Beyond Boxing: Recent Episodes
Highfield Boxing
For over a decade, boxing fans have waited for Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury to finally meet. In heavyweight boxing, 10 years is an eternity. It’s the difference between your prime and your decline.Fast forward to 2026, and last weekend made one thing painfully clear: both men are in rapid decline. Neither looks capable of competing with the elite anymore. At this stage, it feels as though they’re both searching for one final payday before walking away.The biggest irony? I don’t think the Joshua–Fury fight happens at all.
What a career Errol Spence Jr. has had.When history judges him, I think he’ll be remembered as one of the rare elite fighters who took on every challenge. No ducking, no waiting for opponents to age, no protecting an unbeaten record. He fought virtually everyone there was to fight at welterweight, and fought almost all of them in or around their prime.
Changing the manager will not fix anything. The England football problems are the same as the British boxing problems.We have a society that are not mentally resilient but what is even worse is that we have very few, if any internal drivers to be great collectively.How do we fix this?
Boxing loves to shoot itself in the foot. How can we go from Jaron Ennis and Xander Zayas giving us one of the best fights we’ve seen in the last 10 years to having to deal with Tyson Fury fighting Mariusz Wach. With him then offering his fig leaf of charitable donations when he could easily cover the charitable donation on his own, But once again, he just wants to milk the fans for what he can.I guess this is kind of Boxing’s version of the sublime they’re ridiculous
It’s notoriously difficult to get removed from a no-entry or travel prohibition list. In Tyson Fury’s case, how he’s managed to do so remains unclear. Whether additional concessions were required is anyone’s guess. What does seem possible is that he may have had to cooperate with certain interests along the way, and perhaps that’s simply how the world works.If there’s one sport that prepares you for the murky realities of politics, it’s boxing. The sport has always been filled with backroom deals, conflicting agendas, and missed opportunities.The reality is that an Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury fight now seems increasingly unlikely. Not only has the chance to create a truly global event slipped away, but public interest has faded as well. Anthony Joshua doesn’t appear as invested in boxing as he once was, and Fury hardly seems fully committed either. Both men often seem more focused on building their brands than delivering the fight fans have wanted for years.As boxing fans, we’re left with a familiar feeling: watching the biggest fights fail to materialize until they’re well past their prime, only to be asked to pay premium prices for what remains. A contest that could have defined an era now risks becoming just another example of boxing’s talent for squandering its biggest opportunities.
You can’t help it feel that watching the Zuffa card was like watching a Boxxer card from 2023.So, if you’re Ben Shalom you must be sat at home raging that the fighters you help build have just been taken from you, and put in exactly the same place you left them, and you received no compensation. No thank you no reward no nothing. That must really hurt.
Last night’s main event had all the ingredients of a defining moment—but instead, it left us debating the referee. As Rico Verhoeven pushed himself against the elite pedigree of Oleksandr Usyk, the fight was hanging in the balance. He was under pressure, no doubt, but still on his feet and within touching distance of the bell. And that’s where the controversy begins.Should the referee have stepped in when he did? Or should Verhoeven have been given the chance to make it back to his stool and reset? In combat sports, referees walk a tightrope between protecting fighters and allowing contests to reach a natural conclusion. Get it wrong, and the story shifts, from the athletes in the ring to the official in charge.
What are we just seen? Seriously? What have we just seen? We have seen the most dramatic world title fight we’ve seen in the UK for a long time. We saw two men put their bodies and literally their lives on the line, and you wonder if either Man will be the same again. In a perverse way, that is exactly why we love the sport of boxing.
Doping is a serious problem in boxing. Whether the sport is dirty, or people are sailing too close to the wind, something has to change.We also need to look at why VADA is catching everyone and UKAD is catching nobody. What of VADA did other sports, what would they find?
When we hit the milestone episodes, you know I have to go back to the essence - where it all started.So today, i am joined by martin and Andi, the legends that built the New Age Boxing podcast, father to much of what came after.Not sure what we did today, but we had fun writing a few wrongs and poking a few bears.Enjoy.
Without doubt, Moses Itauma is a special talent and you sense his moment will arrive soon.The hope is that his career lasts a long time and that means he has the pressure of remaining hungry, dedicated and in love with the sport.What a good feeling it is to see big shows, in big arenas, in the UK. You cannot beat that atmoshere.
Geopolitics have really accelerated the boxing recession. Everyone is fighting for the last few dollars left on the table, but the fans aren't buying into all of it this time.
The fact that Mayweather-Pacquiao II is the biggest fight in boxing says everything about the mess boxing has become since they left the scene.Had we had the fights we deserved, maybe we wouldn't be watching this.But, respect to both men for never letting their standards drop and still being legitmate top 10 welterweights at their age.
Boxing is dog-eat-dog. Not many boxers get the opportunity to do the eating, but Conor Benn did.Watch the Matchroom Mujaheddin start attacking Conor, for their heroes and masters...
There’s clearly a lot more to this Conor Benn and Matchroom relationship than we are being led to believe because Conor would’ve made good money with Matchroom, and so for him to leave and move to Zuffa, and essentially relocate his whole career to the United States tells us that maybe the garden wasn’t as rosy as people made out.You never saw them being particularly close which is always a red flag. It’s the same with Anthony Joshua so you feel like Conor Benn moving to Zuffa Boxing has left Match very exposed and very devoid of star power in the UK.
It’s very hard if not impossible to to fight someone you’ve looked up to for a long time and Teofimo Lopez faced that challenge against Stevenson. He had to fight someone he knew was more skilled more experienced and an all-round better fighter. The sad part about it is he did nothing different to what he would’ve done had he fought anybody else a mistake that Stevenson prayed upon and that mistake made the fight very easy for Stevenson.People will now think less of Teofimo, but he remains a good fighter. It is just in the big moments, he’s not able to maximise his talent and that’s something he has to address.
The grass is rarely greener than where you are right now. Daniel Dubois has perhaps learned that lesson. In life, there is value in committing and building partnerships and legacies, which Daniel and Don Charles have a chance to do.
Dalton Smith has brought hope to Sheffield and this could be a new dawn for Yorkshire boxing.But... the big story is the fall-out from the movie Giant.Whichever side you go for just know that these relationships are more complex than we can ever learn from video interviews. What we can say is that both men will look at that period and know they could have handled the whole situation better.
The UK-Africa boxing experiment has been a disaster. It smells of colonialism, or at bet, a cynical cash-grab without having to invest in UK fighters.But, it points to the desperation these promoters have to make money at all costs, no matter how much damage it does to the brand.
When you carry on like Andrew Tate and you say the things that he says, the only way you should ever lose a fight is on your shield. You can never go out soft, the world will not allow you to go out soft after everything you have said.On Saturday night, we saw Andrew Tate go out soft he looked very hollow looked very weak, looked very human, very average and all he did in fighting Chase Demoor that way was give all of his opponents the ammunition they needed.Probably wasn’t the smartest decision.
When it’s all said and done, moments like this Jake Paul v Anthony Joshua circus will be the moment Boxing lost it soul. For generations, we were able to tell the public that the sport was so hard you had to be a specialist in this thing we called Boxing. We told people it took years of mastery. It took a very tough human being. It took a very special individual to be able to compete in Boxing and I think in the space of seven years the influencer community is showing us that actually it doesn’t. Boxing is not that special and once Boxing lost that tag of being special, the commercial opportunity started to filter away because it just became a murky corrupt sport where people seem to want to launder money in and out of the sport…and now we’re here.
That Monaco show was disastrous for a few prospects who will clearly never be world champions now.It also gave Eddie Hearn a chance to clear some. Deadwood out the stable.
When someone like Jeami TKV upsets the odds, we should celebrate it because it is a chance for them to change their lives because that is what this sport is about.We need more warriors like him and Frazer Clarke to take the sport forward.
When you hear that theme music, you know it's serious.Boxxer blew threw an estimated £32m of our money to give us a worse stable than they started with.This BBC deal feels like the last days of Boxxer. Can anyone see them turning it around? You cant have a circus bear dancing around before a fight against a nail technician. It degrades the sport.
Anthony Yarde has to be the best managed boxer in recent British boxing history. The young man is a millionaire. He’s fought for world titles three times against three people who will definitely be on the ballot for the Boxing Hall of Fame and he’s been able to secure endorsement deals and hopefully secure future for himself and his family But none of that should mask over the fact that this weekend is revealed how poor the standard of British Boxing actually is we are in no position to call ourselves of global force when it comes to Boxing.
Conor Benn may not be the most talented, but he is determined and you can see the progress he has made in the last 5 years. Whatever people say, the kid is a contender in three weight classes.
It’s been a crazy year for Anthony Joshua and you have to suspect that there are problems for him in the ring and there are problems for him outside the ring. What those problems are, not many of us know but we know that there are problems, and it seems that is the reason he’s no longer in the UK. Now, what that means for his career very hard to say but it’s very strange that none of the media outlets are asking the right questions.
When two men go to war like Fabio Wardley and Joseph Parker did, there are no losers.What a fight and what a story Fabio Wardley’s career is becoming.Rocky really lives amongst us. The man’s life is a movie.
A long time ago I said Turki and the Saudis saw boxing as a tool, not a passion project. Wardley-Parker is proof that they won't burn cashon fights that do not serve their aims.For those fights, the fans have to pay.
Dave Allen’s spirited effort just wasn’t enough to overcome the power and precision of Arslanbek Makhmudov. Despite coming off a huge knockout win over Johnny Fisher back in May, Allen fell short on the scorecards, with all three judges giving the fight to the Russian, even after Makhmudov had two points deducted for holding.Where does Dave go now, and is this down in the hole Matchroom are now?
There is no doubt that Crawford is the best of this era, but we have to stop with the Floyd comparisons because he was one of one.Crawford winning against Canelo has disrupted the boxing money train temporarily as he will not find an opponent to give him the payday he wants.Boers on OnlyFans....stop please.
Ricky Hatton, known as “The Hitman” and beloved by legions of fans, passed away on 14 September 2025 aged 46. Born in Stockport, Greater Manchester, Hatton turned professional in 1997, going on to carve out a storied career in the light‐welterweight and welterweight divisions. He captured world titles, most memorably defeating Kostya Tszyu in 2005, and amassed an outstanding record of 45 wins in 48 fights. Hatton’s appeal transcended his ring achievements. His ferocious, all-action style won him dedicated fan support, tens of thousands followed him even across oceans.  Afterwards, he was open about life’s battles: depression, substance abuse and the challenge of life once gloves were off. His frankness on mental health made him a powerful figure of empathy in British sport. Ricky Hatton’s legacy will endure, as a warrior in the ring; an everyman who made the extraordinary seem within reach; and a voice for those whose fights happen outside it.
Canelo Álvarez, dominant at super-middleweight, brings size, power, and championship pedigree into his defense against Terence Crawford, the undefeated tactician jumping two weight divisions. Canelo’s physicality, granite chin, and ring experience give him clear advantages, but Crawford’s timing, adaptability, and counterpunching make him a live threat. The fight represents a clash between natural strength and pure skill: can Crawford’s precision offset Canelo’s size? The bout could redefine pound-for-pound supremacy and boxing history.
In today's news...Moses won - first round stoppage.Frank won - he got to see one of his enemies humbled by a 20 year old.Dillian won - He was paid handsomely at a time when he was on the outside of boxing looking in.However, this week, Don Charles lost. He paid a heavy price for trying to manage an unmanageable situation. A good man, done wrong.
Dillian Whyte stands in the last chance saloon if he wants one last run at glory. Blocking his other is Moses Itauma, a young man in a rush towards greatness.Can Dillian upset the odds and add one more chapter to his storied career?
Ben Shalom has faced a rough start to 2025. But, it looks like life is a bit more stable for him with the announcement of a deal with the BBC.The real question is whether Ben can bring the glamour back to boxing on mainstream TV.
Who doesn't love a party? Definitely not boxing fans.They had done it before and it worked, but they confused luck with destiny and paid a heavy price.Whatever we say about partygate, there wasn't a version of Daniel Dubois that would have beaten Oleksandr Usyk.
You can't promise history and then expect us to praise effort.This whole Usyk-Dubois experience has felt like a massive ponzi scheme, with only the boing fans losing out again...My sense is that Usyk learned from the first fight, make adjustments based on what he saw and felt, delivering a completely different performance.We saw the Same DDD two years later, maybe at a lower level.We have to ask why.
Usyk is the greatest heavyweight of this generation and maybe the greatest boxer of this generation.That’s the headline.
Boxing is a cruel game, made even worse when you. Arty the burden of the family name on your back. But, we are now seeing that you cannot escape the fundamentals of boxing - sacrifice, skill, strength and grit - no matter who your dad is.ForMy two oence, I think Campbell Hatton had the hardest job, replacing a man that many still remember fighting and the first Brit to have their career enshrined on social media.It was always going to be hard.
Benn-Eubank II and Canelo-Crawford are cartoon fights. These are fights that are just there to keep revenue ticking over. These are not fights the fans really care about - maybe the hardcores at a push, but that's about it.Boxing will struggle until boxing fans demand real fights over action movies.
You can’t say you’re a free agent on your promoter’s show.It was a poor decision by Richardaon Hitchins and maybe it reflect the overall lowering of standards in boxing.
The Fabio Wardley fairytale continues.The Callum Simpson trim nearly detailed Boxxer are set for a full reboot.…Only in boxing
Boxing is such a cruel sport.By winning. Dave Allen has increased his earning potential significantly and in losing Johnny Fisher has very tough career choices to make.It is a reminder that as much as Boxing is something that we has fans look at as fun, to those in the ring it is deadly serious and because it is deadly serious it is very important to have the right team around you. That includes your trainer and in many cases, and it’s not just Johnny Fisher, boxers have been trained by people who will never be good enough to help them fulfil their potential and maybe that is the biggest danger we face in boxing right now.
Did the pandemic of 2020 do more to hurt boxing than simply deprive boxing fans of fights that they wanted to see?As time goes on it’s clear that there’s a lost generation within Boxing a group of amateurs who missed 2.5 years of vital development that would’ve helped their career immeasurably.As a result what we’re seeing amongst this generation is many of these boxes trying to play catch-up without being given the opportunities to catch up.
Make sure you listen to EP258 first.There is only so much money you can throw at boxing before you get diminishing returns.At the moment, it looks like boxers are just boxing to get paid, and have no desire to entertain the fans. The contrast between Eubank-Benn and the boxing in New York, Vegas and Saudi Arabia couldn't be more obvious.I think we will see the Saudi's focus on the fighters that entertain and not the ones with the names. They are determined to maximise their value from boxing.
Eubank-Benn gave boxing one of its truly great moment.But, as is the case with boxing, we end up with drive-thru boxing at Times Square.It feels like Turki Alalshaikh is realising how challenging boxing can be at times.It is a lesson, we cannot always chase our wins in boxing.We have to let the sport ebb and flow naturally, without too much interruption.
There’s nothing a son treasures more than the bond with his father, the love, the validation, and that bond can drive a man to extraordinary heights.On Saturday night, we witnessed Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn do exactly that. Driven not just by their own ambitions, but by the legacy of their fathers, and by the love and validation of the British public, they gave us one of the great nights in British boxing.Two men, laying everything on the line. Two men, fighting for more than just victory. And in doing so, both earned something far greater, the admiration and love of the public, after years of chasing it.The shame is, nights like this are rare. Boxing can deliver stories like these again and again… but too often, the sport takes the easy road, chasing quick money rather than building the deep, powerful narratives that make nights like this so special.Tonight, we dive into why Saturday mattered, and what boxing needs to learn from it.
Sunday night was a defining moment for Ben Whittaker, his career was on the line, and he delivered. In what was his first big test under real pressure, he showed composure, skill, and raw emotion. The post-fight antics? That’s just the relief and passion boiling over. Cut the kid some slack, he’s a huge talent, and this is only the beginning. Let’s break it all down.
Chris Eubank Sr has been vocal about his concerns regarding his son Chris Eubank Jr's upcoming fight with Conor Benn. He is worried about the weight disparity between the fighters, calling the fight a "disgrace" and a "farce." Eubank Sr emphasised the risks involved, particularly with Eubank Jr having to drop weight and Benn moving up two weight classes, which he believes could endanger both fighters
Carl Froch started off as the hardcores’ spokesman, but he has slowly turned into another tool of the machine.Maybe it’s hard to leave the limelight after being such a great fighter, but surely integrity has to mean somethingThe Conor Benn interview did everything it wasn’t meant to do but gave fans nothing of what they need.In doing that, they have shredded the. Skye and credibility of the Froch on Fighting channel.
The partnership between Queensberry Promotions and DAZN has been met with enthusiasm from boxing fans and industry insiders. Frank Warren, the head of Queensberry, expressed excitement about the collaboration, highlighting DAZN’s commitment to boxing and its ability to provide a one-stop platform for fans. The deal ensures that Queensberry’s fighters, including Tyson Fury, Moses Itauma, and Fabio Wardley, will now be showcased exclusively on DAZN.The move is seen as a major shift in boxing broadcasting, consolidating top-tier talent under DAZN’s umbrella alongside promotions like Matchroom and Golden Boy. Fans have welcomed the convenience of accessing multiple promotions in one place, while Warren emphasized the global reach this partnership offers.
We are seeing the early signs of a boxing recession. The money coming into the sport is falling and the sources of those funds are reducing.For too long, people took from boxing without putting in, and now people are seeing the result of that, with the talent pipeline looking weaker every year.maybe this is what boxing needs.Dance Under The lights Podcasthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTFJgjTotZw&pp=ygUfZGFuY2luZyB1bmRlciB0aGUgbGlnaHRzIGJveGluZ9IHCQlRCQGHKiGM7w%3D%3DSharp Betting Podcasthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xbIXpXsGjw&t=1s
The Saudi-backed boxing league faces an uphill battle to succeed.What can Dana White do that Al Haymon, with a stable of generational talents, plus $500m in capital do?It feels like Turlki Alalshaikh is now serious about making a profit from boxing, so expect purses to fall but activity levels are about to rise.
We have a rematch that might be the end of one elite career.Both Beterbiev and Bivol had to dig deep into their reserves of courage and heart to survive.Have they got enough left to go again?This Saturday we will find out.
Boxing such a cruel sport. Due to the nature of the sport it’s very important to get your first step perfect.Too many times we see boxers get their start in the game completely wrong and they never get that moment back, and they never get the momentum back, which means they never fulfil their potential.If you are a boxer, be very careful about making that first move because you never get a second chance.
Derek Chisora is proof that Boxing is really about hard men. Hard durable men last the longest in the world of Boxing and it’s good to see him have this Indian summer to his career.
Who is Conor Benn really and does he even know?Sometimes it is easier not to pretend and I’m trying to be Nigel Benn II, maybe Conor is hurting his career.April 26th will tell us a lot more.
Does boxing really need its own Oscars night? Have they really given the fans all they want? or, is this another chance for more back-slapping?these sort of events are great for the camera and microphone jockeys and not that great for the fans.But...when you are a promoter with your own show on the same night, where should you be?
IF WE CAN DO 300 TICKETS WE'LL DO A LIVE SHOWI promise, there is really good boxing content in this episode, when you get to it.It was good to finally get back with the guys and record.We give our take on the last year in boxing, and in life, picking up on the bigger themes that are shaping boxing as a sport.There's more we could have covered, but there are only so many hours in the day.Enjoy this episode and if you like it, please share and subscribe.
There are three things that make a boxer elite:The ability to control any opponent and take away their strengthsThe ability to impose your will on your opponent andThe focus required to do those two consistently for 12 rounds.On Saturday night, one man did it, and rightly won, and the other just couldn't.These fights are always about the finest f margins and Usyk had all of those.
A short discussion on what both Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have to do to win on Saturday night.Honest views from a podcast that cares.
The more I've read and listened to info on the Conor Benn saga the more I think this is a cover up about the failings at UKAD.Nobody has challenged the validity of the VADA tests and now that the process is over, Conor Benn is unwilling to talk on the subject. It feels like UKAD need him to be silent, more than he needs to share his side of the story.There are huge issues here that need clarifying.
If we didn't have Frank Warren domestic boxing in the UK would be fried.How did it get so bad?As fans we either get historic fight cards, or really bad fight cards, with no in-between.What we saw this weekend was a dark omen for what is to come if we don't start addressing things now.
Galal Yafai shocked British boxing with a one-sided demolition of Sunny Edwards.The odd thing about the fight was how easy it was. At that level no boxer should be able to tee off with bagwork combinations.it was like watching somebody doing padwork on another human body.Hopefully, this is the springboard to success for Galal Yafai.
It's a worrying time when you see Eddie Hearn using the tactics he used to laugh at other promoters for using.But it goes to show how far the pendulum has swung away from Matchroom in the last 3 years.Also....NOBODY ASKED FOR CHISORA V WALLIN!!!!
For anyone that can help Christian Allcorn, you can contact him on Twitter - @ChristianAllco1 Or Linkedin -https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-allcorn-87057023/Many will be disappointed with this fight, but I am proud of Mike Tyson.It takes real heart to wake up at 58 years old, as a millionaire, and find it in you to train for a fight. He may never be what he was, but that warrior spirit never leaves you.Only casual fans can be disappointed with what they saw. What did they expect a 58 year old man to do?As for Jake Paul, he cracked the boxing matrix - getting rich with no risk and no CTE.Netflix got 250m streams of fight that was pantomime, at best.Everyone is a winner.
6 1/2 years after Eddie Hearn, proclaimed design was the home of Boxing. Frank Warren has made the zone, the whole of Boxing 6 1/2 years of tools and insults a decade of his integrity being questioned BoxNation being questioned, and now Frank Warren seems to be the senior partner in the Suzanne situation and look this has been for years in the making maybe a bit longer and you have to respect Frank Warren for playing the long game while Eddie Hearn was burning up his his capital looking for short-term returns, but the most exciting thing the thing that put a smile on my face is the realisation that that Matchroom
A decade ago a group of young boxes including Ohara Davies, Anthony Yarde, Craig Richards and a few others became the first bridge between conventional media and social media.They were the first generation that proved you could demonstrate marketability through social media and while many others had social media before nobody utilised social media in such an effective way.They were almost the influencers of their day, and you wonder if the opportunity been available a decade ago would these guys are promoted their own shows.Would they have become KSI of the Jake Paul’s of their era?As we sit on the verge of watching this generation slowly work their way out of Boxing it might be time to give them their 💐.
When the two best fight to be #1 in their division, you expect it to be close.So, when it is close, you can’t be surprised at the result.Beterbiev and Bivol gave their best, and now, we should let them go their separate ways and allow the division to freshen up.
Beterbiev versus Bivol, is the Hardcore’s dream matchup, but this fight doesn’t seem to have gathered much traction in the mainstream media.Is this is down to the effect of Anthony Joshua versus Daniel Dubois, and the kind of emotional fatigue that boxing fans will have after such a big event? It poses a question, are we having too much boxing in a short space of time, and not giving fans the opportunity to appreciate what could be a historic era in Boxing?
With Anthony Joshua versus Daniel Dubois now complete. We have an opportunity to reflect on what was one of the most spectacular seven days in British boxing history, and the big winner in the last seven days have been Don Charles, with his reputation, greatly enhanced, and many of the things he’s been saying for years finally vindicated.For many others, it means a reassessment of careers and in the case of Josh Warrington, we get to say goodbye to a British boxing legend.
We’re so close to fight night, and this week has been a week or so many plot lines. From the status of Don Charles being debated to the tension between Willy Hutchinson and Joshua Buatsi, and the weigh-in on Friday was kind of a good moment to bring everything together. Fans were in good spirit. The promoters in good spirit. The boxers were clearly focused and energised, and it made for a great spectacle.Boxing wouldn’t get this kind of spectacle without the Saudi money being involved and at some point, we have to accept that their money is just as good as anyone’s money.
There is no question that Anthony Joshua is a massive favourite in this fight against Daniel Dubois.From his experience, power, size and strangely enough skill, he has a lot of things over Daniel, but the real test is whether he still has the desire in his mid thirties to to be the man in the division again.To do so he’ll have to stop Daniel Dubois in an emphatic performance in order for us to believe that he could beat Usyk or Tyson Fury.But, there are many ways that Joshua can win and in this episode, we will focus on some of the keys to victory for Anthony Joshua.
There is an argument to say that Daniel Dubois has not lived up to the potential he had as a as an 18 or 19-year-old making his way in the professional ranks.But, he has shown his resilience and ability to fight back from setbacks to finally become a world champion. On September 21 he has the opportunity to cement his reputation as a genuine world Champion by beating Joshua, easily his hardest challenge.Here’s how he can do it.
Does a promoter have the right to recoup their investment costs from the fighters? Matchroom have spent a lot of money promoting Joe and get him to world title status and it looks like now Eddie is in for a cash out mode and Joe Cordina, while not necessarily happy with it, has to accept that this is just how it works in boxing.
This is a great opportunity to shake off some ring rust, and kind of feel my way back into recording.Boxing is in a really interesting place. There’s a lot less money in boxing than there used to be and as such, you have more people chasing less money and we are starting to see the effect of that on both international and domestic boxing.
In August 2024 everybody is an expert on gender.Everyone is quick to the label someone as trans when we don’t even have a workable definition of gender for sport.We lack a workable test with workable thresholds. People talk about these matters like XX versus XY is that simple when, as a human race, we haven’t gender tested at scale ever and now were literally about to start gender testing women just to prove they are women.Is there anything more degrading than that?Deep down a lot of the men defending women in this case do so because of a sexist view of how fragile women are.
While there is juice in the lemon we will keep on squeezing.I guess that’s the philosophy of boxing for where we are in 2024.As long as these ageing stars can give us entertaining fights they will keep creating entertaining fights because the new generation it doesn’t seem that there up there yet and so I can understand the value in a Joe Joyce versus Derek Chisora.
Is Boxing in South London working? Now, we’ve seen so many boxes from south London Chamberlain, Riakporhe, Azeez, Bentley, Cheeseman all winning titles, but we’ve never felt confident that at the top level we had guys that can do it. In fact we haven’t had a guy we felt confident could dominate since David Haye.Is that a sign that is the problems run deep in South London Boxing, I think so.
So the Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney saga continues.It now looks like both guys could be on the shelf for a whole year with Ryan Garcia serving a drug ban and Devin Haney, seemingly needing to get his whole life correct before he boxes again.The sum total of it is, in the 140 pound division we’ve got chaos where we thought we were getting close to order and so for the next year we are going to get inundated with flights that we didn’t ask for but we’re going to get anyway.
Boxing is such a hard way to make money, but it’s an even harder way to build a singular proposition. What Turki is proposing to do in buying up promotional companies to create a boxing league is commercial madness. It taps into the ongoing boxing saga of finding rich men and separating them from their money. The shameful thing is that people don’t see it coming. Boxing is so good at massaging egos, boosting peoples self-esteem, and then making them pay for the pleasure.
A man should be able to have a beer in peace without the media watching and reporting on it, but when it comes to Tyson Fury and his history with substance abuse and depression, it’s always a worry to his fans and those that care about him.When you dig deeper, and you look below the surface. You remember that this is the guy who, as much as he tells you that he’s a fighting man in his heart and soul he’s not a born fighter. He’s a guy that had to learn how to be a fighter and that can play well for the public, but in reality, if that’s not who you are it could cause problems for you further down the line.
Top-level, Boxing is a rough rough spot. The one thing you should never do is deviate from who you actually are in a boxing ring.On Saturday. We saw Deontay Wilder, try and be somebody he’s not. Now, the real questions to ask did that win over Robert Helenius and the effect it had on him post fight, did that change his outlook on knockouts or was the Tyson Fury fight so traumatic to him that he’s never been the same? Maybe we will never know the answers, but the question do need to be asked
The waiting is over we finally get Matchroom versus Queensbury five versus five supposedly the best versus the best If we are being honest, we know there is a large amount of politics at play here and if you’re being transparent Eddie has probably sent the B team out and Frank has sent his A team.As great a card as this is we don’t feel that it’s as competitive as it would’ve been four years ago when there was supposedly real animosity between Matchroom and Queensbury this feels like forced niceness and the fans we have to ask whether they are being taken for a ride.
I was wrong about Usyk I can hold my hands up. I was 100% wrong about the man. He showed on Saturday night what it is to be truly eliteIn a fight that was going against him for the first seven rounds, for him to turn it around, shows the mark of the man and shows why he’s a champion.We have to see him as a great now.
We're finally here. We finally get one face, one king of boxing.Now will it be Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk?I don't think the answer is obvious, but I hope the analysis here helps.
Sometimes it’s easy to forget how dangerous boxing is.No parent should ever have to bury their child and this weekend was a reminder that for all the things we say, all the issues we talk about in boxing, boxer safety should always, and I mean always, remain top of that list.We may not be where we want to be but we are further ahead than we were a decade ago.However, that doesn’t ease the pain for the family of Sherifdeen Lawal. That doesn’t ease the pain for those who trained with him those who fought against him and those that knew him more widely.These events are heartbreaking because we promise to keep your kids safe in our sport and when we can’t it hurts.RIP SHERIFDEEN LAWAL. 
So Ryan Garcia fails a drugs test. He failed for Ostarine and he failed for nandrolone and these are worrying substances because no boxers should really have them in the system. We’ve been through this so many times with boxers that it’s no longer a joke and everything that Larry said it’s turning out to be correct. Now that Boxing has a massive drug problem and this drug problem is allowed to happen because of the cracks between the lack of a governing body. weak sanctioning bodies, promoters and TV networks who all incentives to make sure that the show goes on regardless of failed drugs tests?.
As always, click the link for everything.https://linktr.ee/highfieldboxingWe’ve all been able to witness the Ryan Garcia’s victory tour and as much fun as it has been and as interesting as it has been, I think we’re at the point now where those close to Ryan Garcia need to put their arms around him and bring him back down to earth, getting back in the gym and getting back training. The scandal around Team GB selecting Amy Broadhurst to represent them in the final Olympic qualifier might just be the biggest story in boxing this year.
When two people spend their formative years as rivals, it is hard to understand how intense a fight between them as men can be. Add to that, the eyes of the boxing world, and you have something that has the capacity to bend minds and upset odds.Ryan Garcia surprised the world in beating Devin Haney, despite the antics leading up to the fight. In truth, if someone was going to expose Haney for the man he is, it was always going to be Ryan Garcia.
We finally get the Queensberry v Matchroom clash we were promised in the pandemic – only took us one vaccine and 4 boosters to get there.As boxing fans, we should be happy that we have a big card, which has meaning, supported by 5 really strong fights.The only dark cloud is whether we are running this Saudi experiment at the expense of our domestic British boxing product.In terms of British boxing, the decline of London amateur boxing has been hard to take. We have become so smug, stealing ideas off the internet, and sharing clips of things we cannot do, or teach, that our boxers are suffering.Until we can bring hard work back into our gyms. Until our coaches can emphasise their own skills, we will remain behind the rest. We could learn a lot from The North right now.
What is going on with our promoters? It seems like chaos in the worlds of Hearn, Warren, and Shalom.It’s a great soap opera for men that like to be the little spoon, I guess. However, it doesn’t help make the sport stronger.The sad bit is, now that Eddie and Frank are forced to be cool, Eddie has taken to bully Ben Shalom. Yes…this is really how a middle-aged man is behaving.
Before anything, a few ‘thank yous:’Alfie Warren - @alfieRwarrenWarren Boxing Management - @warrenboxingmanagmentHannah Rankin - @team_rankinRival Boxing Gym - @rivalboxinggymkingsxAmy Andrew - @amyandrewboxingHuman Hussain - @numan007hussainMasood Abdulah - @mas_masood1Steve Broughton - @sb_boxing_We are in the era of boxing where we have media created personalities that seem to be everywhere in the sport.media personalities that end up training fighters, managing fighters, and promoting fighters, without them having worked their way up the ladder.With Alfie Warren you have someone who is really from the sport, his bloodline is boxing. Boxing is what he knows and through that he’s been able to come up the right way and now with his brothers and Warren Boxing Management, they have an opportunity to show the public what they can do.Hopefully, you enjoy the first outside recording in over 300 episodes.
The world needs more superheroes…It’s very rare that you get a British title fight where two men leave everything in the ring, where two men go to places they’ve never been before, and where they find out things about themselves that they never knew.It is so rare to see that Sunday’s fight between Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke, even though it ended is a draw, elevated both men to a new level of love and affection from the boxing fans and hopefully, to a new level commercially.If only we had more of these fights in the United Kingdom, because we’ve got enough names and enough talent to do so.If only we were able to get more of these fights on television more more often we could grow the sport of boxing to a new level. 
At some point, British boxing has to address its issues around doping. Doping in Boxing has massively watered down the credibility of the sport and left us in a position where we don’t believe results anymore. We don’t believe fighters are clean and we don’t believe our boxes are competing with honour.UKAD and the British Boxing Board of Control won their appeal against the National Anti-Doping Panel, which means one of two things is true:1. Conor Benn will hold his hands up and take his punishment then we can move on or2. The Board. will simply say he is not welcome back in a British ring.However it goes, we need a line drawn under the situation as fast as possible. 
What do you do if you’re Canelo?Do you chase legacy or do you chase money, or do you chase safety?It seems clear that Canelo is at the point in his career where he is chasing safety in terms of safe paydays and low risk fights, as if he’s built his legacy and has nothing further to prove.But, is this good for boxing when the main man in the sport, the money man in the sport, is not really trying to elevate anybody else and what future is there for boxing if the superstars are not prepared to give opportunities to up-and-coming stars?
For as long as the Saudi Arabia money flows into boxing Frank Warren won’t put any of his A team in a UK ring.So, what we going to get on TNT sport and in UK venues will be Frank’s B team, and on Saturday we got a glimpse of that and based on Saturday it’s not too promising. Nathan Heaney showed that, without enough of those serious fights against your rivals, it becomes harder and harder to defend your title .Credit to Brad Paul’s for a hell of a performance but he also suffers from the lack of big fight experience, but he is slowly building that up and hopefully both men are better for this experience.
You can define being a professional as, the ability to do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, in the way that it needs to be done.Anthony Joshua is the best example of being a professional from rarely being out of shape to very rarely being out the gym, he stays focused on his craft in a way that many of his rivals do not. What we saw against Francis Ngannou was the ultimate professional performance and maybe this marks the changing of the public’s relationship with Anthony Joshua and maybe this is the moment when Anthony Joshua becomes a national treasure.
Why is boxing on the decline in the West?Part of it has to be the lack of genuinely competitive and interesting 'big men.' It seems that there is a dearth of real talent in the bigger weight classes, allowing other nations to dominate.In the UK is it a question or 'rubbish in, rubbish out' as many speculate?
In this episode I give a quick(ish) rundown of the things I missed between episodes 199 and 200.Boxing is in a perilous place right now, but the promoters are happy to ignore that as they do their pilgrimage to the bottomless pit of money.It cannot last forever and when it ends, will that be boxing done?
It is incredible that this version of the pod has made it to 200. 100% of that is down to you guys. You are the best audience anyone could hope for.As a group we punch well above our weight and we will only get stronger.There are also others I need to thank for where the podcast is today:Martin and Andi – No idea why Andi hasn’t just changed it to ‘Y’ already, but these two are the reason I’m doing this.Riku – Always being a voice of reason and a genius when it comes to the art of communication.Greg Hackett – Added so much value with his USA perspective on boxing and his really simply but powerful way of explaining boxing.Umar Sadiq – Through the pod we got to witness how cruel boxing can be. But, it was also goo to know the Umar is enjoying his new life in Los Angeles.Isaac Chamberlain – It is so good to see him up where he belongs. Few have worked as hard as he has to get there.Donnall Smith – a man who gave a lot in his episodes. He still has his greatest nights ahead of him.Denzel Bentley – One of the classiest men in boxing. A man who I still believe will be a world champion.Larry Olubamiwo – The man, the episode…then the other episode.Shakiba Moghadam – An incredible woman who has done incredible things, and continues to do so.Dan Azeez – The man that climbed the mountain, and will do so again. One of the sport’s true gentlemen.There are so many others that support behind the scenes and I would run out of characters thanking them all, but they are so important in keeping me where I am in terms of the podcast and in terms of life.It’s been a hell of a ride and we are finished yet.
Joshua, Yoka, Dubois, how have three gifted athletes and boxers fallen so far below expectations?Also, will Day of Reckoning cut through beyond boxing ciricles?
Sometimes you watch a unification fight and expect a battle of equals. We didn't get that on Saturday.The gap in class surprised everybody and British boxing has to ask whether it builds boxers that are really good enough.At the moment, the answer is no.
The Conor Benn saga reappears. The Board are taking a strong stance on Conor Benn boxing in the UK.Is it 'better late than never for them to be taking such a strong stance and can Matchroom find a way though?
Boxing has a handful of people, men and women, that actively shape the lives of our young. Some of those are also able to create some of the best boxers this country has seen.Mick Carney was one of those guys.12 years later, we still miss him just as bad. A man that helped us become better, a man that brought us together under the banner of Fitzroy Lodge, will never be forgotten.
https://linktr.ee/highfieldboxingSo, we got all the boxers we wanted to see this year, but none of the fights we wanted to see.However, all is not lost because the card on December 23rd will be a lot better than Carry on Camping and Bambi on ITV2.
https://linktr.ee/highfieldboxinghttps://linktr.ee/highfieldboxing The battle for the worst weekend in boxing intensifies.Lat weekend's action is right up there in the trash stakes.The Newcastle show was interesting as it was a reminder that the talent pool in British boxing is poor and has been for a while.
What you do outside the ring will show in the ring as Andre Sterling once said.What we saw from Fury was a man struggling to cope with the realities of his physical condition, and a man out of love with boxing.When you love boxing you are faithful to it, loyal to it and the rhythms and routines it demands.Fury faced a man in Francis Ngannou who had a real point to prove, and my goodness did he prove it.Last night showed that Hard work is the match that lights up the talent.
If anyone has had a harder 5 years in boxing than Isaac Chamberlain, please send them my way.Watching him win the British and Commonwealth was the definition of a feel-good story and what we watch boxing for.In contrast Jack Catterall is sill waiting for his fairytale moment and it is likely that wait will continue well past his retirement.(0% of boxing is making the public care about you. You do that in the ring.
Tonight, we have two boxing shows that are a hard sell individually, and a hard sell collectively.As much as we are happy the boxers are getting paid, the fans should see some value for their time and expenditure.Until promoters, managers and boxers understand this, we are digging our own grave for boxing.As fans we also need to do better and stop watching things we don't think are good enough. At a time when the cost of eating and living is going up, the sport we love is not delivering the feel-good moments we need.
Say what you want but KSI has built a boxing business without having to work with the boxing business.He is proof that, in todays era, you need to be interesting more than you need to be talented.Until boxing realises that, the sport will continue to decline as it is held prisoner by the type of people you’d never buy a used car off.
Leigh Wood is having the best Indian summer to his career. The king of comeback wins pulls another one out the bag.He showed the value in being ready in key moments. Leigh saw his opportunity and he took it. No matter the opponent, real champions always find a way to win.Leigh Wood did that.
Weight classes matter in a specialised sport like boxing.Jermell Charlo found out the hard way in his defeat to Canelo.We also saw the showcasing of a new star to emerge from Australia in Jai Opetaia. However, is he a bigger nae than Tim Tszyu? This will be Eddie Hearn's next challenge.At Boxxer, we are seeing signs that all might not be well and maybe there are deeper issues that explain why they are delivering small-hall cards for the paying public.
Tyson Fury v Oleksandr Usyk looks like it has been agreed, but we will believe it when we see it.If it does happen, it will be the last chapter of an era that promised so much but delivered so little.When that boxing recession does happen, do not be afraid to go out and do other things.Enjoy your life.
https://linktr.ee/highfieldboxingBoxing is cruel. One punch can undo a whole lifetime's worth of work. But, should we be so hard on Joe Joyce?Here is a man that said yes to every challenge and was fine being an underdog - the kind of fighter we want. Yet, when he loses, we are so quick to turn.Until boxing fans are more balanced in their views, we will struggle to build stars and get real 50/50 fights.
https://linktr.ee/highfieldboxingThe public are upset with Conor Benn being able to fight on Saturday. I can see why they are, but the people that should have been able to stop him failed to do so. It’s also at a point where it’s better that he is banned or he boxes because we are tired of the soap opera now.We have a major problem with governance in boxing.The lack of clear governance and leadership is turning fans off the sport at a time when it needs all the support it can get.
https://linktr.ee/highfieldboxingThis week it’s all about the audience questions.There are a few questions, but we’ll get through them in a couple of episodes this week.
This time they will blame the Saudis for the Anthony Joshua-Deontay Wilder fight falling through.But, what about the last 7 years? What explains those.It is convenient that the shifting political sands in the Saudi Royal Court have scuppered the fight, but it was a result of sitting on the egg long after the chick should have hatched. The real winners in all of this are the Furys, who have shown the Saudis that they are willing to support their ambition in any way they can.
It is strange to say that, this was the most Eubank has looked like Roy Jones Jr, ever. In doing that, Jr was able to dominate Liam Smith. It is a journey of redemption that many did not expect, but one that boxing needed. You also have to feel for Liam Smith. It was a rough day at the office. we must ask how on earth he gained 42 pounds in any way shape or form.
If that body shot was thrown on a Friday night in York Hall, it would be called as fair.
We have seen those shots allowed and we have seen them penalised. that is where the controversy comes from.
This probably should have been called as fair, but the rules are the rules.
In a week where everyone in boxing had their say about everything, Terence Crawford goes on Joe Rogan to really speak his mind and in doing so, gave guidance to all the young boxers out there.
We need more guys to speak out, like Carl Froch is, about the boxing Deep State.
We give Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn a hard time, but they really are swimming in shallow waters when it comes to talent. That isn't their fault.
The reality is that our system isn't set up for success and if anything, the obsession with Team GB has set our boxing back twenty years.
It was a holiday snap shared on Insta. It was the body hair patterns in that picture that made me suspicious.
Now, it's a failed drug test that has proved me right. I didn't want to be right though.
Alycia Baumgardner was born genetically gifted, hat her confidence wasn't high enough to see that is the tragedy here. There is a chance she would have been good enough anyway.
Now, her career has a blemish on it, which we didn't need.
It is tricky to be balanced about AJ. On one hand, he gives us a great KO and worthy of highlight reel status. On the other hand... it is Robert Helenius.
The reality is somewhere in the middle. We have a good heavyweight, but one that is some way off greatness. But, we should enjoy him while we can because what comes after is worse.
We need more detail before we can comment fully on Dillian Whyte. What we can say is that boxing is a mess right now. However you slice it, Dillian needs better people, processes and systems around him so he can prepare for fights like an elite athlete.
Overall, the sport needs to deal with the doping crisis before boxing become a niche sport like bodybuilding and powerlifting.
Thanks to Greg Hackett for the intro - https://www.youtube.com/@ghbtv.9586
In a week where boxing delivered, we crowned two kings in Terence Crawford and Naoya Inoue. they stand atop the sport now as the leaders of this era.
Having said that, nothing should be taken away from their dance partners. In a sport where we demand the best fight the best, we cannot disrespect those that gave their all and came up short.
This is a week where our sport showed it best side.
This is the week boxing gives us a genuine superfight.
One man has risen through the weights to challenge for Welterweight supremacy against a man who has been unstoppable at the weight.
Who will win?
This is the week where boxing will show what makes it the best spectacle and sport on the planet. Two fights that will dictate the order of the P4P list happen this week.
Both fights are impossible to call, but this is what we crave as fans. This is the start for a good 8 weeks for boxing fans, so let us enjoy it while we have it.
We can be too down as boxing fans sometimes.
2023 has given us some epic events and good fights that we were struggling to get before. It is up to us to appreciate them and appreciate the sport we love so much because we are entering a busy and hopefully, entertaining period for boxing.
We get 4 heavyweight fights, and maybe a fifth, involving all the main actors in this saga.
Yet, between all ten, we don’t get one fifth that we really wanted.
If we waited this long, maybe we are destined to never get them, or get them too late.
But, we all hope Daniel Dubois can pull off the upset because that might change the dynamics.
Massive get well soon to Boxing King Media. We are all animals in the same ecosystem and we need each other to thrive.
Best wishes and a speedy recovery.
Conor Benn's journey through UK Anti-Doping has been done in reverse.
He started off with the least plausible defence and then ended up at the the most plausible defence - But a defence he already rejected as impossible.
How he digs himself out of this hole will be interesting.
We really need a clear view on what the Sky Boxing strategy is.
Apart from the Cruiserweights, where they have full control, they seem to be all at sea everywhere else.
Boxing loves a comeback and it has been a feel'good moment to have Teofimo Lopez back in form, with a career best performance. However, we should also cautious in writing off Josh Taylor. While he didn't win his performance was enough to have beaten any of his previous opponents.
Bit of a wind-down week in boxing this week as people prepare for holidays and bigger fights later in the years, but still some interesting stories developing.
The non-Bournemouth cards did a lot for the fans, but they could have done better.It is time to admit that Adam Booth is yesterday's man when it comes to boxing. It is also time we ask why Ireland cannot produce real champion boxers in the professional ranks.
The journey Chris Billam-Smith has been on, in and out the ring, is remarkable. It is also testament t the man's character that he has kept going in the face of adversity.It is hard to find a bad word to say about the man and the fact that he brought a world title to Bournemouth is incredible. There has to be a movie in that somewhere.
I do not think Lomachenko was robbed, but it was definitely a close fight and a reminder that, at that level, every round counts and you cannot afford to start slow.Huge praise to Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron for risking it all against each other can delivering for the fans. the men could learn from that.
The fact that Frazer Clarke and his team have pulled out of the purse bids to face Fabio Wardley is disappointing for the sport and its fans.One of two things must be true:1. 258 MGT know Sky have little faith in Frazer so had to show that with this whole episode or2. After spending heavily on fighter acquisitions, there is no budget for Frazer ClarkeEither way, these look like stormy times for Sky and BOXXER. Someone from that camp needs to come out and reassure fans about..everything
Nothing makes me happier than reuniting with my brothers. As a three, we opened up a lane of podcasting where fans got to see beyond the spin and the subterfuge.So, today, we reunite, 7 years after we came together, like Voltron, and hopefully we are still that barometer of where the fans when it comes to boxing.We always wanted to be more than a podcast and hopefully, our enduring friendship demonstrates that.
Conor Benn is having a conversion on the road to Damascus. He is now open to fighting in the UK again, after being steadfastly against it.Maybe the reality of his options has dawned on him, and hopefully, the reality of a ban will also dawn on him too.For the credibility for the sport, he must be punished, no matter how much he is loved by the public.
It is a crazy and maybe sad situation that the biggest star of the summer will be Chris Eubank Jr.With no AJ, and increasingly, no Fury, this might be as good as it gets.Does this fight end any different than the last one? It's hard to see how.
It is always good when we get a superfight with box boxers in their prime.We got that with Davis v Garcia. Boxing is the winner here and as much as we may want to criticise the ending, we need to remember that it's not us taking those shots.There will be a lot of ex boxers with an opinion, but never got to this level. Don't be like them.Let u rejoice that we got a fight when we were promised. It is so rare.
In some ways i feel for Eddie Hearn. He gets wheeled out to talk about a lot of things he doesn't understand, and often gets it wrong.Then again, he brings it on himself.This Conor Benn issue is a mess, and it is on his watch. No idea if it is him or his dad that are calling the shots, but everything backfired.
Instead of seeing this as a loss and demotion for Joyce, see it as Zhang adding himself into the heavyweight mix and making it interesting again. We want to see Zhang tested now, which add spice to the division
Why are the Americans so much better at producing stars than the Brits are?Why is it that, every three years they unleash a new wave of talent, while we mine out veterans to within an inch of their lives?How do we fix British Boxing?
Amir Khan is not innocent, but he did show how you handle a doping violation.Conor Benn should learn from this.
Anthony Joshua was rightly criticised for his performance against Jermaine Franklin, who ended up enhancing his own name in the process, but are we being fair?It depends on how you want to frame AJ's career. Tune in and see where this episode lands on this topic.
When Dave Coldwell loses faith in you, and he is Matchroom through and through, you know it is bad.The performance was not a disaster, but it wasn’t the spectacular statement we were promised. Is that because Anthony Joshua is on the downside of his career?The demands of his style on is body are massive and the demands on his mind and spirit from the public are even greater. Is it all catching up to Anthony Joshua now?
What a mad journey that has led Anthony Joshua and Jermaine Franklin to the O2 on April 1st.Whatever you think of AJ, the man did beat the odds of life and now sits in a position where he can take or leave boxing.The question is, after Saturday, which will he choose?
This weekend we had three televised cards, and all of them were weak. This country does not have the talent pool to be spreading fighters so thin. It will kill the sport, at a time when fans have very little to be excited about.When will we hold promoters, other than Eddie Hearn, accountable because they should have put him out of business ages ago.The fact that he is still top of the tree is a sad indictment of where boxing is.
Timing is everything, and from looking like a guy on the verge of a crisis, Eddie Hearn has come out fighting these last few weeks.Maybe he knows he is on borrowed time at DAZN, because the experiment is not working.
When you have Dan Azeez firing, and you've got Ben Whittaker to come, signing Joshua Buatsi seems odd.Not a signing borne from desperation but maybe muddled thinking.Josh has flattered to deceive for 6 years now, and you suspect that, at his age, making the necessary progress to be truly elite may prove difficult.
Big congratulations to Dan Azeez - European Champion!We all though Eddie Hearn was the problem, and that, if we moved him out the way, all the big fights would happen.Well, it turns out he wasn't the problem, we still can't get the fights we want. Now, people wonder why the Youtube market is growing rapidly.
Conor Benn, in another badly advised move, decided to go on the piers Morgan show.As much as Piers tried to low-ball Conor and throw him some crumbs, Benn kept shooting himself in the foot.So, I had to say something.
Warren Boxing Management look like they might be bringing small-hall boxing back.Is this a start of something new, or has the boxing market rebounded post-COVID?Also, this is the time i pause to reflect on Haye-Bellew and the pivoltal effect it had on my life in boxing.
I guess Furyocity beats Prime.It is easy to hammer this as a gimmick fight, but all sports have gimmicks - events that sit outside the usual ebb and flow of the elite level of any sport.Boxing finally has its own version and it's a good thing.Where it's fair to challenge is whether it should have any boxing crossover at all. It feels like having current boxers and media figures connected leaves the fans confused.The real question is whether Tommy Fury could beat KSI.
https://linktr.ee/highfieldboxingEvery successful sport needs a strong governing body.Boxing doesn’t have one.The BBBoC do an amazing job on almost every facet of the sport, especially safety, but the Conor Benn scandal has shown how limited they really are.You’d never get these issues with the NFL, NBA, of Premier League.Until boxing fixes that, it’s a sport that will struggle to grow.
It is a rough time for Matchroom at the moment. They really need a win.The stable is weak, the golden geese are laying no eggs and DAZN customers are sticking the knife in by cancelling their subscriptions.
https://linktr.ee/highfieldboxingWith two of his cash cows coping with defeats and the other fighting a doping ban, Eddie Hearn has a lot on his plate.Making it harder is the reality that DAZN doesn’t need boxing in the same way and Hearn is an incidental part of its growth journey.How he copes with this will define a large part of his legacy. Currently, the glow recedes by the day and the halo has pretty much fallen off.
I will go on record and say Beterbiev will beat Bivol.Bivol is too conventional to be a threat, but it will be competitive
The aim in every title fight is to go the 12, do the championship distance, and prove you have the resilience and capacity to do it.Twice now, Anthony Yarde has started that climb, and twice he has had to stop.Is the real reason behind this the lack of competitive fights on his record.Would he benefit from a run at all his domestic rivals to build that resilience and in-ring stamina, which looks like the only missing piece?
Harsh reality is that the Eubank-Jones axis was doomed to failure.One finds t hard to coach and one finds it hard to listen.People need to choose their trainers carefully, because it's the fighter that has to live with the humiliation of a stoppage.
How many chances does somebody need to make a career for themselves?When you win everything you can as an amateur, and you still find yourself in 10-rounders nine years later, you have to ask where it went wrong.One place it didn’t go wrong was Hobson Promotions. There, your name was given meaning. In return, you were meant to hep elevate the promotion, but you chose to use Dennis Hobson as you stepping stone.If there is any justice, you will do the right thing and respect the man that made you relevant again.
Anthony Joshua’s career is a mess at the moment.Every drop of momentum has drained from his brand and career.How does he fix it?
Just a personal round up of the year, along with a few reasons to be cheerful.HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS!!!!
Where did it go wrong for AJ?it was probably that night at Wembley in April 2017 when Wladimir Klitschko nearly turned the lights out on the Joshua Project before it really got going.Something scared him that night because he was never really the same.The weaknesses we saw there have never really gone away and as much as many tried to hide them, we could still see them. Even worse, Andy Ruiz and Oleksandr Usyk could also see them.How does AJ go about repairing those in time to save his career?https://linktr.ee/highfieldboxing
What a performance from Dan Azeez, and we have yet to hit the ceiling on his potential.He did what he had to do, but did it well. He did it in a manner that will have a few contenders nervous.One thing about Dan is that he is a hard night's work for everyone.Looking for a big 2023 from him.
https://linktr.ee/highfieldboxingFury needed to be active, there were no worthy dance partners, so he helped a friend out with their finances. These things happen.It's a reminder to everyone to stay friends with people because you never know when they can help you.
https://linktr.ee/highfieldboxingThis is a good weekend for boxing.Four UK cards and one US card will keep us busy.So here’s a quick rundown of the last 7 days in boxing…helped by some Martell 😉.
https://linktr.ee/highfieldboxing
Denzel Bentley has done it the right way, the old-school way.
It allowed him to make the right kind of mistakes and learn from them.
This was also true on Saturday night where he finally boxed for a world title and even in defeat, grew as a fighter and as a man.
As much as Eddie Hearn throws rocks at Simon Jordan, he’s the only Pierson in the media who has asked many of the right questions.
As long as Hearn keeps talking, he seeds Ben’s reputation. Right now, Conor is seen as Eddie’s puppet. Between them, they think they can take on the governing body, like the Dillian Whyte situation.
The Board are prepared…
What a Saturday we had. From Australia to the united States, via the United Kingdom, we saw a great day of boxing. We saw a star crowned in Claressa Shields, a warrior unearthed in Savannah Marshall and The Bronze Bomber is back.
Hopefully, this is the start of an exciting run in boxing. We can only pray.
How to interact with us - https://linktr.ee/highfieldboxing?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=7a75fc16-7296-4389-a1b6-ed2ec9a0c369
It’s time we pulled Eddie HeRn off his porch. Over 4 years of him praising anti-doping against others and turning a blind eye when it is one of his cash cows.
We used the audio in the intro for a reason. There are real risks in this sport and we either take them seriously, or we don’t.
Is his time up?
However we slice it, the fall-out from the Conor Benn positive doping test has caused chaos in British boxing.
What is the point in VADA testing if there is no sanction after you test positive? For years Eddie Hearn told us that this was the gold standard in testing, and now he back away.
This fight should not go ahead.
Boxers mentioned:
Ellis Hopkins - https://instagram.com/ellishopkinsxx?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Brad Bethell - https://instagram.com/bradbmbbethell14?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Brad Goldsmith - https://instagram.com/bradgoldsmith_98?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Callum Blockley - https://instagram.com/callum_blockley?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Tyler Rivers - https://instagram.com/tylerrivers_?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Stanley Stannard - https://instagram.com/stanleystannard?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Don't forget to find us here: https://linktr.ee/highfieldboxing
Joe Joyce breaks all the coaching rules when it comes to boxing What he does shouldn't work, but it does. It REALLY does.. Joseph Parker is a credible gatekeeper in the heavyweight division and Joe simply ran through him like he wasn't there.
It is time we put some respect on this man's name.
Canelo-GGG was the fight that very few cared about. Luckily, it’s a shorty that is over now. At $85 the only real winner was DAZN and maybe Eddie Hearn.
Also, happy to see @danidavis_corner2corner doing his thing as a trainer. More power to him.
Offers are in and discussions are underway, so there is cause to be optimistic. We have also been here before, so we know that the wheels can come off at any time.
These are the peaks and troughs of being a boxing fan, but let us enjoy the ride while we can.
We have had a week to digest the Usyk-Joshua 2 aftermath and what is clear is that Eddie Hearn faces his toughest challenge.
The value stripped off AJ is hard to recapture since he is miles from the world title picture and if he looks to reclaim his throne, the fans will demand he does it the hard way.
Enjoy the episode and as always, the support is appreciated.
What is the Joshua project? It was the attempt to take a boxer and turn him into a standalone business. Anthony Joshua would be THE face of boxing and if the right image was created, the commercial deals would fly in for both the Joshua organisation and his promoter/broadcaster.
This meant we swallowed spin and BS in quantities never seen before, and many fans still do.
This defeat has to be the end of that because it has taken boxing to a dark place where reality becomes insignificant.
What we saw on Saturday night was a childish outburst from a man that has given everything to be great, but has been found wanting.
There is no shame in that, it is the fate for most of us. What is a shame, is ruining the greatest night in the career of another for your own gratification.
Anthony Joshua knows it himself, past all the muscle and the bluster, he simply lacks the skills to stay composed under pressure and the heart to rescue a losing situation. Those are the pre-requisites for greatness.
The tears were for a dream that he now realises will never materialise, something we all knew a while ago.
This episode gives the audience their voice. I am truly your servant in this episode.
Some great questions that forced me to think hard, but i enjoyed it.
please let me know what you think.
The biggest fight since...the last biggest fight, and ahead of...the next biggest fight is nearly upon us.
Can Joshua do anything different this time, or will the old demons return to haunt him?
The worst kept secret is out.
Conor Benn will fight Chris Eubank Jr. on October the 8th at the O2.
Yes, it feels like a money grab, but as fans this is a fight we'd have paid for, whenever it happened.
All we can do now is get behind it and make it a legendary occasion.
Not a bad Matchroom show on Saturday.
Hopefully they will accelerate Dalton Smith's progress because he has the foundations to be a world champion.
Can we also stop with the Matchroom gimmicks? Chinese food, Five Guys and all the other rubbish.
Saturday night was probably the best Sky show in terms of setting expectations. Everything seemed to go right for them and let us hope this is the start and the foundation now.
Isaac Chamberlain gave us fight of the year and the real shame is that there had to be a loser. In reality both fighters were elevated by this fight and the future is bright for both.
Probably some roster changes needed to sustain consistent entertainment. However, one name they got right was Ben Whittaker. To some, it's a no-brainer, but others will still need convincing.
The young man can do things that beggar belief and we should get behind him.
www.umarsadiq.com
One of the more fascinating people to have laced up a pair of gloves. In some ways, Umar Sadiq never needed boxing - qualified accountant, multiple interests etc - but it drew him in and gave him the platform to successfully tackle life.
We join him as he embarks on that next chapter and seeks to apply the lessons learned in the ring to the stage and screen.
Some additional ideas to build on Ep:102 Topics covered: Failures of S&C A weak gym culture Why a lot of boxers do not fulfill their potential How I approach all of this
British boxing is in crisis. At the heart of it is a simple truth. 90% of the boxers and coaches are not at the standard that we need to deliver world champions that can hold on tom their belts for years against the best.
For too long, boxing allowed anyone to be a trainer. If you had enough money to own a gym, you were a trainer. It meant that you had a lot of bluffers and fakers in the sport. That has led to our guys being too soft, too unskilled, and too comfortable with mediocrity.
Until the fans call out the failures and blaggers in the sport, they will continue to make it up as they go along, leaving the fans with nostalgia fights to get excited about.
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A year after the split between Matchroom and Sky, where are we now?
It’s so hard to remember who to thank. Here, I tried my best. It isn’t perfect, but it captures the sentiment. Mad to think that this podcast is still relevant after all these years. I couldn’t record this without a purpose and that purpose is to give the boxing fans moments. Those points in time, they will always remember because they stopped them dead in their tracks. As long as I feel I can still do those, I will carry on. But…that takes time and you have to let me help create those moments.
As thanks for an awesome episode please take a few seconds to follow - https://www.youtube.com/c/TheGymRatPackDoesEntertainment
In the podcast world, it is rare to have ‘moments’ events or conversations that create a clear split between before and after.
If you don’t believe me, name your favourite moment from the Sky Sports Toe-2-Toe podcast, or Costello and Bunce….there are none.
I have been lucky to have a couple over the years and the biggest impact was definitely the episode on drugs with Larry.
The episode went everywhere, across countries, seas, and even sports.
It had the boxing world looking at things differently.
It is only right that, as we celebrate episode 100, we revisit one of the great characters of my podcast run and give you a wider look at doping and where we are headed.
Fury showed a masterful display of 'rules-based' boxing on Saturday and reminded us that boxing is so simple when you know what you need to do in every situation.
There’s nothing we love as fans more than a knockout and Tyson Fury delivered that emphatically.
The big surprise was that on the biggest stage of his career, we saw the meekest version Dillian we have ever seen. Sometimes, the gods destroy a man by giving him what he desires. That may have been the case here.
However, nothing should take away from what Dillian has achieved, for himself, and for those he is responsible for. It is a truly a rags to riches story.
The Daniel Kinahan situation has shown up the mess that boxing is in. Far from an elite sport, it is a hiding place for general criminality, with many results now subject to question.
At the heart of this is one question – where were the checks and balances to ensure that the right people occupied the right positions in the sport?
Now, we will see the whole thing crumble, but who will rat first? A lot of people made a lot of money from this and now they will do anything to save their own skin.
Being a kingpin is a lonely existence.
Boxing will remain a cesspool until we kick all criminals out of the sport. Anyone with a criminal record should be asked to leave. Anyone. Until we clean it up, it remains an easy home for illegal money.
This week, we celebrate a stunning win by Savannah Marshall, remind people that Anthony Joshua’s record is no better or no worse than his peers.
However, Dillian Whyte has massively overachieved in his career, and he needs respect for that.
There is also a discussion on why those larger than life head coaches are essential for boxing to thrive.
Phil Martin is responsible, directly and indirectly, for much of Manchester’s boxing success over the last 25 years. If fact, you can spread that out to the North West in general. But why? Was it his drive for extreme fitness, was it his ability to build a community within a gym, or was it his bravery to take on the establishment at a time when many didn’t? It is probably all of the above, but the most important thing was the he was able to inspire so many, who have taken his principles and brought some of the best nights of boxing to Manchester. The sad thing is that he doesn’t get the same adulation that many, who achieved less, do.
Massive congrats to Leo Atang from Legions Boxing Club on his amateur title. If you want a prospect to keep in your back pocket, this is your guy. Yorkshire boxing is really bubbling right now.
Frank Warren is not a man you confront lightly. You definitely do not do it without preparation. Jeffrey Benz is still finding his way out of Frank's large intestine after being chewed up live on radio.
Boxers, choose your advisors well. I bet Dillian regrets not signing with Al now.
Craig Richards against Joshua Buatsi is the type of fight that would keep British boxing bubbling. Sadly we do not see these types of fights often enough to keep the public interest. Both mean are at their peak, so this is the right time and credit to Matchroom for making it happen. Now, let us see if Hearn will commit the winner to Anthony yarde.
Here's the issue. If boxers like Sandy Ryan are going to get dragged for losing a fight they were never the favourite for, why is the incentive to take a risk.
Also, thanks to Ben Shalom for making Dan Azeez v Matthew Tinker. This is what British Boxing should be about. A real story behind this fight, no need to manufacture it.
Let us be grateful that Michael Conlan is okay. BUT.... WHAT A FIGHT. We saw much of what is amazing about our sport and some bits that are still scary.
K_Ners: Time is Counting Remix - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiINyM_CJfo
Anthony Joshua seems to be on the final lap of his career. Does he still care about legacy or this is about ensuring he maximises the revenue for the Joshua Project?
What a dark night for boxing in the UK.
We trust judges to use their best judgment to get the result 100% right. In the big fights, we still get this wrong.
This week is just a few reflections on where boxing is after the biggest British fight in a long time. If you can, follow @w9managment and @disturbing sports on instagram
What a night! Sky and Boxxer definitely delivered and we finally so one of the longest rivalries in British boxing resolved in the most emphatic way.
On nights like these, no sport can compete with boxing.
For the full IFL interview with Frank Warren follow the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBJOqZpRdzI
Another weekend of boxing and another mixed bag. It would be right for Eddie Hearn to admit that he is rebuilding and we have to get used to sub-par Matchroom shows for the foreseeable future.
But, in all the mediocrity, we saw good progress from Ellie Scotney, although there is still some work to do.
@highfieldboxing on all social media channels.
You get the feeling that Eddie Hearn needs snookers in order to make this year a success. he has been frozen out of all the big fights this year and he is on the outside looking in.
This is not the Eddie Hearn that DAZN thought they were getting, which is a big worry as they look to grow in challenging times.
He seems like a man without a clue at the moment.
Well...the saga that never seemed to get started has finally ended. It leaves DAZN genuinely homeless and friendless at the moment, with a bank manager to please.
We finally had the purse bids, but as an added bonus, we also got the return of bitter Eddie as he licks his wounds over YET ANOTHER fight he couldn't make.
If the DAZN deal with BT Sport comes off, it will be hard for Eddie Hearn to keep his seat at the top table. For years he promised record numbers of subscribers for DAZN, nearly four years later, we realise this was a massive and expensive failure.
With a new regime at the helm, will Eddie have the trust of the new bosses?
What does it take to be a good trainer? So many people think they know, but it is so hard to know that only those on the inside get enough information to make a call.
What we can say is that Ben Davison is one of the more high-profile.
Is he the best? Does he deserve his seat at the table?
Happy New Year folks. We are back, better and stronger for 2022. The motto for this year is, Increase The Positivity!
Please make sure to follow Greg Hackett on Insta @greghackett86 - easily the funniest man on there. In this episode, we just talk boxing. We start off speaking about the Cuban system and move around from there.
If you enjoy the show, please share it with people you truly love.
Saturday's show was poor by most people's standards. If this is how DAZN end the year then we are in a dark place as far as boxing goes.
One bright pointfrom Saturday was Sandy Ryan and she goes on to demo
Remember to follow the social profiles -@highfieldboxing
Redemption is a strange journey because the biggest battle is often with the demons within. Saturday saw Anthony Yarde battle his inner demons and overcome everything, to restore his reputation as one of the best Light-Heavyweights in the country and world right now.
It is also time to reward Tunde for his effort in orchestrating the whole operation. He is much maligned, often for sinister reasons, but is easily one of the best trainers in the country right now, as he has been for a while.
What a great night. Cinderella finally had her ball.
Dan Azeez is BRITISH CHAMPION. This has to be the definition of The People's Champion. We should celebrate the hard work and evolution of Dan Azeez - from power puncher into thinking boxer.
When you have a poor stable, you can't put on good fights. Sometimes you get lucky with a fight, but Eddie has had a weak stable for so long now that he cannot paper over the cracks.
Right now, MTK have a stronger stable than Matchroom.
Weak in the US and weak in the UK, which is why you'll see him in Spain and Australia more.
Are we watching AJ on the downside of his career?
Nobody got faster at 32, or better timing at 32, or more powerful at 32. all the greats slowed down by 32 and AJ will be no different. It means that he will have to stand and trade with opponents from now on.
Is he that sort of guy? Can Anthony Joshua do it? Only time will tell.
Make sure to follow the IG - @highfieldboxing
When a 60-fight veteran fights a 20-fight novice what do you expect to happen? Skills will rarely overcome experience in the boxing ring. Being there and doing it is so important in this sport and Canelo is living proof of that
There was something off about Ellie Scotney's opponent on Saturday night. You cannot be definitive without further info, but you suspec there is some form of anabolic/androgenic issue involved.
What saved Ellie was her skillset and workrate. Any lesser fighter might have suffered serious injury.
We need answers, or at least, clarity.
I am not sure Matchroom have many aces up their sleeve after Saturday. The roster looks devoid of stars and there is definitely nothing to excite the Americans, which will worry DAZN.
But a lot of prospects would have got a lot out of the show at the O2 and we will wait and see how hungry they are to get better and fulfill their potential.
For all your meal-prep needs... https://gdhnutrition.com/about/
The Whyte-Wallin fallout is crazy. There is a lot to unpick in this episode, but it boils down to one thing, matchmaking at that level is more about money than about challenge.
In all of this, you have to feel for Otto Wallin - let down by his team and let down by boxing.
We can only hope they make it right for him.
Don't forget to subscribe and share good people.
The Fury-Wilder 3 fight was really defined by such small margins. The ability of Fury to ride so many of Wilder's punishing right hands was the difference. In a shootout, the winner is the person that sustains less damage.
No notes needed today, just praise for two men that put it all on the line for boxing immortality.
We are three years into the Wilder-Fury saga. It isn't 100% conclusive yet but definitely swings 60/40 in Fury's favour. Hopefully we get a third fight that elevates this trilogy to the Bowe-Holyfield level.
This fight will be won on performance and desire, not tactics or nuance. They know each other too well now.
Respect to the promotional team on delivering a stacked card and justifying the PPV premium.
But, once this fight is over, this saga has to end. The belts need to flow again and big fights need to get made.
Sky are taking a brave step in reshaping their boxing product. The first show feels small, but this is likely a 5-year vision and we should not be quick to judge.
They have done it before, and they will do it again.
These were my raw instinctive thoughts after the fight.
It reminds me that I have a deep dislike of this Joshua project and sometimes it clouds the judgment. But I let this one out to say, sometimes it is best to sleep on a fight before commenting on it.
RIP – Frank Beccles – A fellow podcast brother gone.
RIP Frank Beccles – a real loss to the boxing world.
Anthony Joshua showed how little he learned from the Ruiz fight. When the pressure came on again, he went missing.
Is it an AJ issue, or is there rot and decay in the camp? Has team Joshua gone stale and if so, can anything be salvaged?
We all know that boxing has never been fond of nice guys, we love our heavyweights mean and intense. Usyk gave us that last night and for that, last night belonged to him.
Anytime you get David Haye and Tyson Fury addressing the media in the same week, you know what you're going to get. Boxing will get tired of it soon enough. It will also be interesting to see the arms race between Sky and DAZN for talent. There are already rumours of bonuses and guaranteed incomes - money that boxing doesn't have at the moment.
To follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highfieldboxing/ On twitter: https://twitter.com/highfieldboxing Where you can find my writing: https://squaremile.com/author/terry-chapendama
Eddie Hearn is in a mess all of is own making. In upsetting so many names in boxing, making entertaining fights is difficult, if not impossible.
Within those constraints, he has done a decent job with the Leeds card. Now, the real test will be whether Sky can break those barriers and make better fights than Matchroom.
The expected announcement from Sky and Boxxer did exactly what we needed it to do, generate excitement and interest.
The British cards are solid, which is all the fans wanted. The hope is that this is the baseline that they build from and not the high point.
After the trauma with Matchroom, we should get behind this new partnership and hopefully, we get the fights we deserve.
Say what you want, but Jake Paul is doing more to reboot boxing than anyone in the sport.
From embracing technology, to fighting regularly, he is doing everything that fans have wanted of mainstream boxing. More importantly, he is giving mainstream boxers money and a platform to grow. What is there not to like.
He is the fork in the road for boxing. Either, the sport embraces progress of it becomes ‘super niche’. Progress waits for nobody.
He also raises the question of the value of a promoter.
As always: Instagram and twitter - highfieldboxing
While we criticise the Fight Camp cards and their quality, quietly, DAZN are compiling data on us that will hopefully make their proposition better.
We are all currently lab rats in the great DAZN experiment.
BEYOND BOXING EP40 - THE QUEST FOR SUCCESS FOR EDDIE HEARN AND TEAM GB by Highfield Boxing
Every sport needs its villains. The Charlo twins are perfect villains. Their mix of supreme confidence, raw aggression and an ability to hurt opponents, make them ideal for the role.
However, the boxing world seems unwilling to embrace them as such, but the reason is unclear.
What is clear is that these guys will always provide entertainment and in a sport that so rarely delivers, this is important.
It sounds crazy to say that two men in their mid-40s remain the biggest draw in boxing.
Years of politics, lies, and ultimately, a declining standard of boxer have meant that we teeter on the brink of the worst era in pro boxing.
The old heads are driving the young guns into retirement.
It is a sad day for boxing and the whole Eubank family.
We can only send our prayers and offer our support at this challenging time and hope that with time, there is healing.
Gervonta 'Tank' Davis is one bad man. Very few in boxing deliver like he does, consistently. He is the best of the new generation, but time is running out for him to have those career-defining fights that he deserves.
We also talk about whether Terence Crawford has a hollow record and why he is considered the best with no signature wins.
Also, if Matchroom and DAZN are simply warming up their previous proposition, what will really change for that subscription?
A lighter episode this week.
We cover the new development in the Wasserman - Sky relationship and if this means that celebrity boxing is now a real thing.
Also take time to pay tribute to Isaac Dogboe, a man this country should have treated better.
Apart from that, i also thank Steve Gray for bringing some honesty back into boxing.
Denzel Bentley is a rare boxer. He is brave enough to face the best, he has the courage to share his journey with the fans and he is smart enough to know that this boxing game is about education.
We are biased, but understand his hunger to succeed and we have enjoyed seeing him become an active voice in his own career and development.
We hope you enjoy it, please forgive the audio quality this time (ring rust). Twitter: https://twitter.com/2Sharp_d Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/2sharp_d
A week later and we know as much about the eye injury as we knew before.
What should have been a routine injury-based stoppage has turned into a fight for the integrity of boxing and its future.
You will Billy Joe all the best and that his vision isn't affected, but can you really come back from these sorts of injuries like you were?
BEYOND BOXING EP28 - BILLY JOE DIDN'T QUIT BUT CANELO STOPPED THE HYPE TRAIN by Highfield Boxing
Natasha Jonas and Katie Taylor delivered the fight that makes a string case for an all-female card in the near future.
The two-minute rounds create debate, but in this case, created the right tempo for a great fight. In Tasha Jonas, we have the right ambassador for the sport and we should get behind her.
If you enjoy the episode, please share, and tag a friend that may enjoy it too.
Has Eddie Hearn flown too close to the sun on this one? Have Sky cut their head off to spite their face?
Only time will tell I guess.
Thanks to Kugan and IFL for the interview in the intro. Watch it here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPKtKIl9g6A
Conor Benn has come of age now. It is now time to see him tested by his peers. Interesting to see how his career mirrors that of Jaron Ennis going forward.
Also, let us take a moment to appreciate Prince Patel and the injustices he has suffered in boxing.
Round up of a good Matchroom PPV card on Sky Box Office. Even without really trying, Eddie Hearn is able to squeeze Frank Warren to the point of retirement.
As they say, do not disrupt your enemy when they are making a mistake.
As always.... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highfieldboxing Twitter: https://twitter.com/highfieldboxing For all your card needs: https://www.instagram.com/the_cardking_
What a performance by Lawrence Okolie. He showed why he might be unbeatable at Cruiserweight. You're looking at guys like David Haye and Evander Holyfield as the only credible challengers.
The gates to superstardom have opened for him, and he is well on his way.
Another great performance and statement came from Ellie Scotney - South London's finest - who is showing that she is the most talented combination puncher in this country.
Long may it continue.
Where do you start with Dan Azeez?
Easily one of the most respected boxers in the UK. A man that always goes out to entertain, and leaves it all in the ring. What people will not know is that he is one of the smartest boxers out there, a man that really ‘gets’ the sport.
In this interview, you get to see him as I see him, fun engaging and always with an opinion. This felt like more of a catch up than it did an interview, so I hope you enjoy it too.
Make sure you follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dan_azeez/
On twitter: https://twitter.com/dan_azeez
Enjoy the episode, and if you enjoyed it, please share it with your friends and fellow boxing fans.
Another week, another Josh gets stopped. However, while one was a surprise, the other was expected.
At the heart of Josh Kelly’s defeat was the ridiculous hype that had built up around him, based on nothing but overselling, hype and a few Instagram videos. That all points to the rot that is setting in around British boxing, with all parties partly responsible.
From promoters.to trainers, fighters and fans, everyone has become carried away by the nonsense around the sport and until we tackle these issues, British boxers will fall just sort of elite.
Part 1 dealt with the promotional side and the fighters. In Part 2, focuses on the trainers and the fans.
Another week, another Josh gets stopped. However, while one was a surprise, the other was expected.
At the heart of Josh Kelly’s defeat was the ridiculous hype that had built up around him, based on nothing but overselling, hype and a few Instagram videos. That all points to the rot that is setting in around British boxing, with all parties partly responsible.
From promoters.to trainers, fighters and fans, everyone has become carried away by the nonsense around the sport and until we tackle these issues, British boxers will fall just sort of elite.
Part 1 will focus on the promotional side and the fighters. In Part 2, we focus on the trainers and the fans.
Josh Warrington endured a torrid night against Mauricio Lara. In many ways the whole thing felt suspicious, maybe not as far as a set up, but there are arguments for it.
Did Team Warrington overlook Lara? Was he presented as a ‘Hobson’s Choice’ opponent? Is Lara actually the next coming of Erik Morales?
In reality, only time will tell.
What is certain is that Warrington was not far off his best form in terms of activity, but a combination of time on the shelf and a young man in Lara that looked like he might have a great future in the sport.
There is a deeper question though. Do British boxers suffer from being inactive relative to boxers from other countries?
It feels like this has been a year of stagnation for Deontay Wilder. We wanted so much more from him after the defeat to Tyson Fury, yet here we are, facing the same delusion we saw before.
We can only hope that this is a well-crafted plan to fool everyone. Sadly, it seems like it might be the revelation of what was rumoured for a long period of time.
2021 is a big year for Eddie Hearn. between the SKy renewal, growing his business and finding a successor, he has many obstacles to clear while he promotes one fight card a week.
Can he pull it off.
Follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highfieldboxing/ Follow us on twitter: https://twitter.com/highfieldboxing
For the song in the outro: https://soundcloud.com/sonoroushiphop/sonorous-wiggin-out-16-prod
For all you card needs: thecardking.etsy.com
Josh Warrington is arguably the fighter with the best record in the UK. Has not ducked a fight and has always been placed in tough fights.
Yet, he is that that strange case of a boxer that, in his prime years, has little control of his career and no roadmap to greatness.
As fans, we have to hope that Eddie Hearn does not ruin his career as he has the opportunity to be a modern day Carl Froch.
Boxing is a cruel sport. get too many things wrong and somewhere down the line, it all goes wrong.
Ryan Garcia is a kid that seems to be doing all the right things, while Luke Campbell always seemed to be searching for that ideal solution. You wonder if he ever found it.
In one punch the small differences between the two were highlighted.
Shakiba Moghadam – IG @shakiba_moghadam and Twitter @ShakibaMoghadam – is a remarkable woman. Not only is she remarkable for what she has achieved in a short space of time, but it is also her openness and honest that sets her apart.
Where do you even start with Shak, boxer, ultra-runner, fitness facility owner, PhD student, thought leader, the list goes on…she is a woman of many talents.
In this two-part episode we cover a number of topics: • Her start in boxing • Her academic interests, covering mental health awareness and literacy in sport – with a focus on female sport - https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/shakiba-moghadam • Her views on a number of health-related topics in sport • Her experience on SAS, who dares wins - https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/news/portsmouth-researcher-stars-in-channel-4-sas-special-forces-show • Some of her current interests: Battle Ready 360 - https://battleready360.co.uk/ and Move Training Centre - http://movetc.uk
She was a hell of a guest and I hope you enjoy both episodes. For part 2 you may wish to watch a few episodes of SAS – Who Dares Wins for that wider context.
Shakiba Moghadam – IG @shakiba_moghadam and Twitter @ShakibaMoghadam – is a remarkable woman. Not only is she remarkable for what she has achieved in a short space of time, but it is also her openness and honest that sets her apart.
Where do you even start with Shak, boxer, ultra-runner, fitness facility owner, PhD student, thought leader, the list goes on…she is a woman of many talents.
In this two-part episode we cover a number of topics: • Her start in boxing • Her academic interests, covering mental health awareness and literacy in sport – with a focus on female sport - https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/shakiba-moghadam • Her views on a number of health-related topics in sport • Her experience on SAS, who dares wins - https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/news/portsmouth-researcher-stars-in-channel-4-sas-special-forces-show • Some of her current interests: Battle Ready 360 - https://battleready360.co.uk/ and Move Training Centre - http://movetc.uk
She was a hell of a guest and I hope you enjoy both episodes. For part 2 you may wish to watch a few episodes of SAS – Who Dares Wins for that wider context.
For all those in Tier-4, my thoughts are with you. I hope you are all able to meet with your loved ones. If not, do not be alone, use the technological tools at your disposal to keep in touch.
It is not an easy time, but we will overcome.
Canelo are separated by 3 months in age, but are worlds apart in terms of quality. How can two men, from two respected boxing families, come out at opposite ends of the elite spectrum?
The reality is that British boxing doesn't invest in developing quality. Instead me focus on making them bigger and stronger, which will never be enough at the elite level.
Until this changes, we will keep seeing one-sided beatings like this, which will only kill boxing's appeal in the UK.
What is greatness in boxing?
Is it what you are in the media or is it what you are in the ring? Heavyweight boxing is deep with legends and all of them have proved it by taking on the hardest fights when they arise.
There was no need to build fights up like we do now, fans knew a great fight when it was announced.
Sadly, we are in an era now when we believe everything is a great fight or great occasion.
It is the fans that determine greatness, not the media.
Those Joshua gloves are interesting. They seem to give him an extra inch of reach. If that was planned, then it is smart planning from his team.
However, it points to a man afraid to engage. That is not how we want our champions to be. We like to see true dominance, and tonight, we did not get to see that.
Sometimes, boxing has us blind to the latent out there. We miss out on prospects that could go on and do great things. Many times, these figters disappear and we never see them in a ring.
Lyndon Arthur is a better boxer than the media coverage suggested. He probably had the slightly better overall boxing CV and maybe this is what we saw this weekend.
As for Anthony Yarde, it is time for the next phase in his development to kick in. Whether that is with or without Tunde is a choice only he can make. Only he knows the truth.
You will need this episode first... https://soundcloud.com/highfield-boxing/beyond-boxing-ep7-dubois-joyce-chickens-coming-home-to-roost
Social media may prove to be the truest evil of our time. If you balance it out, the bad outweighs the god at the moment. It has allowed people without information to have opinions, which can be the worst of all combinations.
At a time when mental health is a big deal it cannot be right to savage Daniel Dubois the way we have. A young man of 23 surely deserves better from those that are, in many cases, a lot older than him. As boxing fans, we need to be better and do better.
The only person that called it right from day one was my friend Daniel Parker - the best videographer in London - find him at https://parkerpandv.co.uk/
He saw all the elements in Joyce that made him hard to beat, from years of hard sparring with him at Earlsfield ABC.
Joe was excellent on Saturday and in winning has accelerated his path to a world title shot.
While we should rightly praise what Team Joyce did right, we will also discuss how Team Dubois got it wrong.
Daniel is talented enough to make it back, but he will need a new team.
As always. follow us on: Twitter - @highfieldboxing Instagram - @highfieldboxing
Also, follow Dan Parker on Twitter - @videoparker
For a long time it has been clear that British boxers are being let down by their trainers. A lot of them might not be up to the job of creating world Champions. So, why are the Americans so much better at it?
We seek to find out why in this episode.
Today, we discuss the rare set of attributes that make Terence Crawford a trainer's dream.
If you have time, catch an episode I did with my friend Russ, which is a more rounded view of the boxing world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BEUHUTxu-o
As always: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/highfieldboxing/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/highfieldboxing/
The good guys in boxing are few and far between. Greg Hackett is one of them. We caught up after what has been an interesting, but successful year for him and just talked a bit of boxing really.
You'll enjoy it, I am sure.
Make sure you follow Greg on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greghackett86/
If you don't already follow us, follow us here: https://www.instagram.com/highfieldboxing/
Some of the boxers mentioned on the podcast: Stephen Fulton: https://www.instagram.com/coolboysteph/?hl=en Jaron Ennis: https://www.instagram.com/jaronennis/?hl=en Joshafat Ortiz: https://www.instagram.com/jos.ortiz_/?hl=en Paul Kroll: https://www.instagram.com/paulkrollboxing_/?hl=en
Keep supporting the podcast. Remember, we don't charge for exclusive content, you get it all for free. Like share and follow.
Have a great day.
Two years ago, it all looked perfect. The biggest name in boxing and the biggest budget in boxing were united and this should have supercharged the sport of boxing.
Two years later, the relationship is seemingly over and both parties seem glad of the freedom.
Will this be the move that ensure Canelo of a lucrative future and will this be the chance for DAZN to reset.
As always, please like and share the content, helping us to spread the word.
Autumn has seen chaos in the heavyweight division. Fights cancelled, COVID infections and PPV fights are debatable at best.
In all of this, the one thing that made fans smile was the return of Don king to the front line of boxing. He showed that he's still got it, even in his 80s.
By the end of the year, we will be no closer in knowing who the best challengers to Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are. Boxing should be better.
Please make sure you share the content. It helps us get the message out.
If you enjoy the content, follow us on: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/highfieldboxing/ Twitter https://twitter.com/highfieldboxing/
So, we have played around with the format a bit, but kept that same quality.
I hope you enjoy and if you do, share this among your friends, twitter followers, Instagram connections, even on Linkedin.
More importantly, make sure you take care of your mental and physical health as we head into more restrictive times. Be there for each other.
If you enjoy these shows and want even more, check out the shows I do with my friend Russ – the real voice of hardcore boxing – well worth a listen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOA4GQF-MiE&t=13s Canelo, Golden Boy and DAZN are at war. This has been comin for somewhen you unpick the story, you look at two parties, Canelo and Golden Boy, that feel they could do better business together than with Oscar De La Hoya.
The aim here is surely to put Canelo in position to control his destiny, income, and legacy. The reality is that DAZN need him more than Oscar and Canelo will never get a better contract in the current climate. SO, here is to a DAZN future without Oscar.
Also, please follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highfieldboxing
Dillian Whyte's career has been a fairy tale so far. From being the guy watching his mates box in York Hall in a silver jacket to being one of the main men in heavyweight boxing, all in under 10 years.
He boxed well on Saturday and looked as good as he has done. However, at the real elite level, the sport of boxing is about doing more things right than your opponent. It is also about doing those things year-in, year-out, for years.
Povetlin has done that for as long as Dillian has been alive and it is this time spent doing the right things that was the real difference on Saturday.
It is often a gap you cannot close easily, but sadly for British boxers, a lot of trainers do not understand it.
Just some of my thoughts as I start to come out of hibernation.
Boxing is not in a great place people...
I had recorded and shut up shop from the summer when Hearn did his IFL interview and the hypocrisy came back. I guess i just cant let it slide sadly.
But enjoy and follow the podcast on Twitter and Instagram @highfieldboxing
Have a great summer!
It is the last one while the podcast takes a summer break...but we will be back, better than ever.
In the meantime, enjoy a quick round up of the first 80-odd episodes and updates on where we are.
Also, check out the Square Mile Interview with Eddie Hearn. It is a decent read.
https://squaremile.com/features/interview/who-is-eddie-hearn/
He announced it,it was poor, here's why.....
When will Hearn show Dillian Whyte the respect he deserves?
UK boxing will be back soon...just after the pubs open ironically. Frank has set the pace this time and is rewarded for investing in UK talent. It leaves Eddie Hearn behind now, wrestling with a flat UK stable and an American one he cannot get to yet.
But, after 4 months away from boxing, will fans rush back to the arenas or will we start to view boxing from the comfort from our homes and the expensive TVs we have invested in?
Eddie Hearn will have a tough time with the Dillian Whyte situation. There are only two paths he can follow - one that favours Dillian or one that favours AJ. Which do we thing he will choose?
Also we pay tribute to Andrew Selby and wonder what he could have done with decent management.
In all the noise surrounding Fury-Joshua, we need a moment for Dillian Whyte. He has done everything asked of him, risked his career in 50/50 fights and faithfully stuck to the WBC script, but still he finds himself on the outside looking in.
Hearn has form for this having ruined Luis Ortiz and many others all in the interests of protecting his cash cows.
It must also suck to be a Matchroom USA fighter right now with no promotional support and Hearn grounded indefinitely.
Any trainer that doesn't believe he is the best and wake up with desire to beat everybody is short-changing their boxer. Too many are just happy being Instagram famous. It's time we got some fire back into our trainers.
This episode is a roundup of things that have been 'interesting' in boxing. The pickings are slim, but we made lemonade with the lemons we got.
One thing that should be said is that boxing will be killed by its own fans. i am not sure if a sport is supported by so many people filled with anger and hate. I can never understand how people can get so revved up by people they don't even know, even at the expense of the people they know, that love them.
We live in a strange world.
Well, we now know why Anthony Joshua has been quiet. Does this put the heavyweight division on pause? Is this the first time that we see Anthony Joshua breaking down?
But, when he spoke his mind, twitter lost his mind.
Where did the hate come from?
It has been a pretty few days for humanity.
When a people are so marginalised that they are denied the right to claim victimhood you realise the goal is to maintain oppression.
Until you can accept somebody as a victim, you cannot accept the harm your actions do. The denial of victimhood is the worst, but the strangest form of oppression possible.
We need to take the steps forward that wash away the ingrained hang-ups that we have about most things. They aren't that important and detract from the beauty of life.
It inst about anything more than accepting your humanity is my humanity and vice versa. Until then, men like George Floyd will continue to die.
Also, Joshua got spanked a year ago and boxers may want to consider Onlyfans.com
The first time we united the numbers were so good that we had to do it gain. This time we tackle a lot of what has been going on in boxing; DAZN looking like they may need some help, the lack of quality boxing content, the 'vanishing fans' and demanding respect for the ladies in our sport. It's a great episode so please like, retweet, share, review...you know, all that good stuff.
Also follow us on social media: Instagram @Lead_Right @highfieldboxing Twitter @Lead-Right @highfieldboxing
Expect Fight Camp, or whatever it is to be a damp squib. We are used to Hearn over-promising and then disappointing us, but still staying true to his love of making excuses over events that weren't possible.
I want it to be good, but he has form for being generally terrible at these things, unless they fall in his lap.
Eddie Hearn is an exploiter, not a creator. he is the guy that does the remixes, but never writes the hits.
Mike Tyson might have pulled off the greatest trolling of boxing fans since Floyd Mayweather caused 'Karim Mayfield' to virtually break google.
Mike will not come back, Mike never needs to come back, and he knows it. He will make a few million from this rare moment of superstardom, which he knew and he made the most of it.
I wanted to do one, and only one, episode on drugs in sport. Boxing fans are owed a frank and honest view on the mechanics of doping in sport and boxing in particular. Having finished this one, I feel there is a part 2 in there...
We needed real insight and we got it in Larry Olubamiwo. Nobody knows it better than he does. This is as good as it gets.
This episode goes to places no other outlet has been brave enough to go. The right thing to do is for everyone to share this and tag the people you feel need to hear this. This is as close to the reality of doping in boxing as you will get.
Please show your appreciation for his amazing contribution and follow Larry Olubamiwo on social media: Insta - @larryolubamiwo Twitter - @larryolubamiwo
We are back where we started at the beginning of the lockdown, 'Fury v Joshua is next.' We all know that it isn't true and that, in this silly season, we are going to hear all types of ridiculous claims and counter claims. It all serves to keep boxing in the spotlight, but we must be getting tired of this nonsense surely. We also celebrate Kugan calling Hearn on his nonsense, which is always welcome.
The audio is a bit sketchy, we needed some time to get up to speed, but we always get there. Plus, my intro will sound better on this one.
Enjoy the reunion episode where we just cover where boxing is in the midst of the lockdown. We talk about how let down fans have been with the efforts from the boxing world to give back.
As always,please like, share and review our content. It helps us get out there and maybe one day, become the voice of real boxing fans.
What Devin Haney said was racist. Let us not swerve the issue. The fact that his handlers were so quiet says everything you need to know about the rot in boxing.
Remember to like, share retweet and all that good stuff that gets us a wider reach and lets more fans understand the game.
This week's episode: Joshua finally making noise about winning all 4 belts, but is it more window dressing. Is he making noise knowing he has two mandatories coming up@
We discuss Terri Harper and the tough path female boxers face in defining themselves with a sport that values violence above all else.
Celebrate Billy Joe Saunders managing to avoid any big fights...for another year. Nobody thought it would be possible to do it with two promoters. Wrong!
We touch on those peaky numbers again...
Just a quick tour of a few topics.
We look at why amateur boxing is in a poor state and why we might never see the days of 2008 again.
We look at where boxing can go after the lockdown is lifted.
We also look at boxers that are over/underrated. Don't forget to tell us who you think is criminally overrated or underrated.
As always: Instagram - @highfieldboxing Twitter - @highfieldboxing
We have had 4 years of Anthony Joshua as champion. Yes, it is an impressive achievement considering where he came from. Very few manage to achieve half of what he does, so we should respect what he has achieved.
However, for what was promised by his promoters, we have been violently short-changed. His own fans have hung onto false dreams and now many realise that he is unlikely to every be the great that many hoped he would be.
As always, follow the podcast on: Instagram - @highfieldboxing Twitter - @highfieldboxing
Thought we would try something different with this episode. So, I handed the reins over to my friend Riku Heikkila - @lead_right and he hit me with a few questions.
I tried to be as honest as I could be and in some cases probably hit harder than i had planned to, but this is the beauty of a podcast, it could go anywhere.
I am sure that you'll enjoy this one.
Remember, to like, share and retweet the podcast if you enjoy it.
This break from boxing is literally driving boxers mad. At a time when discipline and focus is essential, a lot are falling to pieces.
Scott Fitzgerald seems like an accident waiting to happen. You wonder where the people are that can help him overcome his demons. It would be a human tragedy if these demons consumed him.
Also, if you listen and don't support, have a word with yourself.
Insta - @highfieldboxing Twitter - @highfieldboxing
It is a slow week in boxing and only Billy Joe Saunders could unite the sport is disappointment and frustration.
Has any one man wasted so much talent and earning potential in any sport. He is slowly becoming the guy nobody can trust and that will hurt his pockets more than anything.
All those years Eddie Hearn lusted after him and now he realises that it was all in vain.
Had planned to do a completely different episode, but this one took on a life of it's own.
How can channels that were doing 1m plus views just six months ago be struggling to break 20k views now, especially when people have more time than ever to consume content. Everybody is seeing a growth in numbers, in contrast, the boxing outlets have seen a crash in numbers, with the same cast of characters to interview.
It is only right to ask where the hell the numbers went and how the sponsors will react.
Denzel Bentley is a man that believes in his own ability, his team and his dream. It isn't boastful, it isn't arrogant. It is just deeply held belief.
In boxing, He found a vehicle that lets him express that innate drive to succeed by whatever means necessary.
As measured as he was in the interview, he still held nothing back. All his domestic rivals are now on notice - no excuses - and 2020 will be the year this young man breaks out as a star in his own right.
Please, do follow him via social media and show support: Instagram - 2sharp_d Twitter - 2sharp_d
Also, can everyone respect the real need to remain isolated and respect the risks posed to the elderly and vulnerable. It can be frustrating, but let us think of others at a time like this. There are plenty of episodes here to keep you busy and entertained.
Donnall Smith is one of the best up and coming trainers out there. He is one of the smarter ones, using his time at the Matchroom Gym to learn his trade the right way.
In this interview, he shares his story and his views on a few topics in boxing. Please follow him: Instagram - @boxerdon Twitter - @DonnallSmith
We had to do a reunion episode at some point, so we hit the off licence, sent Johnny Fleshlight to UKAD for some unscastrated boar, and just slipped into the old slippers.
Audio is a bit rickety, but these are tough times, so we have to take what we can - like toilet paper.As always, like share and let us know what you think.
Donnall Smith is one of the best up and coming trainers out there. He is one of the smarter ones, using his time at the Matchroom Gym to learn his trade the right way.
In this interview, he shares his story and his views on a few topics in boxing. Please follow him: Instagram - @boxerdon Twitter - @DonnallSmith
We are all getting cabin fever. Some of us have loo roll, some of us have coffee, some of us have both. Luckily, I have cider - Weston's - a drink to relax the mid.
This episode is just me commenting on what the folks in boxing are saying. There's not much going on. But, there are a few Hearn misdirections, as always. But...I do like the guy deep down.
We are all struggling to fill our time as sports fans, so here is a podcast that does exactly that, fills time.
Stay safe in these uncertain times people....
Today, we rank the best heavyweights on earth. Some will agree and some will disagree, but it's a good debate.
We also discuss how bad Jay Deas was as a trainer. Mark Breland deserves a lot of respect for being a real BMF in that fight and doing the right thing.
Finally, we talk about the car crash that is March 28th.
Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Well...heavy is the man that wins the crown.
Fury was masterful, showed that there is no substitute for experience, and that power is only good if it lands.
The man sent a message out to the boxing world on Saturday - work on your skills and you can do anything.
Instagram - @highfieldboxing Twitter - @highfieldboxing
Ares, always hot tempered and eager to fight, was worshiped by militaristic cults and city states, while on the other hand, Athena was revered as a goddess of protection and strategy. Between the violent temper of Ares and the intelligent cunning of Athena, worshipers of these Gods would think low of their rival. While followers of the cult of Ares viewed Athenians as weak, cowardly children, Athenians would think of Ares' followers as ignorant, hotheaded lowlifes.
Not soon after Athena's awkward birth, (emerging from the skull of Zeus), Ares found his new sister a nuisance, a challenge to his place on Olympus as the God of war, and murder. The intelligent strategy which Athena gave to Greeks threatened Ares' success in warfare, and his uncivilized manners would result in proper Greek society disowning him over time.
We walk into Saturday about to witness our own equivalent of the battle for Olympus between two Boxing gods, but who will prevail?
Ellie Scotney are two boxers with different stories, but with a shred desire to make 2020 the year boxing takes notice.
Being involved in boxing for a number of years, these are the stories that make the effort worthwhile.
Both boxers have a great opportunity to build a truly great legacy for themselves. The journey starts now...
Ellie Scotney - @elliescotney_ Isaac chamberlain - @chamberlain_
Tough little northern boxer leaves real cockney boxing promoter for fake boxing promoter.
Makes no sense for anyone, but maybe it does make 100% sense....
Instagram - @highfieldboxing twitter - @highfieldboxing
In our first ever return, Philadelphia’s own Greg Hackett @greghackett86 is back to give his frank and honest views on some of the topics in boxing today. We didn’t cover everything because there’ll be a part 3 soon – promise. If you didn’t hear the first interview, please find it as episode 29.
Make sure you follow Greg on Facebook and Instagram for his serious and often amusing take on life and boxing.
When friends fight, it should be for the largest purse possible. A lot is on the line in these situations. You can only hope MTK know what they are doing here or they risk damaging one very gifted boxer at the expense of another.
Changing trainers is often the easy way out, a way to deny your own failings. Sometimes, it is needed…you get to correct the error in selecting the trainer. But, in the case of Josh Taylor and even Anthony Fowler, only time will tell.
We need to know, does Fury still believe he is unbeatable? He will need to in order to beat the Bronze Bomber.
As always guys, please feel free to follow: Instagram - @highfielboxing Twitter - @highfieldboxing
Most boxing fans agree that 2017 was a special year. Why? That is harder to say. It may have been the quality of fights. On the other hand, it could have been the scale of the events. Whichever way you look at it, 2017 gave every boxing fan what they wanted.
It also scared the life out of every promoter as they watched profit drain away through the sheer volume of great fights on free-to-air television. Instead of embracing this bold new era, we have seen boxing retreat to it old ways. Fights are drawn out now, most quality content is behind a paywall now and now people pretend to be more popular than they are.
Not sure what the future holds, but we are on a slippery slope to irrelevance if we carry on as we are.
As always guys, please feel free to follow: Instagram - @highfielboxing Twitter - @highfieldboxing
HAPPY NEEW YEAR!!!!!
Pod-rust is real. That feeling of not quite being on the ball? I think I have it. This episode hopefully sees me shake it off and come into 2020 stronger.
This is just a warm up episode and in it we cover two topics:
The tragic case of Liam Cameron and how it has created a two-tier doping framework depending on how much money you have and A quick look at DAZN and whether it has a hope of succeeding. In all honesty, it should succeed. It has raised the bar in boxing coverage and forced the market to step up. But, to really nail it, maybe they need more boxing people to shape the direction and connect to a newer and younger audience.
Enjoy and if you like the content, please like and share it.
Terence Crawford is the most gifted Welterweight out there, but not the best. To be the best you need to face the best. Will we get the big fights in 2020?
Can he and bob Arum make it happen?
Teofimo Lopez...WOW!!!
Instagram @highfieldboxing Twitter @highfieldboxing
A long time ago, I left a boxing club, for whatever reasons. Wehn I made that choice. a handful of guys (maybe a bit more) also decided to leave. One of the first was Jonathan Palata.
His exact words were, "if you're not here, I'm not here."
If you know boxing well enough, you'll understand that sort of loyalty is rare. It means we are bonded for life now. Win lose or draw, I will always stand behind him, because he stands behind me.
It also means that, when he does encounter bumps in the road, i will carry some of the accountability. I am okay with that. It is the price you pay for loyalty.
If only, more people in boxing had that sense of loyalty.
Boxing needs Anthony Joshua. The economics of the sport need that marquee name, like Hulk Hogan in the 1980s. People like to work with people that draw money. AJ draws money.
Now...Andy Ruiz? Not the same kettle of fish and the last 6 months proved that.
i admit...I was wrong.
Team AJ might be the strongest unit in boxing.
Instagram @highfieldboxing Twitter @highfieldboxing
This Saturday, we will find out who really put the work in over the last three months. A lot of games are underway between both camps and with the fans, so we all want to know....who wins?
We won't know until that first bell rings, but looking at the last few weeks, Ruiz has done some things that are either genius or folly. Only history will determine which is which.
Lets hope for as much drama as we had in the first fight.
This was the weekend where a lot of good talented became good professionals.
Nothing beats a good solid apprenticeship and this podcast shines light on a few guys doing this thing the right way.
Enjoy...
It's fight week, spin and misdirection everywhere. If you believe the hype this fight is between two undefeated champions. If you believe the hype, there are no drug cheats on this card.
I am sure it will only get sillier.
Instagram @highfieldboxing Twitter @highfieldboxing
Here's a young man that's crammed a whole career worth of stories into a youthful 25 years.
One thing Isaac Chamberlain has in abundance is resilience. Nothing will stop him achieving his goals and his ability to create positives from negatives is a lesson to us all.
Enjoy the podcast, one man sharing his career with you, and hopefully it adds another dimension to the real People's Champion.
We are 10 days away from the moment of truth. Where we find out of a manufactured boxer can beat a well-schooled boxer.
Was Ruiz just lucky or was all he needed a chance?
Has Joshua done enough? Has he exorcised the demons?
Are we in store for a great rebound or is this just another step down for Joshua?
Truth is, we just don't know.
It is hard to understand how two brothers of average ability managed to get so many fights at home. People tried to liken them to The Beatles, they're probably more like Atomic Kitten.
When you have the biggest guns and the biggest bombs, you don't need to rush.
Deontay Wilder gave Luis Ortiz a 6-round head start and it didn't help him. It has to be scary that there is a man that can stop anybody he connects with.
I don't think anybody is looking forward to fighting him.
How do you figure out how something works when they burned the operating manual?
The biggest battle Anthony Joshua will face is silencing the voices and the images that remind him that, at the highest level, he was dismantled.
It's not fatal to his chances, but he does risk a relapse if he isn't right mentally.
His camp so far, offers no sign of his road to redemption, but we can only hope he is the man that can do the same thing and get a different outcome.
It's 24.95. Pay it, or don't pay it, but complaining isn't what teaches them a lesson.
Just keep hold your money.
90% of the YouTube views were bought, like the twitter likes and the twitter followers. Hearn cheating and lying to the fans again.
Think back to the coverage of KSI v Logan Paul. It was strange that most of the people doing the coverage were over 35, for a show that was aimed at children and teenagers. Why?
Maybe the mission here was to sell this as a mega event for the boxing fans by making them believe they were getting left behind if they weren't getting on board.
It was also the latest attempt by Hearn to kill the hardcores - the only people that see through this.
It started out as a casual catch up call.... It ended up being a hell of an insight into how the journey to the top in boxing rarely runs smooth.
Umar Sadiq - The Top Boxer - is not one to follow the heard and in this podcast you get a chance to share in his journey over the last year, which has definitely been transformative.
He is definitely one of the boxers you should follow if you want to see the travails of an often brutal sport in full HD.
Follow him on: Instagram - @topboxersadiq Twitter - @topboxersadiq
P.S. forgive the audio in places, we had no time for a soundcheck.
Instagram - @highfieldboxing Twitter - @highfieldboxing
Canelo became a walking P4P list this past weekend in stopping Kovalev. Is he an all-time great? Definitely. Will we see Eddie Hearn start hitching every one of his fighters to hi list? Definitely? Does anyone care about KSI-Logan Paul? God no!
We can't let the deaths of Patrick Day, Maxim Dadashev and others happen without boxing making the required changes to drive fighter safety.
The solution isn't simple, nor will it be easy in the short-term, but the right thing for the sport to do is to look at what is really increasing the risk profile.
It would not be a coincidence if PEDs were a factor in this, but that would be one of many.
RIP to all the fallen warriors.
Nigel Benn will always be a British boxing great. Here is a man that shared his soul with the fans. Through him, we got to be the warrior we all imagine that we are.
Today, Nigel became mortal like all of us. His body just couldn't muster that one final stand. But, he has shown that his spirit remains superhuman.
Happy retirement Nigel.
Britain rare produces boxers that can dominate at world level. We need clever matchmaking, vacant belts etc.
In Josh Taylor, we have a boxer developed despite the system. A man that is self-made and in doing that, became one of the best in the world.
His fight with Prograis will live long in the memory as a coronation of sorts and a reminder that tough environments make tough people.
Instagram - @highfieldboxing Twitter - @highfieldboxing
So, two men who are the best in their countries will fight each other to find out who gets to box Mikey Garcia and Jose Ramirez. Knowing Hearn, it will be Ricky Burns.
What is all the fuss about?
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You feel for Ted Cheesman, a kid who has done it all the right way from day one. Boxing is a cruel sport at times, and you wonder when and how Ted will get a break.
Having said that, you have to wonder why Hearn has issues with self-made boxers. How many kids have put the work in, only to be ignored by Eddie Hearn.
Instagram: @greghackett86 - a man worth the follow. Greg Hackett is one of the best young boxing minds out there. He makes you wonder how the UK hasn't figured out the finer points of boxing yet.
In this podcast, we discuss his career to date, his inside views on the fighters that have, and will, put Philly on the map.
The podcast covers everything and there's probably a gem in every minute of this one.
Please listen, enjoy and share, you get a rare insight in this podcast....
John Skipper is the headmaster that loves watching his star pupil make a spectacle of himself, only to correct him afterwards. He leaves no doubt who the boss is and as boxing fans we should always listen to the man that moves in silence.
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You beat an anonymous, but slightly aggressive Swede, get a cut and end up on the shelf. What do you do.
You go and find an ex-strongman who pretends to beat people up for a living and talk to his boss about doing a bit of work experience.
But...part of that experience is going to a country where homosexuals are outlawed, women have limited roles and belief in God is everything.
Some people class that as hell, Fury might class it as home.
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As Brits, we love a good moan, what we don't love is dishing out hidings to our amateur opponents.
If we don't learn in time for 2020 there'll be a lot of talented boxers looking for work or education. We can't always blame the judges when the system is rotten.
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Two kids get bored of real life, play video games and make silly videos on Vine and YouTube...AND MAKE MILLIONS. Other kids that don't get out much watch them and fall in love. Life is good, then they decide they don't like each other.
Woman online says, 'real men settle it with their fists.' Both agree to do it. Introverted kids finally go out to see their heroes.
Boxing promoter gets scared that they will become him, so steals their thunder......and now we are here.
How Sway???
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So, an old man from Eastern Europe fights a young man from Eastern Europe and a load of Americans and Brits lose their mind over the result.
Somewhere in the Mid-west a young American kid gets another good win on a card that no Americans took notice of.
Boxing is a strange sport, but we love it.
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Is Ohara Davies the smaryest man in the room?
He just might be....
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It all looks a bit strange over at the WBSS. What is really going on and can it ever achieve on its original aims of being, where we had the best fight the best?
Charlie Edwards vacates - talk about preservation of life.
Derek has no dance partner, but won't reschedule the performance. Will we get a solo?
James Ali Bashir messes with a T-Rex, with bloody consequences.
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Frank and Eddie exist for 2 different purposes. It is unfair to compare them, but people do, and people choose sides. Do I choose sides?
Today you find out.
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It is rare in boxing that we get a PPV event where the fight has real meaning. Spence-Porter was that fight and it didn't disappoint. Fights like this are what will grow boxing as a sport and silence the MMA crowd.
Maybe it is time that Kell Brook gets his respect for handling Porter with the most ease/
Today we look at how lucrative boxing is.
Instagram can be deceiving. It will have you think that boxing is a money tree from which, everyone gets rich.
The truth is a lot more painful. It is a sport where the few, and often the same few, make the majority of money.
If you understand how the money works in boxing, you understand why people behave the way they do.
This is a quick round-up of a slow news week in boxing.
It's the week where we saw the Dark Destroyer announce a return, Eddie Hearn host a public workout that only people with microphones attended and somebody found Kell Brook...somewhere.
Hope you enjoy and please stay in touch: twitter - @highfieldboxing instagram - @highfieldboxing
We go back to 2008 and look at the GB squad and ask, why did some amateurs adapt to the pros better.
2008 was easily the most talented generation since 1976, bit for various reasons, we never got a hall of fame boxer out of that group.
Why do some people crack the pros and others don't?
We answer that today.
Please get in touch and let us know what you think. Insta - @highfieldboxing Twitter - @highfieldboxing
So, is Wallin better than we thought or is Fury who the haters thought? Maybe, we didn't get an answer, but we will definitely get answers from their next fights.
It's exactly why we love boxing.
We know boxing is a loss making business, but it also has the stingiest fans going. So, where are all these billions coming from.
This pod aims at explaining why the corporate sugar daddies are flocking to boxing as it is the last high-value slave market going. Obviously, that is a metaphor and not literal.
As always, get in touch via Instagram or twitter @highfieldboxing
Boxers are workers who think they're bosses. The best boxers act like bosses and think like owners.
The economics of boxing are so simple, draw money and get paid. But, so many get it wrong because they have the wrong people around them.
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Tevin bought into Uncle Eddie's Hype. Devin bought into Uncle Eddie's hype. Now both of them have nothing left, but each other and no receipt. So, what is next???
Music - Cool Connexion - Hommes de L'Est Insta - @highfieldboxing Twitter - @highfieldboxing
A quick round up of questions and topics shared by listeners.
If you are on iTunes, please rate subscribe and review the podcast.
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Today saw Dereck have a bit of a rant at the lack of respect he feels he receives. Luckily Joseph Parker wasn't there to face the fury.
In typical Hearn style, where there's muck, there brass, so he was in full spin mode today.
But, we have to ask, has the WBSS died a bit of a death?
I had to carry on episode 10 after promising so much and delivering so little.
We finish up the KSI - Logan Paul fight, review Hughie and Charlie and speak about trainers.
You suspect, there's something very wrong in British boxing that is masked over because we generate so much money.
KSII and Logan Paul.....yes, we are here now. Add in the slimy one and the picture is complete.
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We saw Lomachenko school another victim and we are left wondering when he will face a real challenger.
None of it is his fault, but at some point we need to start judging his achievements based on who he has faced.
Feel free to get in touch if you agree, or disagree.
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This episode is about defending the thankless job of being a trainer, a role where you do most of the prep for the least money. No trainer wants to lose, and they do all they can to prevent it.
Sometimes, there's just nothing you can do. However, what is beyond question is how much each and every trainer cares.
As always, get in touch: twitter - @highfieldboxing instagram - @highfieldboxing
Well, the fight went differently to how many saw it. Was Yarde better, Kovalev worse?
What now for Treadstone (System 9)?
We discuss it all in this episode.
Remember to like and share.
This episode covers potentially the biggest fight in British boxing this year, Yarde v Kovalev. We also cover AJ, and a few other questions. It is also the episode where @blessedwithwork learns that the podcasting gig isn't easy. She does well though.
As always get in touch on Insta and Twitter - @highfieldboxing
We debate it a lot, it remains the hardest thing to do, but it is the most fun we have as boxing fans. We all love to pick out top 5s. Today, I name my top 5 heavyweights. Who are your top 5 heavyweights
Send answers to: twitter - @highfieldboxing instagram - @highfieldboxing
Theme music - Cool Connexion - Hommes de L'Est
For too long our trusted journalists have failed to hold the sport to account. There has been a conspiracy of secrecy and silence that renders certain podcasts meaningless. On this one, we show you what really goes on.
As always, follow us on Instagram and Twitter @highfieldboxing
Theme Song - Cool Connexion: Hommes de L'Est
Pride comes before a fall, which Eddie Hearn will soon find out. I wouldn't recommend you buy tickets for Saudi Arabia if you want to see Joshua fight.
This has been a disaster all round and does so much damage to boxing because, a rematch clause isn't worth a pile of beans if the other guys doesn't care.
As always, Twitter/Instagram: @highfieldboxing
Theme Music: Cool Connexion - Hommes de L'Est
This is a cautionary tale of Bobby James, a talented fighter who was probably too trusting for his own good. He moved to another situation, but will it be better for him?
Sometimes you can trust, but you should always verify.
If you enjoy the podcast, get in touch via Twitter and Instagram at @highfieldboxing
Theme Music - Cool Connexion - Hommes de L'Est
It has been a tough week for Anthony Joshua and his team. We discuss how we have ended up with a fight in Saudi Arabia and what it means for Team Joshua.
Make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @highfieldboxing