Exclusive Interview: Talented prospect Noemi Bosques discusses her career to date and ambitions for 2014.

I recently caught up with Florida resident and talented flyweight prospect Noemi Bosques for the second interview I have done with her. She talked to me about her upcoming fight on Valentine's Day, her career to date and ambitions for the future.

No Holds Barred: Can you tell us a bit about your family background?

Noemi Bosques: My family is all Puerto Rican. They all came from Puerto Rico. In fact, I'm one of the first to be born over here in Florida - my mother came here when she was pregnant with me. I grew up in what you could say was a religious background. My father was a pastor, my grandfather was a pastor… That's probably why I'm rebellious! [Laughs]. So definitely a traditional Puerto Rican family: Family is big, hard work is big, women are usually in the kitchen, wives attend to their husbands… Old school traditional Puerto Rican family.

No Holds Barred: Why did you decide you didn't want to be a housewife?

Noemi Bosques: I just thought it was so boring. Don’t get me wrong, when people come to my house, I'm a server; I make sure I take care of them, I make sure they have something to drink… I'm traditional in that sense. But in terms of just being a housewife who cooks and cleans, I just want to do more than that. Even as a child I was very ambitious and wanted to be the best at everything.

No Holds Barred: I read an interview you did where you said you were very good at sports even when younger.

Noemi Bosques: Yeah, I was. I was named something like most athletic of the year when I was younger. I used to be involved in so many sports back then. I was lead scorer in the women's [American] football team, I was good at hurdles, I got MVP for defensive basketball position. I won a lot of these awards because I was really into these sports.

No Holds Barred: How old are you now?

Noemi Bosques: 30

No Holds Barred: What is your nickname?

Noemi Bosques: La Rebelde - 'Rebel' in Spanish.

No Holds Barred: What weight do you fight at?

Noemi Bosques: I can fight anywhere from 110-115 lbs for now. Once I get the opportunity to fight for larger titles I believe I can eventually get down to 108 lbs for those. I can make 110-111 quite easily really. I often fight at 115 because it's sometimes easier to get fights if you're flexible with your weight, especially as a woman.

No Holds Barred: Who is your current trainer?

Noemi Bosques: My current trainer is Arturo Ramos. He's also the trainer of Celina Salazar, who beat Ana Julaton last year. I think he's a wonderful coach. He's over here from San Antonio, Texas. Alessi, who are promoters here and also sell bakery goods to the public, hired him to run a boxing program here in Florida. I think he's a great coach.

No Holds Barred: Arturo must see a lot in you to dedicate time training you?

Noemi Bosques: Yes, I feel that way. His interest in me has really motivated me even more to be a better fighter. If you read up on him he was an amazing amateur boxer and he then turned pro with Top Rank. So he is very experienced as both a trainer and fighter as well. So I really appreciate the time he dedicates to me.

No Holds Barred: Can you give us details of your training routines?

Noemi Bosques: I alternate between long distance, where I do between four and eight miles, and sprinting days. A lot of days where I don't do long distance running I'll do like half-mile sprints and try to keep under a certain time. Then as I do it faster the time I give myself decreases and also my resting time decreases to make sure I'm in really good shape and so recovery time is up to par too. I do my strength and conditioning maybe three times a week. I leave the heavier stuff for maybe five or six weeks before the fight and as the fight gets closer I'll have more explosive drills, less time as far as training time goes, and focus on less weights and do more rapid movements and things like that. I box every day and will spar maybe three times a week.

No Holds Barred: Do you spar mostly men or women, or anybody fans might have heard of?

Noemi Bosques: Mostly men. Although in the last couple of camps I was fortunate enough to be able to spar Celina Salazar. She's an excellent, excellent fighter. I love working with her. She's definitely one of my favourite fighters to spar now because she's beating fighters of the calibre of Ana Julaton, so she's great for me. I was sparring with her not too long ago. We were in the middle of the ring, going at it and she did the Mexican thing where they get lower than their opponent. It's something I've been learning with [Arturo] Ramos recently too. So we were fighting on the inside and as she went down I made the mistake of going over her and when she lifted up she lifted my entire head and she shifted my tooth! It's a good thing I went to the dentist when I did because he said had I left it another week my tooth would have died. Can you imagine that?

No Holds Barred: [Laughs] Yes, basically a toothless hag!

Noemi Bosques: [Laughs] Exactly! I kept laughing because I have a bunch of friends over here that we call 'rednecks' and they all kept telling me they have some redneck cousins who would love to marry me now.

No Holds Barred: What is a typical day for you?

Noemi Bosques: Depends on the day I guess. For the most part though I'd say the day starts when I wake up and take my daughter to school. I live in an apartment next door to my grandmother so I help her with anything she needs. My great-grandmother is very sick right now so I help her with anything she needs too around the house. Then when all of these things are taken care of I'll commute over to Tampa where I do my training. I do fitness instruction classes there for people too. I've also had a lot of meetings lately with sponsors and things like that. I'm trying to pick up sponsorship because I'm noticing now how important it is for a professional fighter who is developing to have sponsors and a team behind them. So I'm really trying to focus on those kind of things now too; promoting sponsors, having them sponsor me, those kinds of relationships.

No Holds Barred: Describe your style to fans who may not have seen you fight?

Noemi Bosques: Well, I have different styles I guess. I like to box, that's what I like to do. I like to move, I like to counter, I like old school boxing; head movement, you come back with these shots, move this way then come back with these shots… Some say this is a bad thing, but since I've had so many trainers I've learned many styles. The one style I would say I needed more experience with is the rugged inside Mexican style. I can't say enough good things about Arturo because he has helped me so much with learning to deal with that sort of style. I think it's necessary for a fighter nowadays to be able to fight a different way every time out because there's so much information out there on fighters nowadays on websites like Youtube. Also, in order to be world champion you've got to be able to switch it up and have different styles because somebody can just study you and it would be too easy for them. So I'd say I have different styles. My preference is to box but at the moment I'm learning inside work and I feel like I'm very strong on the inside now.

No Holds Barred: You drew against Vanessa Greco in your second pro fight. Can you tell us about your performance in the ring that night?

Noemi Bosques: If I'm being honest, that was a fight I should have never taken because of where my mind was at the time. My mother had just recently passed. I'm not making excuses or anything like that, but it was a difficult time for me because of my mother and anything like that will distract you from a fight should really lead you to pulling out of the fight. I took that fight less than two weeks after we'd buried my mother. I'd spent two weeks with my mother before she passed; sleeping on the floor, eating hospital food, I wasn't running or staying in shape. But I couldn't fathom the idea of going home to sit in a dark room and face that. I mean I probably would have gone into some dark depression. So I was silly to make a bad business move and take that fight because I guess I needed some kind of release or distraction. I actually think I was lucky to get a draw because I think it could have actually been quite ugly for me. Vanessa is a very tough fighter, a very strong fighter and I'm lucky I didn't get hurt. I feel quite fortunate I actually got a draw and wasn't knocked out. I'd love to have a rematch with her to sort of redeem myself and it's a great fight.

No Holds Barred: Did you try to have the fight postponed?

Noemi Bosques: No. Everything was already sorted, tickets were already sold. Like I said earlier, I definitely don't think I could have just gone home to the realisation I'd lost my mother and being in a dark corner. Even now, I'm glad I took the fight now and got the draw instead of going home and facing whatever I would have faced at my house. The draw was a small price to pay.

No Holds Barred: Have you tried to negotiate a rematch with Vanessa?

Noemi Bosques: There was talk right after the fight where we both agreed to a rematch. But when we tried to make it and spoke to her management team or her coach that the only way they would do it is if it was up in New York and at a higher weight class like 117 lbs. I already walk around at about 115, so I'm giving up weight as it is. They were being really picky about things so unfortunately we haven't had the rematch yet but I hope we do one day.

No Holds Barred: The best flyweights in the world currently are probably Susi Kentikian, Melissa McMorrow and Ava Knight. Can you emulate that calibre of fighter in your opinion?

Noemi Bosques: McMorrow beat Susi and I was really surprised by that because she'd had less than fifteen fights going into that fight. In fact, that win really inspired because she beat somebody who has been one of my favourite fighters for so long. I didn't think anybody would be able to beat Susi. I think I'm humble enough to say that I need more experience as that's what it all really boils down to. I'd say with experience, yes I can. Right now that is what all of these international fighters have over me. They've been professional fighters for longer than I have and have the experience. I think that with the way I train, with my condition and with my mindset, I can definitely emulate these girls. It needs to be at the right time though. I'm not naive enough to say 'I can beat this girl or that girl' because I need the experience first.

No Holds Barred: One thing with women's boxing that is perhaps different to men's boxing is that women can often get title shots despite a poor record due to the shortage of world class contenders. So even if you do end up being dreadful, don’t just give up, you might still get a title shot. [Laughs]

Noemi Bosques: [Laughs] Yes, that's true. It's a good thing!

No Holds Barred: Have you improved since your debut in May 2012 in your opinion?

Noemi Bosques: Oh, absolutely. I've improved in ways such as I feel a lot more comfortable and confident now. When I fought Monica Flores I was a little nervous - she was 3-0 compared to my 1-0-1 - she'd just beaten a 6-0 fighter and she was a top amateur. Yet, I walked through her. I think it was after that fight that I realised I needed to be more confident and give myself more credit for the hard work I put in at the gym.

No Holds Barred: What are your ambitions for the coming year?

Noemi Bosques: My main ambition is to get as many fights as possible and stay as busy as possible. Ideally I would like to fight every six weeks. I'd like to fight at least six times this year. As long I have the support from people and keep selling tickets and keep involving people in what I'm doing then I'm happy and I'm happy people enjoy being involved in my career. You have to stay active and constantly improve on your record if you want to reach the top. I'd like to fight in other places too at some point. I love fighting in Tampa, but I do want to get experience in fighting in other places because I think it's important to put yourself in front of different crowds. I know some managers don't like doing that because you're potentially facing being 'robbed' in somebody else's backyard but personally I think the challenge would make me work even harder and I like that challenge. I think it would help me grow as a fighter. Or if somebody in Miami, for example, wanted to put me on one of their shows, I'd love that.

No Holds Barred: You're fighting on Valentine's Day. Can you tell us about that?

Noemi Bosques: I'll be fighting Marisol Miranda. She's a tough fighter and i expect her to be a good challenge. She's got a lot of experience as a fighter. I was scheduled to fight on January 18 but the whole card got postponed to Valentine's Day. I must be the only woman in the world who, instead of eating chocolates and being wined and dined, will be trying to make somebody bleed! [Laughs]

No Holds Barred: What is your opinion of women’s boxing currently? Has it come on since London 2012 or does more work need to be done?

Noemi Bosques: I think women's boxing is very underrated. In my opinion I think it's because of a lack of exposure for the most part. MMA is doing a great job with female fighters. I'm sad to say this, but it does seem to be the truth: The general public doesn't seem to be so interested in skills so much. It seems to me people tend to be more interested in the blood and guts aspect of the sport. Fighters in general need to market themselves well and all the time, which could mean having a manger constantly calling television networks or magazines because they need to get the exposure. You could have the greatest skills in the world but people aren't going to know about you unless you're out there for the public to see and the only way promoters are going to put you on their shows is if people are buying tickets to see you fight. I think women's boxing is amazing and sometimes I think the women's fights are more entertaining than the men's fights. The problem is there isn't enough exposure and nobody knows these women who are fighting. Has it grown more since the Olympics? Well, I'd say people know the names of some amateur fighters now like Marlen Esparza and Clarissa Shields but do they know Tiara Brown? I doubt many people know who she is, but she's one of the greatest fighters I've had the privilege of working with and I'm proud to call her a friend. I suppose you could so that the Olympics has at least pointed out that women boxers are doing something. I don't think it's grown much around here [Florida] but maybe in Texas it has or in New York; New York is good for women's boxing.

No Holds Barred: Could you tell us some of your favourite fighters and fights?

Noemi Bosques: I love watching Yuriorkis Gamboa. His speed, power and explosiveness are amazing. I watch a lot of his fights and he's a fighter I'd like to be like. He goes from 0-100 in a flash. It's almost kind of careless the way he does it. But he's just so comfortable with the way he comes in that it seems effortless. Pernell Whitaker was a great fighter I loved watching too because of his talents. Mayweather is another fighter I love watching now because of his pure precision and amazing defence. He's such a classy fighter. In terms of favourite fights, recently I loved the Maidana-Broner fight. I'm proud of the way Maidana fought. He went in with a big 'f-u' attitude and completely shook Broner up. Broner was confident and was expected to win but Maidana made an example of him. Definitely one of my favourite fights recently.

No Holds Barred: Who are your favourite female fighters? 

Noemi Bosques: Melissa McMorrow is somebody I definitely look up to. I don't think anybody had really noticed her I guess or given her much respect until she beat Susi Kentikian. She went over to Germany and I was in disbelief at how well she did against Susi who had been champion for so long. So she is one of my favourites for having the confidence to take on Susi and come out victorious. Ava Knight is another girl I'm very proud of because even from early on in her boxing career she was already stepping up and fighting top contenders. Even though she's in my division, I respect her greatly. Kaliesha West is another fighter I really look up to. Not only is she a great warrior and has a great record, but she's also expanding into other areas. She's worked in the TV business, she's interviewing people, she's doing other things and I think that's great and that's something I'd like to do. Boxing is a very short term career so you have to develop yourself into other ventures. Celina [Salazar] is another one of my favourites, of course.

No Holds Barred: How do you relax in your spare time?

Noemi Bosques: I like to read. I go on runs and my daughter follows me on her bike. I like to spend time with my family because that's the only time I get to see them.

No Holds Barred: What sort of music, films, television, books do you like?

Noemi Bosques: Reggae and house are my favourite types of music. In terms of films, I like watching comedies and stupid/funny types of films. I watch a lot of reality junk like Bad Girls Club and Jersey Shore. To be honest, I don’t watch much because I don’t have the time! [Laughs] I like reading mind-empowering books which help strengthen my mind.

No Holds Barred: Do you have a promoter or manager?

Noemi Bosques: I'm self-promoted. I'm online, making videos, getting lots of help from friends and people online. I'm calling everyone, selling my own tickets, meeting fans, just trying to sell hundreds of tickets.

No Holds Barred: Where can fans contact you for tickets? 

Noemi Bosques: Contact me on my cell phone: 727-678-5886. Or contact Arturo Ramos: 210-380-8955.

No Holds Barred: Where can fans find you online?

Noemi Bosques: On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noemi.bosques & https://www.facebook.com/FanPageNoemiBosques; On Twitter: @NoemiBosques.


No Holds Barred: Thanks for talking to us and best of luck on Valentine's Day!

Exclusive Interview: Jamie Bidwell talks about his amateur career in France

No Holds Barred: Firstly, how old are you Jamie? 

Jamie Bidwell: 21

No Holds Barred: You currently live in France but are originally from Chatham, Kent. Can you tell us why you moved abroad?

Jamie Bidwell: I was born in Chatham but my parents moved us to France to change our lives. It's actually quite a nice calm life and I feel settled.

No Holds Barred: Did it take long for you to learn French and are you fluent now?

Jamie Bidwell: Well, you learn something new every day. I'd say it took me three to four years to be fluent. 

No Holds Barred: Do you have any plans to move back to the UK one day?

Jamie Bidwell: I come back from time to time to see the family and train at the Horton Kirby boxing gym. I wouldn't mind coming back to fight as a pro because in France it is very hard for the French boxers to make it at pro level. I have a few mates who are pro and they're trying to push themselves to European level.

No Holds Barred: How old were you when you started boxing and why did you get into it?

Jamie Bidwell: I Started boxing at 18. I was playing football at that time too. The thing with football is that if you make a mistake everyone is on your back, but with boxing if you make a mistake you only have yourself to blame. I also used to be quite arrogant, but boxing taught me self respect and respect for others.

No Holds Barred: What weight do you fight at? 
Jamie Bidwell: I box at lightweight. I have gone up to light welterweight a couple of times and welterweight once too.

No Holds Barred: Can you tell us about your amateur career to date? 

Jamie Bidwell: I started at my first club 'Boxing Club Coutances'. The first two seasons were a nightmare for me. My first amateur fight was against a very experienced boxer who had fought eleven bouts to my zero. Sadly, my trainer stopped the fight early. I was gutted but at the end of the day, my trainer knew best. My second fight was a farce. I was given the decision against another experienced fighter who had fought ten bouts to my one fight. Afterwards, I was in the changing rooms when the other trainer burst in ten minutes later saying the decision had been changed; I got my revenge this season though. I then lost my third fight and got robbed in my fourth fight. In my second season, I had two fights. I got a rematch against the opponent of my fourth fight [Anthony Larquemin] and got robbed once again. I then changed clubs and went to 'Boxing Club Granville' and went on to box in the regional cup final. I fractured my hand in the first round though and went on to lose the fight by one point. During my third season, I got employed at EDF [Électricité de France] in Rouen, so for the third time I changed club; I went to 'Noble Art Rouen' where I have Salem Hamraoui as my new trainer. My first fight was a quarter-final for the Normandy Championships. I wasn't ready for the fight at all and after being schooled for three rounds I lost on points. I then took on Anthony Larquemin for the third time - this time in his hometown. I refused to lose this fight and I went at it for all three rounds and won comfortably. I then moved up to light welterweight and beat Kalaidine Boina who was 5 kilos [11 lbs] heavier than me. I then boxed in the semi-finals of the Normandy Cup against a Russian called Rubik Gryvorgian; I lost to him the year before in the final when I fractured my hand. For the third fight in a row I won another comfortable decision (21-10). I then lost a fight due to my own fault and misjudgement. I then moved up to welterweight and boxed for Team Normandy and took on the champion of Belgium Sergio Mirmina and won a very close points decision.

No Holds Barred: You recently finished in the semi-finals of a regional tournament. How do you think you did? 

Jamie Bidwell: I won the quarter finals against a guy called Guillaume Mahaut. He was the guy I boxed three seasons ago and was given the decision against, until it got reversed ten minutes later, so revenge was pretty sweet. I then got eliminated in the semi-finals due to very poor judging. My trainer Salem was disgusted with the decision. I was doing brilliantly in the Championships and I know I could have won it this season. I have now had 14 fights in total with five wins. I'm determined to get my win ratio up.

No Holds Barred: Can you tell us about your coach Salem Hamraoui and what he thinks of your boxing ability?

Jamie Bidwell: He trains fighters at my gym in Normandy and also trains the Algerian Desert hawks WSB team. For the moment he has got me working on my counter-punching. He is a brilliant trainer and he adapts himself to the boxer's needs. I have an excellent relationship with my trainer and I feel he's the only one who can get through to me when in the corner.

No Holds Barred: What is the competition like at amateur level in France in your opinion?

Jamie Bidwell: The boxing level in France is okay. It's just a shame that there is not that much investment and support unlike in the UK. For example, I boxed against the champion of Belgium in France so I was fighting on home turf. You'd expect to hear the home fans more but there wasn't one cheer from the French; all you could hear were the Belgian fans. My toughest fight to date was that one against Sergio [Mirmina].

No Holds Barred: How have you been received by French fighters and fans? Are you one of the boys or a "Rosbif" still [Laughs]?

Jamie Bidwell: Well, at the beginning of my amateur career I got racially abused by fans and fighters who had no respect for me. But I love it when the crowd is against me; It gives me that extra boost to win.

No Holds Barred: How would you describe your style?

Jamie Bidwell: At the start I'd say my style was hit and hope [laughs]. Since I have been with Salem I have now become so much better technically. I now box the way my coach tells me to and I'm more comfortable doing so.

No Holds Barred: What are your plans for 2014?

Jamie Bidwell: My plans for 2014 are to win as many fights as possible. We are waiting for a decision from the Federation to see if I can box in the French National championships, so fingers crossed. That would be great.

No Holds Barred: Do you plan to go professional one day?

Jamie Bidwell: Yeah, I would love to go pro. Only time will tell though. My trainer will be the man who decides when the time is right.

No Holds Barred: What is the best and worst part of being a boxer?

Jamie Bidwell: The worst part of boxing is the dodgy decisions and a corrupt Federation. The best part is fight night; Coming out to the music and the fans, having the fight and most importantly having your hand held up high at the end.

No Holds Barred: What is your proudest moment so far as a boxer?

Jamie Bidwell: My proudest moments in boxing so far are being the only winner of the Normandy team on the Normandy vs Belgium showdown. I was absolutely scared stiff as I watched the whole Normandy team get destroyed one-by-one. My other proudest moment was finally winning a fight in front of my parents. They had only ever seen me lose or get robbed up until then. I had never seen them look so happy after a fight.

No Holds Barred: Do you have a boxing nickname? 

Jamie Bidwell: [Laughs]. Yeah, my trainer gave me a nickname; He calls me the 'British Dynamite' because I'm an explosive fighter.

No Holds Barred: Who is your all-time favourite fighter and what is your favourite fight? 
Jamie Bidwell: My all-time favourite fighter is Ricky Hatton. I idolise the guy. He was a pure warrior; I would love to meet him. I'd say he's followed by Floyd Mayweather. My all-time favourite fight is Arturo Gatti vs Micky Ward. That was just a full-scale war.

No Holds Barred: Where can fans find you online? 
Jamie Bidwell: I'm only an amateur so don't really expect to have fans [Laughs]. They can find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamie.bidwell.7, Twitter: @BidwellJamie; Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Jamiebidwell01
My two biggest fans are my parents; especially my Dad who tries to be at every fight.

No Holds Barred: Do you have a message for boxing fans?

Jamie Bidwell: If any boxing fans out there want to try boxing or get fit I encourage you to go to your local boxing gym. It is definitely the best sport out there; especially for kids. The sport teaches them self-respect and respect for others. If anyone lives near Dartford or in the Kent area, there is a good gym, with a friendly environment, called the 'Horton Kirby Boxing Club'.

No Holds Barred: Thanks for talking to us today and best of luck with your career.

My open email to the Nevada State Athletic Commission following Mayweather vs Alvarez

Dear Sir/Madam,

By the title of my letter I think you will already be aware of why I am writing to you today, and I hope I am one of many to write to you on this topic.

This past weekend the boxing world saw a fantastic event which pitted boxing's pound for pound superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. against young champion Saul Alvarez. The undercard was a bit special too!

Sadly, as with many weekends, we saw yet another disappointing effort from a high profile judge. I am, of course, talking about the 114-114 score dealt out by Cynthia Ross.

Thankfully her scorecard did not affect the decision of the fight (although her scorecard of 115-113 certainly helped out Timothy Bradley last year in his fight against Manny Pacquiao).

However, we fans certainly didn't let it pass by unnoticed.

I do appreciate that Keith Kizer and Bill Brady have both stuck up for her since, and I think that is a good trait (as I would hope my boss would also stick up for me).

I suppose it might be an idea to point out now that I am not one of these so called "Flomos" (fan addicted to Floyd Mayweather); in fact, if you wish, here is a blog I wrote issuing a strong rejection that he is superior to Sugar Ray Robinson: ENJOY!
http://noholdsbarredboxingtalk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/floyd-mayweather-jr-is-no-sugar-ray.html

I understand thoroughly that the scoring of fights is very objective (I, for example, felt Lucas Matthysse just about edged his fight against Danny Garcia this past weekend; which was lamented by fans of my boxing page).

I also understand, and vehemently object to, judges scoring "sympathy rounds" in order to keep a fight interesting. We see this all the time. For example: Guillermo Rigondeaux vs Nonito Donaire. Rigondeaux CLEARLY won eleven or twelve rounds, however judges scored it by the slightest of margins (How John Stewart scored it 114-113 is beyond belief. Maybe I should email the NYSAC next?!). Or how about my fellow Briton, Carl Froch, in his effort against widely recognised super middleweight king Andre Ward. Froch won at best three rounds. He lost by just two points on two scorecards; John Stewart was also a judge in that fight (I really think I should email the NYSAC!). Or how about the utterly outrageous scoring in the Pernell Whitaker-Julio Cesar Chavez classic where the great American dominated his Mexican rival throughout (winning a minimum of ten rounds) only to be handed a majority draw.

I understand "the game", of course. I've been watching boxing since I was a child: No matter how easily "boxer A" gets beaten, he must not be allowed to be beaten by too large of a margin as it affects both his promoter's usage of said boxer (e.g. who wants to see a guy who got dominated in his previous fight?), as well as affecting an org's ability to make money (e.g. boxer who cannot fight at elite level cannot pay sanctioning fees). Let's not beat around the bush; we all know how it works.

However, we are all fans and we all continue to watch. What is utterly intolerable though, is judging which is so lenient it allows a boxer who has been thoroughly "taken to school", so to speak, to be allowed to claw his/her way back into a fight. Forget what the promoters think, forget what the orgs think, and simply get judges to score fights properly. Obviously this would all be easier if there was an international governing body (e.g. FIFA in soccer), but there isn't, so we must soldier on as we can.

Boxing is becoming more and more bogus by the day, and anybody at the higher echelons who can help would be very much appreciated.

Yours Faithfully,

No Holds Barred

Floyd Mayweather Jr is NO Sugar Ray Robinson!

SUGAR RAY ROBINSON - THE GREATEST

After Floyd Mayweather Jr's victory over Saul Alvarez last night, the comparison of Mayweather to the all time greats of the sport (e.g. Robinson, Armstrong, Tunney, Louis, Ali etc) is again inevitable. I'm not going to dwell on Mayweather's career, but instead focus on Robinson's career which is perhaps somewhat forgotten, shamefully, as time moves on.

I will look at a few of the comments that get thrown the way of those who claim Robinson is the greatest and i will also analyse his accomplishments.

"Robinson never won world titles at five weight classes whereas Mayweather has".

Nowadays plenty of fighters have some form of title, whether it be a "genuine" world title, or an interim belt, or "super world title". There are at least four world titles per weight class and that doesn't include the Ring Magazine title (which many claim should be the real lineal world title), or upcoming orgs such as the IBO or WBU, or the titles the more prestigious orgs create just in order to charge sanctioning fees.

Back in the 1940s-1950s when Robinson was in his prime, numerous weight classes didn't exist. The weight classes which exist today, but not back then, include: cruiserweight, super middleweight, light middleweight, light welterweight (returned in 1959), super featherweight (returned in 1959), super bantamweight, super flyweight, light flyweight, and minimumweight.

This means Robinson had no chance of winning titles at a few weights where he possibly could have (i.e. super middleweight, light middleweight, light welterweight). Had they existed, he'd have been a five weight world champion.

More to the point though, back in those days it was less about money and more about prestige. Having some cheap leather strap around your waist, which you can buy online nowadays, was not considered a great thing to do. Beating the best was considered the way to become great. The best back then inevitably held the world title in each division as there was only one widely recognised world title per division.

"Robinson's opponents weren't all very good".

Have people forgotten, or do they just not know? Robinson defeated ten hall of fame fighters and often did so multiple times (e.g. La Motta five times). He also beat sixteen former, reigning, or future world champions.

Fighters he beat included: Jake La Motta, Bobo Olson, Kid Gavilan, Rocky Graziano, Randy Turpin, Carmen Basilio, Gene Fullmer, Denny Moyer, Sammy Angott, Robert Villemain, Fritzie Zivic, Henry Armstrong, Tommy Bell, George Costner, Jose Basora, Charley Fusari, Ralph Dupas.

If fans nowadays haven't heard of these fighters, this doesn't affect Robinson's record in any way. It just means fans have not done the research necessary to offer up an unbiased approach to his place in the history books.

"Fighters back then lost all the time and were bums, whereas Mayweather is 45-0".

That old chestnut. A lot of people don't realise that back in the day fighters barely sparred; at least not as much as they do now. When fighters would sign up to fight as much as twenty or so fights in one year, a large quantity of those would essentially be what we would now call "sparring sessions"; although obviously, they had a competitive edge.

Boxing was also not as much of a business as it is today. There was a business edge to it (people like to earn money), and there was a corruption angle (i.e. the Mafia/Mob influence), but overall there was a much greater sporting and prestige feel to the sport. Boxers wanted to beat the best, end of story. Getting paid to do so was a very nice added incentive but the world title, the ONLY world title, was what it was all really about.

"Robinson ducked Charley Burley".

Whether he "ducked" him or not is debatable. But, what is certain is he didn't fight him. Why? I don't know the answer. One reason i suppose i might consider is that perhaps the fact Burley was black and not too well established (perhaps?) or in the right "crew", this made it easier for Robinson to not have to face him. The same way heavyweights in the late 19th/early 20th century could avoid black challengers if they wished as the black fighters (e.g. Sam Langford, Joe Jeanette, Sam McVey, Harry Wills), had "no right" to be challenging for the world title.

Burley was a part of the infamous "Murderer's Row" of the era; a group of feared black fighters that were "avoided" by many. Alongside Burley were Lloyd Marshall, Holman Williams, Herbert "Cocoa Kid" Lewis Hardwick, Jack Chase, Eddie Booker, Elmer Ray, Aaron Wade and Bert Lytell.

Robinson fought just one of them, Aaron Wade, and it was Wade's very last fight. It must however also be remembered that Robinson didn't make his pro debut until 1940 and fought until 1965 (after a couple of brief retirements). Robinson fought for his first world title in 1946. By this time most of the Murderer's Row fighters were coming to the end of their careers. By that time, the only real credible opponents for Robinson would have perhaps only been Charley Burley and Bert Lytell.

So, i think it's plausible to say Robinson perhaps wasn't keen on fighting Burley or even Lytell, but it isn't plausible to say Robinson outright ducked the Murderer's Row the same way some other fighters did, as their careers were coming to a close when Robinson was making strides in the mid-late 40s.

"You can't know what you haven't seen".

Like gravity, i suppose?

This is a reasonable point, i suppose. It's a known fact that almost no footage of Robinson as a welterweight exists. Some people point to this as a reason to discredit some of Robinson's accomplishments. My problem with it, however, is that it essentially tells us that because we haven't seen a specific fighter, we have no right to say how good he was.

This argument sounds like this: "I have never seen the Loch Ness monster. I therefore don't believe in it." Fair enough.

What about science, though? Have you ever seen any other galaxies from your window? According to scientists there are in excess of two hundred billion of them. Nasa has also been taking photos of outer space for decades. What about dark matter and dark energy? Scientists claim these are key elements of life in the Universe. These aren't 100% proven, as such, but they are "accepted hypotheses" because of the evidence provided. There is no evidence for the Loch Ness monster, despite people certainly looking.

Of course, you could prefer to live in a barn and say things like a "theory is just a theory", thus completely misunderstanding the definition of a "scientific theory", but that's your problem and the world will move on without you.

Scientists accept evidence from those who came along before and this represents my opinion of this argument. I trust boxing historians, i understand how to read records, and i trust those who came before me. If historians say, that without doubt, Harry Greb was the best middleweight of all time. I will certainly look into it, but i don't mind saying "you're right!".

"Fighters weren't as fit back then. They'd never survive in today's era".

Okay, this argument is paraded around every sport. Let's analyse it.

Nowadays, we have fighters pulling out of fights at a week's notice because of a "back strain", or an "elbow problem", or a "hand injury" etc. Should we complain? I say no. After all, this is a dangerous sport and i think it's good to give them the benefit of the doubt. Are all of these injuries genuine though? I'd say possibly not. I think boxers, like all well paid athletes, now have a dollar value on their head and for that reason they need to, to some extent, be wrapped in cotton wool (at least until they get in the ring).

Some people might argue that Wladimir Klitschko's perfect specimen of a body is a result of his hard work in and outside of the ring. He no doubt lives a clean lifestyle and is clearly a consummate professional. On the other hand, we might say Jack Johnson was known for his love of life, especially women. Perhaps a case could be made that if Johnson had fought during this era, he'd have been more professional and even better. But, can't a case also be made that he'd have actually suffered more injuries and such nowadays? Is the training used today actually causing injury? After all, more and more athletes complain of injuries than ever before. Or, is this just a case of human right's kicking in and people feeling a lot more open to asking for help as they know they will receive it, compared to yesteryear when they were told to "get on with it"?

It is also worth mentioning that using this argument is full of bias. If fighters today have better training and are healthier, then it must also be noted that if fighters of the past fought in the current era they too would benefit from such training. The same way if fighters today fought in the past, they would have the same training standards as those back then. This is a very biased argument which favours the view that you want to put across. In my opinion, it is not a good analytical approach.

Let's look at it from another sporting angle: Football (soccer).

The world's most popular sport is riddled with injury complaints ranging from very serious (e.g. broken leg) to very minor (e.g. bit of a cold).

For those who love British football, have a think about this: From 1955-1985, during the golden era of British football, British clubs won a combined 29 European trophies.

This era was not only known for its golden era on the pitch, but also off it too. Players like George Best, Jimmy Greaves, Frank Worthington et al. were as well known for their footballing skill as they were for their love of alcohol and women.

This era of alcohol and drug use went on until the mid 1990s when no-nonsense managers like Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger helped stomp it out for good. Other managers soon followed suit.

If today's athletic era is without doubt better than any before, then why have British teams not had anywhere near the level of success that they once had? Are we to believe that teams nowadays are simply more competitive or better than British teams? Were other teams simply easier to beat back then? Surely nobody actually believes the great Ajax, Bayern Munich, AC Milan or Real Madrid teams during that era were worse than their teams since then?

The same can be said of boxing. There is no direct link to be made between modern healthy living and success. The same way there is no direct link between shenanigans away from the ring/pitch and failure.

Performance-enhancing Drugs

Let's also throw in the performance enhancement drugs topic, which has blighted sports for decades. Although the use of PEDs has been around for over two thousand years, and amphetamines were first used by athletes in the 1950s, the modern epidemic of highly evolved drugs is a more recent phenomenon. Fighters in the 1960s and before were most certainly not using any form of PEDs. So, we should make the important statement that boxers of the past, who are still held in a lofty position by modern day fans and historians, were most certainly not on any form of PEDs. Compare this to the modern era where many greats may very well be using PEDs (in fact, many have actually been caught out), but we conveniently sweep their usage under the carpet as to not admit our favourite sports are inundated with PEDs. Take American football, baseball, and cycling as prime examples of sports riddled with drugs, but where fans refuse to accept the truth.

Robinson's stats.

- His amateur record is usually listed as 85-0 with 69 KOs (40 in the first round) but Robinson lost to Billy Graham and Patsy Pesca under his given name, Walker Smith Jr.
- He was undefeated in 91 fights at one stage of his career.
- His record read 128-1-2 before suffering his second loss.
- Robinson retired with a record of 131-3-2 in 1952, having failed to dethrone light heavyweight champion Joey Maxim, but returned to the ring three years later. He retired for good in 1965 with a record of 173-19-6.
- Named Fighter of the Year for 1942 and 1951 by The Ring Magazine.
- Named Fighter of the Year for 1950 by the Boxing Writers Association of America.
- Named Fighter of the Decade for the 1950s by The Ring Magazine.
- Inducted into The Ring Magazine Boxing Hall of Fame in 1967.
- Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.
- Named Welterweight Fighter of the Century, Middleweight Fighter of the Century, and Fighter of the Century by the Associated Press in 1999.
- The Ring Magazine ranked Robinson as the best fighter of the last 80 years in 2002.
- The Ring Magazine ranked Robinson as the 11th greatest puncher of all-time in 2003.
- Historian Bert Sugar ranked Robinson #1 in his 2006 book Boxing's Greatest Fighters.
- ESPN ranked Robinson as the greatest fighter in history in 2007.

Mayweather vs Alvarez; Garcia vs Matthysse: What i learnt from last night

Things i learnt from last night:

1 - Floyd Mayweather is obviously the best fighter of his generation: Yep, his record is open to criticism for sure (have you ever spoken to me before?!), but his skill alone makes him the obvious best talent.

2 - The dangers of taking paper titles and money: Alvarez will bounce back from this (he's only 23), but he was handed a paper title too young, he made paper title defences, and he took the huge payday. Back in the day, Alvarez would not have been a significant fighter; does he compare to Hearns, Norris, McCallum, Benitez, Trinidad, De La Hoya, Hope, Ayule, Boudouani, Wright, Mugabi, Vargas, Mosley....? No.

3 - Danny Garcia has more than 1% chance of victory: Yep, i said this (oops!). I seriously didn't expect Garcia to have any chance of victory. Matthysse is a genuine p4p star and huge puncher, yet Garcia took his shots well, threw the better overall shots, threw much better combos, and even did a number on Matthysse's eye.

4 - Lucas Matthysse is not a "bum": Just because he got beaten by the better fighter on the night, this doesn't mean he's now finished. It was an uber-close fight, which could have gone either way, where he suffered a seriously swollen eye. Matthysse has already lost two fights like this before. Garcia beat a prime and in condition Matthysse.

5 - There is no such thing as a dead-cert: Matthysse was odds-on favourite to win. Although i actually had him winning the fight 115-112, the reversal of scorecards is easily done. Before i'm taken in front of the thought-police was expressing my views, let me explain: I gave Matthysse rounds 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12. I gave Matthysse a 10-8 score for round 12, but didn't give Garcia a 10-8 score for round 11 as he hit Matthysse whilst his head was stuck in the ropes which is illegal. A judge would probably give Garcia a 10-8 round, which changes my score to 115-113. Give Garcia the very close first two rounds (which i gave to Matthysse), and my score becomes 115-113 to Garcia. It was a close fight and certainly not a Garcia landslide victory. It also reiterated the obvious: there's no such thing as a dead-cert!

Anthony Hardy Exclusive Interview: "My pro debut went to plan"

No Holds Barred: You made your pro debut on the 7^th of July in Sunderland against Matt Seawright. How did your fight go?

Anthony Hardy: More or less to plan, really. Obviously I’d done the research on Matt before the fight so I knew what to expect. I knew he liked to come in low, throw the big right hand over the top, and try to get forward a lot, so I just counter punched him a lot and made him miss.

No Holds Barred: Was Matt as tough as you expected?

Anthony Hardy: Yeah, he was tough but I was well prepared. I won the fight three rounds to one. They gave him the third round because he landed with a good shot, but aside from some good stuff from him in that round, I was in control throughout; I was never hurt or anything. It was a tough debut but I think I came through well.

No Holds Barred: Did you have to adjust at any point?

Anthony Hardy: Well, after losing the third round, I put my foot on the gas in the fourth round. I nearly had him out of there late on in the fight; he held on for dear life.

No Holds Barred: Will you be making any changes to your game plan in the future?

Anthony Hardy: I think it’s just all about improving what skills I’ve already got. I would have liked to have been a little bit sharper on the night, but I just put that down to debut nerves. I think in my next fight I’ll open up a bit more and throw more combinations. I just wanted to be safe and win the fight at the end of the day.

No Holds Barred: Do you know if your fight or the event was filmed?

Anthony Hardy: Somebody was there filming. I’m going to get in touch with the person who filmed it to see if I can get a copy. Not sure if I can put it on YouTube, but we’ll see.

No Holds Barred: Your debut was at welterweight but when we last spoke, you told me you can make light welterweight. How did you feel at the weight?

Anthony Hardy:  I felt really comfortable at the weight on the night. I was actually going to fight lighter on the night, but a week or so before the fight we were told that Matt would come in anywhere from 10.7-10.9 stones so I adjusted my dieting a bit and worked on my strength some more. I walk around at about that weight anyway so it’s not hard for me to make welterweight.

No Holds Barred: Is a drop down in weight on the cards in the future or are you staying at welterweight?

Anthony Hardy: I’d be happy to fight at light welterweight, no problem. I’ll make whatever weight I’m told to. I’m good at getting the weight off so I don’t mind which weight I fight at.

No Holds Barred: Will the weight for your next few fights be decided by who you’re fighting in your opinion?

Anthony Hardy: I think me and the coaches will sit down and have that discussion. We've got a good diet, strength and conditioning program at the gym. We've got a new strength and conditioning coach and she works everything out for us.

No Holds Barred: What did your trainer Peter Cope think of your performance?

Anthony Hardy: He was really happy with it. Like he said, Matt Seawright is a tricky opponent. I know some people think pro debuts aren't all that important, but with the way I’m so tall and with him being a lot smaller than me, it was quite difficult for me to get my shots off accurately and time them correctly.

No Holds Barred: I think people underestimate how difficult pro debuts can be. Juan Manuel Marquez, Bernard Hopkins, Henry Armstrong, and countless others, all lost their pro debuts.

Anthony Hardy: Yeah, exactly. It can be difficult.

No Holds Barred: Do you have a second pro fight lined up yet?

Anthony Hardy: Yeah, it looks like I'll be fighting on the 19th of October at Rainton Meadows Arena. I'm really looking forward to it. I was meant to be scheduled to fight on the 13^th of September in Newcastle but it doesn't look like it will happen. I think they had a full bill or something. 

No Holds Barred: What are your immediate future plans?

Anthony Hardy: I’d like to go and spar at the Ingle Gym in Sheffield soon. Aside from that, it’s all very much just keep on with what I’m doing; sparring with Bradley Saunders and training at the gym.

No Holds Barred: Have you changed your goals at all?

Anthony Hardy: I just want to keep busy as much as possible really. I want to keep winning as well, obviously, and then hopefully knock on the door for some small titles soon and then reevaluate my goals as time goes by.

Be sure to follow Anthony on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anthonyhardyboxing and on Twitter:  @Anth_Hardy11

Deontay Wilder - Let's be cruel to be kind

Deontay Wilder is coming off of his biggest named victory to date last night against Siarhei Liakhovich, who he stopped in one round. A tremendous knockout victory for sure but does it simply gloss over a record which has barely any positives to it?

I'm going to analyse Deontay Wilder's career in this article from top to bottom and you can judge for yourself.

I thought the KO over Liakhovich was very good and it was a decent-ish win (i'll get onto that a bit more later). I also think Wilder could well be the most powerful guy at heavyweight outside of the Klitschko brothers. So, already we have to consider Wilder a threat in the division as power is arguably the most important attribute at the weight.

His skills and chin will always come into question, of course, up until he actually fights a live opponent, which up to now he hasn't done. For me, it's a 50-50 chance whether those skills are up to the job as there is no evidence yet to suggest one way or another. For example: Would Edwin Valero's power have been able to beat Manny Pacquiao or Juan Manuel Marquez? I am absolutely of the opinion that Pacquiao would have bludgeoned Valero and forced a stoppage, and i am certain Marquez would have countered him all night long and embarrassed him. Would that have been the end of Valero? Check out his record. Aside from the DeMarco win he didn't have much else on there.

So, my assessment of Wilder's win last night and his overall talent can be put like this: If he was to be put in the ring with one of the Klitschko brothers right now, it would be Lennox Lewis vs Shannon Briggs II - Wilder obviously playing the part of Briggs, and having only a few early rounds to win before being outclassed and stopped.

Now, i think it's appropriate to look at why a win over Liakhovich was only "decent-ish", in my opinion. One - Liakhovich hadn't fought in close to 18 months. Two - His last two fights were 9th round losses to Bryant Jennings, and Robert Helenius, and were his only in-ring performances in three years. Three - Liakhovich's last wins were against mediocre opposition in Evans Quinn and Jeremy Bates in 2010 and 2009 respectively. Four - His last decent performance was arguably his 12 round UD loss to Nikolai Valuev in 2008. Five - His last good win was over Lamon Brewster in 2006, which was also the night he won the lightly regarded WBO heavyweight title; which he subsequently lost to Shannon Briggs in his next fight.

So, all in all, i think a win over Liakhovich isn't all that great for a guy who already had 28 fights under his belt. So, i'd call it a "decent-ish" win, but certainly not a good win.

It is that "28 fights" thing which bugs me the most; aside from maybe the hype from all the knockouts he's scored. Have people never heard of Billy Fox, Lamar Clark, and Don Steele before? A man who has already fought 28 times should not be still fighting guys like Liakhovich or Audley Harrison. Those are the sort of opponents you fight after a dozen fights; He's four years too late to be doing this. Bryant Jennings fought Liakhovich in his 13th fight, Tyson Fury fought Dereck Chisora in his 15th fight, Kubrat Pulev fought Dominick Guinn in his 9th fight.....

And, for those who endlessly tell you that Wilder "never had many amateur fights", make sure you tell them that a) He had 29 amateur fights (24-5-0), won two domestic titles, and an Olympic bronze medal, and b) Peter Quillin is three years older than Wilder at 30, only had 15 amateur fights (half the amount that Wilder had) and he is currently the WBO middleweight champion.

Tell them to stop making excuses for Wilder all the time as it isn't helping his career.

Now we should look at Wilder's earlier fights to see why it took him 28 fights to "step up" (in the loosest possible terms) against perennial no-hoper Audley Harrison.

In his first 20 or so fights, his handlers contented themselves with throwing him in there with less than mediocre opposition.

Guys like Ethan Cox, Shannon Gray, Richard Greene Jr, Joseph Rabotte, Kesley Arnold, Travis Allen, Jerry Vaughn, Ty Cobb, Dustin Nichols, Shannon Caudle, and Reggie Pena barely had any fight experience between them.

Many of the fighters he has fought have also either been morbidly obese or just plain obese: Richard Greene Jr (352 lbs), Joseph Rabotte (264), Ty Cobb (254), Alvaro Morales (291), and Damon McCreary (262). Or how about Dustin Nichols at a whopping 398 lbs !!!

On the occasions where Wilder has fought known journeymen, they have also been incapable of taking a punch - something which good journeymen are famous for being able to do. Let's look at some of them and their current records: Charles Brown (8 KO losses from 16), Harold Sconiers (13 from 27), Marlon Hayes (6 from 12).

Heck, DeAndrey Abron (5 from 10) wasn't even a heavyweight! He was a career light heavyweight who had only once moved up above light heavyweight when he fought at cruiserweight against Valery Brudov two and a half years previously. He moved up from light heavyweight for the Wilder fight and then back down to cruiserweight afterwards.

The only two journeymen who seemed to buck the trend of losing by KO and actually managed to make it the distance sometimes were Alvaro Morales and Dan Sheehan. Morales' record currently stands at 4-14-7 and he has only been stopped on two occasions (by Joe Hanks and Deontay, himself), whilst Dan Sheehan has only been stopped 9 times from 39 losses.

Most of the guys Wilder has fought have had no punch resistance, in fact. Almost all of the fighters he has fought have lost more fights by KO than they have over the full distance. This explains why he has 29 KOs from 29 fights.

We still see this in his later fights as he has stepped up in the last two years:

Damon Reed, Dominique Alexander, Owen Beck, and Matthew Greer can all be described as journeymen nowadays as their careers come to a close. They too have very little punch resistance compared to some other journeymen who notoriously have chins of steel: Reed (10 KO losses from 17), Alexander (14 from 16), Beck (10 from 12), and Greer (7 from 11).

Even when Wilder has fought opponents who may have seemed fairly decent on paper, their in-ring showings showed they were no different:

- Daniel Cota: 17-3-1 at the time, had fought nobody known, and lost three times already.

- David Long: 11-1-2 at the time, had also fought nobody known.

- Jesse Oltmanns: 10-2-0 at the time, had also fought nobody known.

- Kelvin Price: 13-0 at the time, had also fought nobody known, and looked fat too.

- Audley Harrison: 31-6-0 at the time, had a lot of in-ring experience, but let's face it Harrison was a perennial no-hoper with no chin.

The one fight i actually give Wilder full credit for (let's not get carried away here; it's one fight out of 29!) is his win over Kertson Manswell. He was 23-5-0 at the time, and definitely Wilder's best opponent to date. Manswell had been the distance with Ruslan Chagaev, Cedric Boswell, and Mike Perez in the year prior to fighting Wilder.

My overall conclusion of Wilder's career is that he is an exciting fighter who is a MUST to watch. He could very well go far and he could be "the next big thing". However, if he is indeed the "next big thing", we have yet to see any evidence of this. Again, refer back to my comment about Billy Fox, Lamar Clark, and Don Steele. Check out their records. Wilder's 29 KOs are no more impressive than those of Fox, Clark or Steele and to think they are is buying into the hype a little bit too much. He is going to need to step up and prove his power against guys with some punch-resistance and solid chins. Personally, i don't think he CAN be pushed into the mega-fights too soon as he simply doesn't have the rounds under his belt (49 rounds from 29 fights). This means his stamina might not be all that.

I think he needs another 18 months of fighting against top notched low-level contenders followed by good contenders to see how he does against guys with better chins and see how his stamina checks out. I suggest he fights the likes of Dominick Guinn: 45 fights, 10 losses, never been beaten inside the distance; Fres Oquendo: 43 fights, just 2 stoppage losses, the last of which was 9 years ago; Michael Sprott: 57 fights, plenty of in-ring experience, and despite 10 of his 20 losses coming inside the distance, he has made the final bell against many of Europe's top heavyweights.