The Week: Pacquiao is too old for the Olympics, Taylor targets Catterall’s nipple during heated exchange, and Rooney considers boxing

By Declan Taylor

Wednesday, February 14

WITH LOVE FROM ME TO ROO

As forgetful companions up and down the nation queued for last-minute flowers and candies late on Valentines Day, a narrative broke that claimed Manchester United’s all-time main goalscorer, Wayne Rooney, was contemplating a boxing match.

Rooney, who is unemployed after he was sacked as supervisor of Birmingham City after simply 15 video games in cost, is a giant boxing fan and used to coach at an novice membership in Liverpool as a child. And it was recommended in the piece, by Drogheda story-getter Chris McKenna, that Misfits have been in contact with Rooney a few potential outing on one among their reveals. Let’s hope it goes higher than his final bout that ended up on digital camera – towards Phil Bardsley (google it).

Meanwhile, as soon as the hefty pile of nameless playing cards had been opened and filed, The Week bought an replace from Frank Warren on the much-discussed Anthony Yarde towards Joshua Buatsi combat. “They both want it and we’ve been talking about it so now we have to get it over the line,” Warren stated. “It will be in the summer. This fight might happen before Beterbiev-Bivol. First we have to get the deal done.  It definitely will not end up on the undercard in Saudi.”

Thursday, February 15

BETTER HATE THAN NEVER

On Thursday it was lastly confirmed that 27 months and in the future after their first combat Jack Catterall and Josh Taylor will run it again.

The results of their first combat, at the SSE Arena in Glasgow, when Taylor gained on a cut up, is one among the most controversial choices in current British historical past and speak of a rematch has been occurring just about ever since.

Taylor had 16 months out of the ring however returned with a defeat to Teofimo Lopez in New York in June of final yr. Catterall, in the meantime, signed with Matchroom and has boxed and gained twice since that evening in Glasgow.

And on Thursday Matchroom introduced that the pair will meet at the Leeds Arena on April 27 atop a invoice titled ‘Hate Runs Deep’ which will probably be broadcast on subscription DAZN, not pay-per-view. Happy days.

On the topic of all-British fights, it was additionally confirmed on Thursday that Sol Dacres will defend his English heavyweight title towards David Adeleye in Birmingham on April 16. The winner should then face make his first defence towards rising star Moses Itauma of their subsequent combat.

Elsewhere, Rooney confirmed that Misfits have been in contact a few potential combat however he insisted he is presently specializing in getting again into administration. With that being stated, he’ll in all probability combat earlier than the finish of the summer time, then.

Friday, February 16

BLOOD SUGAR

There have been Friday evening fights galore as each Matchroom and Top Rank staged large reveals. At the Theatre at Madison Square Garden, O’Shaquie Foster edged out Abraham Nova on a cut up whereas in Oaxaca, in Matchroom’s newest Mexican sojourn, Sive Nontshinga stopped Adrian Curiel in 10 to actual revenge and regain his IBF gentle flyweight title.

But this was an evening to recollect – or not – for promoter Eddie Hearn for another excuse as he shed blood earlier than a punch at his present had even been thrown. That is as a result of he tuned it to observe Matchroom fighter Eduardo ‘Sugar’Nunez tackle Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in Tajikistan.

And, when Nunez stopped Rakhimov in the eleventh spherical, Hearn jumped up out of his seat and cracked his head open on a decorative terracotta pot hanging from the ceiling. Hearn’s trusty sidekick and Matchroom CEO Frank Smith was readily available to movie the aftermath with blood throughout the ground and a towel pressed to his boss’ head. “Let’s go Sugar Nunez,” he cried.

Meanwhile, earlier than Friday was out, the promoter of David Benavidez, Sampson Lewkowicz, painfully dominated out the possibilities of his shopper going through Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in 2024 during an interview with Probox. “His legacy will be stained,” he stated. “Because he did not face the best at this time which is Benavidez.” the excellent news, Rooney may be up for it.

Saturday, February 17

UNMASKED

This was the day that was supposed to finish with a brand new undisputed heavyweight champion however as a substitute we have been left with a Saturday watching the closing of the Masked Singer. Appropriate actually, given Tyson Fury would in all probability by no means have been lower if (spoiler alert) he had been sporting an enormous papier mache Piranha head like the eventual winner.

One combat that has not been postponed (but) is the one between Edgar Berlanga and Paddy McCrory, which is scheduled for this time subsequent week at the Caribe Royal in Orlando. So The Week thought it was solely proper to verify in with Berlanga to see how life is for the man who as soon as had a document of 16-0 with all 16 coming in the first spherical. He is now with no knockout in over three years.

“For all of those knockouts, I wasn’t thinking I had to do it in the first round, they were just coming naturally,” he stated. “I don’t feel pressure to get the KO now but I just feel that certain fans think I’m a bum or a hype job because I’m not knocking nobody out no more.” Funnily sufficient, that’s precisely what the winner of the Masked Singer stated, too.

Sunday, February 18

RULES ARE RULES

Sunday turned out to be a depressing day for all the 45-year-olds on the market hoping to field at the Olympic Games as the International Olympic Committee rejected an try by Manny Pacquiao, who in all probability owns the planet’s quickest 45-year-old arms, from competing in Paris.

Pacquiao, who has not boxed since shedding to Yordenis Ugas in August 2021, had hoped to make a fairytale return to the sport and clinch boxing gold for the Philippines. However, the IOC determined that they might not increase the present age restrict of 40 to accommodate the all time multi-weight nice, or anybody else for that matter.

Elsewhere, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman took a visit to the world well-known Repton Boxing Club in London’s east finish and known as for one other main rule change. Sulaiman has recommended that we want ‘five or six’ ringside judges when Tyson Fury fights Oleksandr Usyk for all the heavyweight belts in May. “That’s the only intention to make sure there’s no controversy,” he stated. “Now we have the biggest fight in 25 years in the heavyweight division. So we have to try to do our best.”

Like Pacquaio on the podium, I feel we are able to all safely file that beneath: “Not gonna happen.”

Monday, February 19

NO SURPRISES

Monday introduced us one thing else for that class as Eddie Hearn confirmed that Conor Benn towards Gervonta Davis is Not Gonna Happen, after the American turned down his provide for a summer time showdown. The thought was enjoyable whereas it lasted however the affirmation from Hearn was removed from shocking. He additionally revealed that Danny Garcia has now emerged as a extra seemingly opponent.

The Matchroom boss was talking at the first of two launch press conferences to formally announce Taylor-Catterall 2. This one was in Edinburgh and Taylor was backed by a loud crowd as the pair went again and forth on the high desk.

“I just don’t like this guy,” Taylor responded. “I can’t wait to smash his brains in, well what brains he’s got.” Catterall responded: “You can’t see straight, you daft bastard.”

They additionally posed for their first head-to-head photograph of the promotion but it surely lasted lower than a second and Taylor carried out an extremely retro double nipple squeeze on Catterall, who replied by grabbing Taylor spherical the throat. The Scottish southpaw then clipped his opponent with one thing of a left hand as the pair have been pulled aside.

Tuesday, February 20

BOXXER TRICKS

As Taylor and Catterall went at it for a second day working, Danny Garcia opened up on the possibilities of preventing Conor Benn. “That makes great sense,” he instructed YSM Sports Media. “He wants to fight a big name. Garcia vs. Benn. There ain’t no bigger fight than fighting Danny Garcia. So, I would love that fight…  that’s a fight that I would love at 154, not at 147.”

Meanwhile, The Week checked in with Boxxer supremo Ben Shalom to get an replace on quite a few free ends in his steady. Firstly, whether or not or not Adam Azim will tackle Dalton Smith subsequent or relinquish the European title and go one other route. Shalom confirmed that Azim may not face Smith subsequent but it surely ought to occur this yr.

He additionally confirmed that Chris Billam-Smith’s rematch with Richard Riakporhe must be formally introduced, with date and venue, by subsequent week with an out of doors venue nonetheless a risk. Lastly, Boxxer are planning an April homecoming present for Lauren Price in Cardiff and an analogous one for Ben Whittaker in Wolverhampton ought to he come via his March thirty first outing unscathed. It is seemingly, Shalom stated, that Tyler Denny will defend his European title towards Felix Cash on that invoice in Wolves, too.