WILDER: I’VE GOT FURY FEELING NERVOUS..
vKick-off 7pm
NEW ZEALAND dodged a bullet at Twickenham but up against Johnny Sexton they might not be so fortunate.
Ireland’s fly-half gets my vote for world player of the year, so enormous has his influence been over the past 12 months.
Coming off a Lions tour many players suffer injury, a dip in form, or both. Sexton inspired Ireland to their greatest-ever season.
Not content with a Grand Slam and a first series win in Australia, he also helped Leinster become the first side to win both European Cup and Pro 14.
He has been the catalyst for that success. In a generation of very good Irish players, Sexton has been every bit as influential as the great
Brian O’Driscoll.
One moment in particular ERROL SPENCE versus Mikey Garcia is a contest people could still be talking about in 50 years.
In Spence we are looking at a fighter with the potential to rank alongside Sugar Ray Leonard, Tommy Hearns, and Marvin Hagler.
Garcia is already a fourweight world champion and, though he starts the underdog in this fight, he comes armed with an arsenal to trouble anyone.
As regular readers will know I am a huge fan of both.
Garcia is a phenomenal operator, a chilling puncher with a chin of granite. The accuracy and timing of his punches are unbelievably pure and backed by genuine power. You don’t win titles in four divisions without being special.
Whether he can make it five against Spence is another question. He looked smaller in their head-to-head to announce the March date (top), but that won’t worry a warrior like him.
I have had my eye on Spence since the London Olympics, where he was unlucky not to get the decision against Russia’s Andrey Zamkovoy.
It was a bad tournament for the Americans, who went home empty-handed, but it was clear we were watching a star in the making.
I have remarked before DEONTAY WILDER claims Tyson Fury’s decision to recruit legendary trainer Freddie Roach will backfire.
Fury has added Roach and British boxing legend Ricky Hatton to his corner for the December 1 clash in Los Angeles.
They will assist rookie coach Ben Davison, who took over from Fury’s uncle Peter for his summer comeback against Sefer Seferi.
And Wilder, 33, believes his rival’s decision proves he is “nervous” just two weeks before challenging for the American’s about his similarities with Leonard. He moves beautifully, has a big heart, and power in both hands. He showed against Kell Brook how good he is – world class, and then some.
Great fighters need each other. Leonard is remembered not only because he was a brilliant boxer but also because he showed it against fighters of the same calibre.
Would we revere Muhammad Ali as we do had he not walked through the fire against Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Kenny Norton? Thankfully we are seeing great match-ups with increasing frequency. And there are plenty more at welterweight to go at. Two-belt champion Keith Thurman comes back in January after a two-year absence. WBC champion Shawn Porter and Terence Crawford have their hands up.
And of course our own Amir Khan (above) is not done yet. Over the next few years we are looking at bouts that define an era in the way Leonard, Hearns, Hagler and Duran did.
Garcia’s power lost some of its force at super lightweight against Adrien Broner and Sergey Lipinets but he still won on points. It will be fascinating to see how he deals with the naturally bigger man, but he has the tools to make it a compelling night in Texas. world heavyweight title. He said: “I want him to get the trainer he feels can get the best out of Tyson Fury – I want him to bring his best. I am sick of fighters making excuses.
“I will knock him out, I will beat him. He says no man born of his mother’s womb is going to beat him, then why the f**k is he switching up with all these trainers then?’
“I would have been more happy with Peter, that is who he really needs. In this short period, new trainers ain’t going to get to know you. Getting multiple trainers – that is nervous behaviour.”