The Week: Shields explains all, the Furys take on Cheshire Council, and Taylor won’t rematch Catterall on the cheap

By Declan Taylor

Wednesday, December 6

FROM JAI TO PIE

It was Wednesday when The Week checked in with arguably the world’s No.1 cruiserweight Jai Opetaia to debate preparations for his December 23 Riyadh showdown with Ellis Zorro and additionally see what he considered Chris Billam-Smith’s world title defence towards Mateusz Masternak.

“Good fight, eh?” Said Opetaia of Sunday’s tussle. “I’m not sure how it goes. Masternak is very experienced, has been around for a long time and is a good boxer. He’s a bit long in the tooth but those old bulls have still got it. Then Chris Billam-Smith is tough, he always comes to fight and it’s hard to beat someone who doesn’t want to lose. He believes in himself. I hope it’s a good fight for the crowd and I hope whoever wins reaches out so we can make that fight happen.”

On the topic of CBS, round the similar time that Opetaia was speaking, the man from Bournemouth responded to an harmless image of a mince pie uploaded onto The Week’s official Instagram on Wednesday morning by branding it a ‘4/10 snack’ and declaring: “they are so dead”. Stick to combating, huge man.

Thursday, December 7

PRIME STAKE

Thursday introduced with it some doubtlessly seismic information for the way forward for boxing broadcasting as PBC introduced a brand new take care of Amazon Prime.

One enormous query that arose from Showtime’s departure from boxing was on which platform would Al Haymon’s star-studded secure battle? And now it has been confirmed that they’ve agreed a multi-year deal for his or her exhibits to be broadcast on Prime, with the first set to take place in March. According to reviews, it may contain as many as 14 exhibits per 12 months with some pay-per-view occasions and different customary playing cards.

It means boxing will now be streamed on DAZN with Matchroom, Peacock with Boxxer and now PBC on Prime. It’s a courageous new world however fascinating occasions. Will the seemingly limitless attain of streaming providers welcome scores of recent boxing followers? Or will streaming providers be the place boxing in the end goes to die?

Thursday was additionally the day the place certainly one of DAZN’s finest fights of the 12 months actually exploded into life as Devin Haney and Regis Prograis traded barbs at an excellent, old school press convention. However, as soon as once more the fighters have been outshone in the verbal division by their elder sidekicks; Haney by his dad Bill and Prograis by his S&C coach Evins Tobler. Team Haney even handed out fliers declaring that the Rougarou, Prograis’ nickname, had been captured.

Friday, December 8

TARTAN TORNADOUGH

Since Jack Catterall’s transfer to Matchroom, he has made no secret of his need to lastly safe a rematch with Josh Taylor however Eddie Hearn revealed that a proposal for that battle has been rejected by the Scotsman’s promoter Top Rank.

But on Friday, Taylor took to Twitter to have his say on the state of affairs. “I don’t accept offers at an 80% pay cut!” he tapped, seemingly furiously. “Especially for a fight that’s bigger than the 1st fight. I don’t know anyone on the planet that would fight for that kind of pay cut! If matchroom are serious about making the fight they’ve gotta put a serious offer in. Simple as that.” Doesn’t look #nice for that one does it?

Meanwhile, over in the Cayman Islands, Yorkshireman Craig Derbyshire, who arrived there with a document of 7-29-4 after spending most of his profession as a journeyman, received the Commonwealth light-flyweight title by beating Matt Windle. The 32-year-old including extra proof, if it have been ever wanted, that it’s typically the man in the away nook who’s the most completed fighter in the ring on the evening. Derbyshire, who received simply three of his first 24 fights, has now claimed central space, English and Commonwealth titles over the course of his profession.

Saturday, December 9

ROBEISY, TIGER

The Charles F Dodge City Centre, Pembroke Pines, Florida was the location for a late shout for Upset of the Year as Robeisy Ramirez was shocked by little-known Mexican Rafael Espinoza.

In his first ever 12-round battle and solely his third outdoors of Mexico, the Guadalajara native boxed his option to a majority determination with Benoit Roussel (114-112) and Steve Weisfeld (115-111) scoring his favour and Efrain Lebron scoring it 113-113. It means an already stacked and seemingly large open division has one other participant – and one other title from Mexico 18 months after Mauricio Lara burst onto the scene together with his win over Josh Warrington. Meanwhile, Cuban Robeisy Ramirez, who strikes to 13-2 (8),  goes again to the drafting board.

“I thought the fight was won,” he mentioned afterwards. “But he got his second wind. I tried to catch mine but I’ve got to give him credit. He came after me. He got the knockdown. I didn’t think it would determine the result, but that’s what the judges decided.”

Over on the west Coast on Saturday evening, it was nowhere close to as shut as Devin Haney scored a lesser-spotted shutout on all three scorecards – together with a knockdown – in a efficiency and victory towards Regis Prograis which can put him at the coronary heart of the dialog for Fighter of the Year.

Sunday, December 10

SUNDAY ROAST

There have been enjoyable and video games on the south coast as Chris Billam-Smith got here from behind to cease Mateusz Masternak after seven accomplished rounds. Ringside and working for Sky was Richard Riakporhe, who may nicely be subsequent for CBS, and he appreciated what he noticed as the house favorite took some stick from the Pole earlier than the retirement.

“If I land one of those shots, how’s he going to react?” Riakporhe mentioned. “How’s he going to react to a jab from me, or a right hand from me or a hook from me? It’s going to be very dangerous.”

The huge query is whether or not or not Riakporhe could be prepared to take on Billam-Smith in Bournemouth, the place he could be backed by his legion of supporters. The Londoner has claimed to be a Crystal Palace fan in the previous however CBS reckons he’s blagging it.

“I am not sure about his Palace fanbase,” Billam Smith mentioned. “I have photos of him in a  Millwall shirt saying ‘I am Millwall’. He should not be going down that route and trying to steal Ellie Scotney’s fanbase. We played them the other night and won 2-0. I would have given him some grief on social media about it – if I believed he even was a Palace fan.”

First mince pies, then Masternak and now Riakporhe. Is no person secure in CBS’ reign of terror?

Monday, December 11

CLARESSA EXPLAINS IT ALL

Twitter went psychological on Monday as 6-1 Latvian Arturs Ahmetovs posted a video on his Instagram of him dropping Claressa Shields closely with a left hook in sparring throughout a session which came about in 2018.

On seeing the video, Shields took to Twitter to reply, accusing Ahmetovs and his coach of tampering with the gloves to achieve a bonus that day.

“I’ve never been Ko’d in 17 years and I’ve been dropped 2x all in a week of each other,” Shields typed. “I’ve no disgrace in that. But for a male fighter to actually take the padding out his gloves, he’s a punk. Him and coach Derrick santos are dangerous for the sport!

“Check your sparring partner gloves. People be offended that I do that now. But after being knocked down by a guy who was upset I pieced him up earlier that week, I do it every sparring session since 2018.”

Elsewhere on Monday, DAZN pundit Chris Mannix recommended that talks have begun relating to a 140lb New York showdown between Teofimo Lopez and Subriel Matias in June on Puerto Rico Day parade weekend. Sign me up for that.

Tuesday, December 12

DEATH AND TAXES

It’s not typically that boxing hits the entrance web page of nationwide papers lately however on Tuesday, The Sun carried a narrative about world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury with the headline: FURY V CHESHIRE COUNCIL. The story claimed that Fury, who is about to face Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia in February, ‘faces a new fight – over an £82,000 council tax bill’.

It is claimed by Cheshire East Council that Tyson, his father John and brother Shane owe them the money in relation to land used as a parking lot. Big John attended courtroom for a civil trial on Tuesday and labelled the case ‘ridiculous’. He added: “I’ve come here today to tell you the boys had nothing to do with it, especially Tyson… It is ridiculous, when he [Tyson] is paying millions of pounds of tax a year. He has not lived at that address for 18 years.”

On the topic of Saudi, The Week known as Dimitri Bivol on Tuesday to test how his preparations for the December 23 conflict with Lyndon Arthur are going. We additionally broached the topic of a possible conflict with Artur Beterbiev, who he’s anticipating to beat Callum Smith in January. Lethal Bivol mentioned: “Before, I just couldn’t see how this fight with Beterbiev would happen. But now, after being in Saudi, I know how we can get it on. But I am only thinking about Lyndon Arthur right now.”