Brook + Wilder + Taylor + Kovalev
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BROOK + WILDER + TAYLOR + KOVALEV MARCH 1 2018 Every week THE AWARD-WINNING WORLD’S BEST FIGHT MAGAZINE EST. 1909 T WWW.BOXINGNEWSONLINE.NE NEVER FORGET Scott Westgarth 1986-2018 9 NO. 74 VOL. £3.49 Est. 1909 WHERE DOES YOUR FAVOURITE BRITISH BOXER RANK? Order today at www.boxingnewsonline.net/shop quoting GBB17 Also available at local newsagents or via the Boxing News app Retail price £7.99 ContMarchen 1, 2018 ts R.I.P SCOTT WESTGARTH 38 Tragedy strikes in a British ring, as 31-year-old loses his life Photos: ACTION IMAGES/ADAM HOLT & ED MULHOLLAND/HBO DON’T MISS HIGHLIGHTS >> 10 BROOK IS BACK >> 4 EDITOR’S LETTER An exclusive interview with Kell, as well This must serve as a wake-up call as a preview of the Rabchenko clash >> 5 GUEST COLUMN >> 16 POWER SURGE A comment from the BBBofC Who will win the world heavyweight title clash between Wilder and Ortiz? >> 26 THE OBSESSION Catching up with Jazza Dickens – >> 20 KEEP ON KRUSHIN’ a man who is addicted to boxing Looking ahead to Kovalev’s collision with his fellow Russian, Mikhalkin >> 30 FIGHT OF THE YEAR! A ringside report from the sensational >> 22 SCOTTISH SUPPORT Srisaket-Estrada super-fly spectacle Taylor prepares to face a late 30 substitute in front of his home fans >> 32 FITTING FINALE Smith sets up a mouth-watering WBSS final with Groves – injury-permitting DOWNLOAD OUR APP TODAY >> 42 AMATEURS For more details visit The Lionhearts head to Liverpool WWW.BOXINGNEWSONLINE.NET/SUBSCRIPTIONS >> 46 60-SECOND INTERVIEW ‘AS I REALLY DEVELOPED IN THE SPORT, I ALWAYS LOOKED UP TO BERNARD HOPKINS’ JJ McDonagh www.boxingnewsonline.net MARCH 1, 2018 l BOXING NEWS l 3 EDITOR’S LETTER Photo: ACTION IMAGES/ADAM HOLT Coming next time l ONE of the busiest weekends in recent memory is almost upon us, and we’ll do our best to be ringside in Cover photography ACTION IMAGES/ Sheffield for PETER CZIBORRA Kell Brook, Glasgow for Josh Taylor - and the ONLY THE BRAVE: All our thoughts 13 other British are with Westgarth’s and Irish shows family and friends, - Brooklyn for and anyone affected Deontay Wilder’s by his tragic death bout with Luis Ortiz and Manhattan for Sergey Kovalev’s DO HIM PROUD latest defence. l WE catch up It’s getting harder, but we must get behind the sport and strive to improve with Jeff ‘Left Hook’ Lacy, 12 years after he AN down, they said, heroes being forgotten as they stumble coaches and young boxers, eager to was dominated Scott Westgarth is towards the gutter, broke and helpless. learn, off the streets. Then think of those by Joe Calzaghe dead. Another life Yes, it would be easier, much easier, if streets without boxing, the monstrosities and his career lost to a sport that the noble art that damages so many, was and aggression, the underground fights started a long M glorifies punishment noble in every other way. and the blood on the hands. descent. to the head. A sport If it was a sport without unfathomable Above all, we must have faith in the we all love. A sport scorecards and hooky logic, without fighters today, those who are being l ONE of the we all love? sickening insults, without mismatches checked more than ever by doctors, sport’s finest, We will unite, and bad taste pantomimes and those who will continue to box and to Mikey Garcia, no doubt. We have unscrupulous rankings and nonsensical take their chances, not because they talks to Boxing no choice but to titles, if it was a sport without criminals in have to, but because it’s their choice, News before stand and defend high places and money-hungry chancers because they love this more than his bout with ourselves because making a mockery of those who have anything else. Sergey Lipinets, the opposition, after spent their whole lives just trying earn But anyone who is faint of heart, any and we also Matt this latest fatality, an honest crust. If, ultimately, those who fan who does not believe that the sport look ahead to Christie will be fierce. gave their all, those brave fighters who is dangerous, any fighter who refuses Scott Quigg’s @MattCBoxingNews Another family strip themselves of everything, would see to accept the fate that befell Scott shot at WBO Editor in mourning, that effort reciprocated and rewarded. Westgarth could happen to them, must featherweight another tormented Because, otherwise, why should we consider their future. And that, perhaps, boss, Oscar opponent, another agonising, eternal forgive a sport that has just killed a is where Scott Westgarth’s death does Valdez. hangover. Another reason for the anti- 31-year-old man? serve a purpose. That is where we can boxing brigade to surround us and It is getting harder, admittedly, but we find some meaning, some reason. And l AVAILABLE attack. must, we absolutely must. that is to remind us all of the disasters to download But how do those in the middle, the We must unite. We must learn that this sport is capable of, and to via iTunes and advocators of boxing, the likes of you and improve. We must focus on the demand we all shape up and clean up Google Play and I, defend this sport that has taken positives that the sport brings to so our act. from March 6, another life? Seriously, ask yourself. Can many, the reasons that won’t make So, yes, unite and fight back against 2018, and the you put one hand on your heart and Scott Westgarth’s passing feel like such those strangers closing in. But take some print edition is truthfully say that boxing, that brutal a wretched waste. We cannot presume time, please, to look in the mirror and in stores on pursuit, that deathly endeavour, deserves that this is as good as it gets. No, we ask yourself why you are here. It has to March 8, 2018. to survive? can’t do that. Never forget what we feel be for the right reasons, to better the It would, perhaps, be easier to justify if now, but remember and discover what sport, to enrich its history, and ensure the sport was clean, besides the punches boxing is really about. For every Scott the likes of Scott Westgarth never, ever, and pain. If we could say, without a Westgarth, there are many more who die in vain. second thought, ‘Well, boxing is good have had their lives saved. Many more Yes, it was another life lost to a sport and honest and helps more people who were dealt an atrocious hand in that glorifies punishment to the head. A than it hurts.’ If we didn’t hear constant life, only to find real salvation in a prize sport we all love. whispers behind the scenes about drugs ring. Examine the facts, too. Death, while and crime and dishonesty. About fighters always possible, is exceptionally rare. Follow us and keep up to date not getting paid, about yesterday’s Focus on the old gyms and wise @BoxingNewsED BoxingNewsOnline 4 l BOXING NEWS l MARCH 1, 2018 www.boxingnewsonline.net GUEST COLUMN THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME PERSPECTIVE Photo: ACTION IMAGES/ADAM HOLT THE FIGHTER: The sport must learn lessons and come back stronger and safer I have questioned myself this week but we must move forward and learn ’VE had a very most stringent and professional in possible, but you’re never going to people’s children to box. It would bad weekend the world and we’ll carry on being make it 100 per cent safe. That’s just be massively hypocritical, therefore, and a very bad that way. If lessons can be learned the nature of it. I do find it tough, for me to say people shouldn’t box. week. I was from these disasters, we will learn though. Of course I find it tough. Of course, if my children wanted I in Germany them. But at the present time it But this is what I do. If I decide to to box, I would make sure they when I found would seem, from speaking to say, ‘Right, I’ve had enough,’ that’s a are looked after properly and do out about Scott everyone there, that the procedure different thing altogether. it 100 percent and don’t play at it. Westgarth’s went okay. It was just a disastrous Admittedly, I’ve questioned You don’t play this game. But my injury. Now, result. myself a lot this week. I’ve done children don’t want to do it so it’s days later, what If there’s one thing we know it’s that after every incident like this. not something I have to deal with. can I say? I feel that an incident There have been I know people are looking for gutted. I feel like this affects three now (during reasons why this tragedy happened, sick. But we everybody. It THE my stewardship). I and they’re looking to knock have to move affects the people question whether boxing, but there needs to be some Robert W on. directly involved; it PROCEDURES I want to do this perspective. We are doing more and Smith We (the affects everybody WENT OKAY. anymore. But then more shows than ever before. And General British Boxing in boxing. It affects I think about how the more you do, the more chance Secretary, BBBoC Board of me; it affects my IT WAS JUST much I love the there is that something might go Control) are family.