Reflections: Silly politics, petty squabbles, super prizes

Reflections: Promoters, politics and pettiness

GBN's Caledonian columnist, Donald C Stewart, reflects on the pettiness between promoters seen over the last week

So, it was on, and then it was off, then it was on again, then it might be on, but it could have been off.

And, whilst Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury debate the merits of the standard version of the hokey-cokey versus a more up-to-date one, the WBA have swooned in and given us the WBA Super heavyweight title to compete for.

Just to add to the madness, Dana White, when he was asked a very reasonable question over whether or not he had negotiated the deal for Cardiff couldn't initially answer until eventually he said no. so we know, White didn't but then again, he said that that, yes, he did negotiate the venue.

So, he's not involved then? Oh, but yes, he is.

Eddie Hearn doesn't want him to be because it says in AJ’s contract that he shouldn't be, but then he's promoting the fight.

We believe that there have been compromises made about what side of a poster and all that, but Jesus. What in the name of God does boxing have to do to sort itself out?

Of all the people involved, the people I would give a pass to are probably Queensberry and Frank Warren. I think Eddie Hearn has played his cards well and has brought the British heavyweight fight that we all wanted to Britain. It's in Cardiff rather than in London, which is no bad thing. but we play games once again.

Meanwhile Zuffa Boxing had another weekend of action including Michael Piriton taking Johnny Fisher into deep waters or did he? With a majority decision in his favour, Johnny Fisher has beaten an unknown. Now there's talk of him taking on Dillian Whyte, who may have got beat by Itauma because he had a broken foot.

It’s tough being a boxing fan at the best of times, but are we close to opposite? Are things actually all that bad? Well, as I look at the BoxRec list of top 10 British heavyweights, and this may have not been updated since Jonny Fisher's fight against the sturdy Belgian, we have a lack of depth.

We begin with world champion, Daniel Dubois, who holds the IBF world title. Anthony Joshua is 2, Tyson Fury is 3, Lawrence Okolie is 4, Fabio Wardley 5, Richard Riakporhe 6, Moses Itauma, clearly fallen down the rankings to number 7, Derek Chisora is 8, 9 is Hughie Fury, 10 Joe Joyce.

Given the inactivity that Hughie Fury has had and most people want Joe Joyce to hang up his gloves, it’s far from stellar.

Going down outside the top 10 you find Jamie TKV, Frazer Clarke, Dave Allen, and in 15th Leo Atang, a genuine young prospect.

It's not the roster of five or six years ago. It's not the stellar grouping of British heavyweights that at one point strode like a colossus across the heavyweight division, seeking out his chance as number one WBC contender like Dillian Whyte or holding one version or other of the belts like both Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

But we know that in heavyweight boxing a single punch can change destiny, so what have we got to look forward to?

AJ will fight Tyson Fury on the 11th of December at The Principality Stadium in Cardiff. The WBA Super heavyweight title will be on the line and one or the other will win it. It will potentially be a pretty close fight. There is no rematch clause the scattering of the belts means that whoever wins will have their hoover out for the other belts.

You could imagine either picking off Murat Gassiev or Flip Hrgovic and leaving it all on the line with Daniel Dubois.

I'm ahead of myself. Fabio Wardley still has his rematch. It could be Wardley, another British domestic title fight for a world championship, to unify two belts.

Doesn't sound too shabby, does it?

Actually, the whole thing is utterly shabby. and as the politics of boxing is consistently getting away it proves one person utterly on the ball.

Dana White.

I cannot, for my sins, believe that I am saying these words out loud but Zuffa Boxing seem to have taken a wrecking ball to British Boxing, to Worldwide Boxing, and seem to be luring in the shadows of the biggest fight in British heavyweight boxing since Bruno and Lewis.

Boxing needs to get its act together and sort out Hearn v White before Zuffa versus the fighters ends up with the fighters losing. Zuffa’s investment in Johnny Fisher, like their investment in Connor Benn is not long term. It’s a short-term shock for promoters, a warning, that if you are not commercial, Zuffa aint going to be interested. Both are in different ways and as long as they continue to make Zuffa cash, they are in the right place. Benn increasingly looks like he will have to face Eubank for a third time and Fisher, British level, and decent at that, may be handed a mandatory challenge to save Zuffa having to do the work and find his next opponent. That would be good for Fisher, fill The Copper Bosh and people will be happy enough with another payday. As long as he sells enough tickets. Fisher is a British prospect and if anything is proven with AJ/Fury, the pull of a home crowd is needed to save British boxing. Dana doesn’t quite get that, but he smells the cash. Fisher has the right aroma for now.