By Terence Dooley
It was a packed evening for boxing fans here in the U.K. last Saturday as Sky Sports and Channel 5 went head-to-head with a world title and British title show respectively.
Kell Brook (36-0, 25 KOs) headlined Sky’s coverage with his IBF mandatory welterweight title defence against Kevin Bizier, a fight that was foisted upon Brook by the governing body yet failed to catch the imagination of the wider boxing public.
Indeed, most boxing fans on my Twitter timeline spent the majority of the night talking about the Mick Hennessy-promoted British middleweight title fight between Nick Blackwell and Chris Eubank Junior over on terrestrial TV.
We are almost two-years on from his title winning display against Shawn Porter in America in 2014 yet Brook’s career has stalled due to an enforced layoff following his stabbing in Tenerife shortly after winning the belt and two tepid IBF mandatory outings against Dan Ion (W RTD 4) and Bizier (KO 2), with a voluntary against Frankie Gavin sandwiched between them.
Brook is arguably Britain’s brightest boxing talent, there is also a clear sense that he is slap bang in his prime and ready to put in a big display. Where is the foil required for a signature performance? It certainly wasn’t Bizier, who was clearly, hopelessly out-gunned and taken apart in two one-sided rounds.
The 29-year-old is in a real bind here, the IBF stringently enforce their mandatory fights and a title that should have been the launchpad for Brook’s elite-level level career has become an albatross around his neck.
Throw in the fact he has fought twice a year in recent times and the situation becomes crystal clear, Brook needs a big fight, a big name and needs it before his next mandatory comes through. If not, he risks withering on the vine while other names get the fights he craves.
Long seen as the logical opponent for Amir Khan, Brook was left dangling when Khan secured a showdown against Canelo Alvarez. Now it is up to Eddie Hearn, his promoter, to bring over a big name or strike out in the U.S. to secure his man a major scalp. IBF heavyweight titlist Charles Martin has been tempted over for a fight with Anthony Joshua, if an equivalent can be found at 147lbs for Brook it would go a long way to getting the ball rolling again for "Ezekiel".
However, the fact that the really big names rarely tend to come over here suggests that Brook should do what Ricky Hatton and Khan did by fighting in the U.S. a few times to chase down the bouts he craves. It worked for those two, it could be just the ticket for Brook, who could then come back for a homecoming fight in front of his devoted fans.
The Sheffield-based star already has a lot of fights behind him, now is the time for Brook to shine and prove that he can command a place at the top table—he has the tools, he just needs a few more of the right assignments.
Further down the country, Blackwell (19-4-1, 8 KOs) showed plenty of grit and stoicism before losing to Eubank via an eye injury induced 10th-round TKO at London's Wembley Arena. Sadly, the Towbridge-based boxer collapsed in the ring due to a brain bleed following the fight and is still in hospital after being placed into an induced coma.
Although the latest reports are encouraging it is highly unlikely that he will never fight again, which will be another huge blow for the man who overcame the odds to become British Champion, a title he held with distinction prior to losing it to Eubank Junior, who has been dignified in victory and has wished Blackwell a speedy recovery.
The tragic aftermath of the fight threw up a number of questions, most notably whether Gary Lockett, Blackwell's trainer, and Victor Loughlin, the referee, should have stopped the fight sooner.
Indeed, some American colleagues have argued that it should have been stopped much earlier. Both Adam Abramowitz and Mike Coppinger argued for a stoppage as the fight was ongoing—no revisionism there—but I disagreed at the time and still do despite the events that followed.
Yes, boxers are always willing to carry on so have to be protected from themselves, but Blackwell was still throwing, still in the contest, to an extent, and was defending his British belt in a fight that would have seen him get the Lonsdale belt for keeps had he produced a big punch to things around.
Boxing is all about checks and balances, in this instance the corner and referee kept him in the fight until a swelling to Blackwell's left eye prompted the doctor to advise the official that the fight should be stopped. In hindsight, some feel that it was too little too late yet it is a game of fine margins and they followed the proper protocols.
Brook’s quick fire win and Blackwell’s plight threw up an interesting schism within the sport, and not for the first time. News of Brook-Bizier had prompted calls of “mismatch” and fans were more interested in Blackwell-Eubank because it was a much closer, and better, fight on paper.
This is the real problem at the heart of boxing; fifty-fifty fights can bring about much more damage, especially if they catch fire. A mismatch should be over in a few rounds and a handful of blows; close, grueling affairs can drag on for the full distance and therefore the fighters involved accrue much more harm.
As fans, we bay for closer, evenly matched fights, but a world in which we had attritional 50-50s from four rounders through to title fights would lead to a spike in injuries and fatalities.
It’s the unspoken truth at the centre of the sport, the one we would prefer to look away from yet are forced to confront every once in a while. We want to see the glory, but glory comes with a short and long-term price.
The assumption is that it is the likes of Bizier who need protecting; the reality is that men like Blackwell are the ones at risk when taking on a fitting foe for a belt they truly care about.
Fighters need protecting from themselves, in this instance some felt this wasn’t the case, others disagree, but one thing we all agree on is that we want to see Blackwell make a speedy recovery.
Referees are there to ensure safety, and they follow guidelines to do this; however, it becomes relative to the occasion. Loughlin clearly felt that Blackwell was still in the fight, his corner must have too, and they are close to the action.
Both parties will have cared deeply about Blackwell’s safety. They are there to make the hard decisions in regards to safety while still giving a fighter every possible chance of netting a victory that could change their lives.
I would not attempt either profession for all the tea in China. At times like this they are thankless, cruel roles to hold—I honestly cannot say how I would have responded in either position.
We want boxing to be as safe as possible while acknowledging that it will never truly be safe. Concussions are prevalent; they can lead to long-term damage and depression, so there is always going to be both seen and unseen damage accruing right before our eyes.
On the other hand, that urge to box is always going to exist, the best we can do is continue to make the sport as safe as possible while acknowledging both the danger faced and the sacrifices made by the fighters.
Injuries and fatalities jump out from the choir, but every blow to the head, every broken bone and every tough fight takes something away from a boxer. Damage insidiously seeps into them over the long-term, what some call the “breaking down” effect of fighting and training.
While one fighter could be fighting for their life on one side of the world, another will be fighting for money or a title on the other side of it—the sport never stops and nor do the risks.
All things considered, every fighter deserves our respect yet they do not always get it, especially online. Sure, fans get understandably angry when they are told their opinions are not as valid because they have never boxed. However, there is a valid point at the root of that statement.
Like firemen, boxers step into a situation that everyone else is stepping away from, for that reason they continually leave me in awe—they risk their lives to entertain and earn money. Those who are not prepared to do what you do salute you, and always will.
I am grateful that they go through what they go through, from the top to the bottom of the pyramid, as I love watching boxing. Long may the sport continue, but we should never forget the costs, even when things get back on an even keel following the weekend's events.
Update:
Signs continue to point in the right direction for Blackwell, long one of boxing's classiest acts who has received an overwhelming amount of industry support worldwide.
Indeed, his family are optimistic that he will return to consciousness in the next few days, according to recent BBC reports.
For now, though, boxing fans are just thankful that the 25-year-old appears to be on the road to recovery, and will support him every step along that road and beyond, as his career is unlikely to resume and, as a fighter born and bred, that will be a hard adjustment for him to make.
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