Sport review 19 november 2015

 

„Fury\’s got a chance!” British boxing great Joe Calzaghe gives Tyson Fury v Wladimir Klitschko verdict

 There are not many men in Britain who know more about the art of boxing than Joe Calzaghe .

The
Welshman is the longest-reigning super middleweight world champion in
history, retired without ever suffering defeat and is so highly thought
of in the fight game that someone has just made a (really rather good)
documentary about his life.

So when he offers his thoughts on the
upcoming Wladimir Klitschko v Tyson Fury world heavyweight title match,
it\’s worth listening. Especially if you\’re one of the many people who
think Fury hasn\’t got a hope in hell.

” Fury is the underdog,” Calzaghe tells us exclusively. „This is a big step up for him.”

„But
Fury is big and Klitschko\’s not used to fighting someone his size. If
Fury can stop Klitschko grabbing and avoid that big right hand, he\’s got
a chance. In the heavyweight division, it only takes one punch.”

 

 

 

 

 

Floyd Mayweather offers to help Ronda Rousey with her boxing – and doesn\’t blame her for criticising him

 Floyd Mayweather has offered to help Ronda Rousey with her boxing following the first defeat of her career.

Rousey was knocked out by Holly Holm in less than two rounds – despite being overwhelming favourite.

And
Mayweather , who knows a thing or two about what it takes to remain
unbeaten in the sporting world, has offered coaching tips to the
28-year-old.

„I want Ronda Rousey to hold her head up high and
don\’t let this discourage you. If you need help as far as with boxing,
I\’m here to help you,” Mayweather told Fighthype.com .

„It\’s all about timing and inches. Her ground game is unbelievable. She\’ll be OK.”

Rousey and Mayweather have a tempestuous history, with the UFC star hitting out at him over his record of domestic abuse.

Mayweather, though, doesn\’t hold a grudge.

„Even
with the things that Ronda Rousey said about me, sometimes we need to
be guided in the right way. Do I think that she really meant what she
said? Absolutely not,” he added.

„You know, it\’s crazy, to get to where I got to, I didn\’t have no sponsors. I mean, today, people are overnight sensations.”

Floyd Mayweather To Ronda Rousey: ‘If You Need Help With Boxing, I’m Here To Help You’

What’s
almost as well documented as Ronda Rousey’s stunning loss to Holly Holm
this past Saturday night at UFC 193 is Rousey’s public spat with boxing
legend Floyd Mayweather.

Rousey made headlines earlier this year
when Access Hollywood asked the MMA star if she would ever consider
fighting Mayweather. In response Rousey said, „I would never say that I
can’t beat anyone, but I don’t think me and him would ever fight, unless
we ended up dating,” an obvious jab at Mayweather’s hotly debated
history of domestic abuse.

Mayweather countered by saying he
didn’t even know who Rousey was and alluding to his bank account as
evidence that she’ll „never be at his status.”

„Last time I checked I was No. 1 on Forbes,” Mayweather said. „She will never be at my status. Keep trying to get publicity.”

Now,
at least Mayweather is changing his tune and in a newly published
interview from FightHype.com, Mayweather has put himself in Rousey’s
corner by not only defending the suddenly embattled former women’s
bantamweight champion, but offering to help her with her boxing
technique if she’d like.

From FightHype.com

    „I want
Ronda Rousey to hold her head up high and don’t let this discourage
you,” Mayweather said. „If you need help as far as with boxing, I’m here
to help you. It’s all about timing and inches. Her ground game is
unbelievable. She’ll be okay.”

Mayweather also discussed the feud between the two in the interview.

From FightHype.com

 

   
„I mean, even with the things that Ronda Rousey said about me,
sometimes we need to be guided in the right way,” Mayweather told Fight
Hype. „Do I think that she really meant what she said? Absolutely not.
You know, it’s crazy, to get to where I got to, I didn’t have no
sponsors. I mean, today, people are overnight sensations. I commend Dana
White and the Fertitta brothers for being able to take a female and
make her so huge in a contact sport. I commend them for that, but she
had to do her part also, and she did her part. If I was her, I would’ve
used Floyd Mayweather’s name also. She’s supposed to do that. It’s
business, it’s not personal, and I understand business.”

Even
though Rousey has said she’ll be laying low for a while, it will be
interesting to see how she responds to Mayweather’s comments. Based on
her past statements, it seems far-fetched to think she’ll take
Mayweather up on his offer, but perhaps he could be the missing link to
perfecting the boxing element of her game.

Bryan Altman is, for
some reason, an unabashed fan of the Rangers, Jets and Mets. If he
absolutely had to pick a basketball team it would be the Knicks, but
he’d gladly trade them for just one championship for either of his other
three teams.