THERE a saying that goes, “It doesn’t always pay to…” It doesn’t always pay to do this. It doesn’t always pay to do that. Just lately, it’s a saying that applies to poor old Tyson Fury.
There seems to be a trend nowadays to have to insult each other in public and maybe have a bit of push and shove to get the tickets moving.
Fury and Derek Chisora decided they should also jump on the bandwagon and throw insults out, threaten each other, and overstep the mark. But for what? The fight was called off.
Fury has to go in front of the British Boxing Board to explain his behaviour during the build-up to the fight, where he might be fined or possibly suspended. They both have the expense of their training costs, and according to form the fight had failed to ignite the public’s interest.
That though is a surprise to me as I was looking forward to it, not because of the behaviour prior to the cancellation but for the simple reason it looked a good matchup. I wonder if Joe Public have tired of the conduct of these so-called stars that the younger generation use as role models? After all, we had it rammed down our throats for months with George Groves and Carl Froch, then Chisora-Fury, and next, no doubt, will be Nathan Cleverly against Tony Bellew who is not the most reserved person. This is another fight that looks the business and all the forthcoming bad behaviour of the fighters will not make the slightest difference to the majority of the fight fans wanting to see it.
I personally would rather see mutual respect between the fighters. They don’t have to go to bed together, just have a good old tear-up, give Joe Public value for money, and then go their separate ways. It works.
One of the best fights I have ever seen was Micky Ward against Arturo Gatti. They had two more great fights that filled the arenas, with no bad mouthing, and when Micky retired he ended up as Gatti’s trainer. These are the stories and fights that live long in my mind, not the garbage that seems to be the norm in recent times.
I remember having a fall out with the Manchester bantamweight Bernie Nichols after I had stopped him in Manchester in 1970 and we had a return in Warrington later that year. We crossed paths with each other in the washroom on the afternoon of the return fight, he said I had nutted him in the first fight, we disliked each other, we didn’t get all lovey dovey after the fight, in which he beat me on points, when we insulted each other we meant it, and not for any other reason. And it was all in private. I wonder where Bernie is now, 45 years is a long time to fall out. I hope you’re in good health Bernie.
Just at this minute I am watching the Commonwealth games boxing, I have just seen welsh legend Colin Jones in the Wales corner. I don’t remember him having to bad mouth to put bums on seats, you know why? Because he could fight.
