BoxRec

We've had the odd thread or two about domestic heavyweights recently, one in particular about who is going to be the next plausible challenge to Gammer (outwith the 'top four.'

Well there's a few fights getting together now which may make the domestic scene a little better - or at least competative.

So I thought I may do a bit of a heavyweight guide. Don't ask why. British heavy is probably the weakest division in Britain right now, but I still retain a soft spot for the former blue ribon division, despite it now being more like blue murder.

Nov 25th - Scott Belshaw 3rd fight in 6 weeks for the 6"7 Maloney-managed Ulsterman. 21 yrs old, he won his previous 2 fights by 1st rd KO.

1st Dec - Pele Reid returns after a four year absence.

1st Dec - Dean O'Loughlin makes his debut. Havn't a clue who he is personally. Makes his debut against Lee Webb (former Belshaw opponent) so we may see how Belshaw's early power promise stands up.

2nd Dec - John McDermott reappears for the first time since valiently being crushed by Skelton.

5th Dec - Paul Butlin 10-2 should pick up a pts win against Tubby Kecskes

9th Dec - Skelton and Harrison clash.

15th Dec - Michael Steeds makes a comeback fight on the Eastman-Williams undercard.

17th Dec - (Perhaps the most intriguing) - Colin Kenna fights Keith Long

Here's an article about O'Loughlin

Former Hull FC rugby player. 6'5 and 19 stone, but not much boxing experience.

Nice work, Jomo! Damn informative post. Respect for the work put in, mate!


EDIT: Fvck me, I just realised looking at that little lot that the guy who Kenna lost to in Germany is the same dude who just beat Akinwande...[/quote]

Don't forget Matthew Ellis returned last month. He thinks he can be a force on a pretty weak domestic scene.

Another lad to look out for: Alex 'The Bull' Ibbs from Wolverhampton and Stoke.

He's trained by Richie Woodhall in Telford and makes his debut on the undercard of Elcock-Bendall at the AVLC.

He is 21, 16stone and 6ft 5ins - a beast! In fact, he can flip a full size bull over by its nose (he is a farmer after all).

Tom Podmore.

The next crop of decent British heavyweights are still amateur.
Think Derek Chisora is turning pro soon,or is at least contemplating it(he won ABA's last year)

David Price will clean all the above mentioned up in one night.Problem is,I can't see him turning over until after 2008 olympics,so we are stuck with them for the time being!

its almost looking like michael sprott could be the best we have at the moment, at least he gets his bloody passport out !!

I'd like to see Scott Gammer v Michael Sprott, would be a good one.
Gammer is still pretty untested and Sprott still has to make people on these shores forget about the Skelton fight.

That seems like a decent matchup, but I bet Sprott is making a lot more for his European exploits than he would for challenging Gammer.

Very good post, Jomo.

Good to get some positive spin for a change.

I know it won't happen, but with the shallow pool we've got it would be great if someone could organise an eliminator tournament of British heavyweights.

Say 16 fighters (OK, 8 then ) with an open draw and they fight it out on one card over eight rounds per bout.

Then semis and a final - not necessarily on the same card.

Winner to get a shot at Gammer.

Interesting post. Thanks

Not being as knowledgable as many on here, can someone enlighten me as to why it is such a shallow pool?

It is just a cyclical thing and we may have some real talent coming through? Is it more terminal than that because no one is coming through the amateurs

or is there just no money in domestic HW fights

Be good to hear a more informed opinion

Thanks
Slapsie

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:Very good post, Jomo.

Good to get some positive spin for a change.

I know it won't happen, but with the shallow pool we've got it would be great if someone could organise an eliminator tournament of British heavyweights.

Say 16 fighters (OK, 8 then ) with an open draw and they fight it out on one card over eight rounds per bout.

Then semis and a final - not necessarily on the same card.

Winner to get a shot at Gammer.

I agree that a tournament of that nature would be an excellent idea considering that most of the heavyweights we have at the moment are around the same sort of standard.

My only question would be; What happens to poor old Scott Gammer in the meantime? If he wants the belt to keep he's got to fight someone, and if everyone is tied up......

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:I know it won't happen, but with the shallow pool we've got it would be great if someone could organise an eliminator tournament of British heavyweights.

Say 16 fighters (OK, 8 then ) with an open draw and they fight it out on one card over eight rounds per bout.

Then semis and a final - not necessarily on the same card.

Winner to get a shot at Gammer.

Good idea, but as you and i know it won't happen.
out of interest who would the eight be? I can identify 6 definates Skelton , Williams, Harrison, Sprott , Steeds .

Skelton or Williams could get a straight shot easily, I doubt they would participate.

And yes i can't count as i have named only 5

topper123 wrote:

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:I know it won't happen, but with the shallow pool we've got it would be great if someone could organise an eliminator tournament of British heavyweights.

Say 16 fighters (OK, 8 then ) with an open draw and they fight it out on one card over eight rounds per bout.

Then semis and a final - not necessarily on the same card.

Winner to get a shot at Gammer.

Good idea, but as you and i know it won't happen.
out of interest who would the eight be? I can identify 6 definates Skelton , Williams, Harrison, Sprott , Steeds .

It would be a good idea,but as you say it just would'nt happen.Especially with Skelton(gave up the British title)Williams(views himself above the belt these days)Harrison(always thought he was too good to mix it at British level!)and Sprott(he is fighting at a higher level,and earning more money on the euro scene)

These guys would see it as a step down,and in Sprott and Skeltons case,I would agree with them.
The prospective tournament would have to be between the likes of Mickey Steeds,Keith Long,Colin Kenna etc.....for a right to a shot at the British title.
Would like to see it happen.

Scenes not that bad.

Scott Gammer has the belt but likely wont hold onto it too long.

Skelton and Audley Harrison are fighting next month, winner to go world level loser to retire.

Danny Williams is at the local Greggs in Brixton downing a vanilla slice and plotting a comeback.

Michael Sprott is always lurking close by.

Keith Long and Pele Reid have surprisingly been dug out the cemetary.

All the Steeds, Kennas, McDermotts etc aren't very interesting but the above are, assuming they fight real fights and not just a couple of 4 rounders off-tv vs journeymen then disappear again.

Sorry, should have been more specific in my thinking.

Bollocks to those who think they are above it (Skelton, Williams, Harrison) and let the other guys sort it out.

Gammer could maybe make a defence against Sprotty in the meantime.

If people got their fingers out, the whole thing could be done from first round to final in three months.

The whole sport, not just British heavyweights, would benefit from a more rigorous and less-laughable elimination system in order to make the title more prestigious.

In this day and age though, getting boxers - but particularly their managers and promotors - to get involved in 50/50 fights unless the financial reward is ensured - is nigh on impossible.

I noticed just recently that some of the bouts in France seem to be based on some sort of proper elimination series.
if you look at the Dec 1st card here you see there's semi finals going on for something. I don't know if it's for the actual French national titles, or if it's an unrelated tournament, but anyway I think I saw some quarter final fights as well.

I would like to see contender-type tournaments spread all over the place, but as I said at the start, very hard unless the mulla is right - or if the guys in it have little to lose.


Incidently, Belshaw's opponent for Saturday is up. He's pretty durable - will be interesting to see if and when Belshaw stops him.
http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=172813

Another one has turned up. Alex Ibbs fights on the Bendall/Elcock (and Reid) card tonight. Is trained by Richie Woodhall according to his info.

Is due to fight Tubby Kecskes, although he's got Butlin on Tuesday too so I don't know.

Colin Kenna v Kieth Long on Dec 17th in Southampton.
Interesting matchup, Kenna is coming off 2 losses, and was stopped in the last one by prospect Platov. Kieth Long is back after 2 years out, last time he was stopped by Skelton.

Long was never the busiest boxer in the ring , and i'm not sure if the layoff would have done him any good, he's always spent a while away though, only 13 fights in 9 years.
Kenna was told by his team after his stoppage by Platov to get himself in proper shape if he wanted to carry on, they didn't want him to become an opponent type.

If Kenna has listened and got himself into decent shape then i think he'll win a Decision, might be hanging on in the last couple of rounds when Long wakes himself up, and realises he's got to stop Colin to win.

I hope its a 10 rounder. I get sick of these experienced British fighters always taking part in 6 and 8 rounders, that shit just doesn't happen in the US.

So, a few fights this weekend.

Pele Reid scores a TKO win in the 6th (6x2s) over Paul King. BBN report: http://www.britishboxing.net/news_1914- ... rcard.html

On the same card, Woddhall-trained Alex Ibbs beat Istvan Kecskes on points. 39x38 looks a close score, but Tubby always gives it a go, and being it Ibbs' debut -and a 4x2 - I don't think we should look too much into such a close score.

Then last night, Steeds returned after his loss to Gammer with a pts win over the tough Luke Simpkin. According to the BBN report Steeds was out of shape, and was given a tough fight by Simpkin in the early rounds, before coming through on points. A more startling bit of news is that Steeds is planning to go down to cruiserweight. As Will Hale writes - looks like a bit of a tough ask on paper (he was 17s 1lb last night) but if he can make 200lb could be itneresting. He is still down to fight on the Williams-Eastman card. Don't know if this is still the case though.

An interesting fight on Tuesday, when 10-2 Paul Butlin fight Chris Burton (5-0). I have to admit I've never seen Butlin fight, but his record is very average. He has a sloppy loss to Dave Ingleby (albeit sandwiched between two wins) a stoppage loss to Paul Butterry, who I can't really remmeber but who I think lost by stoppage to Gammer. Butlin is largely "untested." He has stopped Ingleby, and has fought Britain's most active heavyweight Kecskes 3 times (9 losses this year, and only one a stoppage - cuts against Burton.) This doesn't stop the Hungarian Hercules, who's hairy belly seems to grow every time you see him. Legend. Anyway, Butlin-Burton should be an interesting fight. Burton pts for me.

Suprise if Micky does get down to Cruiser, maybe he's looking at the fact he's not a puncher at heavyweight.
Looking at Micky you can see he could lose a stone easily, maybe even 2. but 3 stone is some going. If he does go for it, i hope he gets someone in to drop the weight safely

paul king always puts up a good effort... so Reid is back !

Long should dispose of kenna with an uppercut inside 5 or 6..but the fight may not happen...Long is a waste of space anyway

butlin is slow and unimpressive..and inactive... infact thats the prob with most of the heavyweights in britain ...

what happend to the import Ervis Jegeni ?

Scot gammer can still improve

i see Virchis is lined up to fight the useful Dennis Baktoff for the euro crown.....isnt Dennis promoted by the nice Warren ? a shock win for baktoff could open up the euro door for Sprott/skelton/williams/ and gammer



having sed that id love to see a fit and focussed Danny Williams take on Samil Sam again for revenge

funso - no way Bhaktov will beat Virchis. He'll be felled in 4-6 imo. If Krasniqi takes up his mandatory slot, then he could give Virchis a good run for his money.

And just when are we going to see Williams fit and fully focused? I only count 4 Sundays this month.

Now Sprott-SSS would be interesting. Unfortunately, I'm sure SSS's team would see that, and probably wouldn't put him in with Sprott. SSS is on the slide, and I'm sure they'll hold out for a final eliminator then call it quite - SSS being WBC #4 of course. ffs.