 4/5 years ago Graham was competetive and put on a very good show againt Michael but in a rematch he would be sparked out in a couple of rounds. I hope nothing comes of it.
Ben Carey wrote:Time for the Board of Control to try and intervene.
Boxing board of no control They wont intervene they get 5% of a boxers purse when you box abroad and free flight accomodation and food for whoever goes out to represent Earl wonder which one or two of them will go for the holiday is OZ
How very horrible. Katsidis has all our respect, but if he does this I imagine he'll lose an awful lot of it. I can only think he hasn't kept up with Graham's career but I wonder how likely that is.
This would be another in the run of fights that has shamed Australian boxing in recent years. And the British Board should be ashamed if it enables such a terrible mismatch in any way.
To all concerned, see sense and drop this awful idea please.
Ben Carey wrote:Time for the Board of Control to try and intervene.
Boxing board of no control They wont intervene they get 5% of a boxers purse when you box abroad and free flight accomodation and food for whoever goes out to represent Earl wonder which one or two of them will go for the holiday is OZ
Try getting your facts right. It is likely Earl isn't even licensed any more, so it is the same situation as Danny Williams, and it is not going to be a title fight, so the Board would not be represented.
Anyone who saw Earl's fight with Henry Castle (and knowing what he went through with Khan and Katsidis) would question whether it wise to put him in with a domestic journeryman (as people did Boxing News included when he came back against Karl Taylor) let alone against an elite banger like Katsidis.
saturday_kid wrote:Anyone who saw Earl's fight with Henry Castle (and knowing what he went through with Khan and Katsidis) would question whether it wise to put him in with a domestic journeryman (as people did Boxing News included when he came back against Karl Taylor) let alone against an elite banger like Katsidis.
Seriously this fight cannot happen.
If Earl passes the medical tests then I of the opinion that it would be morally not correct to licence him. However, I do hope the tests are very stringent - Earl's speech has concerned me for a few years now.
I think I first heard Earl was deteriorating 6 years ago when he had his up and down thriller against Bennett. Since then he has had the Romanov career high and a list of below par performances. Even in the first Katsides fight Eames was obviously concerned for him as he threw in the towel in the 2nd(?) round.
DavidPayne wrote:I'd rather it was Scott Harrison getting on the plane.
Earl is the most worrying sight I've seen in a British since Justin Juuko (who could barely coordinate his legs to walk and touch gloves).
Yes, not sure how much the weight making process had to do with Juuko that night. He has gone 10 rounds on a few occasions since... in Uganda - everytime he steps up he gets KO'd early. It was a sad sight him against Gomez.
Michael Ayers' last fight the year before was one of the saddest sights I have seen in a British ring..... also Michael Brodie last year against Crolla - horrible night.
I was at Michael Ayers last fight, it was absolutely tragic, he was completely shot, and lost to a guy he would have stood on his head a couple of years before.
Was sat with Steve Connolly in the press section and the two of us just sat there shaking our heads at the sight.
Its horrible to see washed up fighters in the ring, especially ones as brave as Michael and Graham.
