UK Boxing this week

I'll take your word for it, I have zero reason not to believe you, she probably is lovely.

I'm seeing and hearing starting to turn on her, they seem irritated, in fact they want to see her beaten.

For me personally, the exposure and hype hasn't been justified so far, I know she's only had a handful of fights and that could change and change quickly provided she's in competitive fights and keeps winning.

I also understand you have to get your face out there and make some noise but her performances haven't been that impressive and I think more people will start to turn if she isn't in very competitive fights and puts on some excellent performances.

 

Yeah, Ball doesn't seem to use bodyshots, but the clips I've seen of her training for this one she is dipping and bringing up left hooks to the body.

So we will see tomorrow night if she's made a tactical decision to use bodyshots after watching clips of her train or it's just a drill she goes through but doesn't use in fights.


I actually believe keeping it long, jabbing, a basic one two and trying to time Courtenay closing the distance/rushing in with an uppercut or walking her on to a straight right hand will be the tactic.

 

I don't care about levels when it comes to entering female rings - Shannon looks a decent lay

 

You would be less annoyed if you saw her legs at quarter to three

 

I think tomorrow night is a 50/50 and that the pressure will bring out a gritty performance from her. I understand why fans are quick to knock her. Let’s face it, the hype isn’t justified and if she looked like Jane Couch you wouldn’t have heard of her (yet). But Eddie knows how to promote and package a ‘product’. After Friday night, here’s hoping we’re talking more about Shannon the fighter and not her about looks or her instagram.

 

Yeah, she isn't the only one, it really isn't personal, Matchroom/Sky/Hearn/IFL did the same with Conor Benn and a few others.

It's the same sort of promotion, it's this over exposure, "follow the STORY" and then people watch the interviews, watch and listen to all the media stuff and then the fights and think "all that hype and exposure for THAT".

I don't think it works with many fighters, Benn has been really slowed down, I believe Matchroom saw the negativity start to swell on social media and pulled it back before it went too far.

Last year we had them talking about PPV fights with Conor Benn and Josh Kelly, Benn hasn't fought anybody worth fighting yet, struggled badly in one and boxing fans were just not having it.

As for Courtenay, I understand it's a different time, I understand social media plays a huge part in building a following and is a way to increase your value but it can backfire if it's done wrong.

I really don't think it's that personal with the fighters, I just think boxing fans don't like to be force fed fighters, having to listen to Adam Smith commentating and banging on like we are watching greatness in a four rounder against a Unknown last minute opponent.


If Courtenay keeps winning, improving and is involved in good fights then she'll be fine but if the performances don't improve and they keep pushing her then the boxing fans will turn and once they turn it's hard to get that back on side.

 

I chucked a fiver at it after it was announced. Literally saw two people say “she’s actually not bad” and figured **** it, worth a go. It also forces me to have a little interest in the fight at least

 

Nice, yeah that is the exact feeling most people have... she's a real live underdog.


Ball looked great on the scales today, didn't look gaunt or drained but looked huge at the weight.

Courtenay look well too, her underwear looked really loose around the stomach, so I can assume either one or two things... she either loses a lot of weight and they didn't fit anymore or somebody bought the wrong size LOL

 

Looks to be scheduled for 8 rounds which I think will be good for Ball.

Let's see how it goes. No value now at the current odds but good pick beforehand.

 

Her contract probably stipulates that she has to post them to Adam Smith after the weigh in

 

Makes so much more sense now, they are actually Adams size so her can wear them Hahahahahahaha

 

Agreed, Ball even money today, crazy really.

I heard Eddie say yesterday Ball was as much as 6/1 when the first markets were first put up.

Crazy really, but yeah, we will see tomorrow night, it's going to be interesting, this is now the only fight I'm really looking forward to.

The other fights are OK, more showcases in my opinion, I don't think they are very competitive, Conway Vs Mansouri is probably the second most competitive but I believe Conway wins that fairly comfortably.

 

5 pounds, good gracious! No tightening belt time for you!

 

Flaunting my wealth, clearly...

Ha, I don’t bet to make money, only to make things a bit more interesting. It’s a great way to make a meaningless fight seem less crap

 

Haha I know. I do the exact same thing.