Even in a period of national mourning, news lines keep pouring out of the boxing bubble, writes Matt Christie.
WHAT a few days.
It all started in an old movie theater in a seaside town where Elvis played to an audience of dozens. Ninety minutes later, as Elvis straddled the iconic Hollywood sign and pointed out his plan to make that triumphant 1968 comeback, the movie stopped, an attendant entered and informed us that the Queen had passed away. Several people collected her coats and left the auditorium.
My immediate thought was not one of sadness, it is true. Instead, I thought about the female boxers due to weigh in the next day, before the big women’s card on Saturday. I thought of the numerous billboards across the country that were also in jeopardy.
What followed on Friday, when television and radio encouraged the nation to mourn the Queen’s passing, was a difficult day for many, not least the British Boxing Board of Control. They made their decision shortly before 2pm. All fights taking place under the jurisdiction of the BBB of C that weekend would be cancelled. Many disagreed, but the boxers, who would not be paid, accepted the reasoning behind the Board’s decision. In short, the Board said, it didn’t feel right to defend women’s boxing when the most famous woman of all had just died. Many claimed that the Queen would have wanted boxing to continue. However, it is unknown how many of them asked her before she passed away.
We were told that negotiations for the most unlikely Christmas present, Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua, would cease, just for the time being, in another sign of respect. For four days the two camps were silent. The truth is, the boxing world never stops spinning, no matter what day it is or who has died.
Rumors that Oleksandr Usyk’s team were also talking to Team Fury were dismissed. The same Usyk who had publicly rejected the idea of fighting again this year. The same Usyk who realized that if he didn’t, he could be left waiting a year if a rematch between Fury and Joshua was required.
On Tuesday morning, Joshua’s management team announced on social media: where else? – that they had agreed to all the terms and conditions and were prepared to fight Fury on December 3. Frank Warren, again via social media, replied that the contract was on its way. Cue absolute chaos on Twitter. The deal was closed, we were told. We’ve been told that before. We’ll wait and see before we reach for the champagne.
The night before, another heavy news line had stolen our attention. Chris Eubank Snr, as reported by Daniel Matthews of the Daily Mail, had intended to remove his son from his October 8 fight with Conor Benn. He was concerned about the weight Junior would have to lose to reach the contracted 157 pounds. There should be no doubt that his concerns are genuine.
However, Ronnie Davies, a former Senior coach and longtime Junior coach, does not share them.
“He’s 100 percent fit,” Davies told us Tuesday morning as he prepared for that day’s training session with Junior. “He always did 160 easily and he did it while he ate breakfast, lunch and dinner. It will not be difficult to lose those three extra kilos. I don’t know why the old man is saying what he is saying. Everything is on track for October 8 and his weight is perfect”.
As for who will officially ‘train’ Eubank, such as standing in the corner and barking instructions on fight night, he wasn’t so sure. “He keeps saying he doesn’t have a coach, so I don’t know what the hell I’ve been doing all this time,” Davies laughed, “but there you go.”
The Board confirmed that Eubank Jnr had been weighed “many times” since the fight was announced and they were more than satisfied that he was losing weight safely.
One fight that will not take place is Leigh Wood’s September 24 showdown with Mauricio Lara. The Nottingham fighter is injured but the card will go ahead, headlined by Kid Galahad-Maxi Hughes.
Still, we should mention where our attention will be this weekend. When Gennadiy Golovkin tries to turn back the years against old rival Canelo Alvarez. A fabulous fight, and even better, one that is actually happening. If “GGG” pulls it off, it will be as memorable, at least to us in this strange boxing bubble of ours, as Presley’s epic 1968 revival.
Boxing will also return to the British ring this weekend. Our great Queen will be remembered and honored at every event, no doubt.
