UK boxing news round up.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

I like Wardley vs Clarke. Is Pigford ready for Eggington or are they making this fight because of the last names?

I think Eggington starts favourite. It’ll be an all out war though, neither guy takes a backwards step.

[Mammoth]

I think Eggington starts favourite. It’ll be an all out war though, neither guy takes a backwards step.

Clarke ready for Wardley you think?

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

Clarke ready for Wardley you think?

Not sure, I think it’s possibly too early.

I’m kind of intrigued by that fight tbf.

[BrilliantAJ]

Not sure, I think it’s possibly too early.

I’m kind of intrigued by that fight tbf.

Yea, definitely a good one where you could see either guy winning, despite Clarke's considerable advantage in pedigree. Wardley just seems to come alive when he's tagged though, and he seems like he'd have more heart than Clarke for whatever reason.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

Yea, definitely a good one where you could see either guy winning, despite Clarke's considerable advantage in pedigree. Wardley just seems to come alive when he's tagged though, and he seems like he'd have more heart than Clarke for whatever reason.

It’ll answer a lot of questions about Clarke. Does he have the chin, heart, gas tank etc.

He can definitely outbox Wardley but how long can he do it for?

[BrilliantAJ]

It’ll answer a lot of questions about Clarke. Does he have the chin, heart, gas tank etc.

He can definitely outbox Wardley but how long can he do it for?

It's one of them where Clarke could put on a performance that shows he's levels above Wardley - how hard he hits I'm not sure, but he could make it not particularly competitive barring some hairy moments when Wardley connects. I think he'll be able to move Wardley where he wants him and outbox him early (Wardley doesn't start particularly well whenever I've seen him), but equally you could definitely see Wardley pulling it off.

Interested to see who wins the purse bid. Surely Ben's going to go in big for this. If he loses it and Clarke gets beat over on DAZN he's had an absolute shocker. Can't remember the last purse bid MR won though. You reckon this is definitely a headliner? Could probably chief support a PPV like if they put Okolie-Riakporhe on late summer?

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

It's one of them where Clarke could put on a performance that shows he's levels above Wardley - how hard he hits I'm not sure, but he could make it not particularly competitive barring some hairy moments when Wardley connects. I think he'll be able to move Wardley where he wants him and outbox him early (Wardley doesn't start particularly well whenever I've seen him), but equally you could definitely see Wardley pulling it off.

Interested to see who wins the purse bid. Surely Ben's going to go in big for this. If he loses it and Clarke gets beat over on DAZN he's had an absolute shocker. Can't remember the last purse bid MR won though. You reckon this is definitely a headliner? Could probably chief support a PPV like if they put Okolie-Riakporhe on late summer?

Yeah I reckon Clarke definitely outboxes him early, Wardley is bit of a plodder especially early but he will keep coming and we know he can survive in trenches. It’s definitely a sink or swim type fight for Clarke.

It’s the type of fight he needs tbh. A lot of people felt Joyce wouldn’t do much as a pro until he proved himself in more testing fights. I don’t reckon Clarke is necessarily gonna become what Joyce has but no point just treading water.

It’ll be a very interesting purse bid for sure. Matchroom don’t seem to be able to compete financially these days but I do wonder how invested Sky are in Clarke. Are they potentially willing to send him over to DAZN? Would be kind of a win/win for them. If he wins he becomes legit and if he loses they can potentially rid themselves of a potential white elephant.

[BigZ44]

Eggington vs Pigford is on!!!!!!

BigZ44

Holy mother of God!!! The fight I've been waiting for, for 6 years. It's finally here, Egg vs Pig!! mlac

[BrilliantAJ]

Yeah I reckon Clarke definitely outboxes him early, Wardley is bit of a plodder especially early but he will keep coming and we know he can survive in trenches. It’s definitely a sink or swim type fight for Clarke.

It’s the type of fight he needs tbh. A lot of people felt Joyce wouldn’t do much as a pro until he proved himself in more testing fights. I don’t reckon Clarke is necessarily gonna become what Joyce has but no point just treading water.

It’ll be a very interesting purse bid for sure. Matchroom don’t seem to be able to compete financially these days but I do wonder how invested Sky are in Clarke. Are they potentially willing to send him over to DAZN? Would be kind of a win/win for them. If he wins he becomes legit and if he loses they can potentially rid themselves of a potential white elephant.

Is it common practice for deals MR, Boxxer and the like will sign with these kind of Olympian or highly touted prospects turning pro that a loss gives the promoter the option to terminate? Obviously with Clarke you've still shelled out for his signing on fee and paid him for 5 or 6 fights that probably haven't garnered much return but yea I suppose that would help. If he wins then as you say he's looking good - can keep stepping him up.

I do remember watching Joyce fight Bryant Jennings and not being terribly impressed, but as you say I'm sure those kind of fights were pivotal in his development. Clarke needs similar. What was the feeling around Joyce fighting Stiverne at the time, because on paper that looks a solid win in your eighth fight, he'd only really been beaten by Wilder (albeit one of those defeats was in the first).

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

Is it common practice for deals MR, Boxxer and the like will sign with these kind of Olympian or highly touted prospects turning pro that a loss gives the promoter the option to terminate? Obviously with Clarke you've still shelled out for his signing on fee and paid him for 5 or 6 fights that probably haven't garnered much return but yea I suppose that would help. If he wins then as you say he's looking good - can keep stepping him up.

I do remember watching Joyce fight Bryant Jennings and not being terribly impressed, but as you say I'm sure those kind of fights were pivotal in his development. Clarke needs similar. What was the feeling around Joyce fighting Stiverne at the time, because on paper that looks a solid win in your eighth fight, he'd only really been beaten by Wilder (albeit one of those defeats was in the first).

I don’t really know tbh, I’d have to ask someone, it’s a good question tbf. I think it definitely effects pay, I know David Price got significantly less for the Thompson rematch after losing the first fight.

Matchroom dropped Qais Ashfaq pretty quickly after he lost to Leach and Kelly after he lost to Avanesyan. Whether their deals expired or it was because of a clause relating to the loss I’m obviously unsure of though. MR deals tend to have a time lapse attached to them, so it could have just been that.

Joyce didn’t really get the respect he deserved until he beat Dubois. He was a 3/1 underdog in that fight if I remember correctly. I was admittedly late to the Joyce party, I didn’t see him going that far past domestic level tbh, I felt he didn’t have a style suited to the pro’s, he definitely proved me wrong.

In hindsight, he was matched really tough and passed every test, even the likes of Lewison on his debut was very bold matchmaking. I think Joyce just doesn’t pass the eye test but in reality he’s very effective with what he does. Froch had similar question marks when he was coming up.