The Beautiful Boxing Podcast: Recent Episodes
Highfield 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/highfieldboxing Every 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.
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?
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/highfieldboxing Fury 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/highfieldboxing This 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.
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=
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.
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.
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.
Remember to follow here - https://twitter.com/highfieldboxing?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Here too - https://www.instagram.com/highfieldboxing/?hl=en A year after the split between Matchroom and Sky, where are we now?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Happy New Year folks. We are back, better and stronger for 2022. The motto for this year is, Increase The Positivity!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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?