GUEST COLUMN
An appraisal of the British light-heavyweight scene – from the inside
Chris Hobbs on the light-heavy scene
RIGHT now, the British lightheavyweight division the most competitive at domestic level. As a boxer in the mix, I think it’s a very exciting time. There are many possibilities and great fights that can happen if all the boxers reject a safetyfirst approach, and press their managers and promoters to take a risk or two.
Let’s start with the top of the division and the Anthony Yardefrank Buglioni-hosea Burton triumvirate. Personally I think Yarde should have taken the fight with Burton. Although Anthony is in a rush to get to the top, he is young, and a fight with Burton would have been a great scrap for the fans and a proper test for him. Not only that, it would have set up a shot at British champion, Buglioni. However, I cannot see Buglioni willingly fighting Yarde so perhaps Anthony and his team will bypass the British title altogether. This, I believe, would be a great shame.
Callum Johnson is another very good boxer with a tremendous amateur pedigree. He is the mandatory, so if Frank wants to win the Lonsdale Belt outright the fight needs to happen. If I had to pick a winner in that fight I would edge towards Johnson. Buglioni has the greater pro experience, but Johnson’s skills can bring him the win if he can keep his head and not get dragged into a war.
Up at the top we’ve still got Bob Ajisafe who is much avoided due to being tall and awkward - I would be surprised not to see him move onto European titles but it’s hard without a big promoter backing you.
Now for the English title and the next challenge for me! I believe I was chosen, as from the pool of boxers that the Board would allow for a voluntary defence by Liam Conroy, I was the lowest ranked and on paper looked the easiest fight.
It’s a great opportunity that some may say I don’t deserve, but my response to that is wait until I leave the ring with the title. Liam achieved a brilliant win in beating Joel Mcintyre, and like many people beforehand, I felt Joel would win this fight with his greater experience.
I’m not going to take anything away from him, but believe me when I say I feel there is no way I can lose.
As for Joel, I hope he jumps back in with a good opponent as he still has so much more to offer and remains a top competitor. Too many times I see boxers take a loss then revert backwards into fighting journeymen to build confidence, but this can have a negative effect and if I was him I would jump for the biggest fight he could get now. I know Miles Shinkwin would love a chance to finish their trilogy, and with one win apiece that fight is a natural.
Throw in other names like Jake Ball, Joe Sherriff, Ricky Summers, Kirk Garvey, Dec Spelman, Ollie Pattison, Scott Westgarth, Charlie Schofield, Lyndon Arthur and Olympian Joshua Buatsi who with a few more fights I expect to be in title contention if he takes the genuine challenges.
Many of us have the potential to reach world level. In order to do so, though, we must prove our worth at domestic level first.
That potential can only be fulfilled and justified if more of the riskier match-ups are made. Yet, the cynic within me says promotional ties, combined with some teams being shy of taking a chance, could prevent these potentially classic fights from happening.
I have respect for all the boxers mentioned, and between us, we have an opportunity to create a memorable, even great, era in British boxing. For that to happen, we all have to play our part to ensure the best fights happen.
BOXERS MUST REJECT A SAFETY-FIRST APPROACH AND TAKE A RISK OR TWO