Boxing News Thread
- Thread starter heyzel
- Start date
lol not trippin. Floyd is pretty much done. Maybe fights one more time and thats it. Dont mind the drama lol. Got Em!!
Props:
HERESY and HERESY
Speaking of idiots...
Adrien Broner Robbery, Assault Allegations - Additional Details
By Jake Donovan The show might go on for Adrien Broner, but the troubled super lightweight titlist has much more to worry about than his upcoming April 1 showdown with Ashley Theophane. At present moment, there is no indication of the aforementioned bout being pulled from a planned Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Spike TV telecast, despite recent legal issues that have come to light for Broner. As previously reported on BoxingScene.com through TMZ Sports, a warrant is out for his arrest, with the 26-year old boxer from Cincinnati ordered to surrender to authorities in Hamilton County, Ohio. Cincinnati city police officials declined comment to BoxingScene.com, as the arrest warrant is not yet a matter of public record or even yet filed on the court docket. However, the matter is also the subject of an active civil lawsuit filed on February 6 by the legal team representing Christopher Carson, an acquaintance of Broner and the victim in question.
The court order stems from an incident to have allegedly taken place in the early morning of January 21 at Madison Bowl, a Cincinnati bowling alley often frequented by Broner.
According to court documents, Broner and Carson – described as an acquaintance of Broner’s for the past two years or so – were engaged in high-stakes bowling matches in two-man team format against one another during the evening of January 20.
During each team match, Broner and Carson allegedly would make a side bet, ranging from $500 to $2,000. Broner’s losses reached $8,000 in cash on hand along with another $6,000 in credit (meaning, a man’s word that he would pay back the money owed).
As described by Carson through his legal team in the filed lawsuit, Broner then attempted to make one more bet of $6,000 in efforts to clear the credit amount owed upon announcement of last call at the bowling alley before closing down for the night. The offer was countered with a smaller wager of $3,000, to which Broner allegedly rejected before storming out of the bowling alley, at which point the incident – and their acquaintance – took a serious turn for the worse.
Carson left the bowling alley at around 3:00 a.m. (officially January 21, 201 by that point), only to have allegedly encountered Broner, who was accompanied by eight unnamed individuals. A violent argument ensued, with the boxer demanding that his acquaintance give him back the $8,000 in cash. Carson claims that his refusal to do so prompted Broner to punch him in the neck/chin area, splitting Carson’s chin as well as a tooth.
From there, Broner went to a vehicle and retrieved a 9mm handgun, at which point the gathered crowd in the parking lot scattered. Carson attempted to plea his way out of the the incident, raising his arms in surrender mode, only to allegedly have been struck a second time by Broner, knocking him unconscious.
The existing lawsuit alleges that Broner then reached into Carson’s pockets, extracting $10,000 in cash – the $8,000 he lost plus another $2,000 in the victim’s possession. The lawsuit does not indicate a witness to the incident; however one has since surfaced, thus prompting the arrest warrant after a lengthy investigation conducted by law enforcement officials.
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Adrien Broner Robbery, Assault Allegations - Additional Details
By Jake Donovan The show might go on for Adrien Broner, but the troubled super lightweight titlist has much more to worry about than his upcoming April 1 showdown with Ashley Theophane. At present moment, there is no indication of the aforementioned bout being pulled from a planned Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Spike TV telecast, despite recent legal issues that have come to light for Broner. As previously reported on BoxingScene.com through TMZ Sports, a warrant is out for his arrest, with the 26-year old boxer from Cincinnati ordered to surrender to authorities in Hamilton County, Ohio. Cincinnati city police officials declined comment to BoxingScene.com, as the arrest warrant is not yet a matter of public record or even yet filed on the court docket. However, the matter is also the subject of an active civil lawsuit filed on February 6 by the legal team representing Christopher Carson, an acquaintance of Broner and the victim in question.
The court order stems from an incident to have allegedly taken place in the early morning of January 21 at Madison Bowl, a Cincinnati bowling alley often frequented by Broner.
According to court documents, Broner and Carson – described as an acquaintance of Broner’s for the past two years or so – were engaged in high-stakes bowling matches in two-man team format against one another during the evening of January 20.
During each team match, Broner and Carson allegedly would make a side bet, ranging from $500 to $2,000. Broner’s losses reached $8,000 in cash on hand along with another $6,000 in credit (meaning, a man’s word that he would pay back the money owed).
As described by Carson through his legal team in the filed lawsuit, Broner then attempted to make one more bet of $6,000 in efforts to clear the credit amount owed upon announcement of last call at the bowling alley before closing down for the night. The offer was countered with a smaller wager of $3,000, to which Broner allegedly rejected before storming out of the bowling alley, at which point the incident – and their acquaintance – took a serious turn for the worse.
Carson left the bowling alley at around 3:00 a.m. (officially January 21, 201 by that point), only to have allegedly encountered Broner, who was accompanied by eight unnamed individuals. A violent argument ensued, with the boxer demanding that his acquaintance give him back the $8,000 in cash. Carson claims that his refusal to do so prompted Broner to punch him in the neck/chin area, splitting Carson’s chin as well as a tooth.
From there, Broner went to a vehicle and retrieved a 9mm handgun, at which point the gathered crowd in the parking lot scattered. Carson attempted to plea his way out of the the incident, raising his arms in surrender mode, only to allegedly have been struck a second time by Broner, knocking him unconscious.
The existing lawsuit alleges that Broner then reached into Carson’s pockets, extracting $10,000 in cash – the $8,000 he lost plus another $2,000 in the victim’s possession. The lawsuit does not indicate a witness to the incident; however one has since surfaced, thus prompting the arrest warrant after a lengthy investigation conducted by law enforcement officials.
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Upon regaining consciousness, Carson discovered he had been robbed and injured, opting to head to the emergency room for treatment of such injuries in lieu of reporting the incident to the local authorities. The matter made its way to law enforcement - and thus presenting grounds for an arrest warrant - once an alleged witness surfaced. At the time of the filed lawsuit, Broner (31-2, 23KOs) had already relocated his training camp from Cincinnati to HeadBangers Gym in Washington D.C. The dual-site training ritual has become commonplace for Broner and his gym mates in the past couple of years, as it allows him to train under the tutelage of his longtime cornerman Mike Stafford as well as D.C.-based top trainer Barry Hunter.
Broner remains in camp in D.C. for the forthcoming title fight with Theophane (39-6-1, 11KOs), although such a bout – and perhaps now the show in general – is in limbo. Should the main event remain intact, Broner will make the first defense of the super lightweight title he claimed with a 12th round knockout of Khabib Allakhverdiev last October in Cincinnati.
He previously held titles at super featherweight, lightweight and welterweight The latter reign in a 12-round decision loss to Marcos Maidana, prompting him to drop down to the super lightweight division he passed over in favor of a more lucrative run at welterweight. Broner is presently 4-0 in the 140 lb. division, but suffered a 12-round loss to former welterweight titlist Shawn Porter in their NBC-televised 144-pound catchweight bout last June.
Theophane – who hails from England but trains out of the Mayweather Boxing Gym in Las Vegas – enters his first career title shot. The hard-luck contender signed with Mayweather Promotions more than two years ago, losing his first fight while as a member of “TMT” (The Money Team), but having since won his past five starts. His most recent win came last September, scoring a unanimous decision over Steven Upsher Chambers. Whether or not the fight happens depends on the state limitations carried by the existing arrest warrant. Felony murders are free of restriction, thus allowing law enforcement officials to cross state lines in apprehending said suspect.
The warrant in place could be limited to Ohio state or even Hamilton County jurisdiction, in which case Broner could not be apprehended until he turned himself in upon arriving back in his home state. Law enforcement in the greater D.C. area have been made aware of the existing warrant in place, but declined official comment on the subject.
The supporting cast features Broner’s training teammate, unbeaten lightweight prospect Robert Easter Jr. – who hails from Toledo, Ohio but trains in Cincinnati (and D.C.) - in a crossroads bout versus former 130-pound titlist Algenis Mendez, as well as Baltimore’s unbeaten super featherweight prospect on the rise, Gervonta Davis in a clash versus Mexico’s Guillermo Avila. Both bouts along with the announced undercard – including local favorite Anthony Peterson along with a slew of other D.C.-based prospects as well as mid-level super middleweight contender J’Leon Love – are strong enough to carry on in the event that the main event is scrapped.
However, said show would take a major hit with the presence of Broner’s star power. As charges of felony assault and aggravated robbery loom overhead, it remains to be seen how Broner and PBC brass proceed. A brief statement offered through the public relations office at PBC – who is not taking the incident lightly, but at the same time remaining non-committal pending further information - noted that “we don’t have any information (at this time) other than what police are saying… it’s a legal matter that Broner will have to handle with his legal team.”
The alleged incident in question adds to a long list of run-ins with the law for Broner. A history of legal troubles date back to his youth spent as a gifted amateur boxer whose full talent was never maximized due to an inability to get out of his own way. - See more at: Adrien Broner Robbery, Assault Allegations - Additional Details - Boxing News
Broner remains in camp in D.C. for the forthcoming title fight with Theophane (39-6-1, 11KOs), although such a bout – and perhaps now the show in general – is in limbo. Should the main event remain intact, Broner will make the first defense of the super lightweight title he claimed with a 12th round knockout of Khabib Allakhverdiev last October in Cincinnati.
He previously held titles at super featherweight, lightweight and welterweight The latter reign in a 12-round decision loss to Marcos Maidana, prompting him to drop down to the super lightweight division he passed over in favor of a more lucrative run at welterweight. Broner is presently 4-0 in the 140 lb. division, but suffered a 12-round loss to former welterweight titlist Shawn Porter in their NBC-televised 144-pound catchweight bout last June.
Theophane – who hails from England but trains out of the Mayweather Boxing Gym in Las Vegas – enters his first career title shot. The hard-luck contender signed with Mayweather Promotions more than two years ago, losing his first fight while as a member of “TMT” (The Money Team), but having since won his past five starts. His most recent win came last September, scoring a unanimous decision over Steven Upsher Chambers. Whether or not the fight happens depends on the state limitations carried by the existing arrest warrant. Felony murders are free of restriction, thus allowing law enforcement officials to cross state lines in apprehending said suspect.
The warrant in place could be limited to Ohio state or even Hamilton County jurisdiction, in which case Broner could not be apprehended until he turned himself in upon arriving back in his home state. Law enforcement in the greater D.C. area have been made aware of the existing warrant in place, but declined official comment on the subject.
The supporting cast features Broner’s training teammate, unbeaten lightweight prospect Robert Easter Jr. – who hails from Toledo, Ohio but trains in Cincinnati (and D.C.) - in a crossroads bout versus former 130-pound titlist Algenis Mendez, as well as Baltimore’s unbeaten super featherweight prospect on the rise, Gervonta Davis in a clash versus Mexico’s Guillermo Avila. Both bouts along with the announced undercard – including local favorite Anthony Peterson along with a slew of other D.C.-based prospects as well as mid-level super middleweight contender J’Leon Love – are strong enough to carry on in the event that the main event is scrapped.
However, said show would take a major hit with the presence of Broner’s star power. As charges of felony assault and aggravated robbery loom overhead, it remains to be seen how Broner and PBC brass proceed. A brief statement offered through the public relations office at PBC – who is not taking the incident lightly, but at the same time remaining non-committal pending further information - noted that “we don’t have any information (at this time) other than what police are saying… it’s a legal matter that Broner will have to handle with his legal team.”
The alleged incident in question adds to a long list of run-ins with the law for Broner. A history of legal troubles date back to his youth spent as a gifted amateur boxer whose full talent was never maximized due to an inability to get out of his own way. - See more at: Adrien Broner Robbery, Assault Allegations - Additional Details - Boxing News
Props:
timebomb and timebomb
Brags about his money at Walmart then throws his life away for losing a bet. I dont wish death on anybody but he does need to go away for a while.
Props:
timebomb and timebomb
adam abramowitz @snboxing
Why is @HBOboxing paying $2.4M for Ward-Barrera but won't go above $1M for Lomachenko-Walters, a far better fight? [ame]https://twitter.com/MikeCoppinger/status/713465132945383424[/ame] …
5:46 PM - 25 Mar 2016
11 11 Retweets
9
Why is @HBOboxing paying $2.4M for Ward-Barrera but won't go above $1M for Lomachenko-Walters, a far better fight? [ame]https://twitter.com/MikeCoppinger/status/713465132945383424[/ame] …
5:46 PM - 25 Mar 2016
11 11 Retweets
9
Props:
WYNO707X4 and WYNO707X4
Dan Rafael chat wrap 3/25:
- If Broner loses to Theophane the public may not care about him anymore. They might not care about him right now.
- Broner still doesn't get it. Maybe being locked up again might sink in. Not surprised that Broner is involved in this alleged assault. You can see it coming from 10 miles away. Doesn't take any special pleasure writing about his misfortunes.
- Broner should turn himself in, get a hearing date, and bail out. He shouldn't put it off because the police can take you into custody at any time, including at a presser or weigh-in.
- Hopes Walters takes Lomachenko up on his offer to make the fight.
- Thomas Hauser's article is well written, but mainly a rehashing of stuff already reported. There hasn't been anything in it that he didn't already know, except for some exact figures on numbers.
- Does Broner ever respond intelligently to him? Rarely. He also didn't post their entire conversation last night.
- Pacquiao vs. Bradley is not going to do well on PPV. Probably a little more than 350k buys.
- Gilberto Mendoza with the WBA has said they are still deciding what to do regarding Browne-Chagaev. The B sample still needs to be tested. They may leave the regular title vacant and move forward with just two belts in the tournament. Does not believe Browne's story about his positive test.
- Chad Dawson is still planning to fight again. He was going to fight on the Thurman-Porter undercard before it got postponed.
- Rocky Juarez has not announced his retirement.
- Buy or Sell GGG vs. Canelo happens in 2017? Buy.
- Believes that Brook, Porter, and Thurman will eventually move to 154.
- Bradley's career has been very good. He has fought lots of quality opponents and made a lot of money.
- Crawford vs. Broner? Crawford fairly easily.
- Barrera is a good fighter, but Ward is on another level and should win fairly easily. Decision 12.
- If Barrera wins believes his next fight will be against Kovalev.
- Floyd vs. GGG will not happen.
- Crawford vs. Postol is an excellent fight and a horrible PPV.
- Ivan Najera came in 8 lbs overweight in his "comeback" fight in his hometown. What a waste.
- The Fight Game did a piece on what happens to Kovalev if Ward loses. Kovalev will be fine. Main Events promotes Barrera and Barrera is a Kovalev mandatory.
- Cotto vs. Jessie Vargas in June? No.
- Kell Brook beats Bizier in 7 or 8 rounds. No US TV for the fight. Showtime didn't push to get it on Showtime International.
- Yvon Michel is still saying Stevenson's next opponent will be Fonfara or Alvarez.
- Velez needs a win badly, but Diaz is too fast and skilled and should win.
- Better resume: Danny Garcia or GGG? Garcia, hands down.
- Likes it when a boxer finds a song they like to walk out to and uses it each time (WWE style).
- A fight where neither guy was the same after? Corrales-Castillo 1. Fan wrote in: Liakhovich vs. Brewster.
- Kovalev's next opponent? Up in the air. Main Events wanted Monaghan, but that didn't work out.
- Don King isn't holding up Andrade-Hatley, but he is negotiating hard, which is causing it to not be signed quickly. If it does get signed it will be on the undercard of Showtime's card with Provodnikov-Molina.
- The Canelo vs. Khan card is good top to bottom.
- Luis Ortiz will not be on the card. Ustinov is his mandatory and is due by June.
- Lemieux vs. Canelo is not in the works, but the reason Lemieux is on Canelo's card is for GB to build him as a possible future opponent.
- Canelo could very likely fight in September at Cowboy Stadium.
- Canelo has made it clear he is comfortable at 155. Whether he goes to 154 or 160 is up for him to decide. Canelo doesn't really need or care if he has a belt.
- Fury vs. Klitschko 2 is likely going to be on June 4. The fight should be finalized soon.
- April 9th is a great test to show how good Gilberto Ramirez can be.
- Interviewed Kostya Tszyu a couple of times. Always was nice and thoughtful with his answers. Was a very serious guy. Challenged you if he thought your question was bad.
- Jesse Hart needs more work before he is ready for a top opponent.
- Lamont Peterson has been inactive because Haymon has not scheduled a fight for him. Wouldn't be surprised to see Lamont back in June on an ESPN PBC card.
- Felix Verdejo's fight in Puerto Rico is on UniMas and has no budget, so the lackluster opponent is to be expected. He likely returns on HBO this June vs. Jose Felix.
- By all accounts Trout vs. Charlo will happen. Rumor is it may take place in Houston, with the other Charlo brother fighting John Jackson.
- MMA being legalized in NY certainly will cause more competition for dates and venues.
- Has he ever worried about a fighter physically attacking him? No.
- Chocolatito will not fight Inoue this year per Mr. Honda. Possibly next year. Most likely is a summer fight vs. Estrada or Nietes. Estrada vs. Nietes this summer is also a possibility.
- GGG beats Wade very easily. The fight will sell out or come very close. They just opened up more seats.
- Most desired opponent for GGG? Canelo.
- Marcus Browne is a really good prospect and has a chance at being a top 175 lb'er for years.
- Jacobs vs. Lee is being discussed for May 21. Unclear if the fight will get done.
- The atmosphere of Mayweather vs. Pacquiao was not as good as you would have thought because the crowd was so corporate.
- Best atmospheres for weigh-in's and fights? Mayweather-Canelo and Mayweather-Hatton weigh-ins were sick and best fight atmospheres he has experienced: Mayweather-Hatton, Trinidad-Joppy, Trinidad-Mayorga, Oscar-Vargas, Froch-Bute, and Lewis-Tyson. Other good ones were: JCC-Martinez, Pavlik-Taylor 1, and Gatti-Ward 2 & 3.
- How interesting is a Crawford vs. Spence fight? Very interesting.
- FNF is not coming back anytime soon. As long as the contract with PBC is in effect ESPN cannot show non-PBC fights.
- Naseem Hamed vs. Erik Morales? Naz by KO. Morales couldn't box the way Barrera did and not as disciplined. Naz was faster and would have found angles to land punches.
- Glowacki vs. Cunningham winner likely will face Usyk later this year. Both good fights.
- Not that interested in Bradley vs. Vargas 2, but understands why Vargas wants the fight. Bradley dominated him for 11 rounds and after he hurt Bradley there wasn't enough time to finish him and Bradley appeared okay.
- Reader wrote in that Cincinatti fighters need to stay out of trouble, so much talent and wasted promise (Pryor, Austin, Williams Jr., and Broner). Dan agreed.
- Sergio Martinez's best win is his KO of Paul Williams.
- The first quarter of 2016 has stunk for boxing, but first quarters usually are not that good.
- Have to choose one fight to get made: Crawford-Postol or Lomachenko-Walters? Crawford-Postol.
- Biggest non-title upset he can remember? Turpin over SRR. Pacquiao over ODH was pretty big.
- Brant is a good prospect. He is scheduled to fight Delray Raines April 15, in Hinckley, Minn.
- Regis Prograis is the guy to keep your eye on the most from Showtime's ShoBox fights tonight.
- Does he believe Holyfield ever used PED's? Probably.
- Wladamir Klitschko turns 40 today. HW's who won belts after turning 40? Vitali and Foreman.
- Kathy Duva is an excellent promoter, tons of experience, and easy to deal with.
- If Broner loses to Theophane the public may not care about him anymore. They might not care about him right now.
- Broner still doesn't get it. Maybe being locked up again might sink in. Not surprised that Broner is involved in this alleged assault. You can see it coming from 10 miles away. Doesn't take any special pleasure writing about his misfortunes.
- Broner should turn himself in, get a hearing date, and bail out. He shouldn't put it off because the police can take you into custody at any time, including at a presser or weigh-in.
- Hopes Walters takes Lomachenko up on his offer to make the fight.
- Thomas Hauser's article is well written, but mainly a rehashing of stuff already reported. There hasn't been anything in it that he didn't already know, except for some exact figures on numbers.
- Does Broner ever respond intelligently to him? Rarely. He also didn't post their entire conversation last night.
- Pacquiao vs. Bradley is not going to do well on PPV. Probably a little more than 350k buys.
- Gilberto Mendoza with the WBA has said they are still deciding what to do regarding Browne-Chagaev. The B sample still needs to be tested. They may leave the regular title vacant and move forward with just two belts in the tournament. Does not believe Browne's story about his positive test.
- Chad Dawson is still planning to fight again. He was going to fight on the Thurman-Porter undercard before it got postponed.
- Rocky Juarez has not announced his retirement.
- Buy or Sell GGG vs. Canelo happens in 2017? Buy.
- Believes that Brook, Porter, and Thurman will eventually move to 154.
- Bradley's career has been very good. He has fought lots of quality opponents and made a lot of money.
- Crawford vs. Broner? Crawford fairly easily.
- Barrera is a good fighter, but Ward is on another level and should win fairly easily. Decision 12.
- If Barrera wins believes his next fight will be against Kovalev.
- Floyd vs. GGG will not happen.
- Crawford vs. Postol is an excellent fight and a horrible PPV.
- Ivan Najera came in 8 lbs overweight in his "comeback" fight in his hometown. What a waste.
- The Fight Game did a piece on what happens to Kovalev if Ward loses. Kovalev will be fine. Main Events promotes Barrera and Barrera is a Kovalev mandatory.
- Cotto vs. Jessie Vargas in June? No.
- Kell Brook beats Bizier in 7 or 8 rounds. No US TV for the fight. Showtime didn't push to get it on Showtime International.
- Yvon Michel is still saying Stevenson's next opponent will be Fonfara or Alvarez.
- Velez needs a win badly, but Diaz is too fast and skilled and should win.
- Better resume: Danny Garcia or GGG? Garcia, hands down.
- Likes it when a boxer finds a song they like to walk out to and uses it each time (WWE style).
- A fight where neither guy was the same after? Corrales-Castillo 1. Fan wrote in: Liakhovich vs. Brewster.
- Kovalev's next opponent? Up in the air. Main Events wanted Monaghan, but that didn't work out.
- Don King isn't holding up Andrade-Hatley, but he is negotiating hard, which is causing it to not be signed quickly. If it does get signed it will be on the undercard of Showtime's card with Provodnikov-Molina.
- The Canelo vs. Khan card is good top to bottom.
- Luis Ortiz will not be on the card. Ustinov is his mandatory and is due by June.
- Lemieux vs. Canelo is not in the works, but the reason Lemieux is on Canelo's card is for GB to build him as a possible future opponent.
- Canelo could very likely fight in September at Cowboy Stadium.
- Canelo has made it clear he is comfortable at 155. Whether he goes to 154 or 160 is up for him to decide. Canelo doesn't really need or care if he has a belt.
- Fury vs. Klitschko 2 is likely going to be on June 4. The fight should be finalized soon.
- April 9th is a great test to show how good Gilberto Ramirez can be.
- Interviewed Kostya Tszyu a couple of times. Always was nice and thoughtful with his answers. Was a very serious guy. Challenged you if he thought your question was bad.
- Jesse Hart needs more work before he is ready for a top opponent.
- Lamont Peterson has been inactive because Haymon has not scheduled a fight for him. Wouldn't be surprised to see Lamont back in June on an ESPN PBC card.
- Felix Verdejo's fight in Puerto Rico is on UniMas and has no budget, so the lackluster opponent is to be expected. He likely returns on HBO this June vs. Jose Felix.
- By all accounts Trout vs. Charlo will happen. Rumor is it may take place in Houston, with the other Charlo brother fighting John Jackson.
- MMA being legalized in NY certainly will cause more competition for dates and venues.
- Has he ever worried about a fighter physically attacking him? No.
- Chocolatito will not fight Inoue this year per Mr. Honda. Possibly next year. Most likely is a summer fight vs. Estrada or Nietes. Estrada vs. Nietes this summer is also a possibility.
- GGG beats Wade very easily. The fight will sell out or come very close. They just opened up more seats.
- Most desired opponent for GGG? Canelo.
- Marcus Browne is a really good prospect and has a chance at being a top 175 lb'er for years.
- Jacobs vs. Lee is being discussed for May 21. Unclear if the fight will get done.
- The atmosphere of Mayweather vs. Pacquiao was not as good as you would have thought because the crowd was so corporate.
- Best atmospheres for weigh-in's and fights? Mayweather-Canelo and Mayweather-Hatton weigh-ins were sick and best fight atmospheres he has experienced: Mayweather-Hatton, Trinidad-Joppy, Trinidad-Mayorga, Oscar-Vargas, Froch-Bute, and Lewis-Tyson. Other good ones were: JCC-Martinez, Pavlik-Taylor 1, and Gatti-Ward 2 & 3.
- How interesting is a Crawford vs. Spence fight? Very interesting.
- FNF is not coming back anytime soon. As long as the contract with PBC is in effect ESPN cannot show non-PBC fights.
- Naseem Hamed vs. Erik Morales? Naz by KO. Morales couldn't box the way Barrera did and not as disciplined. Naz was faster and would have found angles to land punches.
- Glowacki vs. Cunningham winner likely will face Usyk later this year. Both good fights.
- Not that interested in Bradley vs. Vargas 2, but understands why Vargas wants the fight. Bradley dominated him for 11 rounds and after he hurt Bradley there wasn't enough time to finish him and Bradley appeared okay.
- Reader wrote in that Cincinatti fighters need to stay out of trouble, so much talent and wasted promise (Pryor, Austin, Williams Jr., and Broner). Dan agreed.
- Sergio Martinez's best win is his KO of Paul Williams.
- The first quarter of 2016 has stunk for boxing, but first quarters usually are not that good.
- Have to choose one fight to get made: Crawford-Postol or Lomachenko-Walters? Crawford-Postol.
- Biggest non-title upset he can remember? Turpin over SRR. Pacquiao over ODH was pretty big.
- Brant is a good prospect. He is scheduled to fight Delray Raines April 15, in Hinckley, Minn.
- Regis Prograis is the guy to keep your eye on the most from Showtime's ShoBox fights tonight.
- Does he believe Holyfield ever used PED's? Probably.
- Wladamir Klitschko turns 40 today. HW's who won belts after turning 40? Vitali and Foreman.
- Kathy Duva is an excellent promoter, tons of experience, and easy to deal with.
Mitchell Abramson @mabramson13
Police: Broner can fight Friday in D.C. because warrant is only for Ohio. My story: Police: Broner can fight Friday in DC because warrant is only for Ohio - Ring TV …
6:21 PM - 28 Mar 2016
6 6 Retweets
5
Police: Broner can fight Friday in D.C. because warrant is only for Ohio. My story: Police: Broner can fight Friday in DC because warrant is only for Ohio - Ring TV …
6:21 PM - 28 Mar 2016
6 6 Retweets
5
Dan Rafael chat wrap 3/31:
- Broner's future is dependent on getting his life together. He is young and has lots of talent. If he can get things together there is no reason he can't have a big future. Right now Broner's prospects in and out of the ring don't look great.
- Broner's current situation is an embarrassment to everyone involved (himself, PBC, Spike, DC, the commission, etc). He should be allowed to fight after he turns himself in and makes bail. The fact he technically is still a fugitive and allowed to fight is disturbing.
- Floyd supports Theophane because he likes fighters who work hard and Theophane does that.
- Broner wins relatively easily vs. Theophane.
- Ticket sales have been good for Broner vs. Theophane. Broner is popular in DC.
- The fighters Broner has beaten to become a 4-time champ (Rodriguez, DeMarco, Malignaggi, and Allakhverdiev) is extraordinarily weak.
- Yvon Michel told him that Beterbiev is likely to fight in June and is good to go after shoulder surgery.
- More accomplished career: Castillo or Corrales? Hard pick. (Couldn't decide and picked them both)
- Ward looked good for being out of the ring 9 months and moving up a division, plus very inactive over the last 4 years, but there clearly was some rust.
- Who cares if Ward can draw outside of Oakland. There are only a few guys who can draw in more than 1 or 2 locations.
- It is in the contract that Ward vs. Kovalev cannot be in Oakland. It will be in either NY or Las Vegas...most likely Las Vegas.
- Does not care if Ward takes another tune up before fighting Kovalev, but wants the fight to happen on its intended date: Nov. 19.
- Questions whether HBO will want to show another Ward fight before Kovalev given their budget and lack of opponents.
- Believes that Boone would have KO'd Ward had the round not been over when Ward was knocked down.
- Likely location for Thurman vs. Porter is Barclay's.
- Velez is a very nice humble guy. Has more heart than talent.
- Toney vs. Jirov is probably the greatest CW fight in history (or Quawi-Holyfield 1).
- Baranchyk is a fun fighter to watch.
- Even hardcore fight fans are not interested in Bradley-Pacquiao 3. Both guys have more interesting fights with other opponents. It isn't for lack of HBO promotion, it is just that no one cares. The PPV numbers should be much lower than Pacquiao typically generates. It is very possible this fight loses money.
- Perfect over/under number for the Pacquiao PPV is 400k buys. He is picking under.
- Bradley is a borderline HOF'er. If he beats Pacquiao it would definitely make him a HOF'er.
- Bradley and his family are some of the best people to deal with in boxing.
- Manny says he is retiring after this fight, not sure if we should believe that.
- Is fine with fighters weighing in a day before the fight, due to medical reasons, but wishes they would fight in the weight class they really are in.
- Crawford vs. Postol would either be in Vegas or at the Staples Center.
- In the ESPN top 25 PFP over the last 25 years, there are some dramatic surprises in the the top 5 and he disagrees with some of the choices.
- Sergio Martinez did not make the top 25, Dan voted him in the lower part of the top 25.
- Doubtful Spence gets a title shot this year. If he beats Algieri he should get one next year.
- A DeGale vs. Groves rematch doesn't do a lot for him right now, he prefers DeGale-Jack. Down the road a rematch would be interesting.
- Showtime says they have a contract for the DeGale-Jack fight to be made if they both win their next fight.
- There is a chance Cotto does not fight June 18. They are trying to figure things out.
- If a lineal champ retires, how is a new lineal champ crowned? It takes time to play out and is a general consensus by the public/press.
- Parker vs. Takam winner is the mandatory for the Martin-Joshua winner.
- Hopkins wants a fight this year and says he would like the SMW title. Looking at the Abraham-Ramirez winner. Possible he lures Froch out of retirement.
- Was surprised to see that Cristobal Cruz was allowed to be licensed, it is a disgrace.
- Doubts we see Canelo vs. Lemieux this year. Believes we see a Canelo-Cotto rematch negotiation for the fall, with Canelo-GGG being put off until 2017.
- The two most likely options for Canelo this fall will be a Cotto rematch or the winner of Pacquiao-Bradley.
- Gives Bute a shot vs. Jack.
- Golden Boy has done an excellent job lately of making entertaining cards.
- Sanchez vs. Arguello? Arguello.
- No word on if Fury is staying in shape, but with how much he was partying at Wilder vs. Szpilka it wouldn't be a surprise if he was a bit out of shape.
- Fury vs. Klitschko rematch could be pushed until the fall. It is not either fighter holding the fight back, it is trying to find a date where the venue and all the TV networks can agree on.
- Tszyu vs. Broner at 140? Tszyu by KO.
- Are boxers covered by insurance from promoters/commissions? Promoters are required to take out insurance and each state has laws on those requirements. If any major injuries happen the insurance will not cover it and is why we see the boxing community rally to raise money.
- Frampton vs. LSC is pretty much a lock to happen in late July/early August.
- Loves the idea of a Jacobs vs. Cotto fight, but it won't happen due to politics.
- Had Vitali beating Lewis at the time of stoppage.
- Showtime will be showing Wilder vs. Povetkin.
- Wants HBO Legendary Nights to be brought back. Shows he would want to see: Corrales-Castillo, Holyfield-Tyson 1 and 2, Chavez-Randall, Chavez-Whitaker, Tszyu-Judah, Mayweather-Canelo, and Calzaghe-Lacy.
- If Showtime did a similar show to Legendary Nights, good ones would be: Tapia-Ayala, Vazquez-Marquez, and Benn-McClellan.
- If there ever was a time to believe someone who tests positive for steriods, the Browne situation MIGHT be the one time to consider Browne is telling the truth.
- Fan wrote in regarding Broner weighing in overweight: Did he forget to take the gun out of his pocket?
- Erik Morales always looked horribly drained at weigh-ins, Rios-Abril and vs. Murray were bad as well.
- Things are trending towards very unlikely a Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch will happen.
- Mills Lane was considered the best referee when he was active.
- Thoughts on Saunders-GGG: He called out GGG, GGG made an offer that was 4x what BJS had ever made, BJS turned it down, GGG signed another fight, and BJS calls GGG out after GGG signed his fight, BJS then goes and signs a C-level fighter. GGG can decide if he wants to go to the UK or not, he is the A-side. He is better regarded and sells out fights in the US. Saunders could barely sell 4-5k tickets for his fight with Lee.
- Broner's future is dependent on getting his life together. He is young and has lots of talent. If he can get things together there is no reason he can't have a big future. Right now Broner's prospects in and out of the ring don't look great.
- Broner's current situation is an embarrassment to everyone involved (himself, PBC, Spike, DC, the commission, etc). He should be allowed to fight after he turns himself in and makes bail. The fact he technically is still a fugitive and allowed to fight is disturbing.
- Floyd supports Theophane because he likes fighters who work hard and Theophane does that.
- Broner wins relatively easily vs. Theophane.
- Ticket sales have been good for Broner vs. Theophane. Broner is popular in DC.
- The fighters Broner has beaten to become a 4-time champ (Rodriguez, DeMarco, Malignaggi, and Allakhverdiev) is extraordinarily weak.
- Yvon Michel told him that Beterbiev is likely to fight in June and is good to go after shoulder surgery.
- More accomplished career: Castillo or Corrales? Hard pick. (Couldn't decide and picked them both)
- Ward looked good for being out of the ring 9 months and moving up a division, plus very inactive over the last 4 years, but there clearly was some rust.
- Who cares if Ward can draw outside of Oakland. There are only a few guys who can draw in more than 1 or 2 locations.
- It is in the contract that Ward vs. Kovalev cannot be in Oakland. It will be in either NY or Las Vegas...most likely Las Vegas.
- Does not care if Ward takes another tune up before fighting Kovalev, but wants the fight to happen on its intended date: Nov. 19.
- Questions whether HBO will want to show another Ward fight before Kovalev given their budget and lack of opponents.
- Believes that Boone would have KO'd Ward had the round not been over when Ward was knocked down.
- Likely location for Thurman vs. Porter is Barclay's.
- Velez is a very nice humble guy. Has more heart than talent.
- Toney vs. Jirov is probably the greatest CW fight in history (or Quawi-Holyfield 1).
- Baranchyk is a fun fighter to watch.
- Even hardcore fight fans are not interested in Bradley-Pacquiao 3. Both guys have more interesting fights with other opponents. It isn't for lack of HBO promotion, it is just that no one cares. The PPV numbers should be much lower than Pacquiao typically generates. It is very possible this fight loses money.
- Perfect over/under number for the Pacquiao PPV is 400k buys. He is picking under.
- Bradley is a borderline HOF'er. If he beats Pacquiao it would definitely make him a HOF'er.
- Bradley and his family are some of the best people to deal with in boxing.
- Manny says he is retiring after this fight, not sure if we should believe that.
- Is fine with fighters weighing in a day before the fight, due to medical reasons, but wishes they would fight in the weight class they really are in.
- Crawford vs. Postol would either be in Vegas or at the Staples Center.
- In the ESPN top 25 PFP over the last 25 years, there are some dramatic surprises in the the top 5 and he disagrees with some of the choices.
- Sergio Martinez did not make the top 25, Dan voted him in the lower part of the top 25.
- Doubtful Spence gets a title shot this year. If he beats Algieri he should get one next year.
- A DeGale vs. Groves rematch doesn't do a lot for him right now, he prefers DeGale-Jack. Down the road a rematch would be interesting.
- Showtime says they have a contract for the DeGale-Jack fight to be made if they both win their next fight.
- There is a chance Cotto does not fight June 18. They are trying to figure things out.
- If a lineal champ retires, how is a new lineal champ crowned? It takes time to play out and is a general consensus by the public/press.
- Parker vs. Takam winner is the mandatory for the Martin-Joshua winner.
- Hopkins wants a fight this year and says he would like the SMW title. Looking at the Abraham-Ramirez winner. Possible he lures Froch out of retirement.
- Was surprised to see that Cristobal Cruz was allowed to be licensed, it is a disgrace.
- Doubts we see Canelo vs. Lemieux this year. Believes we see a Canelo-Cotto rematch negotiation for the fall, with Canelo-GGG being put off until 2017.
- The two most likely options for Canelo this fall will be a Cotto rematch or the winner of Pacquiao-Bradley.
- Gives Bute a shot vs. Jack.
- Golden Boy has done an excellent job lately of making entertaining cards.
- Sanchez vs. Arguello? Arguello.
- No word on if Fury is staying in shape, but with how much he was partying at Wilder vs. Szpilka it wouldn't be a surprise if he was a bit out of shape.
- Fury vs. Klitschko rematch could be pushed until the fall. It is not either fighter holding the fight back, it is trying to find a date where the venue and all the TV networks can agree on.
- Tszyu vs. Broner at 140? Tszyu by KO.
- Are boxers covered by insurance from promoters/commissions? Promoters are required to take out insurance and each state has laws on those requirements. If any major injuries happen the insurance will not cover it and is why we see the boxing community rally to raise money.
- Frampton vs. LSC is pretty much a lock to happen in late July/early August.
- Loves the idea of a Jacobs vs. Cotto fight, but it won't happen due to politics.
- Had Vitali beating Lewis at the time of stoppage.
- Showtime will be showing Wilder vs. Povetkin.
- Wants HBO Legendary Nights to be brought back. Shows he would want to see: Corrales-Castillo, Holyfield-Tyson 1 and 2, Chavez-Randall, Chavez-Whitaker, Tszyu-Judah, Mayweather-Canelo, and Calzaghe-Lacy.
- If Showtime did a similar show to Legendary Nights, good ones would be: Tapia-Ayala, Vazquez-Marquez, and Benn-McClellan.
- If there ever was a time to believe someone who tests positive for steriods, the Browne situation MIGHT be the one time to consider Browne is telling the truth.
- Fan wrote in regarding Broner weighing in overweight: Did he forget to take the gun out of his pocket?
- Erik Morales always looked horribly drained at weigh-ins, Rios-Abril and vs. Murray were bad as well.
- Things are trending towards very unlikely a Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch will happen.
- Mills Lane was considered the best referee when he was active.
- Thoughts on Saunders-GGG: He called out GGG, GGG made an offer that was 4x what BJS had ever made, BJS turned it down, GGG signed another fight, and BJS calls GGG out after GGG signed his fight, BJS then goes and signs a C-level fighter. GGG can decide if he wants to go to the UK or not, he is the A-side. He is better regarded and sells out fights in the US. Saunders could barely sell 4-5k tickets for his fight with Lee.
Dude this is ridiculous!! We all have our fav fighters who we defend and like but I dont care what anyone says, Canelo is the biggest pussy I ever seen in the sport of boxing!!! Now this dude wants to fight Pacquiao if he beats Khan lol..This dude doesnt want to fight anyone remotely close to his size lol. What a fuckin joke! Never seen anything like it. Duckin someone is one thing but constantly wanting to fight much smaller dudes and create a weight division that doesnt exist is pure pussified!! Got Em!!
Jamie McDonnell: ‘I’ve never seen Tyson or Ali, boxing doesn’t interest me’
Jamie McDonnell speaks to George Gigney about his main source of motivation
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A PRIZEFIGHTER is someone who fights for money. The term does not allude to legacy or glory, not even a love for boxing itself – it is simply a profession. Jamie McDonnell is a prizefighter.
The 30-year-old has been boxing professionally for over a decade but in 2015 announced himself as one of Britain’s leading pugilists. He twice travelled to America to beat Japan’s highly touted Tomoki Kameda, both times successfully defending his WBA ‘world’ bantamweight crown, producing two of the most notable British away days in recent history.
Despite those feats, and numerous others before them including British, Commonwealth, European and IBF titles, the plaudits have not streamed in as one would think they might.
Perhaps it was a case of bad timing – 2015 was a standout year for British boxing with Tyson Fury dethroning Wladimir Klitschko, James DeGale becoming the first British Olympic champion to win a professional world title, and several others claiming global honours.
Regardless, McDonnell only has one concern with regards to recognition from others – the health of his bank account.
“I was already world champion [at the start of the year], I’d won British, Commonwealth and European titles, and I didn’t really get any credit,” he told Boxing News.
“I started getting recognition after the Kameda fights, my name started to get chucked into the mix, so I’m getting there but obviously I’m in one of the smaller weights so I’m not going to get talked about as much.
“I’ve always said I’m not too fussed [about the recognition] but I want the big paydays, and the more you get noticed and recognised, the more you get paid. That’s why I do it, it’s all about the money and making a better life for my family. If I want a bigger payday, I’ve got to become a bigger name, a household name.
“I should be getting more credit, but I just have to keep doing what I’m doing, proving everyone wrong, getting the wins over in America and getting the big fights.
“People asked why I took the rematch with Kameda in America, but when they offer you a s*** load of money to fight a kid I already beat, why would I not take that? I thought I’d stop him the second time
and it turned out to be an easier fight really.”
Going into his first fight with Kameda in May of last year, McDonnell was a heavy underdog. He climbed off the deck in the third to earn a unanimous decision in a thriller, and went on to put on an even better display in the rematch four months later, dropping Kameda in the 12th to claim another UD victory.
The first time round, Jamie was seriously up against it. Not only was Kameda supposedly the better fighter on paper (he was unbeaten in 31 fights and had won the WBO crown, though vacated
it before facing McDonnell), the Doncaster native’s corner was in turmoil before the contest.
When he arrived with his team at the airport to travel to Texas, McDonnell’s trainer, Dave Hulley, announced he would not be able to board the plan through fear of flying. Jamie was forced to contact his manager, Dave Coldwell, to fly out instead and act as head coach.
To his credit, Coldwell was superb on the night and remains McDonnell’s trainer to this day.
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As a Matchroom fighter, McDonnell also has the huge benefit of his fights being shown on Sky Sports in the UK – though this was not to be the case in May. Rather than broadcast McDonnell’s heroics, Sky elected to show Anthony Joshua blitzing Kevin Johnson inside two rounds.
“It was a little bit frustrating. It’s almost like they didn’t believe in me, it knocks you a bit,” McDonnell said.
“Obviously if they thought more of you, they’d show you. Hopefully I’ve got a bit more respect now and they’ll back me more now but I’ve felt like that all my career, that I need to prove myself.
“You just have to keep going though, I believe I’m the best bantamweight out there, none of the other fighters scare me or anything. As long as I’m getting what I feel is enough money, I’ll go and fight anyone.”
That includes travelling to Japan to face WBC champion Shinsuke Yamanaka – widely regarded as the best at 118lbs – for which an offer was put on the table for McDonnell, though the reward was allegedly nowhere near worth the risk.
While money is, of course, a key motivator for boxers, most will also cite their love for the sport, or perhaps their desire to create history, as other driving factors in their careers. For McDonnell however it’s merely just a job, albeit a very well paying one.
“I’m not a fan, I still don’t even know all the weights. I know some of them up to welterweight, but I don’t know what order they go in. When I talk to the lads in the gym they laugh at me, but I’m just not that bothered about it,” he opined.
“We were talking about Martin Murray the other day and I asked, ‘Has he fought ‘GGG’ [Gennady Golovkin]?’ And they told me he’s fought them all, [Sergio] Martinez, [Felix] Sturm, and I’m like, ‘I didn’t know any of that!’
“Gavin [Jamie’s twin] follows it religiously though, so when I’m going to fight someone he’ll say, ‘He’s handy this kid bruv, have you seen him?’ And I’ll say, ‘I haven’t watched him yet’, and he’ll tell me, ‘He can bang a bit, you better have a look!’ He’ll look up their records as well and I’ll watch them for two minutes, see what they look like, that’ll do me.
“I’ve heard of all the big names, but I’ve never watched them. I’ve never seen [Muhammad] Ali or [Mike] Tyson, it doesn’t interest me. It should really though because it’s my job isn’t it?”
It’s a dangerous and notoriously difficult career to make your way in – something McDonnell knows first-hand. The aforementioned problems with the first Kameda fight were bad enough, but in 2013 he was inexplicably stripped of the IBF title he had won against the vastly talented Julio Ceja.
Naturally, there are times when he questions his choices, particularly when he is boiling his 5ft 10in frame down to the bantamweight limit, but his mercenary-like outlook keeps him on track.
“Even now, at this level, it’s hard keeping on a strict diet, training two or three times a day when you’re tired, weak and fed up,” he said.
“I come home some days and think, ‘I can’t be arsed with this, I’ll go back to plastering [a job he used to hold],’ but then you fight and you get your money, so there’s no comparison.
“Just to get in the ring takes some knackers, especially on the telly in front of everyone. Some can cope with it, some can’t. I love the pressure.”
Like most British fighters, McDonnell served a stint in the unpaid ranks but admits he stopped at the age of 17 – until a year or so later when a friend told him he could earn £500 per fight if he turned over.
McDonnell duly did so and soon found himself fighting for the Lonsdale Belt against Chris Edwards.
“I remember fighting for the British title and earning £11,000 and jumping up from £2,000, it’s a lot of money. I didn’t even know what the British title was,” he admitted.
“He beat me, but I’d done 12 rounds and I remember feeling right proud for doing 12 rounds, I wasn’t bothered about the belt.
“When I fought for it the second time against Ian Napa and won, that was one of my proudest moments because it was my first major title [the vacant Commonwealth strap was also on the line]. Some people like to win it outright but I was offered a chance at other belts for more money, so I vacated and moved on.”
Jamie faces late substitute Fernando Vargas on Saturday night on the huge Charles Martin vs Anthony Joshua bill at the O2 Arena in London. And yes, Sky will be showing his fight this time.
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“I think this [fight] will kick start the year. [Lee] Haskins has got the IBF title, maybe that’s a domestic fight that could happen in the summer.
“It all depends on what kind of money’s available, I might move up [to super-bantamweight] and try and catch the likes of [Scott] Quigg, [Carl] Frampton and [Nonito] Donaire. You have to time it right though. It’s not bad money at bantam but I could make a name for myself at super-bantam and make a lot of money.”
So if there are no historical milestones McDonnell wants to meet in boxing, what are his long-term goals?
The answer, by now, is obvious. However, he does not pursue cash just to splash it on lavish items, he merely wants to provide the best life possible for his young family, to whom he is fiercely dedicated
.
“I always say, ‘Just get me the most money you can, I don’t care who it’s against.’ You’re getting punched in the face, you’re not going to do it for nothing. I’ve got to try and get as much as I can for my family,” he said.
“I’m going to get out on top, call it a day having earned enough money. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to have all the belts in your cupboard, but at the end of the day they don’t pay the bills.
“Two or three more big fights, earn a couple of million say, set myself up and I’ll get out of the game. I’ve paid my house off now and I’m only 29, that’s what I always wanted to do when I started out.
“If I can come out of the game with a bit of something and my health, I’ll be happy. But if my career ended now, I’d be happy.”
LONG READ Jamie McDonnell: 'I've never seen Tyson or Ali, boxing doesn't interest me' -
Jamie McDonnell speaks to George Gigney about his main source of motivation
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Read more articles by George Gigney
FacebookTwitterRedditLinkedInWhatsAppGoogle+PinterestTumblrFlipboardShare
[IMG]
Follow
A PRIZEFIGHTER is someone who fights for money. The term does not allude to legacy or glory, not even a love for boxing itself – it is simply a profession. Jamie McDonnell is a prizefighter.
The 30-year-old has been boxing professionally for over a decade but in 2015 announced himself as one of Britain’s leading pugilists. He twice travelled to America to beat Japan’s highly touted Tomoki Kameda, both times successfully defending his WBA ‘world’ bantamweight crown, producing two of the most notable British away days in recent history.
Despite those feats, and numerous others before them including British, Commonwealth, European and IBF titles, the plaudits have not streamed in as one would think they might.
Perhaps it was a case of bad timing – 2015 was a standout year for British boxing with Tyson Fury dethroning Wladimir Klitschko, James DeGale becoming the first British Olympic champion to win a professional world title, and several others claiming global honours.
Regardless, McDonnell only has one concern with regards to recognition from others – the health of his bank account.
“I was already world champion [at the start of the year], I’d won British, Commonwealth and European titles, and I didn’t really get any credit,” he told Boxing News.
“I started getting recognition after the Kameda fights, my name started to get chucked into the mix, so I’m getting there but obviously I’m in one of the smaller weights so I’m not going to get talked about as much.
“I’ve always said I’m not too fussed [about the recognition] but I want the big paydays, and the more you get noticed and recognised, the more you get paid. That’s why I do it, it’s all about the money and making a better life for my family. If I want a bigger payday, I’ve got to become a bigger name, a household name.
“I should be getting more credit, but I just have to keep doing what I’m doing, proving everyone wrong, getting the wins over in America and getting the big fights.
“People asked why I took the rematch with Kameda in America, but when they offer you a s*** load of money to fight a kid I already beat, why would I not take that? I thought I’d stop him the second time
and it turned out to be an easier fight really.”
Going into his first fight with Kameda in May of last year, McDonnell was a heavy underdog. He climbed off the deck in the third to earn a unanimous decision in a thriller, and went on to put on an even better display in the rematch four months later, dropping Kameda in the 12th to claim another UD victory.
The first time round, Jamie was seriously up against it. Not only was Kameda supposedly the better fighter on paper (he was unbeaten in 31 fights and had won the WBO crown, though vacated
it before facing McDonnell), the Doncaster native’s corner was in turmoil before the contest.
When he arrived with his team at the airport to travel to Texas, McDonnell’s trainer, Dave Hulley, announced he would not be able to board the plan through fear of flying. Jamie was forced to contact his manager, Dave Coldwell, to fly out instead and act as head coach.
To his credit, Coldwell was superb on the night and remains McDonnell’s trainer to this day.
[IMG]
As a Matchroom fighter, McDonnell also has the huge benefit of his fights being shown on Sky Sports in the UK – though this was not to be the case in May. Rather than broadcast McDonnell’s heroics, Sky elected to show Anthony Joshua blitzing Kevin Johnson inside two rounds.
“It was a little bit frustrating. It’s almost like they didn’t believe in me, it knocks you a bit,” McDonnell said.
“Obviously if they thought more of you, they’d show you. Hopefully I’ve got a bit more respect now and they’ll back me more now but I’ve felt like that all my career, that I need to prove myself.
“You just have to keep going though, I believe I’m the best bantamweight out there, none of the other fighters scare me or anything. As long as I’m getting what I feel is enough money, I’ll go and fight anyone.”
That includes travelling to Japan to face WBC champion Shinsuke Yamanaka – widely regarded as the best at 118lbs – for which an offer was put on the table for McDonnell, though the reward was allegedly nowhere near worth the risk.
While money is, of course, a key motivator for boxers, most will also cite their love for the sport, or perhaps their desire to create history, as other driving factors in their careers. For McDonnell however it’s merely just a job, albeit a very well paying one.
“I’m not a fan, I still don’t even know all the weights. I know some of them up to welterweight, but I don’t know what order they go in. When I talk to the lads in the gym they laugh at me, but I’m just not that bothered about it,” he opined.
“We were talking about Martin Murray the other day and I asked, ‘Has he fought ‘GGG’ [Gennady Golovkin]?’ And they told me he’s fought them all, [Sergio] Martinez, [Felix] Sturm, and I’m like, ‘I didn’t know any of that!’
“Gavin [Jamie’s twin] follows it religiously though, so when I’m going to fight someone he’ll say, ‘He’s handy this kid bruv, have you seen him?’ And I’ll say, ‘I haven’t watched him yet’, and he’ll tell me, ‘He can bang a bit, you better have a look!’ He’ll look up their records as well and I’ll watch them for two minutes, see what they look like, that’ll do me.
“I’ve heard of all the big names, but I’ve never watched them. I’ve never seen [Muhammad] Ali or [Mike] Tyson, it doesn’t interest me. It should really though because it’s my job isn’t it?”
It’s a dangerous and notoriously difficult career to make your way in – something McDonnell knows first-hand. The aforementioned problems with the first Kameda fight were bad enough, but in 2013 he was inexplicably stripped of the IBF title he had won against the vastly talented Julio Ceja.
Naturally, there are times when he questions his choices, particularly when he is boiling his 5ft 10in frame down to the bantamweight limit, but his mercenary-like outlook keeps him on track.
“Even now, at this level, it’s hard keeping on a strict diet, training two or three times a day when you’re tired, weak and fed up,” he said.
“I come home some days and think, ‘I can’t be arsed with this, I’ll go back to plastering [a job he used to hold],’ but then you fight and you get your money, so there’s no comparison.
“Just to get in the ring takes some knackers, especially on the telly in front of everyone. Some can cope with it, some can’t. I love the pressure.”
Like most British fighters, McDonnell served a stint in the unpaid ranks but admits he stopped at the age of 17 – until a year or so later when a friend told him he could earn £500 per fight if he turned over.
McDonnell duly did so and soon found himself fighting for the Lonsdale Belt against Chris Edwards.
“I remember fighting for the British title and earning £11,000 and jumping up from £2,000, it’s a lot of money. I didn’t even know what the British title was,” he admitted.
“He beat me, but I’d done 12 rounds and I remember feeling right proud for doing 12 rounds, I wasn’t bothered about the belt.
“When I fought for it the second time against Ian Napa and won, that was one of my proudest moments because it was my first major title [the vacant Commonwealth strap was also on the line]. Some people like to win it outright but I was offered a chance at other belts for more money, so I vacated and moved on.”
Jamie faces late substitute Fernando Vargas on Saturday night on the huge Charles Martin vs Anthony Joshua bill at the O2 Arena in London. And yes, Sky will be showing his fight this time.
[IMG]
“I think this [fight] will kick start the year. [Lee] Haskins has got the IBF title, maybe that’s a domestic fight that could happen in the summer.
“It all depends on what kind of money’s available, I might move up [to super-bantamweight] and try and catch the likes of [Scott] Quigg, [Carl] Frampton and [Nonito] Donaire. You have to time it right though. It’s not bad money at bantam but I could make a name for myself at super-bantam and make a lot of money.”
So if there are no historical milestones McDonnell wants to meet in boxing, what are his long-term goals?
The answer, by now, is obvious. However, he does not pursue cash just to splash it on lavish items, he merely wants to provide the best life possible for his young family, to whom he is fiercely dedicated
.
“I always say, ‘Just get me the most money you can, I don’t care who it’s against.’ You’re getting punched in the face, you’re not going to do it for nothing. I’ve got to try and get as much as I can for my family,” he said.
“I’m going to get out on top, call it a day having earned enough money. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to have all the belts in your cupboard, but at the end of the day they don’t pay the bills.
“Two or three more big fights, earn a couple of million say, set myself up and I’ll get out of the game. I’ve paid my house off now and I’m only 29, that’s what I always wanted to do when I started out.
“If I can come out of the game with a bit of something and my health, I’ll be happy. But if my career ended now, I’d be happy.”
LONG READ Jamie McDonnell: 'I've never seen Tyson or Ali, boxing doesn't interest me' -