Frank Maloney says sack BBBofC chairman for Flintoff license

[Final round]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/boxing ... ds-newsxml

Andrew Flintoff posed for photos with a real heavyweight on Monday but then left the media conference when he learned that his attempt to become a boxer was about to be ridiculed.
The former England cricket captain was pictured with David Price, the British champion and world-title contender, as part of his build-up for a professional debut in the ring.
But Price’s promoter, Frank Maloney, poured scorn on what he described as a ‘stunt which should never be allowed to happen’.
Maloney went on: ‘Giving Flintoff a professional licence with no experience of boxing is a joke. It gives our sport a bad name.’
Price and Flintoff appear on separate bills in the north of England on the same night, November 30. Price defends his British and Commonwealth titles against Matt Skelton at Aintree. Flintoff makes his bow in Manchester as the climax of a TV reality show.
Flintoff is being trained by Irish legend Barry McGuigan, who insists it is a serious exercise but Maloney says: ‘They asked if we could be on the same bill but I would never be involved in promoting something like this. This is nonsense but in our sport it’s dangerous nonsense.

‘Olympic rower James Cracknell did something similar, went into a pro heavyweight fight and was knocked out in seconds. They haven’t named an opponent for Flintoff yet but even if they find some guy who’s lost his first four pro fights, he will still be in against someone with amateur experience. It will be a terrible shock when he gets hit on the chin by a heavyweight.’
Both the November 30 bouts are to be screened live on allegedly but Maloney is insisting that Price goes on air first, saying: ‘If the evening starts with Flintoff’s fiasco the viewers would be switching off.’
Flintoff was due to share the media podium with Price and Maloney but left quickly with McGuigan when he sensed the mood.
Maloney was also deeply critical of the British Boxing Board of Control, saying: ‘It is a disgrace they have given Flintoff a licence. I told the chairman, Charles Giles, that he should be sacked for approving this scandal.’
Price expects to come through a tough physical test against the aging fitness-fanatic Skelton and move closer to a world heavyweight title shot against one of the Klitschko brothers in autumn next year.

[banjo]

I thought you had to have competed in a number of amateur or unlicensed bouts before you can get a pro license these days.

[jonp]

Nah if youv had no background you have to do a trial bout in a gym to be passed

[JamesH]

FM was equally scathing about the Haye Chisora fight until a deal with allegedly changed his mind.

[Adamj1987]

if it was an am fight i could see it being acceptable but i was surprised when it was announced that he'd get a licence.

[Hagler2002]

Frank Maloney is a 50 faced poisoned dwarf who just spouts bullshit & lies.

[The Insider]

Frank Maloney is a 50 faced poisoned dwarf who just spouts bullshit & lies.

So what are you trying to say exactly????? :)

[rhino222]

I am in favour of flintoff fighting providing he has satisfied the boards requirements and it is the same for everyone, whether they be ashes winner or road sweeper. Parity for all is what we want and i hope flintoff is not too overmatched.

I have always been a fan of little Frank but in this incidence i am confused. Did Skelton have amateur experience? did Eubank Snr have amateur experience?..... and was Frank not once involved in a fight in 2002 featuring Ricky Gervaise and Grant Bovey. Frank and Eugene trained Gervais.

Are you less likely to get hurt fighting on a TV show?

I am confused!

[tear up]

If Maloney was in charge of flintoff think it would of been a different story he would of been biggenin him up I watched a clip of flintoff spar he is very poor

[stujones]

FM was equally scathing about the Haye Chisora fight until a deal with Allegedly channel changed his mind.

Although remember what channel this fight is on

[SamWise72]

I just watched and read about Cracknell's fight. In his article, he said things like "I don't want to blame the defeat on the weight difference", and "I was ahead on points at the time of the stoppage". The reality was the Kiwi cricketer he was fighting was dominating him, snapping his head back with heavy jabs, had a proper defence, punched much more correctly. Cracknell occasionally waded forward windmilling with no evidence of power or technique, so maybe he thinks he threw as many punches. I think a big problem for outstanding sportsmen is that deep down, they expect to succeed like they did in their own sport. We see it in boxers long past their prime, like Saoul Mamby coming back and 60, losing, and STILL saying he could win a world title. I think this gets in the way for people like Cracknell, who must presumably have been dreadful in the gym, but was told he was coming on well by his handlers, and his life's experience is "I try hard at things, and become the best in the world". I fear the same thing may happen to Flintoff; I don't see any big difference between him getting a fight and lots of other terrible older fighters, I just fear that he'll believe in himself too much.

Here's a link to Cracknell, who, remember, believed he was really getting the hang of this boxing thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No_z9NyIf8s

[Lenny]

I have always been a fan of little Frank but in this incidence i am confused. Did Skelton have amateur experience? did Eubank Snr have amateur experience?..... and was Frank not once involved in a fight in 2002 featuring Ricky Gervaise and Grant Bovey. Frank and Eugene trained Gervais.

Are you less likely to get hurt fighting on a TV show?

I am confused!

Obviously the main difference is Ricky Gervais and the like were fighting fellow celebs with cushion sized gloves and headgear

Andrew Flintoff is going in against a professional boxer on a professional show.

I'd love him to do a Cracknell I really would. But then if he does it's going to look really bad for boxing - you can imagine the horror etched across the faces of James Corden and the other celebrities at ringside. But then could you imagine if they actually find somebody that a cricketer with no boxing experience could beat? That would make boxing look even worse!

What channel is going to show the reality programme?

[orbtastic]

I remember cracknell getting sparked, he was down for ages.

[Final round]

The Kiwi looked the better boxer but that's the way it goes, James agreed to fight him there's always that chance . Hopefully Flintoff will go into it knowing what it's like to get clocked from the sparring.

[mickey1975]

Really, who is he going to fight? Watching him on the pads, i would not put him in an amatuer fight against another no-bouter, and i am not being harsh. There are several 'keep fitters' at my gym with no intention of fighting who i would tip against him.

[SamWise72]

Does anyone have a link to the footage of him training? With musical instruments, when you can play one really well, it becomes hard to remember that it was really difficult at first, so when you take up a second, it can be immensely frustrating, because you don't progress like you expect to. I wonder if sport is a similar deal that way?

[JamesH]

FM was equally scathing about the Haye Chisora fight until a deal with Allegedly channel changed his mind.

Although remember what channel this fight is on

Yes, but I'm sure there is an agenda of some sort behind it which isn't totally about Flintoff (regardless of how valid we might think the comments may be).

[banjo]

I am in favour of flintoff fighting providing he has satisfied the boards requirements and it is the same for everyone, whether they be ashes winner or road sweeper. Parity for all is what we want and i hope flintoff is not too overmatched.

I have always been a fan of little Frank but in this incidence i am confused. Did Skelton have amateur experience? did Eubank Snr have amateur experience?..... and was Frank not once involved in a fight in 2002 featuring Ricky Gervaise and Grant Bovey. Frank and Eugene trained Gervais.

Are you less likely to get hurt fighting on a TV show?

I am confused!

Wasn't Eubank a Golden Gloves champ in the States? Skelton had fighting experience.

[SteveDow]

From the footage I've seen of Flintoff he looks utterly awful in all areas. In a way it'd probably be a good thing if he gets beaten convincingly (although I don't want to see him get hurt) as it would then discourage others from trying their hand at what can be a very dangerous sport.

[Coco]

People who tend to get licenses without amateur experience tend to be experienced in other combat sports or unlicensed, and even then have done far more than 10 weeks in a boxing gym.
Flint off would never be licensed if he wasn't a famous cricketer.
The whole thing is embarrassing

[thepocketrocket]

Whatever happened to Eugene Maloney?

[keithmoonhangover]

I'm taking it that Uncle Frank isn't promoting Freddie.

[lillywhite14]

His opponent will know his role that's for sure.

Skelton experienced far more pain in his martial arts career before Boxing than he ever has since he donned the gloves! He had plenty of credentials. Proper hard bastard.

Eubank Snr had over 20 am fights in the states I think. He also trained like a pro everyday for years ( according to his book ) and virtually lived in the gym out in New York before he turned over.

[bripez]

Here's a link to Cracknell, who, remember, believed he was really getting the hang of this boxing thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No_z9NyIf8s

First time I have seen that - it was a bad KO.

Was the other guy also a novice ? - imagine the potential damage without headguards and smaller gloves ?

If that had been a "regular" amateur contest, there could have been opportunity for at least 15 standing counts !

The Flintoff situation can only be bad for the sport. He could potentially get badly hurt, or if he should win (likely against an opponent working to orders) then he will surely have another fight until such a time he faces a live opponent who could do him some damage.

And with regards to Frank Baloney, he is just like McGuigan and the rest - their principles soon change when there is a pound note in it for themselves.

[spudder56]

Here's a link to Cracknell, who, remember, believed he was really getting the hang of this boxing thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No_z9NyIf8s

First time I have seen that - it was a bad KO.

Was the other guy also a novice ? - imagine the potential damage without headguards and smaller gloves ?

If that had been a "regular" amateur contest, there could have been opportunity for at least 15 standing counts !

The Flintoff situation can only be bad for the sport. He could potentially get badly hurt, or if he should win (likely against an opponent working to orders) then he will surely have another fight until such a time he faces a live opponent who could do him some damage.

And with regards to Frank Baloney, he is just like McGuigan and the rest - their principles soon change when there is a pound note in it for themselves.

Yes Mate money changes everything lol and yes personally I think its ludicrous to licence Flintoff