Pawn or Party Pooper? The Curious Case of Tony Harrison

 

 

Tony Harrison comes into Sunday’s showdown against Australia’s Tim Tszyu with opportunity knocking firmly at his door.

(29-3-1) ‘Super Bad’ Tony Harrison has stood on top of the Super Welterweight division previously, and victory on Sunday will hand him an unlikely opportunity to do it again.

Tim Tszyu had his own shot at the Super Welterweight crown secured, with a fight against current undisputed champion Jermell Charlo scheduled for January.

But plans came unstuck when Charlo was injured in training camp, a hand injury seeing a postponement until the second half of 2023.

It left Tim Tszyu and his team with a decision. Sit on his opportunity at the undisputed crown and wait for Charlo at some point later this year. Or remain active, earning another significant payday in the meantime, and put the Charlo fight on the line.

The Tszyu camp has chosen the latter, with the Australian scheduled to face former world champion Harrison on Sunday, for the interim WBO Super Welterweight Title.

Boxing is Risk vs Reward. There is plenty of both in Tony Harrison.

The 32-year old Harrison is the ideal opponent in the eyes of the Tszyu team. A fighter who has been largely inactive in recent times and is in the backend of his career. They see him as beatable.

He’s a marketable name, an opponent sufficient to earn the fight interim world title status – and a big payday for all involved.

The fight has sold plenty of tickets and pay-per-views. A win for Tszyu makes the eventual Charlo showdown even bigger. There’s the reward.

Harrison is a fighter who has defeated Charlo previously, and who can provide the needed seasoning to Tszyu ahead of his eventual showdown at the undisputed champion. Tough rounds against an elite level fighter.

The risk in all of it, is Harrison remains the most credentialed opponent Tszyu has ever faced.

You can argue Tim Tszyu is still to be properly tested. The marketing machine is firmly behind him, but good judges agree question marks are there.

Tszyu has been fairly emphatic on his way to a 21-0 career record. Wins over Terrell Guasha, Takeshi Inoue, Jeff Horn, and Dennis Hogan are the standouts on the Tszyu resume - but delve a little deeper and some cracks begin to appear.

Terrell Guasha has never quite reached the elite level in boxing. Losses to Erickson Lubin and Erislandy Lara, plus a draw with Austin Trout highlight this.

Guasha dropped Tszyu in the opening round and had his moments throughout their showdown.

Some experts came away chalking the performance up as an ‘off night’. The fight proving terrific education for Tszyu – his first on American soil. Others suggested advancing towards a Charlo showdown next was a mistake.

The glowing highlight of Harrison’s fight record is a unanimous victory over the division’s current undisputed king Jermell Charlo, where Harrison claimed the WBC World Super Welterweight Title – handing Charlo his only career defeat to date.

Harrison would go on to lose the title in the rematch, after Charlo dropped him in the second round, and finished him in the 11th.

Since that defeat in December 2019, Harrison has been inactive, fighting just twice since.

April 2021 saw him fight to a majority draw with the (17-3) Bryant Perrella – a fight that finished with a ridiculously lopsided scorecard (114-114, 116-112, 111-117).

In April 2022, Harrison responded with a comfortable unanimous decision victory over (33-1) Sergio Garcia, where Harrison claimed the WBC Silver Super Welterweight Title.

But is Harrison the fighter that defeated Charlo? Or is he the one that clung to a draw against Perrella, or the one knocked out on three occasions – by Charlo, Jarrett Hurd and Willie Nelson?.

Harrison is an enigma at times in the boxing ring. He’s beaten the very best in the division, but he’s flailed against lesser fighters.

There’s no denying though that he has more experience, he’s the more hardened fighter. Sunday will be his sixth world title fight.

Conversely it will be Tszyu’s first world title encounter, and alarmingly the Australian has only gone twelve rounds twice before in his 21-fight career.

This is where Harrison believes he has the edge. The American feels he can take Tszyu to the deep water – and drown him.

“You’ve got to dig in your bag (in boxing). He doesn’t have a bag to dig in, because he’s never had to dig in one. This time, he’s got to dig in that bag and find that. He’s got to find that this time,” Harrison told Fox Sports.

Many experts see Tszyu’s damaging body shots and fight changing power as an X-Factor that will cover any perceived flaws. Tszyu has habitually broken-down fighters with ease, standing in front of his opponents and unleashing at will. No one has withstood it as yet.

But Tszyu has not fought a fighter with the credentials of Harrison. Harrison will not let Tszyu unload when he wants, and every round will be hard won. How will Tszyu react when things aren’t going his way?

It’s exactly the test Tim Tszyu needs before his showdown with Jermell Charlo. But in securing it, he’s opened the door to a dangerous Tony Harrison who is eyeing a career defining third fight with the same man.

The Charlo carrot is motivation for both. Sunday’s fight is a chance for Tszyu to again prove he belongs on the elite level of boxing, whilst Harrison looks to prove he isn’t the doorman to that very place.

ADAM SANTAROSSA

 

Canelo-Khan: Speed kills, but brute force the difference

The fight the boxing world wants to see is Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez against Gennady Golovkin.

It's the only realistic 'super fight' boxing has left, despite the heavyweight scene currently seeing a resurgence.

The only problem is, once again, politics and promoters get in the way.

Last week Golovkin fought Dominic Wade, and annihilated him, as everyone expected.

Canelo will fight Amir Khan this Sunday.

When Golovkin vanquished David Lemieux in October last year, most thought GGG would next fight the winner of Cotto-Canelo.

But here we are, and no progress has been made.

Canelo is the heir apparent, destined to take over the throne of Boxing's King.

It's hard to believe he is still only 25-years-old.

Already he's taken on Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley and co.

He should be fighting Golovkin.

In the fight game matchups are made using the risk/reward formula, and Khan looks like a good fight for Canelo with this in mind.

Khan is a financial draw. He's built his name as an exciting fighter and has a diverse fan base from both Britain and parts of Asia, given his heritage.

But, his best work has been done as a Lightweight and Light Welterweight. It was only in December 2014 that he stepped up to the Welterweight limit. Now he steps up almost three divisions to take on Canelo.

On the face of it, Khan seems like a safe bet for Canelo. He's a name fighter, with a suspect chin, not known for his knockout power and someone fighting way out of his weight class.

But Khan's best asset is speed and it's the very asset that has shown to be Canelo's Achilles heel.

We saw Canelo exposed somewhat in the Floyd Mayweather fight, with the Mexican unable to deal with Mayweather’s hand speed and movement. He struggled to close the distance and looked sluggish, without throwing anything of note.

Even most recently against Miguel Cotto, the Puerto Rican won the early rounds using his jab and speed to fight on the outside. It wasn't until Cotto tired did the fight come back to the Mexican.

There’s a multimillion dollar carrot dangling for Canelo after this fight, with pressure to make a Golovkin fight mounting, but he risks that substantial pay day against Amir Khan.

The fact Khan is fighting at Middleweight for the 160 pound title* is ludicrous.

The fight itself will be fought at an agreed weight of 155 pounds, given Canelo's ( and Miguel Cotto's) appetite for not fighting at Middleweight, despite being a Middleweight World Champion.

Canelo has always been marked as an elite fighter, with the potential to go to the next level. We've all been waiting for him to assume the mantle and it seems like he's finally comfortable wearing it.

He gave us some doubts in his performance against Mayweather, but to be fair - he was only 23 at the time.

Canelo showed he had matured is his fight with Cotto and had he pressed a bit more, he could have got Cotto out of there earlier than a decision victory.

Khan’s only hope of winning would have to be a decision victory and I expect him to fight on the outside, score and then stay out of range. If he gets caught on the inside, and Canelo lands, it could be a very short night.

The Khan fight will do reasonable business. But it's not the fight boxing fans want to see.

It's time boxing learnt that if you don't give fans what they want, they'll go somewhere where they can get it. Namely, the UFC.

I expect Canelo to win on Sunday, but should he come unstuck, plans to tackle Golovkin will take a massive nose dive.

Not good news for Canelo or the sport of Boxing.

ADAM SANTAROSSA

Cotto v Canelo: The big fight that will live up to the hype

Sunday’s fight between Miguel Cotto (40-4-0) and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez (47-1-1) is what boxing is all about.

Two of the best fighters in the world clashing in a fight mostly devoid of the usual politics that comes along with the sport.

Boxing generally has a habit of getting in its own way and we saw an example of that this week, with Cotto stripped of the WBC Middleweight Title for failing to pay $300,000 in sanctioning fees.  

Canelo can still claim the title should he win the fight, but the lack of the WBC strap doesn’t take the shine off this fight whatsoever.

With the Mayweather-Pacquiao sideshow almost gone, Cotto and Canelo have stepped up in their absence.

The only fight in boxing today that is bigger is probably Gennady Golovkin against the winner, that’s if Cotto and Canelo actually have interest in fighting him.

Had you sold me a Cotto-Alvarez fight three years ago, it would have looked very different.

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez was the next king of boxing, whilst Miguel Cotto was slowly losing the race against father time, seemingly destined to embark on a career trajectory similar to Mosley, Maragrito and Co.

But strangely in the last two years, the tables have turned.

Miguel Cotto has sparked new life into his career, in a new division, whilst Canelo has still yet to really show he is capable of carrying boxing’s crown, with the doubters growing all the time.

It all looked so promising for Canelo. As a 23-year-old he was undefeated in 44 career fights, and landed the biggest prize in the game, a shot at Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather. 

The Mayweather fight came a little too soon for Canelo. He was fed to the wolves in a way.

Mayweather was running out of options to fight and Canelo was next in line. Golden Boy (Canelo’s promotional company) accepted the risk, knowing that if Canelo did pull off a victory, well they’d have the goose with the golden egg.

But of course we now know that Canelo wasn’t good enough to beat Mayweather and in fact the fight showed he probably wasn’t ready for it either.

The fight left you feeling that Canelo was still morphing from potential star to superstar and left you thinking, ‘what a fighter he’ll be in a few years time’.

But here we are now a few years down the line and in my opinion Canelo still hasn’t become that fighter, yet. There’s no denying he is a star, but he’s yet to become the star he was touted to be.

His fight with Miguel Cotto could be that coming out party, and there’s big pressure on the Mexican fighter to ensure it is.   

Canelo has had 47 fights, but he doesn’t fight like someone with that many rounds under his belt. Looking at his record, he’s only really had a few high profile fights. Cotto on the other hand has toiled at the elite level for years.

Canelo fought Shane Mosley back in 2012, when it is safe to say Mosley had seen better days. Austin Trout was an up and comer, but Canelo showed he was in a different class. The loss to Mayweather followed, and since then it’s been a rebuild of the Alvarez brand.

Sure, Erislandy Lara and James Kirkland are no pushovers, but they are not Miguel Cotto.

Cotto on the other hand has been in the ring with everyone. Mosley, Margarito, Pacquiao, Mayorga, Mayweather, Trout and Martinez.

It is this experience that his trainer Freddie Roach says will be the difference, and I tend to agree.

Cotto has been in wars. He’s had to dig deep and find something within himself in the championship rounds. We can’t yet say the same for Canelo.

Of Cotto’s four career losses, two have been to Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, the third was to Antonio Margarito, who was later found to be using loaded gloves.

The loss to Austin Trout was a major shock and led to Cotto linking with Roach at the Wildcard Gym.  That decision has revived the Puerto Rican fighter.

This most recent incarnation of Cotto is some fighter. Moving up a division* has reinvigorated the 35-year-old.

He is back to his destructive best, with three stoppage wins in his last three fights.

Some will punch holes in those fights. Delvin Rodriguez and Daniel Geale aren’t elite level fighters, whilst Sergio Martinez was not as his best, with injury playing his part.

But Cotto can only beat what’s in front of him and he has done so in devastating fashion.

Freddie Roach’s training has seen Cotto resemble the killer of the late 2000’s with the famed punching power back.

Floyd Mayweather came out recently and said Cotto was the only fighter to ever hurt him. If Cotto brings the intense style he has shown in the last three fights, I don’t think Canelo can handle it.

One thing that can be guaranteed is that Cotto-Canelo will live up to the hype. Both fighters bring action, both won't die wondering.

It's must see on Sunday.  

PREDICTION: I think Cotto wins. I just haven’t seen Canelo go to that next level. Some betting companies in Australia have Cotto at $8.80 to win via TKO, its handy odds!

Miguel Cotto v Saul Alvarez, Sunday 1pm AEST on MAIN EVENT PPV

Mundine v Green: Sliding Doors

Despite the fact that the continued debate around an Anthony Mundine-Danny Green rematch makes boxing purists in Australia cringe, the clash is still the biggest fight in the country.

It will happen eventually, and it’s what I’ve been saying ever since they squared off last time.

The rematch is a money fight. It captures the public’s interest, and it will do good business for all involved. 

Whether it goes above and beyond the first encounter, it’s hard to say, but given the experience of Mundine-Green in selling a fight, they’ll make enough noise to fill the seats.

When the fight will happen is the biggest unknown. It could happen as soon as early 2016 or it could be this time next year. 

It’s a true case of sliding doors, with one fighter’s movements directly affecting the other, and crucially in the sport of boxing, timing is everything.

In terms of how the fight will go – I still think Anthony Mundine is the winner. He’s just a better fighter, as was shown in the first fight.

That’s not to be disrespectful to Danny Green, because I think he has a better chance of winning the rematch than he ever did in the initial encounter.

Weight is the biggest obstacle to overcome. Mundine is currently fighting as a Junior Middleweight and Green is several weight classes away at Cruiserweight.

The light-heavyweight mark, or at least a catch weight around that territory, is the likely outcome the fighters will arrive at.

Green hasn’t seemed interested in getting near that mark mind you in his most recent comeback, and if he wants to place pressure on Mundine and seize control in their continued PR battle, hitting the light-heavyweight limit would be a good start.

Obviously Green will want to fight as heavy as possible, given the added weight favours him. He’s a bigger puncher and has the bigger frame, but it’s not the only way he’ll benefit.

The higher the weight class, the more Mundine will lose in speed - his biggest asset - as a consequence of carrying more. Sure he’ll probably bring increased punching power, going up in weight, but when was the last time The Man knocked someone out.

I also think Danny Green has become a better boxer since moving from the Super Middleweight division.

He was known for his come forward approach, and he would just go through guys - case in point, his first fight with Markus Beyer.

But moving up the weights, he didn’t have the advantage in power or size anymore. This has meant he’s had to pick his shots, go to the outside increasingly and he's become a better boxer and more rounded. 

His fight with Krystof Wlodarczyk is the best example of that, despite the way it ended.  

So I really think the pair are more closely matched now as fighters than they were in the first fight.

Anthony Mundine fights Charles Hatley on November 11, whilst Danny Green fights Konni Konrad on December 2.

If Mundine loses to Hatley, I think the next fight he signs is the Green rematch.

But the big fight that the Mundine camp will have their eye on will be the highly anticipated clash between Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez on November 22.

The Mundine camp are no doubt eyeing off the loser, with the winner likely to move on to either a mega fight with Gennady Golovkin or the ‘retired’ Floyd Mayweather.

Mundine’s camp has also said they’d be willing to jump in with Golovkin, as ridiculous as that sounds. But if Daniel Geale can score a fight with Golovkin, there’s no reason Mundine can’t deal his way into an opportunity.

Golovkin could even use such a fight to test the waters in the junior middleweight ranks, with the likelihood of both Cotto and Canelo making him come down in weight to face them. The Golovkin camp would see Mundine as a name fighter, who to them doesn’t really bring considerable risk at upsetting future plans.

*Cotto-Canelo fighting for Middleweight title, but will fight closer to Junior Middleweight as contracted. 

Many see hand speed and slickness as to the Golovkin kryptonite, and maybe that’s where Mundine fancies his chances. But I think people are mad to underestimate Golovkin’s boxing ability. Eastern European fighters are skilled in the fundamental elements of boxing – a good jab and tight defence – it’s why they are great Amateurs.

 Golovkin has superb head movement and when he makes you miss, he truly makes you pay.

So there are some potential options for Mundine, depending on how other fights go around him, but there are also cards for Danny Green to play.

I think Green is picking opponents to test himself, but not hamper his marketability.

Domestically he’s not short of people calling him out. Whilst there are some tasty fights there, Green knows a loss will hurt the appeal of the Mundine fight. So he’s not taking the risk, given the financial reward will be much less.

A potential fight with Sakio Bika would be worth watching, but that would only be a possibility if Mundine continued to drag his heels well into next year.

Interestingly though for Green, Roy Jones announced he’ll fight for the WBA Super World Cruiserweight Title against Enzo Maccarinelli in Moscow on December 12.

There’s money in a Jones-Green rematch and if it’s for a ‘World Title’, it’s even easier to sell. Roy Jones just may want some redemption after his KO defeat to Green back in 2009. It could soon loom on the radar, if the cards fall a particular way.

Mundine and Green will fight before they hang up the gloves, there’s no question of that. When it happens, well there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge yet.

It could all change at any moment. If you’re one of those people that wishes the column inches devoted to the match up would just end, well strap yourself in, because it’s only going to ramp up in the coming months.

Some will say it's time to move on, others will say it's time to throw down. 

Whatever our opinion, we'll all be watching, whether we like it or not. 

ADAM SANTAROSSA

Mayweather fights for his place in history

* MAYWEATHER/PACQUIAO: FIGHT OF THE CENTURY - PREVIEW

Floyd Mayweather says he's the best ever. He’s even got the clothing line to prove it.

Some consider such a claim to be trademark Mayweather brashness, another act in ‘Being the Bad Guy 101’ or an attempt to generate publicity and subsequently ticket sales and pay-per-view buys.

Many are content to waive such claims away, but honestly, why isn't he at least in the conversation.

Mayweather is 47-0, his record reads like a Hall of Fame class – Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, Diego Corrales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Ricky Hatton, Arturo Gatti, Saul Alvarez and Zab Judah have all been vanquished.

Almost all were comprehensive, with only De La Hoya giving him a significant test.

It is a record matched only by Rocky Marciano, who went 49-0 as a heavyweight.

Now, records aren’t everything, and you can punch holes in the records of many big names, but why should Mayweather not be considered amongst the greats, such as Joe Louis, Floyd Patterson, Marciano and Muhammad Ali?

The reason people don’t consider him in that calibre is because simply, he's disliked.

He’s considered too flashy, an egomaniac, only in it for the money.

They are just a few of the reasons. Not to mention his domestic violence charges and other misconduct.

This week he came out claiming he was better than Muhammad Ali and people scoffed - How are you better than our champion?

But you have to remember there was a time when Muhammad Ali was public enemy number one, in the same way Mayweather is today.

Many people hated him simply because of his background. Some labelled him ‘champ’ and many more labelled him by the colour of his skin.

Others called him a coward and a draft dodger, for being a conscientious objector when conscripted to fight for the United States in the Vietnam War.

Some simply hated him because he was a Muslim or because he walked to the beat of his own drum.

But with the grace of time his public image has softened. 

These days he is loved by all. The days of public hatred are long gone and he is simply judged on his legacy.

That's where Mayweather is lacking.

Ali is most remembered for his epics with George Foreman and Joe Frazier.

‘The Rumble in the Jungle’ and ‘Thriller in Manilla’ is gospel in the sport.

They are forever intertwined with boxing, and for many it’s their first taste of the sweet science.

At this moment Mayweather doesn't have a fight of such magnitude on his record.

Yes, he's fought future hall of famers, but up until now there's been an asterix next to his name.

He's beaten them all, but there's one name left to beat.

To be truly considered a great he needs to beat the other man with any real claims, Manny Pacquiao, the only man to ever win a world title in eight different weight divisions.

The fight may be long overdue, but I’m glad it’s happening, the final box on each mans application to the legendary tier of boxing will be complete.

I’d argue there is greatness in seeking greatness. Sometimes only the legend is willing to lay it all on the line to prove he is the better man.

It is important to consider too, that as much as you are judged on what you have done, you'll also be judged on what happens after you're gone.

Ali is remembered for his charisma, more so now in a time when the Heavyweight division is crying out for some. 

The swiftness of his movements around the boxing ring, the footwork, the showmanship, all remembered now more fondly in a time of robotic beasts.

Will anyone come and do what Mayweather has done in this modern era of the sport?

Only time will tell.

Watching Mayweather in the lead up to this fight you can see he is very different.

He's quiet. He knows the fight will define his career and the legacy he will leave.

Many years down the line, they won’t remember the box office records, the clothing line, the lack of endorsements and public popularity; they’ll judge Mayweather the fighter, the skills, the victories, the performances on those big Vegas night’s when the entire world was watching.

Mayweather has been subdued in the lead up because he can feel the pressure. He has everything to lose. The undefeated record. The crowd as boxing’s pound for pound king.

Comparing fighters across eras is a hard thing to do. There are new weight classes, time limits, titles, purses, rules and hundreds of years of evolution.

But when judging the greats there is always that one fight for which they’ll forever be remembered. When they took on the best and beat them.

Now it is Mayweather’s turn.

When history looks back on the career of Floyd Mayweather Jr, who knows if he’ll ever one day be considered the greatest, but a win on Sunday may just put him in the conversation.

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In the last chance saloon, Billy Dib hopes to rise again

Copyright: Lonsdale London

* MAYWEATHER-PACQUIAO PREVIEW/ANALYSIS

Billy 'The Kid’ Dib may have just arrived at the last chance saloon.

If he fails in his opportunity at a world title on Friday night, who knows if he'll get another.

That may make him a desperate man, but he shouldn't be.

Desperation is what has cost him in the past.

Dib has a huge heart and that sometimes is his problem. He uses it more than his head on occasion.

At the end of the day it isn't the toughest fighter who reins supreme, it's often the smartest.

Previously in Dib's opportunities at a world title he has been too desperate to impress.

Many wrote him off after his comprehensive points defeat at the hands of Steven Leuvano in 2008. 

The loss saw him dropped by Golden Boy Promotions and forced back home to Australia and the drawing board.

To his credit, he did the work, made the changes and took the long road back to the top.

The IBF Featherweight World Title signaled his return to the big stage in July 2011.

He was snapped up by SMS Promotions, with Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson calling the shots.

The US market is notoriously tough to break and Billy had been granted a second opportunity at it.

A big world title defence against Evgeny Gradovich, beamed around the globe on ESPN, and Dib wanted to make up for lost time.

He wanted to show he was an action packed fighter made for the USA that would get TV sets and turnstiles spinning. He traded shots with Gradovich willingly, only to lose the title.

He showed us his heart and his underappreciated chin and won admirers, but at the end of the day he lost the fight and his title, because he went away from his strengths.

Dib’s best asset is his speed, silky boxing skills and his ringmanship. He used angles well and is hard to hit, yet in the Gradovich fights he was more focused on putting on a show by trading bombs.

Hearing Dib speak in the lead up to this fight it's good to hear he's learnt those lessons. He’s returned home, worked on his skills and waited for the next opportunity at redemption.

It's a credit to his team for getting this fight as I think it's a very winnable one.

That's not to say it will be easy.

Takashi Miura has lost just once in six years, twice in his entire career.

He’s heavy handed and can finish a fight within the distance, which he’s managed in over 65% of his fights.

Miura is also quite good technically, and he’s a southpaw, making him an awkward opponent for Dib.

The champion has just fought once outside Japan in his career, highlighting his comfort on home soil.

Dib’s shot at the title will be available all around Australia on free-to-air television. It’s an opportunity many fighters will be envious of. It is the first world title fight on Channel 9 in 25 years and harks back to the days of a man close to Dib, Jeff Fenech.

It was Fenech who made himself a household name back in 1985 when we won the IBF World Bantamweight Title against Japanese fighter, Satoshi Shingaki, as an underdog.

Dib has the same opportunity against another Japanese champion on Friday evening in Tokyo.

Dib also has the opportunity to do something Fenech never did, claim the WBC Super Featherweight Title, after Fenech was robbed of the green belt following a controversial draw against Azumah Nelson in 1991.

Dib has the chance to right the wrong and finally bring it back to Australia for his close friend.

Going to Japan and getting a decision will be difficult and Dib will have to be at his best. He will have to dominate the fight and win close to every round. 

He’s the underdog, but some will say it’s been that way his entire career. 

Many write him off, expecting him to fall short. 

But often fighters at the last chance saloon bring their very best, and in the land of the rising sun, Billy Dib may yet rise again.