HIP-HIP-HOORAY FOR HARINGEY!
I WRITE to thank the organisers of the 2022 Haringey Box Cup for another highly entertaining and enjoyable show over three days. It was a delight to once again bear witness to many young people performing at their very best, proving an absolute credit to themselves and their clubs, both in and out of the ring .
If anyone doubted the outstanding work that our amateur boxing clubs do up and down the country, it was plain to see here. Immense credit too should go to the coaches who, along with many who make this and other events so successful, give of their time freely and willingly.
Congratulations, too, for the inimitable MC, who once again managed to announce all the competitors, and then all the results, across three rings on all three days.
It must take him a year to recover!
Tim Farmer
LOOK OUT, THEY'RE BEHIND YOU!
I DON'T know if you've brought this up before or not, but why does the WBC official bully their way over to the winning boxer in title fights and force tired and sweaty boxers to put on their T-shirt and hat! It is repugnant behavior by the sanctioning body. It needs to be outlawed. It doesn't matter if the boxer is exhausted, or is having their hand raised by the ref or celebrating with their corner, a little official jumps out of nowhere and forces the winning boxer to wear their tacky T-shirt. Surely the belt is enough? Leave the fighters alone and let them soak in the applause from the crowd, stop getting boxers in strangleholds. You didn't win the fight, no one cares about you.
It looks like a pantomime in the ring. I keep waiting for the crowd to shout out "Look out! They're behind you!"
Mike Hills
BETERBIEV-BIVOL NEXT, SURELY
ARTUR BETERBIEV, at 37, looked as good as new when he bullied and busted up poor Joe Smith Jnr here in New York. I was at the fight and, even though I fully expected Beterbiev to win, he certainly got the job done much quicker than I anticipated.
Should it not now be a matter of course that he fights Dmitry Bivol next? I fear not. Ask 100 fans what fight they'd like to see at light-heavyweight next and 100 fans will say Beterbiev-bivol. The failure of those in power to put together the fights that make the most sense, the fights that the fans want, like Beterbiev-bivol, Crawfordspence and Fury-usyk, does the sport no favours whatsover.
It is always such a painful, will-theywon't-they process that the best fights invariably come along too late. The talent is there, the fighters are willing. Just do the right thing. It shouldn't be so hard.
Jack Duffy