Boxing News — January 11, 2018

JAPAN currently boasts nine

world champions. I’m no

broadcasting expert, but I think

that the UK’s boxing public are missing

out, as not many of these champions

have their fights televised in this country.

I try to catch all the major Japanese

cards on YouTube when possible, as

they’re always entertaining and action-

packed.

Japan’s WBO super-flyweight champ

Naoya Inoue has expressed an interest in

moving up in weight and travelling to the

UK to do battle with WBO bantamweight

boss Zolani Tete, who is promoted by

Frank Warren. This would be an excellent

fight.

Furthermore, Welshman Andrew Selby

is one of the top contenders for the WBC

flyweight title, which is currently held by

another exciting Japanese fighter in Daigo

Higa, who has a 100 per cent KO ratio.

Hopefully we will get to see the likes of

Inoue and Higa competing on British soil

this year.

Jamie Ingleby

THE CASE FOR PARKER

IN my view, Joseph Parker would be

too quick for Anthony Joshua and too

smart for Deontay Wilder. Parker’s last

three fights have seen him bank valuable

rounds against awkward opponents.

When he goes back to facing the more

in-your-face type of fighters, he will be in

his element.

He is a fast, fit, well-trained fighter who

has all the skills and packs a solid punch.

And, arguably most importantly, he has

belief in himself.

Alec Waugh, Auckland, New Zealand

FORGET THE CIRCUS

SOMETIMES it can be hard being

a boxing fan, what with the Floyd

Mayweather-Conor McGregor fight still

leaving a bad taste in the mouth. I still

find it a shame that that matchup was

ever sanctioned as a legitimate bout. It’s

disrespectful that Floyd surpassed the

great Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record by

fighting an opponent who was making his

pro debut.

Also, the examples of bad judging in

the sport are very frustrating for fans –

when seemingly everyone other than the

judges know who the real winner is.

So thank God that 2017 ended with a

masterclass from Billy Joe Saunders, who

was the matador to David Lemieux’s bull.

And also the new superstar of boxing,

Vasyl Lomachenko, made Guillermo

Rigondeaux look like an average

opponent, before eventually forcing the

gifted Cuban to quit. Quality boxers like

Saunders and Lomachenko make it a

bit easier to forget the circus side of the

sport, and allow us to look forward to

some class matchups this year.

Leighton J. Rees, Swansea

6 lBOXING NEWSlJANUARY 11, 2018 http://www.boxingnewsonline.net

@TYSON_FURY JAPANESE BOXING BOOM
Just seen
@anthonyfjoshua
trying to play my
challenge down,
saying I’ve not had
a fight & am not fit!
I’m ready for this
summer, don’t sh*t
yourself now it’s been
put on you!
There was no holding
back TYSON FURY
when he decided to
call out Anthony
Joshua for a summer
showdown.

@LELLERBE

Love your mentality

@bjsaunders_. Don’t

change young champ!

It seems Billy

Joe Saunders has

fans in LEONARD

ELLERBE and Floyd

Mayweather, who

both complimented

him on his December

win over David

Lemieux.

@BRONZEBOMBER

#WilderJoshua

DEONTAY WILDER,

in a response to a

tweet from PBC

(@premierboxing),

reveals his dream

matchup for 2018.

@TWINCHARLO

I got inspired about

five years ago by

@DannySwift when

he opened his gym

in Philly. Waited two

years & did the same

thing in Houston!

JERMELL CHARLO

sounds as proud

as punch to have

opened his new gym

in Texas.

@ADONISSUPERMAN
Fight for your dreams
and your dreams will
fight for you.
It’s one of the
more confusing
motivational tweets
of 2018, but the
good news is ADONIS
STEVENSON, a man
plagued by inactivity,
sounds ready to fight.

TWEETS

LETTER OF THE WEEK

OPINION

ON TWITTER

@BoxingNewsED

ON FACEBOOK

http://www.facebook.com/boxingnewsonline

Fans,fighters

and pundits all

have their say

PERFECT STORM:

Higa is the owner

of a faultless

14-0 (14) record

WE ASK

JAMES BERNARD

It’s not important. If great fighters

fight other great fighters in their

prime they will all suffer losses. The

hype Floyd Mayweather has because

he’s undefeated has a generation of

casual fans believing he’s “TBE” (The

Best Ever). He’s a great fighter, but

he’s certainly not “TBE”.

ADAM AL JURDI

Apart from Mayweather and a few

others, all boxing greats had losses:

Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield,

Mike Tyson, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray

Leonard. I don’t think perfect boxing

records should be used to measure

a pro career. I don’t see any future

greats retiring undefeated – possibly

Tyson Fury, but that’s it. I don’t see

an undefeated record being the most

important aspect of a fighter’s career.

DANNY WILLIAMS

All the greats suffered defeat. It’s how

they came back from defeat that made

them great. An undefeated record is

not necessarily a mark of greatness.

Photo: ACTION IMAGES/REUTERS/STEVE MARCUS

THE BEST EVER?^

Not according to our

readers, who believe

Mayweather’s 50-

record is not the^

be all and end all

HOW IMPORTANT IS AN UNBEATEN

RECORD IN MODERN BOXING?

Photo: NAOKI FUKUDA