Is it no wonder pro boxing is losing fans to unlicensed/mma?

[damianhucker1]

As I thought not one of my points answered as I am correct.

Damian Hucker is good man and a good promoter of the unlicensed scene, the same goes for Billy Bessey and a number of others, but, they also know there are others out there ruining the goodwork they are trying to do.

What exactly was your questions , all i can gather is do we think all unlicensed promotors adhere to our standards , which of course not all do , thought i had in a round about way said that , so yes some promotors out there give others a bad name but my arguement was that some of you said all unlicensed boxing was poor , when that really isnt the case , many are poor , but to be fair quality boxers doesnt always mean a good show either , it can be just having well matched bouts , friendly atmosphere , effecient security , medical teams , unbiased judging , good referee , maybe a band on at the interval etc etc , theres more to a good show than how good the boxers are , no one to my knowledge has walker away from my shows over recent times and said that wasnt very good , ill admit when i started out they wasnt great when i look back on it , but i started out on my own , no one else involved with just one fighter under me and went from there , was just an idea , and at the time there didnt seem to be anywhere near as many promotors then , but people still seemed to enjoy it and it helped me improve , i aim to make each show better than the last but its got to a point where theres only minor tweaks to each show now .

[Old bones Ian]

Billy, quick couple of questions, do you turn down guys that want to box on one of your shows and have been training at your club, but you think aren't good enough.

and on the shows does age matter when matching the boxers?

i'm just interested in how these shows are run, I think they have a place in sport the same as am's etc. as long as they are run and matched well, then it gives local lads a chance to put on a show for friends and themselves. They do seem to sell well.

Yes Ian i have turned many a lad away from my gym on my first show i put 2 lads in that weren't ready and said i would never do it again but in a few occasions i have taken non fighters(people who want to fight but just can fight if you know what i mean?) to another local club to spar similar lads and if they are well matched as in the same standard we let them have a go in 16oz gloves. all novices wear 14oz gloves on my shows. Because half never fight again so i like everyone to see the final bell. I have had a 50yr old fight on my show(only cos i had seen him fight before) but the oldest lad i have had fight for me is 44 but he had a body of a 20yr old. i have a show on the 25th if your not up to anything come across the water and have a look mate i will put you plus 1 on the guestlist. yes just like any other shows you get lads that are better than others but what you will see is 2 men pretty well matched who are BOTH trying to win

thats very good of you Billy, i'll pm you my name etc.
I'll bring my camera and try and get some good shots for the lads to have.

[damianhucker1]

Billy, quick couple of questions, do you turn down guys that want to box on one of your shows and have been training at your club, but you think aren't good enough.

and on the shows does age matter when matching the boxers?

i'm just interested in how these shows are run, I think they have a place in sport the same as am's etc. as long as they are run and matched well, then it gives local lads a chance to put on a show for friends and themselves. They do seem to sell well.

Yes Ian i have turned many a lad away from my gym on my first show i put 2 lads in that weren't ready and said i would never do it again but in a few occasions i have taken non fighters(people who want to fight but just can fight if you know what i mean?) to another local club to spar similar lads and if they are well matched as in the same standard we let them have a go in 16oz gloves. all novices wear 14oz gloves on my shows. Because half never fight again so i like everyone to see the final bell. I have had a 50yr old fight on my show(only cos i had seen him fight before) but the oldest lad i have had fight for me is 44 but he had a body of a 20yr old. i have a show on the 25th if your not up to anything come across the water and have a look mate i will put you plus 1 on the guestlist. yes just like any other shows you get lads that are better than others but what you will see is 2 men pretty well matched who are BOTH trying to win

thats very good of you Billy, i'll pm you my name etc.
I'll bring my camera and try and get some good shots for the lads to have.

Id happilly do the same if someone wants to represent boxrec , ill basically give them a press pass lol.
VIP Table , Waitress service etc if they want to write an honest report and put it on here on the boxrec news or something , Just so that myself and billy can show its not all doom and gloom .

[Quixall]

I know where you are coming from Billy and i agree that sometimes the board are taking the piss when they call fighters with appalling records "professional". The half way house would be to have a ruling that fighters can only be matched if their records compare with each other to a degree set down by the board. It's up for debate what the parameters should be but if you have a record of won 4 lost 25 as an example, then in my opinion you should loose your professional status, nevermind be put on a show fighting a guy who could be 13 and nil. I think there is a half way house to be reached on this subject.

So going on this Johnny Greaves and MOST journeymen would not be able to fight week in week out? And getting back to the unlicensed shows, I have been to one and hated it, it was a mixture of mms fighters trying boxing, the first fight was a farce with the mms lad kicking the boxer 4 times in the first round even though every time he did this he was reminded he was supposed to be using the queensberry rules, in the second round he swept the boxers legs and he fell hard, the cornerman of the boxer then jumped in the ring and started fighting the mms lad eventually throwing him out the ring. But that was nothing compared to the heavyweight fight where I witnessed an old man who looked like he had just come from the local boozer take a beating from a much leaner and younger fighter. It was just awful to watch and I have never been to another show and doubt I will again. Oh and before I forget in 2 of the 5 fights I watched the referee punched a fighter who had squared up to him, now believe me I have been too hundreds ( not exaggerating) of professional shows all over the UK and I have never seen a pro referee have a fight with one of the boxers or a licenced trainer or second jump in the ring and fight a boxer.

I just think there is a half way house to be had on this subject. A fighter with 30 odd losses and a few wins is no more than a moving punch bag and shouldn't be described as a "professional". If the guy say had 30 losses and 15 wins then it indicates he has something above and beyond your saturday night scrapper. I know there are politics involved and fighters are brought in at short notice without training or preparation and are expected to test a guy in certain areas and invariably lose the fight, but there are limits as to what is acceptable. All i was saying is i undertstood and agreed with where Billy was coming from on this subject.

[HellraiserBoxing]

Ibrar Riaz has taken the majority of his fights at short notice. I've made many a decent scrap by giving the journeymen time to prepare properly & also giving them the opportunity to fight for a title. Anyone who has seen Ibrar & Phil fight will know that this fight should be a barnburner. Neither of them takes a backward step & it is the 1st opportunity that either of them has had to fight for a title. The tickets are shifting and I'm sure it will be a good fight. I favour Phil to win but I don't think this will be an easy nights work for him.

[damianhucker1]

Ibrar Riaz has taken the majority of his fights at short notice. I've made many a decent scrap by giving the journeymen time to prepare properly & also giving them the opportunity to fight for a title. Anyone who has seen Ibrar & Phil fight will know that this fight should be a barnburner. Neither of them takes a backward step & it is the 1st opportunity that either of them has had to fight for a title. The tickets are shifting and I'm sure it will be a good fight. I favour Phil to win but I don't think this will be an easy nights work for him.

Im not criticising it mate , i know how things work in the pros , just defending what me and billy do , but to point another thing out to everyone you offered to turn a lad pro who hadnt yet even boxed at all but he decided to get some fights on my shows first , i know you wouldnt have said it to him if you thought he wasnt good enough , but hes fighting on my shows right now , thats the standard im at , you may remember him as his approach im told was a bit odd in that he apparantly kept emailing you to come down and have a trial spar and when you evetually allowed him to come you was surprised by him , assuming he hasnt elaborated a touch but in all honesty he is good and improving all the time , hes like a mini tyson , will be turning pro with me towards the end of the year , hes a canadian lad , does that ring any bells .

[Boxing Pirate]

As I thought not one of my points answered as I am correct.

Damian Hucker is good man and a good promoter of the unlicensed scene, the same goes for Billy Bessey and a number of others, but, they also know there are others out there ruining the goodwork they are trying to do.

What exactly was your questions , all i can gather is do we think all unlicensed promotors adhere to our standards , which of course not all do , thought i had in a round about way said that , so yes some promotors out there give others a bad name but my arguement was that some of you said all unlicensed boxing was poor , when that really isnt the case , many are poor , but to be fair quality boxers doesnt always mean a good show either , it can be just having well matched bouts , friendly atmosphere , effecient security , medical teams , unbiased judging , good referee , maybe a band on at the interval etc etc , theres more to a good show than how good the boxers are , no one to my knowledge has walker away from my shows over recent times and said that wasnt very good , ill admit when i started out they wasnt great when i look back on it , but i started out on my own , no one else involved with just one fighter under me and went from there , was just an idea , and at the time there didnt seem to be anywhere near as many promotors then , but people still seemed to enjoy it and it helped me improve , i aim to make each show better than the last but its got to a point where theres only minor tweaks to each show now .

Thank you for the reply.

Until promoters like yourselves are prepared to stand up for what is right and campaign for what is right you are in ways complicite in the wrongs, it is no good just being blinkered in your own very good shows Damian. Yes your shows are well run, some very good fights and in addition some very good entertainment with the added legal and medical side of things covered. However, others within the same organisation you promote your shows under do not. Some day something horrible is going to happen and its all going to go bang. That is the jist of what I am stating, whether its unlicensed or not if something awful happens it will be the whole of boxing that suffers.

Good promoters like yourself and Billy and the others need to weed the wrong ones out, simple as.

[damianhucker1]

As I thought not one of my points answered as I am correct.

Damian Hucker is good man and a good promoter of the unlicensed scene, the same goes for Billy Bessey and a number of others, but, they also know there are others out there ruining the goodwork they are trying to do.

What exactly was your questions , all i can gather is do we think all unlicensed promotors adhere to our standards , which of course not all do , thought i had in a round about way said that , so yes some promotors out there give others a bad name but my arguement was that some of you said all unlicensed boxing was poor , when that really isnt the case , many are poor , but to be fair quality boxers doesnt always mean a good show either , it can be just having well matched bouts , friendly atmosphere , effecient security , medical teams , unbiased judging , good referee , maybe a band on at the interval etc etc , theres more to a good show than how good the boxers are , no one to my knowledge has walker away from my shows over recent times and said that wasnt very good , ill admit when i started out they wasnt great when i look back on it , but i started out on my own , no one else involved with just one fighter under me and went from there , was just an idea , and at the time there didnt seem to be anywhere near as many promotors then , but people still seemed to enjoy it and it helped me improve , i aim to make each show better than the last but its got to a point where theres only minor tweaks to each show now .

Thank you for the reply.

Until promoters like yourselves are prepared to stand up for what is right and campaign for what is right you are in ways complicite in the wrongs, it is no good just being blinkered in your own very good shows Damian. Yes your shows are well run, some very good fights and in addition some very good entertainment with the added legal and medical side of things covered. However, others within the same organisation you promote your shows under do not. Some day something horrible is going to happen and its all going to go bang. That is the jist of what I am stating, whether its unlicensed or not if something awful happens it will be the whole of boxing that suffers.

Good promoters like yourself and Billy and the others need to weed the wrong ones out, simple as.

I did write a long winded reply explaining how i agreed in principle but how it was unpolicable to do so , but lost internet connection , i aint bothering to write it all again now .

theres only 3 promotors in our organisation , OIBA and none of those need weeding out , i wouldnt allow sub standard promotors to be part it .

[HellraiserBoxing]

Ibrar Riaz has taken the majority of his fights at short notice. I've made many a decent scrap by giving the journeymen time to prepare properly & also giving them the opportunity to fight for a title. Anyone who has seen Ibrar & Phil fight will know that this fight should be a barnburner. Neither of them takes a backward step & it is the 1st opportunity that either of them has had to fight for a title. The tickets are shifting and I'm sure it will be a good fight. I favour Phil to win but I don't think this will be an easy nights work for him.

Im not criticising it mate , i know how things work in the pros , just defending what me and billy do , but to point another thing out to everyone you offered to turn a lad pro who hadnt yet even boxed at all but he decided to get some fights on my shows first , i know you wouldnt have said it to him if you thought he wasnt good enough , but hes fighting on my shows right now , thats the standard im at , you may remember him as his approach im told was a bit odd in that he apparantly kept emailing you to come down and have a trial spar and when you evetually allowed him to come you was surprised by him , assuming he hasnt elaborated a touch but in all honesty he is good and improving all the time , hes like a mini tyson , will be turning pro with me towards the end of the year , hes a canadian lad , does that ring any bells .

Yeah I do remember that lad he sparered wityh Bheki Moyo. He looked ok just a wee bit raw so prob a good thing for him to get a bit more experience but he'll be ok when he's ready...

[kamicazze]

Ibrar Riaz has taken the majority of his fights at short notice. I've made many a decent scrap by giving the journeymen time to prepare properly & also giving them the opportunity to fight for a title. Anyone who has seen Ibrar & Phil fight will know that this fight should be a barnburner. Neither of them takes a backward step & it is the 1st opportunity that either of them has had to fight for a title. The tickets are shifting and I'm sure it will be a good fight. I favour Phil to win but I don't think this will be an easy nights work for him.

Im not criticising it mate , i know how things work in the pros , just defending what me and billy do , but to point another thing out to everyone you offered to turn a lad pro who hadnt yet even boxed at all but he decided to get some fights on my shows first , i know you wouldnt have said it to him if you thought he wasnt good enough , but hes fighting on my shows right now , thats the standard im at , you may remember him as his approach im told was a bit odd in that he apparantly kept emailing you to come down and have a trial spar and when you evetually allowed him to come you was surprised by him , assuming he hasnt elaborated a touch but in all honesty he is good and improving all the time , hes like a mini tyson , will be turning pro with me towards the end of the year , hes a canadian lad , does that ring any bells .

Yeah he will remember. I spoke to him about it previously. I'll take a few notes at the next show Damian. Ill be doing corner work i assume and will then post them on here. The standard is relatively good. I said to some lads that the standard of amateur is better overall but there is the occasional diamond in the dirt in semi pro. Not to say its all dirt, but in general its a lot of guys wanting to 'have a go'. On Damian's last show i would say there were about 5 lads that impressed me who i would say could do more in the sport. Just for the record, i box amateur and want to go pro in 2 years so i'm not in that world myself so have no reason to defend it. Just saying in my experience it hasn't been all that bad although i have heard all the horror stories.

[philipgill]

Cant Be bothered to read half this waffle I could of stepped in to a harder 10 rounder yes but Iv had my career guided well and why stop when It comes to a title fight? So from my perspective never been in a 10 round fight Has Ibrar? Whats to say I won't blow out after 6 rounds we know he can go 10 can I? For me this It's my time to get experience In a 10 round fight where you can run in to trouble at the midway point ?? Take that experience into the next fight and hold me in good stead! How many times have you seen some prospect look great for 5 then get stopped at midway point?? I want this fight too learn the distance learn to pace myself then I'm in my own mind ready to go and ask for the big fights It will give me confidence and experience!! Why do teams like Arsenal play Borhemwood Fc pre-season? Why don't get slated for that???

Im not a massive ticket seller! Just about cover what I have to Im no cash cow Iv even fought for next to nothing before!! I'm not a super star either and never will be!! I'm just an honest hardworking humble pro who when I look back in ten years I can say Iv got my marbles Im proud of what I achieved and have no regrets and some stores to tell my kids. How does that make this make a farce of boxing???

Don't even get me started on the last unlicensed show i went to I hate them with a vengeance some fat guy gets KOed in 1st round crowd then pelt ring with there plastic cups of beer coving the £100 pound paying ringside spectators covering the ring and floor around it so the guy comes around from his brutal Knock out steps out the ring slips on the beer covered step knocks himself out again ends up in the back of an ambulance covered in blood great advert for boxing everyone though I was associated with that!! Am I fornicate!! I'm proud to say I'm licensed by the BBBofC and privileged to have there safeguards and protection in place!! I bit my tongue with the con artists who glorify pub fighting and use the word pro in there adverts I pay nearly a thousand pound a year for that title and these fat useless glorified bully's live off the good name of pro boxing !! Maybe we need a forum for UNLICENSED boxing so you can't take your dribble somewhere else.

Iv never worked and trained so hard in my life for this and all you can say is my fight is all thats wrong with Pro boxing So being in peak fitness and healthy promoting a stable disciplined lifestyle to my young fans in my local boxing club is whats wrong with pro boxing!!

How would you justify the guy tooting up before his Unlicensed fight as he had a late one on the pee the night before or the guy I see step out the ring into the police's handcuffs and get taken away?? I would campaign to get it banned if the white collar side of it Ie clubs cityboxer didn't run it how it should be run and billed!! They are the real stars of the unlicensed world!!

[damianhucker1]

Cant Be bothered to read half this waffle I could of stepped in to a harder 10 rounder yes but Iv had my career guided well and why stop when It comes to a title fight? So from my perspective never been in a 10 round fight Has Ibrar? Whats to say I won't blow out after 6 rounds we know he can go 10 can I? For me this It's my time to get experience In a 10 round fight where you can run in to trouble at the midway point ?? Take that experience into the next fight and hold me in good stead! How many times have you seen some prospect look great for 5 then get stopped at midway point?? I want this fight too learn the distance learn to pace myself then I'm in my own mind ready to go and ask for the big fights It will give me confidence and experience!! Why do teams like Arsenal play Borhemwood Fc pre-season? Why don't get slated for that???

Im not a massive ticket seller! Just about cover what I have to Im no cash cow Iv even fought for next to nothing before!! I'm not a super star either and never will be!! I'm just an honest hardworking humble pro who when I look back in ten years I can say Iv got my marbles Im proud of what I achieved and have no regrets and some stores to tell my kids. How does that make this make a farce of boxing???

Don't even get me started on the last unlicensed show i went to I hate them with a vengeance some fat guy gets KOed in 1st round crowd then pelt ring with there plastic cups of beer coving the £100 pound paying ringside spectators covering the ring and floor around it so the guy comes around from his brutal Knock out steps out the ring slips on the beer covered step knocks himself out again ends up in the back of an ambulance covered in blood great advert for boxing everyone though I was associated with that!! Am I eff!! I'm proud to say I'm licensed by the BBBofC and privileged to have there safeguards and protection in place!! I bit my tongue with the con artists who glorify pub fighting and use the word pro in there adverts I pay nearly a thousand pound a year for that title and these fat useless glorified bully's live off the good name of pro boxing !! Maybe we need a forum for UNLICENSED boxing so you can't take your dribble somewhere else.

Iv never worked and trained so hard in my life for this and all you can say is my fight is all thats wrong with Pro boxing So being in peak fitness and healthy promoting a stable disciplined lifestyle to my young fans in my local boxing club is whats wrong with pro boxing!!

How would you justify the guy tooting up before his Unlicensed fight as he had a late one on the pee the night before or the guy I see step out the ring into the police's handcuffs and get taken away?? I would campaign to get it banned if the white collar side of it Ie clubs cityboxer didn't run it how it should be run and billed!! They are the real stars of the unlicensed world!!

Phill , you need to chill , your calling what i do but ive not said a bad word against what your doing , do your fight , achieve the best you can but youve not got the right to say someone should be banned from doing what they do when the do it well .

if i hired a plumber and they are crap , would it be fair to say you and the rest of your plumbers are all a bunch of waste of space tossers that dont have the right to call yourselves plumbers ???? of course not , get off your high horse and stop talking crap , if you dont like it then fine no ones forcing you to go to my shows or anyone elses , but billy is right when he says a lad with your record would just never ever fight someone with your opponents record on the unlicensed circuit , we would look idiots for making the fight and people like yourself would call it a missmatch , but its ok for you to do it without that redicule eh???? i never knocked you i know how it works in the pro game and learning fights are needed but people in glass houses shouldnt throw stones

[kamicazze]

you both make valid points. In semi pro people get more evenly matched but they are also only ever fighting 3 or 4 rounders so they are already conditioned for that distance as they advance. Phil is fighting a 10 rounder which is a daunting prospect, and worrying about the distance is enough. So stepping up whilst upping the distance would be naive. get comfortable at new distance and then step up. This is why amateurs, semi pro/unlicensed and pro are all different sports completely.

[john welsh]

In November a few lads from my boxing club went for fights on an unlicensed boxing event in stourbridge(robbin reid was a guest)
i think its a shame they went for such a route as its pure crap to be fair,the match ups are terrible..fat over weight beer bellies vs lean young lads..whats the point? its also a bunch of people from mma/kickboxing thinking they can make it in boxing and ending up looking terrible.
its just not any good and i wont be going again,shame most lads from my club have been sucked in to that rubbish.

[yiddo14]

Yawn, Billy why don't you stop bitching & try putting some pro shows on. It seems like you are constantly whining about everything that everyone else does. If you don't like our shows don't come, I don't think I don't think you realise the light it puts you in to be going on about how my shows & fighters are all a big fraud but your unlicensed shows are all genuine fights? Can you name a fighter who became a British champ that came from the pile of crap that is 'semi pro'? I can't .

I'm actually looking forward to Phil's fight against Ibrar Riaz. Riaz is much better than his record & is a quality journeyman, rarely in a bad fight as is Phil. No ones billing this as a world title, which I've often seen far worse fights billed as on unlicensed.

Julius Francis. Unlicensed, went pro, won British title.

[gmanji]

[philipgill]

Yawn, Billy why don't you stop bitching & try putting some pro shows on. It seems like you are constantly whining about everything that everyone else does. If you don't like our shows don't come, I don't think I don't think you realise the light it puts you in to be going on about how my shows & fighters are all a big fraud but your unlicensed shows are all genuine fights? Can you name a fighter who became a British champ that came from the pile of crap that is 'semi pro'? I can't .

I'm actually looking forward to Phil's fight against Ibrar Riaz. Riaz is much better than his record & is a quality journeyman, rarely in a bad fight as is Phil. No ones billing this as a world title, which I've often seen far worse fights billed as on unlicensed.

Julius Francis. Unlicensed, went pro, won British title.

Exceptions to every rule mate, Im not slagging anyone off just giving my point of view as the rest of you have!! Im not a naive young man Im a wise guy who's been around the block 30 this year do I wanna pick a well managed path earn some money retire with a few belts or get bashed up win fornicate all and have nothing to show for it?? No brainer for me that one! Still theres always a world title I could fight for over 4x2 on a semi pro show agains someone that they dragged out the swimming pool an hour before who's fighting in his swimming shorts would you see that in a pro ring??? Still a world title so who cares ay.

[Wake up call]

Lee Purdy started out on the unlicensed circuit and then went on to win the British title as a pro.

[philipgill]

Lee Purdy started out on the unlicensed circuit and then went on to win the British title as a pro.

Well done Lee top lad spar with him!! Again exception to the rule .....

So who has the harder fight me or Kevin??

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer

Yet Billy wants to pick on me this is a pop at me not boxing!!

[philipgill]

Julius Francis. Unlicensed, went pro, won British title.

Exceptions to every rule mate, Im not slagging anyone off just giving my point of view as the rest of you have!! Im not a naive young man Im a wise guy who's been around the block 30 this year do I wanna pick a well managed path earn some money retire with a few belts or get bashed up win eff all and have nothing to show for it?? No brainer for me that one! Still theres always a world title I could fight for over 4x2 on a semi pro show agains someone that they dragged out the swimming pool an hour before who's fighting in his swimming shorts would you see that in a pro ring??? Still a world title so who cares ay.

No it doesn't mean your a world title holder but if you win whatever title it is your going for what does it mean you are??? earn a few quid? i know what the masters etc titles get you and unless your selling a 1000 tickets your boxing for peanuts. you are where you are cos you have been softly softly managed. I don't want to get personal with you your unbeaten in 13 and at the lofty heights of 37 in the british rankings Phil so you just keep living that dream Phil

Theres living the dream and living in a dream mate witch are you doing?

[philipgill]

Lee Purdy started out on the unlicensed circuit and then went on to win the British title as a pro.

Well done Lee top lad spar with him!! Again exception to the rule .....

So who has the harder fight me or Kevin??

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer

Yet Billy wants to pick on me this is a pop at me not boxing!!

how am i living in a dream??? it wasn't a pop at you at all you were just an example there are plenty out there and i mean plenty with records similar to yours it just so happens we both go on the same forum. for instance theres a show in Pompey march 17th lets see what the matching is like there THROUGHOUT the card the only fights that seem to look even lately down here the journeyman has blatantly been told to lose and if it happens here im sure it happens everywhere else people expect Pros to be the best yet im sure i just watched someone on an unlicensed show on sky who boxed for England and was very useful but asd hes not pro does that make bheki mayo better than him? no theres good and bad in all forms of boxing but if 2 poor/average fighters fight another of the same standard than it makes for entertainment as per prizefighter. people are always saying oh that journeyman is really good and him and him yet even if you come and have a go yetyou only win 1 round from 21 fights yes 1 round your not good at all and you should get stripped of your licence i had an ex pro on my shows who never won a round in 2 fights and i aint had him back since and mine is just beer bellied coke snorting piss heads and not the british boxing board of control

Mate this is an interview I did tell me how do i come across??

http://boxtacular.com/2012/02/03/phil-g ... ary-smith/


Good luck with your shows!!

One more thing, Tell me is this the first time you have picked at my record?? No!! Pic someone else for your next example keep it fair and balanced if you wanna make a valid debate!

[taffytoon]

It seems it is not just me that has seen this semi pro in a bad light then, or maybe we are all talking bollocks as you so politely put it like I said fat old men getting beat up and mma fighters KICKING boxers inwill say it again, " it was awful" and I will say it again " thank god for pro boxing"

[Quixall]

I think that people turn up to unlicensed shows for the unpredictability. I'm sure there ar some decent unlicensed shows, but i would imagine the majority are terrible. I agree with Billy to a certain degree and understand where he is coming from, in that some of the appalling records that fighters can have in pro boxing are often defended to the point of stupidity. I do think it's the case that if a fighter has 2 fights and 25 losses on his record, it indicates that he is hopeless and IMO should have his license revoked. What advantage does a young up and coming fighter really get from fighting these sort of fights, because it's just like fighting a moving or live punch bag that offers very little resistance.

I can understand where Phil is coming from also in regard to him trying to gain experience and develop his talent to the best of his abilities without risking too much by picking the wrong opponent. I think Billy is saying that his shows offer fights that have two people well matched whatever standard they are at, but as a previous poster mentioned, boxing doesn't operate that way. As Phil says, if he was matched too closely to a fighter that had experince doing 10 rounders he could end up in trouble by taking such a fight, when the idea is to gain that experience in a more cautious way by taking on an opponent of less quality, but never the less durable, so confidence can be built up over time without taking too much of a risk.

The point i would make is that whilst you can't expect the likes of Phil to take on a standard of opposition that is equal to him whilst he builds up experience in particular arts of the game, neither is it good to see fighters like Phil in with somone who looks completely out of his depth. A middle ground could be reached where fighters have a better balance between their losses and wins. I know that journeymen have to fight at short notice, don't train full time and aren't well prepared for these fights. It's also the case that they know what their job is come fight night with regards to giving fighters certain tests for experince and development. At the end of the day it's Phil who is taking the shots, so his call has to be respected.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

All people want are competitive fights - who cares about Phill Gil, his record and his march to the title if he is fighting guys with losing records? I don't nor does anybody else (except for Phill Gil and his mates and family) - if he is in the boxing game - people who aren't family and friends will watch him fight and have an interest if he is in a 50/50 fight and not a 40-36 or 60-54 job. One day, when he wakes up and realise that it is not about him - it is about the punters who pay through the nose to watch the sport - then he might get some of the attention he craves!

If boxing is a business - then 50/50 fights are necessary. If boxing is a sport - then 50/50 fights are also necessary - and as for the analogy of Arsenal vs Borenhamwood - probably Barnsley vs Borenhamwood would be more accurate.

[damianhucker1]

It seems it is not just me that has seen this semi pro in a bad light then, or maybe we are all talking bollocks as you so politely put it like I said fat old men getting beat up and mma fighters KICKING boxers inwill say it again, " it was awful" and I will say it again " thank god for pro boxing"

Think what you want but i feel pretty confident that my events are on the whole of a higher standard than the average pro show , im not saying every fighter are better than pros , if they were then they would be pro simple as that but some are , ive got one or two lads capable even now without pro experience who could compete at pro british title level but feel they can earn more money for less training commitment on semi pro circuit , some train 6 or 7 days a week but unfortunately the best boxer prefers to party and says he cant commit to be being in the gym constantly , despite the fact ive made several attempts to turn him pro , Kamikaaze on this forum will know exactly who i mean , hes really talented but cant be arsed this is where those lads fit in , without the unlicensed circuit they would probably not bother fighting

as ive said previously theres more to a good show than the fights .

Phill - why dont you have a free vip table at my april 14th show , see if i can show you that all unlicensed arent the same , im almost certain you will see it for what it is rather than paint everyone with the same brush .