THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS WARREN AND HEARN TALK EXCLUSIVELY ABOUT THAT BOX OFFICE CLASH NOVEMBER 8 2018 Every week THE AWARD-WINNING WORLD’S BEST FIGHT MAGAZINE EST. 1909 WWW.BOXINGNEWSONLINE.NET WWW.BOXINGNEWSONLINE.NET BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE BATTLE FOR CRUISERWEIGHT SUPREMACY USYK vs 45 NO. 74 VOL. BELLEW £3.99 WE SPEAK TO TRAINING SPARRING WHO WINS BOTH FIGHTERS CAMP DIARIES SECRETS AND HOW 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 ContentsNovember 8, 2018 SUPREMACY 10 The story of how Oleksandr Usyk and Tony Bellew came together Photos: ACTION IMAGES/LEE SMITH & MARK ROBINSON/MATCHROOM USYK vs BELLEW HIGHLIGHTS >> 5 GUEST COLUMN 14 >> 4 EDITOR’S LETTER Cruiser king Usyk believes that beating The unhelpful pay-per-view clash Bellew will lead to Anthony Joshua >> 8 PROMOTER WAR >> 14 ‘BOMBER’ DIARIES Hearn and Warren have their say Exclusive training camp updates from Bellew, as his career nears the end >> 24 SCOTTISH STAR Can anyone stop Josh Taylor from >> 18 SPAR PUPIL securing WBSS glory at 140lbs? Eccentric American heavyweight Malik Scott talks about sparring Usyk >> 27 ALL THE ACTION A five-star fight in Texas, two titles up >> 22 THE PREDICTION for grabs in Bethnal Green, plus more We analyse the big fight and predict who will emerge victorious on the night >> 32 MAD FOR IT We relive the tale that changed the DOWNLOAD OUR APP TODAY face of boxing in the city of Manchester >> 40 AMATEURS For more details visit The club with a new gym and vision WWW.BOXINGNEWSONLINE.NET/SUBSCRIPTIONS >> 46 60-SECOND INTERVIEW ‘THE BUILD-UP WAS ALL ABOUT LACY, BUT CALZAGHE BROKE HIS HEART AND TOOK HIM TO SCHOOL’ Michael Mooney www.boxingnewsonline.net NOVEMBER 8, 2018 O BOXING NEWS O 3 EDITOR’S LETTER Photo: ACTION IMAGES/ALAN WALTER Coming next time l ALL the action and fallout from Oleksandr Usyk’s world cruiserweight title defence against Tony Bellew in Cover photography Manchester. MATCHROOM l WE follow Larry Ekundayo to Nigeria and we’re truly HERE WE GO AGAIN: astonished Whyte and Chisora by what we confirm their sequel discover. l THE story of Jordan Gill is not what you OUT OF CONTROL might expect. The Box Office clash on December 22 is not good for the sport l AVAILABLE to download via iTunes and HAT Dillian Whyte a few years ago. But Dillian Whyte vs Which brings us back to that word: Google Play will rematch Dereck Dereck Chisora II? Solid supporting bout, control. Or the lack of. Hearn is not from November Chisora on Sky but stand-alone PPV? The times are breaking any rules. Indeed, from a 13, 2018, and Sports Box Office certainly changing. Hearn claims that it’s business point of view, one could argue the print edition T on December 22, happening because Whyte wants another he is rewriting them. But this latest move is in stores on the night when Josh contest before potentially challenging is far from admirable. November 15, Warrington takes on Anthony Joshua. That bout will happen Back in April, Sky staged an Amir Khan 2018. Carl Frampton in a in April should Deontay Wilder either fail bout on the same night BT broadcast Carl BT Sport Box Office to agree terms to fight Joshua or lose to Frampton’s victory over Nonito Donaire. On the event, highlights that Tyson Fury in December. There was outrage among fans then, and website the pay-per-view So the making of Whyte-Chisora II rightly so. Glaring warning signs about (PPV) model has lost is understandable (the first one was a the situation we now face. But no rules control. Whether it thriller) but it’s far from a necessity. It’s were created to prevent it from not only l IN-DEPTH ever had any control not the unmissable contest a Box Office happening again, but happening on a interviews with Matt Frank Warren Christie is another matter showdown should surely be. Particularly bigger, altogether more expensive scale. entirely. when it’s being staged on a night which Football is a different sport entirely and and Eddie @MattCBoxingNews British boxing already has a boxing event vying for our Premier League scheduling meticulously Hearn as the Editor is unquestionably Christmas coppers. planned. It has the obvious benefit of promotional amid a boom So who do we blame? It would be easy a fixture list being decided long before rivalry kicks off period. If one was looking for evidence, to point the finger at Eddie Hearn and Sky the first ball of the season is kicked. With again. this latest development could certainly Sports. While Eddie and co have certainly those fixtures in place, the television be Exhibit A. Not so long ago, the idea made Box Office events fashionable in rights law comes into its own. Five l ON THIS DAY of scheduling two PPV events in the recent times, it would be unfair to ignore packages of 32 matches alongside two focuses on key same year, let alone on the same night, the positive steps the sport has taken packages of 20 matches are effectively events from the would have been out of the question. The during this revolution. Also consider that put on the market for broadcasters to boxing archives. fights and fighters, certainly at domestic Hearn is a natural born businessman. He bid. No one broadcaster can show more level, did not exist. In turn, neither did has spotted opportunities and acted upon than 148 matches, and no two matches l AND for all the appetite among fans. Only truly elite them, largely successfully. Not only for can be broadcast at the same time. the news you contests dared to charge punters extra. himself and Matchroom Boxing, but for Boxing does not have the luxury of such need, read That we are now in a position where the fighters he promotes. forward planning and it never will. But Boxing News At several events a year are deemed worthy However, many fans feel increasingly such rules were put in place to avoid a Five. Every day. of PPV, and are making more fighters rich short-changed. Out of love for the sport situation where the interests of fans than ever before, could be regarded as a they reach into their pockets. Thousand – both stadium and armchair – were positive. Short-sighted greed might be the upon thousand will make their choice and compromised. conclusion drawn from two in one night, buy the event they would like to see the Boxing, collectively, must find a however. most. One wonders if this is the tipping solution to ensure its loyal supporters While the Warrington-Frampton point. Certainly, without any rules and are granted the same respect. contest is unquestionably a top-notch boundaries in place for the promoters Follow us and keep up to date world title bout it’s arguable whether it and broadcasters to follow, open season would have been deemed PPV-worthy would seem to be upon us. @BoxingNewsED BoxingNewsOnline 4 l BOXING NEWS l NOVEMBER 8, 2018 www.boxingnewsonline.net GUEST COLUMN BELLEW LEADS TO JOSHUA Photo: ACTION IMAGES/LEE SMITH LET’S GET IT ON: Usyk focuses on Bellew but he also has eyes for the bigger prize Why I’m fighting a man from Liverpool MIGHT be ourselves. After the fight we had a his recent fights to get prepared for has Dillian Whyte and a couple more fighting in party afterwards but we came back Tony. heavyweights. I would need to have Manchester to the hotel. I asked her to get up People have asked me whether a fight at heavyweight first before but I’m up because it was a bit cold for her and I think he beat David Haye twice going for AJ and I tell you why: this I against a man she said what she said. So actually, because Haye was old. But maybe it’s fight against Joshua has to become from Liverpool, I have nice memories. not a matter of David Haye but it’s a the No,1 fight for the whole world. which is a place I wouldn’t say I’m the biggest matter of Tony Bellew. That’s why I would need to build up where I have Beatles fan but when I have a chance During their first fight, I supported my profile as a heavyweight. some great to visit a legendary place like the Tony 100 per cent but I wasn’t sure I was ringside at Wembley when memories. Beatles museum I will definitely take he would win. And then the second Joshua fought Povetkin. The fight was I became the it. It’s historic. I wore a red tie to the fight I realised he had a very good thrilling for myself, I loved the way he European initial press conference but it was not chance of victory. finished it. I was excited by the fight amateur because of Liverpool FC. The team It’s a matter of fact that he is a and I was excited by how Alexander champion I support is Manchester City and great fighter and really strong. It’s Povetkin started the fight. He was Oleksandr there back in that’s because a friend of mine, also a matter of fact that he will leading according to my scorecard. Usyk 2008 which Alexander Zinchenko, plays for prepare properly for this fight as if it But there were a couple of rounds Cruiserweight doesn’t feel like them.