In conversation with Joel Brunker

Scott Hammerton
27/05/2015 10:21am

Australian world title contender Joel Brunker, 28-1 (16 KOs), analyses former foe Lee Selby's IBF featherweight title tilt against tough Russian Evgeny Gradovich, and discusses a potential Commonwealth title clash with Josh Warrington as well as his own fighting future -  'in conversation' with Scott Hammerton.

TKO Radio meets Brin-Jonathan Butler and Terry Dooley

TKO Radio
26/05/2015 10:55am

Author Brin-Jonathan Butler spent a large portion of 11 years in Cuba and, on 9th June, his new book will be released. It’s titled: 'The Domino Diaries: My Decade Boxing with Olympic Champions and Chasing Hemingway's Ghost in the Last Days of Castro's Cuba', and he joins TKO Radio for a chat about his latest publication. First up is writer Terry Dooley, from Boxing Monthly and Boxing Scene, who previews the coming weekend's action (including Khan-Algieri, Brook-Gavin, Linares-Mitchell) and looks back at the James DeGale-Andre Dirrell fight in Boston.  

Conrad Cummings: The story so far

Shaun Brown
26/05/2015 10:53am

Whatever the future holds for Northern Ireland’s Conrad Cummings it’s fair to say that boxing fans are going to enjoy watching him in the years to come. The livewire middleweight, promoted by Cyclone Promotions, described himself to Boxing Monthly as “quite intense and quite lively” and has made, as expected, an unbeaten start in his half dozen fights to date. The former member of the British Lionhearts WSB team, once nicknamed ‘Mr. Dynamita’ when he was based in Mexico, recently turned 24 and graciously took time out from his training camp to talk to BM about his memories from his six starts and more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYtK4_uziIY

Tommy Martin: 'Bring them on'

John A. MacDonald
25/05/2015 3:11pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ine_hbmyXhY

“I had an absolute nightmare,” was the surprising self-assessment Tommy Martin gave Boxing Monthly of his win over Ricky Boylan in January. The victory saw the 21-year-old announce his arrival on to a thriving British 140lbs scene as well as claiming the English light-welterweight title in the process.

Martin displayed maturity and discipline beyond his years as he withstood the heavier shots and constant pressure from his – naturally bigger – opponent. The youngster used rapid-fire combinations, a flicking jab and mobility to negate Boylan’s attack en route to a wide unanimous decision. While Martin gained many admirers with his efforts, he remains critical of a performance which was curtailed by injury and illness.

DeGale makes history

Danny Winterbottom
24/05/2015 12:59am

Thrilling, tense, nail-biting and history-making. Just a few words that describe James DeGale’s terrific victory over American braggart Andre Dirrell in a vacant International Boxing Federation super middleweight title fight on the grounds of the Boston University campus.

DeGale became British boxing’s first Olympic gold medallist to convert ultimate success in the unpaid code to world championship victory as a professional when he prevailed 114-112 twice and 117-109 in the eyes of the judges seated ringside inside the Agganis Arena.

The Boxing Booth Uncut: Part II

Terry Dooley
22/05/2015 10:46am

By the summer of 2009, Adam Booth and David Haye were caught up in the fallout caused by Haye’s decision to withdraw from a world title challenge to Wladimir Klitschko due to a back injury. Setanta, their broadcast partner, folded around the same time; conspiracy theories reigned. Some fans still refuse to believe that Haye was genuinely injured. Booth said that the injury was ‘an insidious thing’ during an interview with Kevin Mitchell of The Guardian on June 5th, 2009.

“If I did use the word ‘insidious’ it’s because he’d herniated a disc in his back - it built up over time insidiously,” explained Booth  to Boxing Monthly. “You don’t know about it until the moment it breaks down. At the time, we were on the floor - it was the worst thing that could have happened - but everything worked out okay in the end. It was part of the journey.”

Bid a fond farewell to Friday Night Fights

Michael Montero & Tiffany Lam
21/05/2015 9:20pm

Michael Montero reflects on the finale of ESPN's 'Friday Night Fights' series, which began in 1998 and will wrap up with the Boxcino tournament finale on 22nd May in Corona, California. The FNF series will end after 17 years to make way for Al Haymon's 'Premier Boxing Champions' (PBC). 

True Fury: Tyson nears destiny

Ben Thomsett
21/05/2015 9:53am

When I first met Tyson Fury, it was on a snowy afternoon at a Dutch ferry port - with the wind howling through the Welkommen flags. I was the only foot passenger hanging around. The vending machines had all broken. I was cold. The car arriving to pick me up and take me into Belgium to the Fury training camp - deep in the forest - contained Peter and Tyson Fury. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8GC8a1-Vlo

The return of Paul Butler

Shaun Brown
20/05/2015 4:37pm

In less than a year, Paul Butler has experienced the high of winning a world title and the low of losing in a challenge for another. "The first shot Tete threw was a jab to the body in the first round. That jab to the body, that power, I hadn’t felt anything like it in my life," the 26-year-old Butler told Boxing Monthly when looking back on his first professional loss to IBF super-flyweight champion Zolani Tete. "That jab was harder than Stuart Hall’s right hand. I’ve never felt power like it, it was unbelievable." A rejuvenated Butler returns on 11th July at Manchester Velodrome. BM talked to the refreshingly honest former IBF bantamweight champion as he plots his route back to the top.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwK5bSsDXQ

Another one for the road: DeGale and the UK 168s

Andrew Harrison
20/05/2015 10:25am

The super-middleweight division has proven a fertile hunting ground for British boxers since 1984, when Murray Sutherland became its inaugural world champion, after the transplanted Scot outscored the pugnacious Philadelphian Ernie Singletary in Atlantic City. While only Welsh cyclone Joe Calzaghe can lay claim to having been the division’s de facto kingpin in the ensuing 31 years, world class Brits including Chris Eubank, Richie Woodhall and Carl Froch have all - at one time or another - held a piece of the pie. On Saturday, in Boston, Massachusetts, Harlesden talent James DeGale will endeavour to swell their ranks when he contests the vacant WBC title against Michigan’s Andre Dirrell. Yet only three other Britons have managed to win a 168lbs world title on their opponent’s home patch overseas.

 

Gary Cornish and The Chocolatito Express

TKO Radio
19/05/2015 12:35pm

This week TKO Radio is joined by Gary Cornish, the Scottish heavyweight who at 6’ 8” fits the contemporary mould for the division. He’s undefeated, but untested, and his team are ready to move him along now, with a view to the bigger stage. Boxing writer Matthew Aguilar and TKO try to squeeze ourselves on to the Roman Gonzalez bandwagon, after the WBC flyweight boss gave a flawless performance in Los Angeles on Saturday. We also discuss Gennady Golovkin's latest victory and look ahead to the Andre Dirrell-James Degale super-middleweight title fight in Boston this coming weekend.