Maybe we could see Tszyu up against Bowyn Morgan sometime next year? Morgan needs to step up and take on some worthy Aussie fighters. Maybe we could see McKean v Leapai or Haumono next? Either way it's good to see him active again, and if I were Parker's team, I would be pushing hard to get Browne to NZ. Browne is well past it but a good name for Parker to have on his record at this stage of his career.
I haven't seen a lot of Bowyn Morgan, but what I have seen I've been impressed with. He might be a little bit too advanced for Tszyu at this point. But definitely that's the type of fight that would make for an exciting Commonwealth championship match. And if you're going to call yourself Commonwealth champion, Morgan is the type of opponent that will need to be faced up to at some point. Any self-respecting Commonwealth champ should be willing to accept a challenge from a well-credentialed New Zealand champ. That's what Bowyn Morgan is. It's kind of pointless having Commonwealth championships if those types of fights don't get made. Duco have worked with Tszyu in the past so presumably if the fight is capable of being made, they could put it together on either side of the Tasman. Apart from Mundine in Australia, a fight with Morgan in NZ would probably pay better than any other fight out there for Tszyu & that includes Zerafa. Even Kiwis like Shay Brock & Gunnar Jackson would be good development fights for Tszyu without necessarily posing the same risk that Morgan would. The only thing I don't want to see is Tszyu win the Commonwealth title & then disappear to the UK to defend it against someone who's going to take it straight off him. That scenario comes up all too often but I'd like to think Tszyu's developing profile in Australia will keep him in the region for the time being. The Commonwealth title could be used to give a lot of decent Australian & New Zealand fighters (and African fighters - Sam Colomban & Wale Omotoso come to mind) good opportunities. That's how Troy Waters developed his career. By winning the Commonwealth title & defending it. The fights are certainly there for Tszyu should he wish to follow the same path. Of course he needs to win it first. Joseph Parker would have far too much for any of the Australian h/w's. I would like to see him get a couple more wins under his belt (well, at least another one) before heading back over to the UK. Lucas Browne would be the best credentialed opponent we could offer. Given Parker's fights in NZ will likely be taken by ESPN in the US, they may wish for the opponent to have some broader appeal there. That could be why Parker faced a Mexican/American last start. That type of thing will need to be factored into who Parker fights next out here. When he goes back to the UK, maybe Chisora followed by Dillian Whyte coming off a loss to Joshua would be a good way to go. A couple of wins like that would put him right back in the thick of it. While Chisora & Whyte would be relatively easy fights to say 'yes' to, perhaps the tougher questions will be whether to say 'yes' to fights against the likes of Usyk & Hunter. Usyk would pay well. Hunter wouldn't so they will be tricky questions for the Kiwis to answer when & if those fights get offered.
Great post and a good read. I have to agree with you I do get annoyed when someone from down in our part of the world goes to the UK to sell the Commonwealth title like Kris George did to Josh Kelly when all they do is throw it in the bin and it stays vacant over there for long periods of time until another UK prospect under the matchroom banner does the exact same thing when there are good fights to be made down here. I hope Tim Tszyu's team are smart enough to avoid that from happening if he wins it. Gunnar Jackson and Shaye Brock are good domestic journeymen who will give you rounds and will come to win but Tszyu should get past both of them with Jackson being the better of the 2. I would like to see Parker have one more fight here in NZ as well before going back overseas and hopefully that will be Browne or Leapai as a 2nd choice. I'd much rather see him in with one of them as opposed to a Mexican unknown such as Flores and it would be an easier sell for Duco as well.
The on and off again saga involving Jai Opetia and Bilal Laggoune is back on again March 22 in Belgium. The only benefit i can see in this fight is that Bilal is rated no 7 by the IBF . Epicentre plans to stream the fight live. The big mover in world rankings in 2018 was Bilal Akkawy. At the beginning of yr he was just rated in the top 15. He is now rated no 4 by the WBA. Renold Quinlan plans to fight again this yr. Tim Tszyu preparing hard for his CMW Title fight. Click full screen. This content is protected
Manly promising SMW Mateo Taipa added to Feb 8 fight night. Francis the Removalist Chua is heading to Sin City. The Swan Truck owner has his eyes on yet to be named opponent in Las Vegas in mid to late March. The fight will be televised live on Showtime and a victory would earn Chua another 2 or 3 fights in the US. '' If it comes off it would be a massive opportunity " Chua said. Chua trainer Jay Gray of 24/7 Gym at Lake Bibra said " his boxer has the skill and ability to impact under the bright lights of Las Vegas. Francis is resilient, he has a excellent chin , phenomenal speed, he's got crazy power for his weight class. " Francis is coming off the Aust upset of the yr with a win over WBO no 2 Kye Mackenzie. Best of luck Francis . This show for one night only at the Sun Theatre in Yarraville. This content is protected
George Kambosos will fight on the Pacquiao vs Broner undercard against Rolando Chinea. This will be on the non televised section. Disappointing you are not getting proper fights and exposure from PBC. The Removalist is getting a better deal. IBF 122 lb Champ TJ Doheny has signed with Eddie Hearn Matchroom US and DAZN and will make his first defense on Jan 18 in NY on the Andrade vs Akovov undercard. Hearn hopes to match TJ in a unification fight with WBA Champ Daniel Roman in a future date. Stuart Duncan matchmaker for Main Events has indicated a interest in matching Jeff Horn with Kell Brooks now it seems Amir Khan is fighting Terence Crawford. This would be a great match up to christen the first boxing fight for the new Bankwest Stadium opening April. Add southpaw Vic and former Joe Goodall Am rival Kris Terzieski as contenders for Demsey Mckean Aus HW Title. Kris is 6 - 0 - 1 4 ko and fights again in March. This content is protected
Good luck to TJ Doheny & George Kambosos later this month. I'm expecting a couple of wins. I also think our man Jeff would kayo Kell Brook. The only reservation I have is that Brook's 12 rounds last start is actually a much better preparation for a tough fight than Jeff's 96 second blowout. As performances, one looked impressive & the other didn't. As preparation for their next fights, one fight was meaningful & the other wasn't. Horn won't let Brook off the hook if he hurts him. If Brook fights to the same level he did against Zerafa, Horndog sleeps him.
Aus Boxing Update * Foxtel free boxing fights schedule. 27 /1 Keith Thurman vs Josesito Lopez 17 / 2 Leo Santa Cruz vs Miguel Flores WBA FW 10 /3 Shawn Porter vs Yordens Ugas WBC WW * Former IBO SFW Champ Will Tomlinson is starting a second career as a promoter. It will be called Wild Fighters with the first show Melb March 23. * Mark Lucas ends a short retirement and will face hard hitting Rocky Jervis on the Feb 8 Gallen vs Hopate undercard. * Mornington Jayden Mitchell has big plans for this yr. Jayden says he has received the biggest offer of his career. Jayden next fight is March 30 on the Sam Soliman vs Manny Siacaca undercard. This will be Sam's final fight. Jayden is ranked at WBC no 10 and WBA no 9 at SMW. A fight with WBO no 4 Rohan Murdock and WBA no 4 Bilal Akkawy would be a cracker. Though i suspect all three will take different paths to a world title. * Bronco's and State of Orgin and Kangaroo Nrl is planning to make his boxing debut on the Feb 8 card. With the ultimate plan of course a fight with Paul Gallen. The boxing community knows this is a farce but but with the State of Origin angle the gullible public will lap it up. Aus LW Champ Jacob Flamingo Ng returns on March 3. This kid definitely one to follow. This content is protected
So yet another Rugby League player is trying his hand at boxing? Wasn't a fan of Hodges at all in his League playing days and am not interested in his boxing career either.
I think Justin Hodges would have made a very talented h/w. Big, fast, athletic. I'd like to see Hodges mentor Damien Hooper. Keep him focused & on the straight & narrow.
Aus Boxing Update . * WBA Oceania MW Champ Jeff Horn has decided to vacate his title he won against Mundine and will now campaign at 154 lbs. * Dennis Hogan close to his second world title shot .Jamie Munguia promoter ODLH said " After Jamie fight ( 26 -1 Takeshi Inoue ) it looks like he will have a mandatory against Dennis Hogan. " * Looks like another terrific promotion at Southport March 16 with a Aussie Champion Tripleheader, Demsey Mckean HW , Jacob Ng LW and Tysinn Best WW. Demsey said that '' Paul Gallen asked him to vacate the title so he could fight someone else. Demsey would ko Gallen in one. * Vict HW Kris Terzievski fighting Roger Izonritei March 1 . How is Roger still licensed ? * More fights added to Gallen vs Hopoate undercard. Tommy Browne vs Larry Siwu Ben Savva vs Luke Travers This content is protected
Another Johnny Lewis Boxing Series is being planned. Details to come later. A proper State of Origin Clash between two young underdefeated SMW to be fought on Gallen vs Hopoate undercard. 23 yr old Brisbane Adam The Candyman Copland 4 - 0 2 ko vs 21 yr Manly Mateo Tapia 8 - 0 5 ko A great cross road fight . Lisa Bang Bang Hawton Aust unknown World Champion. https://thewest.com.au/sport/boxing...eboards-to-world-boxing-crowns-ng-b881064195z One of Aust finest World Boxing Champions. This content is protected
I think 154 is the right weight for Horndog. Probably the best division in Australian boxing. Speaking of which, it looks like Junior Tszyu isn't fighting that Englishman who was supposed to be lined up for him. The Englishman is talking about defending his English title in March not challenging for the Cth title in February. Hopefully Tszyu still gets a shot. If he does, it will be interesting to see who against. Dennis Hogan has a tough assignment against Mexican Mungo. Mexican Mungo looks more like a Cruiser than a Junior Middle. Seeing Hogan have a tough time of it early against Jamie Weetch tells me the early rounds will be particularly hard to navigate. In saying that, the fight with Weetch is probably the best domestic preparation for a title challenge that he could have got. If Paul Gallen wants to be heavyweight champion of Australia, let him challenge the current champ. That's what his next opponent John Hopoate did to become Australian champ a decade ago. I hope the ref in Victoria looks after Roger Izonritei. When it becomes one-sided, stop it. Doesn't matter if it's the first round. Assign that guy who did Tszyu's last fight in Bendigo. Not afraid to pull the plug early when only one guy is landing.
