Author: nuthouse

Posted on

Terms of Use

Welcome to our website. If you continue to browse and use this website, you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the following terms and conditions of use, which together with our privacy policy govern the Boxing Asylum’s relationship with you in relation to this website. If you disagree with any part of these terms and conditions, please do not use our website.

The term ‘Boxing Asylum’ or ‘us’ or ‘we’ refers to the owner of the website whose registered office is UK-based. The term ‘you’ refers to the user or viewer of our website.

The use of this website is subject to the following terms of use:

  • The content of the pages of this website is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice.
  • This website uses cookies to monitor browsing preferences. If you do allow cookies to be used, the following personal information may be stored by us for use by third parties.
  • Neither we nor any third parties provide any warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness or suitability of the information and materials found or offered on this website for any particular purpose. You acknowledge that such information and materials may contain inaccuracies or errors and we expressly exclude liability for any such inaccuracies or errors to the fullest extent permitted by law.
  • Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk, for which we shall not be liable. It shall be your own responsibility to ensure that any products, services or information available through this website meet your specific requirements.
  • This website contains material which is owned by or licensed to us. This material includes, but is not limited to, the design, layout, look, appearance and graphics. Reproduction is prohibited other than in accordance with the copyright notice, which forms part of these terms and conditions.
  • All trade marks reproduced in this website which are not the property of, or licensed to, the operator are acknowledged on the website.
  • Unauthorised use of this website may give rise to a claim for damages and/or be a criminal offence.
  • From time to time this website may also include links to other websites. These links are provided for your convenience to provide further information. They do not signify that we endorse the website(s). We have no responsibility for the content of the linked website(s).
  • Your use of this website and any dispute arising out of such use of the website is subject to the laws of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Posted on

Privacy Policy

This website privacy policy template has been designed to help website owners comply with European Union and United Kingdom data protection legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The policy covers all the usual ground: the categories of personal data that are collected, the purposes for which that personal data may be used, the legal bases for processing, the persons to whom the personal data may be disclosed, international transfers of personal data, the security measures used to protect the personal data, individual rights and website cookies.

First published in 2008, this policy and its antecedents have been used on hundreds of thousands of websites. It was updated during 2017 and 2018 to reflect the GDPR and the developing regulatory guidance from the EU and UK data protection authorities. This template was last updated on 25 April 2018.

If you’re new to data protection law, then before downloading the policy you might want to review the questions and answers below, which provide a introduction to both the legal and practical issues around the use of privacy policies.

Posted on

Frank Warren challenges Eddie Hearn to make the big fights

Queensberry challenges matchroom and sky

Queensberry promoter sends open message to Matchroom and Sky Sports

Frank Warren has reached across the British boxing divide and offered up the cream of his stable to fight the best of Eddie’s current crop. A genuine attempt or a publicity stunt? Veteran Frank knows the game so you decide.

It seemed an exciting idea until Demetrius Andrade was spotted on the poster but what can you do? Let’s have a look at the press statement and what they want to achieve.

Frank Warren issues “press alert”

WITH SPORT ON the whole creeping sluggishly out of enforced hibernation and attempting to establish a foothold in the world of the so-called new normal, how about lighting the touch paper and really bringing British boxing back with a bang?

The time is right to throw off the shackles and truly give our sport a proper shot in the arm.

What I am proposing is to break down the borders and give the fans the fights they want to see.

Let’s make the natural matches that have previously been deemed too complicated due to promotional and broadcast affiliations. Queensberry’s finest versus the best of Matchroom. 

Why not?

Queensberry challenges matchroom and sky
Who wants it? Brick Top ready to thrown down with Eddie.

Would this idea invigorate the sport of boxing?

The prospect of the best of British getting it on would reinvigorate the sport, increase the subplots and really get people talking about the game again.

Forget about promoter pride and egos, it is not about us. This is the time to turbo-charge boxing right back into the mainstream and capture the imagination of the watching public.

People talk about various industries resetting following the traumas this year has inflicted on the world.

Well, this is our chance to do just that. You can call it my 2020 vision.

The fans are longing to see Anthony Yarde take on Joshua Buatsi with light heavyweight supremacy at stake. So am I, let’s get it done.

Who wouldn’t want to see Dillian Whyte taking on the best young heavyweight in the world, Daniel Dubois, later this year or early next while Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are busy making other plans?

Warren suggests boxing matchups the fans want to see

Any takers for Joe Joyce against Dereck Chisora? Archie Sharp v Zelfa Barrett? Hamzah Sheeraz v Ted Cheeseman? Charlie Edwards v Kal Yafai? What about seeing Nathan Gorman step in the ring with Dave Allen? There are numerous potential bangers there to be made and no good reason not to make them. Liam Williams is due a world title any day now, so let’s add a bit of American flair and stick Andrade in the mix too.

Let’s stop any tactical maneuvering and deliver the fans the fights they want to see. 

I know there will be more than a few sceptics who will doubt the plausibility of such ambitious matchmaking due to the complex nature of the promotional terrain. I say we should smash down the barriers for the benefit of the sport and, most importantly, the people who support it.

From our side, our broadcast partner BT Sport fully buys into the concept and is ready and willing to help make it happen. If Sky Sports are of the same mindset, so much the better, and an equitable distribution of the fights can be worked out. No problem.

Can anyone begin to imagine what sort of business a dual branded PPV would do with Daniel vs Dillian on top. How about a stacked undercard featuring Edwards vs Yafai, Gorman vs Allen and Sheeraz vs Cheeseman all on the bill? This is great for fans, great for business and all together great for boxing.

As Lennox Lewis once said to Mike Tyson: “It’s time to put up or shut up”

There really isn’t any reason to put up any roadblocks to having the boxing pot overflowing with meaningful matches that would get the attention they deserve.

Our door is wide open to begin negotiations for one-off spectacles, a sequence of events, a Test series of top ‘us versus them’ humdingers. The possibilities are endless and everything is on the table.

Forget the past. Don’t focus on the difficulties and let’s get on and make the fights people want to see. When it comes time to make Fury v AJ, everyone involved will have to cooperate anyway so I see no reason why we can’t make these fights now.

You could say I am throwing down the gauntlet and I would hope this honest proposal is taken at face value and not blithely dismissed.

For the long-term good of our sport, now is the time to put up or shut up.

Posted on

In to the frying pan: Egg and Cheese serve up a sizzler

Eggington vs. Cheeseman boxing

Ted Cheeseman beats Sam Eggington in Fight Camp domestic dust-up

Matchroom Boxing returned to the promotional scene with a show in Eddie Hearn’s Brentwood backyard. The first of four Fight Camp outings was headlined by Sam Eggington and Ted Cheeseman. The latter won on points after 12 predictable rounds of non-stop, brain cell-bashing action.

Eggington took some shots in the second round and was rocked to his boots. Sam smiled, fired back and tried to get his boxing going as the rounds flew by. Eggington brawled his way back into the contest to tighten up the totals.

The judges’ scorecards:

Phil Edwards 116-113

Howard Foster 115-114

Ian John-Lewis 116-113

Sky analyst Matthew Macklin lauded the grit and determination of both men. It was decent fare and a rematch would probably be easy to make should Cheeseman want to go again rather than move on to bigger things.

“I’m a winner, I Iove winning. I’ve given my heart and soul to the sport,” said an emotional Cheeseman after the headline bout.

Eggington Cheeseman boxing
Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

James Tennyson stops Gavin Gwynne in six rounds

Belfast power-puncher James Tennyson knocked out Welshman Gavin Gwynne to win the British lightweight title. Tennyson set a hot early pace but Gwynne held firm. Dropped midway through the sixth from a cracking right hook, Gwynne’s face was smashed to bits when Phil Edwards intervened at 2-30.

Wins for Wardley, Gill and Smith on the rest of the undercard

Fabio Wardley stopped Simon Vaillily in round three to win the English heavyweight title.

Jordan Gill was too sharp for Reece Bellotti, sweeping a unanimous points decision over 10 rounds.

Dalton Smith uncorked a cracking shot to finish Nathan Bennett in round five.

Posted on

Sor Rungvisai outpoints Ruenroeng in Thailand

Former super-flyweight champion wants crack at WBC king Estrada

Srisaket Sor Rungvisai is gunning for a shot at WBC super-flyweight king and old foe Juan Francisco Estrada after defeating Amnat Ruenroeng by unanimous decision in Thailand. Taking place earlier this morning, the judges returned scores of 97-94, 96-93 and 99-91 all in favour of the man known as “Wikaksil Wangek”.

The main event and undercard was streamed live to fans on the Matchroom Boxing YouTube channel.

Sor Rungvisai reverted to his more natural southpaw stance rather than the ill-judged orthodox stance he adopted in the Estrada rematch. The fight favourite did a good job of creating distance and avoiding the smothering tentacles of boxing’s premier spoiler.

That was until the third round when a headbutt caused a bad laceration to Sor Rungvisai’s left eyelid. Ruenroeng’s pot shots were landing and an inevitable wrestle to the floor occurred in the sixth round as the 40-year-old veteran finally implemented his mauling game.

Overall it was a solid 10 rounds for Sor Rungvisai who shipped a few clean shots as the bout progressed. The ex-champion will be a handful for any of the champions but is possibly slipping.

Rematch with Mexican belt holder the plan for Sor Rungvisai

Speaking after the bout, Sor Rungvisai said that he was satisfied with his performance and praised Ruenroeng’s preparation. The victor put Estrada on notice for a rubber match. Sor Rungvisai, 33, has been grossly inactive for a top level operator. Estrada took the WBC title from him in 2019.

Posted on

Joe Joyce beats Wallisch to keep Dubois fight on schedule

Daniel Dubois must now defeat Erik Pfeifer and the big heavyweight clash is on

Joe Joyce moved to 11-0 with a third-round knockout over Germany’s Michael Wallisch at the BT Studios. Joyce took a few shots early on but dropped Wallisch with a body and head combination in the second round. 

A left hook put Wallisch down again in the third round before a right hand to the jaw, followed by a left hand to the body, finished the visitor off later in that same session. Referee Ian John-Lewis called time at 57 seconds.

“I didn’t get a long training camp but it was a good step to get ready for Dubois,” said the winner.

Indeed, Joyce’s main incentive was to come through unscathed and keep alive his 24 October date with British rival Daniel Dubois. Joe wishes to get back to Las Vegas and train with Ismael Salas.

Rival Daniel Dubois said: “It was a decent performance. The guy looked like he was ready to quit after the first round. [Joyce] dismantled him pretty good.”

Bourke and Bentley ace the undercard

Chris Bourke outpointed Ramez Mahmood 96-94 on referee Bob Williams’ scorecard to win the BBBofC Southern Area super-bantamweight title. Bourke’s body attacks were paying off in the early stages but it was cat and mouse as light-punching Mahmood kept the rounds close.

Battersea puncher Denzel Bentley showed flashes of excellence against Preston tough guy Mick Hall. Bentley thumped Hall in the sixth round and Hall’s corner withdrew their man before the seventh.

Henry Turner defeated Chris Adaway (PTS4) and Louie Lynn knocked out Monty Ogilvie (TKO2).

All of our bitesize articles are under 250 words. Poster image credit to Queensberry Promotions.

Posted on

Foster beats Beech in British boxing’s bubble

Super-bantamweight title fight tops Queensberry five-fight return bill

At the tender age of 22, Brad Foster made the Lonsdale Belt his own after 12 hard rounds against unbeaten challenger James Beech Jr. Headlining inside Frank Warren’s Covid-free boxing bubble, Beech was competitive but Foster’s high octane attacks, often ending in body shots, ensured he was winning most of the rounds. Foster enjoyed plenty of success switch-hitting between stances. Game Beech (12-1, 2 KOs) was showing facial damage by the fourth.

Things got messy at the end of the fifth as British and Commonwealth king Foster stood off and elected to box from range. Scoring live for BT Sport, located within the specially-organised Stratford structure, former world champion Richie Woodhall gave Beech the round, but had Foster ahead 48-47 overall.

“I didn’t feel the best in there but I got the win and I took these belts home,” said Foster (13-0-2, 5 KOs). “I didn’t feel like I woke up until the seventh round to be honest.”

Foster is an active champion who now needs a break from the ring

After “waking up” Brad’s engine clicked in to place and he started bagging enough rounds to eventually secure a deserved unanimous verdict. Tiring badly, Beech Jr was hanging on in the final 30 seconds of the contest as Foster’s cracking body shots and right hands to the head took their toll. It was fitting to see the young man last the course and, as the old cliche goes, he can come again.

The judges were all in agreement that Brad Foster had done more than enough to retain his duel titles. Michael Alexander totalled 116-113 in favour of Foster, while Howard Foster and Terry O’Connor both had it 117-111 to the same man.

Foster added: “I want a break, take a little rest, then we can have a think about it [what’s next] with my team.”

“It was a great fight,” agreed BT pundit David Haye, who commended Foster for his extra quality of punch. “He looks very good. A switch-hitter, a great all-round athlete. He will start looking at European and possibly world titles.”

Steve Bunce pointed out the fact that Foster had gone through five British title fights in 16 months. The champion confessed he was tired, but still looks forward to a night on the tiles.

Sheeraz Kean on another stoppage win

Fearsome Hamzah Sheeraz improved his record to 11-0 with a seventh career stoppage. Sheeraz resisted the temptation to let the big shots fly against a tentative, overmatched foe and instead dissected Paul Kean round-by-round before the Scottish boxer’s corner decided he had no business continuing in to the seventh round and beyond.

Sheeraz kept hold of the WBO European super-welterweight bauble that he won against Ryan Kelly last November. Marcus McDonnell, Michael Alexander and Terry O’Connor were the unused judges. Gangly Sheeraz needed a mere two minutes to affirm his position as the dominant puncher. A flashing right hand left the Scottish southpaw on his back for a count.

Patient Sheeraz kept working behind a stiff jab as Kean (12-2, 1 KO) wisely spent the majority of the first two sessions on the back foot. Kean’s bloodied nose and damaged eye showed the intensity of Sheeraz’s two-fisted assaults. The Dundee challenger was being knocked about in the corner at the end of round five. Referee Howard Foster was hovering close by.

Kean’s corner mercifully stopped their man from coming out for more punishment after six one-sided sessions. Sheeraz later admitted that having no crowd meant he was more inclined to step back and let his opponent see out the rounds, rather than respond to the noise and seek to get his man out of there.

Adelaye too hot for Gordon

Heavyweight prospect David Adeleye has been making a name for himself on the sparring circuit. The Londoner sprinted to 2-0 with stoppage number two as Matt Gordon (2-3-1) felt the full force. Tattooed Gordon was felled in the corner by a heavy barrage and referee Michael Alexander did not like what he saw after doling out a count.

Krasmaru outpoints Williams

London-based Ukrainian Dorin Krasmaru outpointed battle-hardened journeyman Phil Williams. Krasmaru makes up in punching power what he lacks in mobility. Williams was always on the back foot and conceded every round on Michael Alexander’s single scorecard.

Chamberlain opens with a KO win

In the opening bout of the evening Mark Chamberlain (6-0) wasted little time removing overmatched Stu Greener (3-5) at lightweight. Southpaw Chamberlain was landing with both hands when referee Michael Alexander pulled Greener out in the first.

Talking Points

Frank Warren was the first UK promoter to return to the scene. BBBofC secretary Robert Smith told Steve Bunce that he was pleased with the evening’s action and would sit down with his staff to assess the good and the bad.

Not all of the fights were ultra-competitive as the matchmaker played it safe on Warren’s first show back. Sheeraz and Adelaye both looked extremely impressive, with much tougher tests to come down the line.

Eddie Hearn’s Fight Camp starts on August 1. Across the water, Top Rank boxing started back as early as June 9 in their Las Vegas bubble and have been running shows for the past month.

All photographs courtesy of Queensberry Promotions and Frank Warren.

Posted on

Top Rank first out of the blocks for boxing’s big return

Boxing is back! Top Rank have spent the last couple of weeks reminding us, in case you might be in danger of forgetting. It’s not so much Lampley, Merchant and Jones on HBO, but more Fish, Chips and Scraps on Spike or Frank Maloney on Loaded TV as Bob Arum’s premier Stateside outfit rush to fulfill contractual obligations with their ESPN broadcast partner.

First up, on June 9, was WBO featherweight champion Shakur Stevenson, competing in a non-title 10-rounder against little-known Felix Caraballo. An underwhelming yet completely understanding relacement, after Miguel Marriaga and Rafael Rivera were both unable to attend, Caraballo was chopped down and bagged up in round six as Shakur ruthlessly hunted the body.

Comparing Stevenson to the imperious Floyd Mayweather is unhelpful. Floyd was one of a kind, a once-in-a-generation talent. To even come close to matching Mayweather’s roster of work would be a massive achievement. Hype merchants like Tim Bradley or the grandaddy of boxing’s fireside yarns, Mark Kriegel, should step aside and let Shakur naturally develop in to his own man.

“Everything about this fight week was different. After my last fight was canceled, I was happy to showcase my skills for all of the boxing fans,” said Stevenson, improving to 14-0 with knockout number eight.

“He hit me with a couple shots, more than I’m used to, a couple jabs here and there. He was a tough guy, but I felt great in there after my training camp in Houston.”

Taking place in a sterile bubble portion of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the rest of the card was an exercise in caution. Tame mismatches over shorter distances were probably designed to avoid any blood-and-guts spectacles. Bodily fluids flying around the ring over championship distances would give off a bad look.

Next up on the schedule was former world champion Jessie Magdaleno. To think that this man once beat Nonito Donaire seems like a weird anomaly now, given how far his career prospects have drifted.

With all footage displaying the now-customary images of fighters, staff and corner teams slinking around weigh-ins and fight nights with personalised face masks, looking like they were ready to hold-up a newsagent, it was opponent Yenifel Vicente who tried most to circumnavigate the rulebook.

At the end of a scrappy 10 rounds, veteran referee Robert Byrd decided that his patience with the underdog had finally run out and the third man disqualified Vicente who had spent the majority of his 30 minute endevours building up an accumulation of fouls and low blows. Magdaleno looked good in patches, knocking Vicente down twice and enhancing his record to 28-1.

Now up in weight, the winner wants WBC 126-pound king Gary Russell. Given the fact that Russell barely fights once a year, Jessie may have to look elsewhere for opportunities.

The relative mediocrity continued in the village bubble on June 16 as WBO number one bantamweight contender Joshua Greer lost over 10 rounds to “Magic” Mike Plania. The Filipino knocked down Greer twice and, despite a late onslaught, held on to win a majority decision.

It was an upset of sorts. Greer, however, was never really anything to shout about, and the WBO’s relationship with Bob Arum no doubt aided his lofty ranking.

“This win is going to change my life,” Plania remarked. “I thought I could knock him out after the knockdown in the first round, but he was tough and adjusted his strategy.”

Former world champion Antonio DeMarco -now being used as a gatekeeper- helped ease prospect Giovanni Santillan to the next level over 10 rounds.

Keep an eye out for middleweight prospect Nikoloz “The Experiment” Sekhniashvili (for the nickname alone) who moved to 6-0 on the undercard.

The fights were flowing thick and fast by the time Gabriel Flores entered centre stage for the first time, against Josec Ruiz. Reared on the tough streets of Honduras, veteran campaigner Ruiz was tough enough to lose by 11 points on all three cards, by way of 10 shutout rounds and a second round knockdown.

This was all about Flores and how he dealt with being the main man after the original headline attraction was scrapped. Jose Pedraza had been due to box Mikkel LesPierre in what was one of the more intriguing comeback bouts of boxing’s tentative return, post-Covid 19. LesPierre’s manager tested positive and the bout was canned.

On the Flores undercard, Clay Collard pulled off a shock by defeating David Kaminsky over six rounds. Collard showed that despite his limitations in ability, fit and ready fighters may well flourish over the next few months.

Current world champion Emanuel Navarrete keeps busy up at featherweight on Saturday evening against Uriel Lopez who has 13 losses and 13 wins on the slate. Sports fans worldwide are apparently starving for action.

The fights that have been served up so far, mixed with what has already been promised over the coming weeks, may well test the veracity of that sentiment.

All photo and image credits: Top Rank and Mikey Williams

Posted on

Boxing Asylum speaks to Clinton Woods

Walking to the ring in Tampa, Florida, Clinton Woods knew he was going to lose. Despite holding the IBF light-heavyweight title, backed by the supposed confidence of a man making defence number five, all was not well behind the scenes for the Sheffield fighter.

“I should’ve pulled out the fight. Three weeks before I’d hurt my back in England. The physio told me to pull out. I was told I couldn’t pull out,” Woods explained to the Boxing Asylum’s Nuthouse Podcast.

The fight went on and for the first time in 45 professional contests the man promoted by Dennis Hobson was entering a prizefight with no positive expectations. Just days before the fight, Woods’ best friend implored him to turn around and come home. Given the fact that a withdrawal was off the table, and fans had travelled over to see their hero perform, it remained a non-option.

“It’s the only regret in my boxing career -which was a long career of 16 or 17 years- that I should’ve pulled out a few weeks before. Things werent right,” added Woods.

Also in the video Clinton talks about the much-discussed bout with Joe Calzaghe that never happened, his three gruelling fights with Glen Johnson, 12 rounds with the hard-punching Tavoris Cloud, the night he beat American dangerman Rico Hoye to win a world title and much more.

You can catch the interview in full here: