Jorge Linares vs Vasyl Lomachenko: Another step-up, another win predicted

This Saturday, Jorge Linares will defend his WBA and Ring magazine lightweight titles against a man who is arguably the best fighter on the planet, Vasyl Lomachenko, at the Madison Square Garden in New York.

Lomachenko, who was Boxing Guru's 2017 fight of the year, comes into this fight 10-1 having only lost to Orlando Salido for the WBO featherweight title in his second fight four years ago.

Since then, he has terrorised everyone he has fought and his resume is simply getting better and better. Having schooled the unbeaten Gary Russell Jr. he has subsequently made Nicholas Walters, Miguel Marriaga and Guillermo Rigondeaux all quit in his pursuit for as many world titles in as many weight divisions as possible.

His style is something I have never seen before in a boxing ring. The movement, ring IQ and ability to stay within range of his opponents while slipping punches and firing back is on another level to anyone else in world boxing right now.

This fight will be in his third weight division in just 12 fights and it is against a very dangerous Linares, who is looking to cement his place firmly among the top 10.

Having been written off after back-to-back defeats against Antonio DeMarco and Sergio Thompson with people questioning his heart, he has fought back to land himself two world titles in the division and the prestigious Ring magazine belt, which he won against Anthony Crolla.

There still remain question marks over Linares though, who is yet to truly test himself at the top level of the sport with fans calling for a fight with Mikey Garcia over the past year or so.

That fight is one Linares and Oscar de la Hoya have been avoiding however, they have been given a perfect out by taking on one of the technically gifted fighters around.

There are evidently big questions marks over whether Lomachenko will be able to trouble Linares with his power however, his skill should be plenty enough to bring him through this one relatively unscathed as the Colombian does not possess enough to truly trouble him.

Prediction: Vasyl Lomachenko points

Boxing Guru

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Boxing Guru’s End of the Year Awards (2017)

Fighter of the year

Andre ‘SOG’ Ward’s KO victory against Sergey Kovalev puts him among the all-time greats in my opinion however, his win has been overshadowed by a fighter who has put every opponent to shame this year with a combination of high class movement and underrated punching power.

Vasyl ‘Hi-Tech’ Lomachenko has once again looked unstoppable at the 130lb limit beating Jason Sosa, Miguel Marriaga and Giullermo Rigondeaux, who became the second opponent he made quit in his short professional career.

His movement, ring IQ and speed make him the most technically perfect fighter in boxing today and an absolute pleasure to watch. Massive fights wait for him at lightweight and super-lightweight if he makes the plunge and a win against Mikey Garcia would secure his legacy as an all-time great.

Winner: Vasyl Lomachenko

Trainer of the year

A slightly left-field winner for ‘Trainer of the year’ however, Anatoly Lomachenko must be recognised for his work with not only his son Vasyl Lomachenko but also Oleksandr Usyk, who secured victories against Michael Hunter and Marco Huck in the World Boxing Super Series quarter-final.

Lomachenko has much to thank for his father’s coaching; it has already been mentioned how no boxer can match his movement and ring IQ while Usyk is going from strength-to-strength and is fast becoming one of the most feared fighters on the planet.

Winner: Anatoly Lomachenko

Fight of the year

There were many to choose from in this award however, Anthony Joshua’s eleventh round knock-out victory against Wladimir Klitschko had shades of heavyweight boxing during the Golden Era of the 1970s.

This fight was the classic young, up and coming fighter against the old veteran and for a moment it looked as though the old veteran would do it when Joshua gassed in the sixth and seventh round.

With three knockdowns, this fight swung more ways than a cricket ball in overcast conditions and in front of 90,000 people no less, it went far beyond its billing and had hardcores and casuals alike out of their seats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mNJVrlM3YQ

Winner: Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko

Moment of the year

Billy Joe Saunders went into his fight against David Lemieux off the back of some terrible form in the ring. He looked far from his usual best against Willie Munroe Jr. however, a move to Sheffield and trainer Dominic Ingle has done him the world of good and has put him back on the map.

Amid his schooling of Lemieux this month, Saunders even had time for some showboating when the Canadian threw a wild right hand, the southpaw avoided it with ease and had time to look up into the crowd to see where the punch had gone; a great moment and one which summed up the fight in its entirety.

A special mention must go to Josh Taylor who made Ohara Davies quit up after beating him up for seven rounds up in Glasgow in July.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyf1XXGG6LE

Winner: Billie Joe Saunders showboat against David Lemieux

Tom Eckett

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George Groves vs Chris Eubank: Only one winner here

In one of the 2018's most highly anticipated match-ups, 'Saint' George Groves defends his WBA super-middleweight title against Chris Eubank Jr. on 17 February in Manchester, in what could prove to be a classic all-British bust-up.

This is the first of the semi-finals in the World Boxing Super Series in which Groves knocked-out undefeated Brit Jamie Cox while Eubank Jr. defeated Avni Yildirim in a relatively easy fight for the man who has moved up from middleweight to enter this tournament.

Both men seem, as always, very confident going into this fight but it is Groves who should be feeling the most confident come February.

The London-based fighter has seen it all during his 30-fight career having almost stopped Carl Froch up in Manchester, to losing to the highly underrated Badou Jack to then knocking-out Russian terrier Fedor Chudinov up in Sheffield in May to finally realise his dream of becoming a world champion.

Eubank Jr., on the other hand, has not fought anywhere near to the level Groves has faced in the ring. He suffered his only loss to Billy Joe Saunders in a humbling defeat where he came on strong in the last three rounds but simply did not do enough to beat the now WBO champion.

His wins against ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan and Nick Blackwell were impressive however, remain domestic victories while his defeat of legendary German Arthur Abraham was perfect timing considering Abraham can barely make it to the ring he is so old.

I am expecting another stellar performance from Groves, who has looked back to his very best since teaming up with Shane McGuigan in 2016. His jab has always been a class above all of his opponents while his ring IQ compared to Eubank Jr.’s is on a different planet.

Eubank Jr., like all of Groves’ other opponents, will be looking for the Londoner to gas later in the fight however, Eubank Jr. will not have the strength to get on top of Groves and cause him any issues like Jack was able to do.

I am expecting the fight to trend in a very similar pattern to the Chudinov fight with Eubank Jr. looking to outmuscle Groves but simply not being able to do so. Eubank Jr.'s is dangerous when he gets on the inside with that uppercut he possesses however, he will expend so much energy trying to get into scoring positions he will not have any impact when there.

The fact Groves is not even favourite with the bookies is an absolute joke but their loss will be our gain and at 11/8 he looks like an absolute steal. Groves is a massive 168 pounder and his strength alone will be too much for a man moving up from 160 lb.

Prediction: George Groves 

Tom Eckett

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One man to rise above the rest in the 168 lb division

The super-middleweight division in the UK has largely been responsible for putting British boxing on the map. The likes of Watson, Eubank, Benn, Calzaghe and Froch have all had a huge impact on the sport this side of the pond.

In the past 10 years, there has been a new wave of British super-middleweights threatening to become the world’s best. ‘Saint’ George Groves had his moment in the spotlight when he almost derailed, the man with the granite chin, Carl Froch. However, since their first fight in Manchester, Groves has looked a shadow of his former arrogant self and there is little chance that he will return to the upper-echelons of the division. His chin and gas tank have always been questioned even though this has never been a major issue for him, but he simply does not have the same snap on his punches that he used to.

Groves’ arch-rival, James DeGale, a man who made a complete fool of himself when he was beaten by Groves in a majority decision back in 2011, has had to rebuild his career both in boxing terms and with the fans. He managed to win the IBF belt back in 2015, beating Andre Dirrell on points and he defended it against a past his best, Lucian Bute. He is now in negotiations with WBC champion, Badou Jack, to decide who is no.1 in ever-weakening 168 lb division. DeGale has never shown a desire or an eagerness to be the best, he shows glimpses of his unbelievable talent in the ring but only ever glimpses. 15 second bursts of brilliance are never linked together across a whole fight shows that he is more interested in his bank balance than in being the best.

Callum Smith towers above the rest his opponents at an astonishing 6’3 and how he makes super-middleweight is simply beyond me. He is the current mandatory challenger for Jack’s WBC title however if DeGale and Jack fight first as expected, fans could be treated to a domestic bust-up at some point next year. There is no doubt that Smith has the potential to be a 168 great however at this moment in time it is only potential and it will be fascinating to see how his career pans out in the next year or so.

However, the man who is going to rise above all the others is Swindon born, Jamie Cox. Sitting pretty with a padded record of 20-0, the man is yet to be fully tested largely due to injuries he has sustained throughout his career and a six-month prison sentence, which he has now served. Promoter, Frank Warren has struggled to get the big fights for Cox simply due to the danger he poses to the top level fighters and without a name, he is simply not worth the risk.

Now 30 years old, Cox really needs the big fights and fast, if he is going to fulfil the huge potential that he has shown. Like all Warren fighters, the WBO will be the desired route however the belt is currently with Mexican, Gilberto Ramirez and it is unlikely that Bob Arum will risk his prospect just yet with an animal like Cox. It is certainly the case that he could beat all the top fighters this side of the pond however it is more a question of whether he can get in the ring with them rather than if he could beat them. Let’s hope he gets the break his skills deserve.

Sam Metcalfe

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Viktor Postol vs Terence Crawford: Who wins this fascinating match-up?

 

This Saturday, the two best light-welterweights in the world will go head to head as WBO champion, Terence Crawford, takes on WBC champion, Viktor Postol. The unification fight will confirm who reigns supreme of the 140 lb division, something which has not been done since the days of Danny Garcia.

Although this may not be the most star-studded of events, boxing fans will know the high skill levels that will be on show on Saturday and something is occurring that is becoming increasingly rarer in our beloved sport; the best is fighting the best. 

Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford burst onto the global scene back in 2014 when he dismantled Scotland’s, Ricky Burns, over 12 rounds, winning the WBO, 135 lb strap in the process. After this more than impressive performance, Crawford then took apart Cuba’s, Yuriorkis Gamboa and then Ring and Lineal champion, Raymundo Beltran, to further increase the flashy American’s stock. 

Although the two-weight world champion is yet to have that truly elite level win to propel him onto boxing’s top exhalant of fighters, it is clear that he has the potential to be an All-Time-Great. His ability to make quick adjustments highlights his unbelievable ring IQ, switch from orthodox to southpaw whilst possessing that mean streak make him one of boxing’s most exciting fighters to watch. 

Viktor Postol, on the other hand, is yet to fully convince experts of his ability. Having been on the fringes of world level for the majority of his career, the Ukranian’s big break came when he dismantled the heavily favoured Argentinean warrior, Lucas Matthysse. The then 27-0 fighter, controlled the range and pace of the fight throughout using his jab to keep the game Matthysse at bay and eventually scoring a tenth round KO to win the WBC title. 

The way Crawford is going to deal with the Postol jab is the key to the fight for me. If Postol can control the range and keep the fight on the outside then he will win and comfortably. However this is Terence Crawford, the fighter has an unbelievable knack of making adjustments to whatever style is put in front of him. 

Establishing his jab early and the way Postol deals with the different angles that Crawford shows him is the key to him winning the fight. Expect Postol to dominate the early round as Crawford is a notoriously slow starter however he should come on strong as the fight continues. It is an intriguing match-up with no-one fully confident one way or another (except for the fighters themselves) and it should be tactically fascinating throughout the 12 rounds. 

With both fighters yet to fully prove themselves, this fight is going to have huge consequences for their careers. Crawford has been tipped for stardom by the media and it is predicted that he will move up to the more glamorous 147 lb division in the near future in search of bigger fights. It is up to Postol and trainer, Freddie Roach, to stop the American in his quest for greatness however Crawford’s ability to make adjustments will be the difference in the fight as he will find a way, as he always does, to get inside the Postol jab. 

Prediction: Terence Crawford points

Tom Eckett

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The legal corruption that is plaguing boxing

Cast your minds back to 2000, when Bob Arum admitted in a US law court that he had paid IBF president, Bobby Lee, $100,000 to sanction a fight between then-heavyweight champion George Foreman and German, Alex Schulz. In 1999, Lee was convicted for numerous offences of racketeering for taking bribes in exchange for high ratings in the IBF rankings.

These instances would signal the end of ‘brown paper-bag’ exchanges that had always seemed to be a staple of the sport however much fans wished it not to be the case. What has since replaced it is a form of, what I would term, ‘legal corruption’ where promoters, instead of bribing the president of an organisation (such as Bob Arum), pay a sanctioning fee and in return receive a ranking and a belt.

One of the main issues in boxing is that there are too many belts across the four main organisations, the WBC, IBF, WBA and WBO. The WBA has no less than three world champions in its organisation, the ‘super’, ‘regular’ and ‘interim’ and the reason they do have so many belts is that they can charge a sanctioning fee for all of the titles that they hand out.

It is the unspoken issue in boxing where both promoters and the sanctioning organisations benefit and it is the fans who are hung out to dry. Promoters can now manoeuvre their fighters into a world title shot with regular ease and with little tests along the way. This means that B-level and below fights are nine times out of ten not 50/50 or even 60/40 match-ups as the promoter will usually hand-pick an opponent and then have it sanctioned by one of the organisations.

Less belts in the organisations would mean that promoters would have less opportunity to manoeuvre their fighters without testing them and therefore more 50/50 fights for fans. However this is not going to happen as the organisations receive more money in sanctioning fees for having more belts available for fighters.

It seems to be a never ending cycle where more and more belts are being released each year. The WBC diamond belt was made in 2015 and it is considered as a world title. This is why the Crolla-Linares fight has been billed as a ‘unification’ fight even though Linares is not the WBC champion. Being a ‘unification’ fight will inevitably attract a bigger audience to the fight and more money for both Matchroom and the WBC and WBA bodies.

Fans have been put in an impossible situation where the sport we love is being ruined by lenient organisation bodies and promoters who are willing to take advantage of the situation. More money in the sport means the best are not willing to fight the best and fighters are now pricing themselves out of fights; just look at the Gennady Golovkin situation!

It is also the reason why the German Boxing Board of Control did not announce that Erkan Teper had in fact tested positive for PEDs until after the fight. They wanted the sanctioning fees from the fight and therefore did not say anything to Team Sauerland, even though they knew Teper was on PEDs. This led to David Price being knocked-out by a fighter that was on PEDs and set his career back even further than it already had been.

Sanctioning bodies must be held accountable for bringing the sport into disrepute with the release of so many belts however it is very unlikely that anything is going to happen. It is a start that WBA president, Gilberto Mendoza has said that he wants to only have one champion in each division. However actions speak louder than words.

Tom Eckett

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Has Gennady Golovkin’s legacy been tarnished after this most recent announcement?

Yesterday, the boxing world went into meltdown after it was announced that knock-out sensation, Gennady Golovkin, would defend his middleweight titles against IBF welterweight champion, Kell Brook. For Brook, this is a chance for him to showcase his immense talent against one of the worlds very best. For Golovkin, many have questioned his reasons for fighting a welterweight claiming that he is now no better than Canelo.

What is clear is that the boxing world seems divided at the moment. Fans are either defending Golovkin or attacking him vehemently. This article will take a look at the reasons for this fight coming about and make a judgement on whether Golovkin can be blamed for taking the Brook fight when it was offered to him.

Firstly, it is important to look at the reasons as to why the best middleweight in the world has chosen to fight a welterweight in Kell Brook. Back in 2013/4, lineal and WBC champion, Sergio Martinez chose to avoid the Kazakhstani and instead fought Miguel Cotto, who he lost to. The same thing happened with Cotto who, instead of fighting Golovkin, fought Canelo in 2015 whom he lost to.

Where Golovkin can be blamed in this situation is that he accepted step-aside money as mandatory challenger for the WBC title from both Martinez and Cotto, instead of forcing them to either fight him or being stripped of their belt. Canelo then did blatantly duck Golovkin which is why they are not fighting in September.

If one looks at the Ring Magazine top 7 fighters everyone single one of them has ducked Golovkin in the past two years, except for Andy Lee who is coming off a loss, and David Lemieux who was KO’d by Golovkin back in 2015. These fighters deserve to be named and shamed and they are: Canelo, Billy Joe Saunders, Peter Quillin, Daniel Jacobs and most recently, Chris Eubank Jr.

The light-middleweight division is no better, with the likes of Erislandy Lara and Demetrius Andrade constantly attempting to give off the impression they want the fight, but it is clear that they want nothing to do with most avoided fighter on the planet.

This leaves Golovkin in an impossible position where no-one wants to fight him. Some argue that he should move up in weight but 168 lb is a wasteland where DeGale and Jack, the best in the division already are busy sorting out a unification fight towards the end of the year.

Eubank Jr., the latest in an ever growing list of fighters, has priced himself out of the fight with ridiculous demands being made to Eddie Hearn over ticket prices and sponsorship for the show. This is why the Brook fight has been made as there is simply no-one else that is willing to face Golovkin at 160 or 154 at this moment in time.

It is not like the Canelo-Khan situation where Canelo hand-picked Khan to move up to 155 lb. Golovkin has no other options so his hand has been forced for a variety of reasons, as mentioned above. Do not get me wrong for one moment; the Brook fight is a horrible one where it is likely that Brook will be iced within six rounds however there are very little options that Golovkin has.

There is no point in waiting for fighters who are willing to avoid him like the plague. The only fighter who has shown a willing to face him is unbeaten American, Andre Ward, but that moment has sadly passed as Ward is now at light-heavyweight. However this could be his only option of a big fight come 2017.

Here is a list of all the world champions who have avoided Golovkin at some point in their careers:

Darren Barker

Felix Sturm

Sergio Martinez

Peter Quillin

Julio Caesar Chavez Jr.

Carl Froch

Miguel Cotto

Canelo Alvarez

Billy Joe Saunders

Daniel Jacobs

Tom Eckett

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