Mark Your Calendar - July 2016

Shaun Brown
06/07/2016 7:58am

Kicking off with July, Boxing Monthly will pick out a selection of fights and cards to keep an eye out for during the month. Who, what, where and when. With 95% correct spelling, not down to the author, and possible intelligence, at the end of it all we will give you something that we like to call MARK YOUR CALENDAR! (Exclamation mark necessary.)

David Avanesyan - The Fighter’s Fighter

Daniel Armstrong
05/07/2016 9:33am

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

“I’m ready for anyone." - When a fighter says this familiar phrase it is often understood that they are simply repeating an age-old piece of boxing terminology, but when it is said by Armenian-Russian welterweight David Avanesyan, his matter-of-fact tone can only be translated as pure intent.

Undiluted Fury

Mark Butcher
04/07/2016 9:01am

Success has a tendency to change people. A taste of glory has swollen countless egos in boxing and often sent them spiralling out of control. Not so Peter Fury. The trainer of the lineal heavyweight champion of the world remains as grounded as ever. When nephew Tyson Fury toppled boxing’s most established champion Wladimir Klitschko in Düsseldorf last November, new life was breathed into a stagnated division, but despite masterminding that tactical success Peter Fury has stayed refreshingly humble.

2016: The highs and lows so far...

Boxing Monthly
29/06/2016 1:43pm

Well, we're halfway through 2016. Boxing over the last six months has had its fair share of ups and downs, but doesn't it always? It's had its dose of the good, the bad and the downright ugly. The Boxing Monthly online team have put their notepads and laptops down for a moment to give you their highs and lows of the year so far. What's been your highs and lows? Tweet your picks to @BoxingMonthlyEd 

The restoration of Willie Monroe Jr

John Evans
28/06/2016 9:20am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjzyf-FDKjM

Willie Monroe is set on becoming the architect of his own destiny. The 29-year-old New Yorker built himself into a solid prospect by working on solid foundations, renovated himself following an early career loss to that human speed bump, Darnell Boone, and is now aiming to restore himself to contention after his world title defeat to Gennady Golovkin. Monroe, (20-2, 6 KOs), has only recently taken on the mantra “Brick by Brick” but it is an apt description of his boxing career. “That’s been the story of my career,” Monroe told Boxing Monthly.

Bit of a Breaze for Joshua

Paul Zanon
26/06/2016 7:45pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVrf2H_8EMY

Simply entitled, ‘Joshua v Breazeale,’ Matchroom provided a very worthy 10 fight pay-per-view. The proceedings started with a welterweight contest between Ted Cheeseman and Danny Little, scheduled for six rounds. Despite a game performance from Little, Cheeseman’s accuracy, variety and work-rate didn’t allow his opponent to get into any kind of rhythm, and by round five the referee had seen enough to confidently bring the fight to a halt. Next up was Britain’s top super-flyweight, Kal Yafai, against a rather unequipped and tiny Jozsef Ajtai. After putting Ajtai down with a crunching left hook to the body, Yafai followed up with a second knockdown barely past the halfway mark of the first round, to win the fight. 

Work, rest and fight

Shaun Brown
25/06/2016 2:34pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9ahOpHz0Dc

The last time Boxing Monthly spoke to Tom Doran (17-0, 7 KOs) he was working 12-hour shifts as an aircraft electrician, and because of this time with his family was at a premium, and training was starting at a time when most people were asleep. That was April when Doran was preparing for a 10-round fight for the vacant WBC International middleweight title against Luke Keeler at Liverpool's Echo Arena. A rematch of their Prizefighter semi-final bout in 2015 which Doran won en route to a victory in the final against Cello Renda.

A long way to go

Shaun Brown
25/06/2016 10:11am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lec1oqB8T74

The car journey with his son and brother out of the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau City, New Zealand was one of mixed emotions for trainer Kevin Barry. He had just seen his still raw, and untested 24-year-old heavyweight Joseph Parker (19-0, 16 KOs) go 12 rounds in an IBF world title eliminator against Carlos Takam (33-3-1, 25 KOs). A 35-year-old French-based Cameroonian heavyweight who has taken his seat in the ‘Who needs him’ club for the last couple of years.

Dream turns sour

Paul Zanon
22/06/2016 1:46pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY1NL4CejvM

One moment, Lucas Browne was on top of the world as Australia’s first-ever world heavyweight champion, with huge fights on the horizon. The next moment, Big Daddy Browne found himself at the centre of boxing’s latest drugs controversy. In the blink of an eye, seemingly, Browne went from hero of a heart-warming underdog triumph over Ruslan Chagaev to a fighter defending his good name. The feel-good story soured a matter of hours after Browne spoke to Boxing Monthly on 21 March, just over two weeks after his title win in Russia.

Strictly business

Shaun Brown
20/06/2016 8:53am

For Keith Thurman, a win this Saturday night in Brooklyn over Shawn Porter will be the result of 20 years hard work and dedication after taking up boxing at the age of 7. The 27-year-old already has the WBA World welterweight title, and is one of a handful of men who could fill the void that Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao have left. Hearing about it and talking about it is wearing thin for Thurman. He wants to separate himself from the pack. He wants to go one better than Kell Brook, for example. The Brit took Porter’s IBF world title from him in 2014 with a majority decision verdict. but just winning isn’t enough for Thurman.