ANOTHER week in boxing sees plenty of comings and goings as old stars return to winning ways and officials hog the limelight.
Boxing winners of the week
Tim Tszyu –
It was a tough weekend for the Aussie but home comforts helped him through against Joey Spencer. Two damaging defeats have impacted him positively as Tim tightened up the defence and let the shots go in clinical fashion.
Fabio Wardley –
Big Fabio has well and truly banished the shadow of white-collar boxing that followed him around early in his career by securing a huge homecoming bout. Rumours of a WBA clash with Kubrat Pulev have cooled, and former PED convict Jarrell Miller (a winner himself, given all of the chances he’s had) has stepped into the Portman Road limelight.
Filip Hrgovic –
Another big heavyweight about hit the skids, Croatia’s Hrgovic gained revenge over Joe Joyce who had beaten him in the WSB and set himself back on the road to world titles. The new link-up with Abel Sanchez is positive, Hrgovic has his first win since the Dubois reverse and life is good.
William Zepeda –
The Mexican may not have been at his hottest when defeating Tevin Farmer for the second time last weekend but the WBA were certainly impressed, bumping him into number one spot for Gervonta Davis. Before the move, Zepeda wasn’t even ranked in their top 15.
Paddy Donovan –
A good week for Team Donovan, who successfully lobbied the IBF to rule that a rematch with Lewis Crocker needs to take place. Even though Crocker won the first fight by disqualification, and you could argue strongly for Marcus McDonnell’s verdict, a return is needed to settle this feud correctly.
Boxing losers of the week
Jeamie Tshikeva –
The big heavyweight was doing well until he assumed the referee’s call of break meant he and David Adeleye would both stop punching! TKV was hurt and iced soon after. Hopefully, the Board will look at it and make a ruling on that unwanted outcome. In fact, the Board probably shouldn’t look at it at all because there’s always the risk that we might have to see the fight all over again.
The press conference table –
Before any of the above, a press conference table was given the flip treatment by TKV who became irked by opponent David Adeleye’s chatter and channelled his inner Derek Chisora. The table was the kind used for mild summer picnics, but Tshikeva showed his strength.
Daniel Blenda Dos Santos –
Having put up with a couple of pull outs from Shakan Pitters, the European champion pulled the trick on poor Brad Rea and withdrew just hours before their fight. Rotten luck for Rea who is struggling to get an opponent willing to face him.
Ron Kearney –
Sunderland referee Kearney is one of the more fidgety officials on the circuit, making it his business to intervene at every opportunity. His recent performance in the Harlem Eubank-Nurali Erdogan fight was replicated last night when he poked and shouted so much at the heavyweights that his words became meaningless, leading to an unfortunate ending. Brief mention of Darren Sarginson, who offered a similar muddle-up in the previous fight. We’ll stick with Ron this week, though.
