Boxing (Combat Sports)

Don’t think we have a thread for this (apologies if missed it) but thought with recent goings on might be worthwhile and there’s usually some kind of controversy around this sport, given some of the shady characters involved.
We’ve just had the on/off/on/off Fury/Joshua shenanigans and now I’ve just heard Connor Benn has failed a drug test ahead of his fight with Eubank Jr. With the difference in weight (Eubank down and Benn up) I wonder if he’s been a naughty boy trying to bulk up a bit in a hurry.

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I am glad that someone has started such a thread. Have been a long time follower of the ‘Sweet Science’. A good source of info for all things Boxing is the Ring Magazine site. Just had a look on what they have to say on the Benn/ Eubank fight and this is the following quote, which makes it seem that the fight is still on.

We have been made aware that a random anti-doping test for Conor Benn conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association returned an adverse analytical finding for trace amounts of a fertility drug. The B sample has yet to be tested, meaning that no rule violation has been confirmed. Indeed, Mr Benn has not been charged with any rule violation, he is not suspended, and he remains free to fight.

Mr. Benn has since passed a doping control test conducted by the UK Anti-Doping Agency, the anti-doping authority to which the British Board of Boxing Control has delegated its doping control testing for the bout. Mr Benn has passed all doping control tests conducted by UKAD.

Both fighters have taken medical and legal advice, are aware of all relevant information, and wish to proceed with the bout this Saturday.

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Its worth watching the first fight between their dad’s. If Saturday’s fight is half as good then it will be worth the time. However the weight difference I think will be telling

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Yeah, this is all about the Dad’s to be honest. The two son’s shouldn’t be anywhere near each other given the weight difference and age/stage of their careers.
The agreed weight and dehydration clauses etc. make the whole thing a bit sketchy to begin with in my mind.

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He tested clean since, definitely not a doper then. Just eaten wild bor, that’s all :roll_eyes:

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Just heard the BBBC have prohibited the fight going ahead as not in the interests of the sport.

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It is crazy to try and keep the fight on, I suspect there is/was huge pressure from the promoters.

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Talksport are saying the BBBC decision was communicated to the promoters yesterday, before they both put a message out this morning saying it was going ahead. Curiouser and curiouser.

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Just need a different non UK venue.

Boxing has no interest in anti-doping, it’ll be “sorted”

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FFFFUUUUUUCCCCCKKKKKK ing hell!

Two of my mates have bought tickets/ hotels/ if I wasn’t such a tight wad it could have been me!

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Looks like it is postponed now.

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Had to be.

Eddie Hearn is getting some serious heat.

So I don’t know how many Boxing fans are out there but upcoming are two mouth watering (well for me) events.

The obvious one is Spence V Crawford a week Saturday. The number 3 Pound for Pound against the number 4. I can’t wait for this and will try and watch live which means an early start. I’m favouring Crawford but it should be good whatever the result.

However the other which you should check out is Inoue V Fulton. Inoue is the number 2 Pound for Pound (no 1 in my opinion) and has blasted all at 112, 115 and 118. So now he moves up 122 and what does he do? Picks a fight with an unbeaten 2 belt champion. Expect fireworks. And as its in Japan and no one in the UK is interested you can watch it for free on Sky mid morning next Tuesday. (If you have not come across Inoue check out some of his recent fights on YouTube. He is extraordinary and is not called the Monster for nothing)

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Oh, so not Fury vs an MMA fighter with a 0-0-0 record?

I don’t follow Boxing, but Fury is really starting to like a colossal nob? Is there any chance he will be stripped of his titles if he keeps dodging the main challengers & Usyk?

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Fury can be a knob at times but in fairness to him I don’t think that he is dodging anyone. He really would like Usyk’s belts (that’s another fight I would like to see) but I think that the issue came down to the rematch clause. I am less interested now in seeing him fight Joshua but that fight would still clearly be huge in the UK. So we have the situation where Usyk has a fight that no one cares about, likewise Joshua and , as you say, I think that Fury is fighting an MMA fighter which again is irrelevant.

Was it ever thus in Boxing

(Edit: Meant to reply to your question: It seems to take a very long time for fighters to be stripped of titles due to inactivity)

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All about the $$$$$$$$$$$$

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I’ll be all over those two fights.

I’d favour Crawford but it’s tight … Spence”s naturally bigger size strength and volume punching paticulary to the body is off the charts for 147.

I can’t imagine either loosing and it’s a genuine super fight I’ll be staying up for sure.

If inoues power carries up a weight cool boy will be on a stretcher before the 36 mins have expired no doubt, everyone has a ceiling and Fulton is naturally bigger, durable and a slick boxer, been arguing all week with mostly American fans about the outcome.

Two brilliant fights.

Lb4lb

1 Usyk
2 Inoue
3 Crawford

The rest gets very very complicated, loads have Tank Davis at 1… not a chance … mostly Black, mostly racists mostly casuals

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Tyson Fury ( met him a few times and I’m a big fan) holds the WBC belts

We
Be
Crooks!

I could go on and on about there money based Spanish practices and just blatant corruption but I won’t.

Usyk has the other three belts, TF V Usyk would be the first undisputed heavyweight fight in the 4 belt era. It is the biggest fight in the world by some margin.

Tyson isn’t scared of anyone but he 100% ducked Usyk the negotiations were prolonged and complicated but he ducked him for sure.

TF will get 50 mil ? for fighting an ex ufc champ, the guy is a huge banger but like mcgregor v Floyd he has no chance.

It’s literally like being the world squash champion and entering Wimbledon expecting to win, it’s the same … no?!

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I hope that Fury is not ducking Usyk because that would be a cracking fight and really the only fight of any relevance at Heavyweight and certainly of any relevance to Fury if he wants to be considered a great. That said I could see Usyk winning especially if it went to points and the fight was not in the UK. Probably the reason there was a re-match clause.

Your Ib4Ib is the same as the Ring Magazines and they are certainly the best three right now. Tank probably makes the top ten but I’m not sure he is even the best at 135. Would love to see him against either Lomachenko and/or Haney. I suspect the latter won’t happen but the former would be possible and very interesting.

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I’m a huge Lona fan and he certainly turned up v DH.

I’ve watched that fight 5 times and it’s either 7/5 either way or a draw., just class in abundance from both pugilists.

I’m sure TF will take the fight early 2024 people are saying ? Heavy is grim at the min

If the monster sparks an established champion after moving up he’s on the top step lb4lb.

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