BoxRec

The unbeaten English champion is supposedly defending his title at Dagenham next week in a vital warm-up to his British title showdown with Tony Dodson in March. But who is he fighting?
I hate these late-arranged matches. Opponents coming in are never fully prepared.

I didn't realise he was having a tune up, these things can tend to be a little dangerous. Not only could he lose and throw plans up into the air but a cut or body injury could occur. Surely some good sparring would have sufficed? When did he last fight anyway?

steve689 wrote:I didn't realise he was having a tune up, these things can tend to be a little dangerous. Not only could he lose and throw plans up into the air but a cut or body injury could occur. Surely some good sparring would have sufficed? When did he last fight anyway?

He last fought in November when he won the inaugural English super-middleweight title with a seventh round stoppage of the overmatched Alan Page.

Yes i remember that fight now, maybe a tune up is in order then.

steve689 wrote:Yes i remember that fight now, maybe a tune up is in order then.

Yes. I don't think he's even had 10 fights as a pro. The media rave about these golden boys, but they've usually done absolutely nothing. Think of Alex Arthur prior to the Gomez fight. Wayne Elcock would be another example.

bennie wrote:

steve689 wrote:Yes i remember that fight now, maybe a tune up is in order then.

Yes. I don't think he's even had 10 fights as a pro. The media rave about these golden boys, but they've usually done absolutely nothing. Think of Alex Arthur prior to the Gomez fight. Wayne Elcock would be another example.

True, i must confess i fell for the Arthur hype and even moreso Elcock

Froch is a good fighter but the very nature of boxing is 'if you compete you must face defeat'. George Foreman told me this two years ago in london and its true of any fighter. A can beat B and B can beat C,then C beats A and were all surprised ! That is why boxing is so exiting.Every dog has his day.

The furore surrounding Froch is totally unjustified thus far. He is being touted as a future star based on his achievements as an amateur and the fact that he has supposedly devastating punchpower.

To date, he hasn't beaten anyone to prove that he is a future star, and whilst I wish him every success, I fear that when he steps up in class that lazy left hand of his is going to cost him bigtime. You can count on the fingers of one hand the number of world class fighters who can get away with that style of defence there are, but it seems to be becoming more and more common, Haye and Froch are two of the latest.

Enzo is another (the win over Bruce Scott was a good one, but Scott had been out two years and still nearly chinned him). If you actually look at these guy's records: ask yourself this: who have they fought? Who have they fought that really defines them?
They're untested.
Alex Arthur's best win prior to meeting Gomez was over Steve Conway, who had come in as a late sub, was weight-drained and still tagged the Scot repeatedly with head shots before being nailed with a big left hook.
Wayne Elcock had barely survived a 10-rounder with Yuri Tsarenko (being badly rocked in the ninth), then outclassed the limited Anthony Farnell, who is an eight-round fighter at best. Yet he was being introduced on to the pitch at Birmingham City and was all over the websites. But one shot from Lawrence Murphy made a mockery of that.
Don't get me wrong. Elcock can box, and I hope he bounces back. But we ought to learn a lesson from Arthur and Elcock last year. David Haye, Audley Harrison and Carl Froch have fought nobody since their amateur days. That doesn't mean they can't fight. But they've yet to prove it.

U r right guys thats is why i have had a £20 bet with Spud that Dodson beats Froch

I agree with Bennie on the Macarinelli score, i cannot believe how blind SKY are being with this kid. He lost to Lee Swaby and was nearly stopped by Bruce Scott, Nicky Piper bleats on that it all adds to his excitement value. But i'm afraid being vulnerable and having a poor chin will only hamper him when he moves up into world class not make him more exciting. I also think that on the Macarinelli note the BBBC dropped a bollock when they stopped him facing Jorge Castro saying he wasn't a worthy opponent and then faced him with that Jamaican fella Earl Morais, poor decision IMO.

steve689 wrote:I agree with Bennie on the Macarinelli score, i cannot believe how blind SKY are being with this kid. He lost to Lee Swaby and was nearly stopped by Bruce Scott, Nicky Piper bleats on that it all adds to his excitement value. But i'm afraid being vulnerable and having a poor chin will only hamper him when he moves up into world class not make him more exciting. I also think that on the Macarinelli note the BBBC dropped a bollock when they stopped him facing Jorge Castro saying he wasn't a worthy opponent and then faced him with that Jamaican fella Earl Morais, poor decision IMO.

I wonder if there was more to that than meets the eye. It seemed strange that Castro - a man guaranteed to take Enzo 12 rounds - is pulled out by the Board for dubious reasons and a few weeks later, Bobby Vanzie, whom Sports Network had dropped and made a complaint about (to the Board) for his behaviour before and after the Graham Earl fight last year (he turned up late and made racist comments afterwards), is made mandatory challenger to Earl.
A favour deserves a favour, perhaps?

I would say so yes.