Clottey ends Anthony Mundine's world title hunt with crushing win

Joshua Clottey has ended the world title aspirations of Anthony Mundine, knocking the three-time world champion down five times on route to a unanimous decision win.


Clottey proved too strong for Mundine, with the Ghanaian regularly getting through the defence of the Australian.


The Ghanaian found himself on the deck early in the 2nd round, but the referee correctly ruled that is what a result of a rabbit punch, issuing Mundine a warning.


Mundine felt the power of Clottey soon after, hitting the canvas for the first time in the Round 3.


Mundine was caught standing right in front of Clottey and a powerful right hand sent him down. The Australian was able to beat the count, before the bell sounded signalling an end to the round.


Before the knockdown, Mundine was the busier of the two fighters, using his jab well, however upon the start of the third round Mundine would become more tentative, which allowed Clottey to walk forward and assume control of the contest.


From there Clottey seized control, landing some big shots, with Mundine spitting out his mouthguard in Round 4 to avoid what was looking like another knockdown.


Clottey began putting more emphasis on bodywork and as Mundine tired, his guard became less effective. Clottey seized the opportunity in the 6th round, dropping Mundine twice.


The first was setup with a nice hook that saw Mundine take refuge against the ropes before Clottey sent him crashing down with a rip to the body. Mundine again beat the count, but it was only a matter of time before he would fall again.


Mundine just beat the count on the second knockdown, and just as he did earlier in the fight, he was saved by the bell, ending the round before the action could resume.


From here it was all Clottey as the Ghanaian increased his work rate looking for a finish.


It almost came in the 8th round as Mundine was caught against the ropes and a crushing hook from Clottey almost sent him through them and out onto the commentators at ringside. Once again though, miraculously, Mundine was able to beat the count.


Mundine was knocked down for a fifth time in the 10th round, just as it looked like he was beginning to rally.


Somehow the Australian was able to go the distance, with Clottey taking little risk and Mundine not really willing to engage or enter the ‘kill zone’ in case of another knockdown.


All three judges ruled in favour of Clottey, with the official scorecard reading 116-108, 115-109 and 117-108.


It was a tough night for the Australian and Mundine showed none of the hand and foot speed we usually see, and his trademark jab, although effective early, was almost nonexistent after the first knockdown. Clottey set the tone early, with Mundine tasting his power, and the Ghanaian showed little respect for the Australian’s shots, regularly coming forward looking for the big blow that would finish the contest.


After the fight Clottey questioned the decision of Mundine to campaign at Junior Middleweight after the fight, saying he felt the three-time World Champion was better suited to the 154 pound Middleweight class.


Mundine made no excuses, saying the early knockdown meant he had to go away from his game plan.


“Clottey was the better man. I want to fight the best but I got caught early and didn’t recover. My defence wasn’t up to scratch, it just wasn’t tight enough.”


Mundine said the loss would not end his career, highlighting potential fights with fellow Australian’s Danny Green and Daniel Geale.


With Geale reportedly signed to fight Matthew Macklin in May in a World Title eliminator, it leaves only Green as a potential target, and with both enjoying such a storied rivalry, a second fight between the pair has always been a fallback option.


The problem of finding a suitable weight division to contest the fight has been raised as an issue, but I feel a catch weight or contracted weight near the light-heavyweight limit is the most likely option.



ADAM SANTAROSSA

Anthony Mundine must make a statement against Joshua Clottey

 

ANTHONY Mundine walks into Wednesday night’s fight with Joshua Clottey knowing that not only must he win, but he must make a statement in doing so.

Mundine is on a journey to create history, by becoming the first man in the sport to win three world titles in descending weight divisions.

Having been a WBA Super-Middleweight champion, and an IBO Middleweight Champion, he aims to become a three weight division world champion by capturing gold at Junior Middleweight.

The next name on his list is that of Joshua Clottey, a name very familiar to boxing fans. The Ghanaian is a former IBF Welterweight champion and has been in the ring with some of the greats.

Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto, Zab Judah, Diego Corrales, Carlos Baldomir and Antonio Margarito are just some of those names.

Despite the fact that Clottey only defeated Corrales and Judah, the fact remains, it is the type of company that Mundine is yet to keep, and Clottey may just be his pathway to get there.

But simply winning won’t be enough. Mundine needs to make some noise in doing so.

Despite his comprehensive victory over Shane Mosley not a lot of doors have opened for The Man. Mundine was comprehensive in victory against Mosley, but it was clear that Mosley was under more strain remembering how many noughts went on his pay cheque, than anything he did in the ring.

The boxing public knew Mosley was finished. Anyone who watched him against the likes of Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Saul Alvarez would say the same. Mosley won one round in those three fights, the first against Mayweather, from there it was self preservation mode.

Whilst Mundine can only fight what is in front of him, it’s hard not to think they knew exactly what they were getting when they brought Mosley to Australia.

His fight with Clottey hasn’t exactly lit up the boxing scene as it should. Clottey is a ‘name’ fighter, who as mentioned has been in with the best. Much has been made of his inactivity, having fought just twice since 2010.

A comfortable win over Clottey wont wake up the US public either. It must be devastating. It must make a statement.

Clottey has been in the ring with future hall of famers, yet has never been stopped. He was pounded on for twelve rounds against Manny Pacquiao, yet he wouldn’t quit. He didn’t win a round and Pacquiao himself begged the referee to call it off, yet the Ghanaian waved him on.

He has a chin of granite, which won’t change no matter how lacking his ring shape may be. Boxing trainers will tell you, the only thing you can’t train for, is how to take a punch.

If Mundine can stop Clottey, the queue to another World Title shot may just shorten.

Wednesday’s fight will be Mundine’s third in just five months. It’s clear that he knows he must remain active. Timing is everything in boxing and fights can come and go at a moment’s notice.

The Welterweight/Junior Middleweight divisions are the most stacked in the sport. Names such as Mayweather, Pacquiao, Alvarez and co reign supreme, and despite Mundine calling these names out, he knows he’s not quite yet on their level.

He is in the logjam behind waiting for that opportunity, with names such as Juan Manuel Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Alfredo Angulo, Austin Trout, Amir Khan, Marcos Maidana and the man Mundine is angling for, Erislandy Lara, the interim WBA Junior Middleweight Champion.

Boxing is very complex. It’s all about risk vs. reward, and fighters are judged by their skill as much as their ability to sell tickets and pay per views, and this is where Mundine is lacking.

His is the only fighter in history to have every fight of his career on pay per view, yet he remains largely nameless in the United States. He admits his struggles at forming relationships with the top pay per view companies Showtime and HBO, as well as the big promotional companies Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions.

Mundine is ranked at #3 in the WBA Rankings at Junior Middleweight, with only Canelo Alvarez above him at #2.

Erislandy Lara holds the interim title and will defend it in May against Ishe Smith, a member of The Money Team, the promotional company of Floyd Mayweather, boxing's king.

Smith is ranked only #10 by the WBA.

It shows how money and connections in the world of boxing can open doors quickly.

A win over Clottey will be a step in the right direction, yet it will only help Mundine rise a rung on the ladder. 

A devastating win may just accelerate the process and bring a higher profile fight, a bigger stage, bigger risk, but greater reward and a step closer to history and the top of the division.

Whether Mundine is still capable of this remains to be seen. As he has diminished in weight, so to has his number of knockout wins.

But one punch can change it all. It can silence the doubters and wake up the world.

Mundine’s mouth has always talked a big fight, let’s see if his hands can earn him one.

ADAM SANTAROSSA

Follow Adam on Twitter - @adamsantarossa

The real Steve Smith is finally standing up

 

 

Despite my constant bragging on twitter, some people may not be aware that I grew up sharing a cricket field with Steve Smith.

That sentence certainly does me a lot more favours than it does Steve Smith. To say I ever got anywhere near him in terms of cricketing ability would be fanciful.

Everyone was aware of his talent from a young age. We both played for Illawong Cricket club and every presentation day would end the same way, Steve would walk away with junior cricket of the year, batting aggregate, batting average, and almost every other award.

One presentation day I walked away with the raffle prize, it was the only thing Steve didn’t win that day.

Despite playing for the same junior club and attending the same high school, I didn’t get a chance to play with Steve until we were both chosen for the open boy’s cricket side at Menai High school.

Everyone knew Steve had tremendous potential but playing with him you soon realised what a player he was and what a player he would soon become. Most players in the team would hit out and look to clear the fences, particularly when they would start to get tied down by the bowler.

Steve’s batting philosophy was just so different. He valued his wicket and would build his innings. We used to give him some stick that he would bat at such a slow rate. He didn’t have any of those unique shots we see him play these days, which I feel are an evolution of the Twenty20 skill set. Sure he could certainly hit some impressive boundaries, but he would just bat and bat all day and if he got tied down, he would work through it and wait for a loose ball. Sure enough the scoreboard would read yet another century to S.Smith, more often than not saving our bacon.

The best story I can say about Steve Smith is when Menai High met Endeavour Sports High, our fierce rivals in the Regional Cricket final. Endeavour possessed a strong side, with their main man, Moises Henriques, who would also go on to play Test cricket for Australia.

Moises had played Australian U19 at the time and had a bit of a reputation about him. He was fast and he was certainly feared.

It was the start of our innings and let’s just say not too many people were putting their hands up to head out to the middle and face the might of Moises Henriques.

We eventually managed to get an Indian exchange student, Sandeep to agree to be one of the openers, as he clearly had no idea what he was getting himself into. We even had to encourage him to take a helmet out there with him!

I was the perennial tailender of the team, so I sort of had a get out of jail card here. No one was certainly expecting me to put my hand up. I was the spinner of the team, with Smith my spin twin. I often tell people that I was Warne and he was MacGill.

To highlight my batting skills, once the captain of the team I was playing in broke his finger in the field. The competition had a rule that you could substitute a batsman with another bowler when out in the field and the two would change again when batting, which would usually see me handing my position in the batting line-up over. Yet even with our captain having a broken finger and being unable to grip the bat, there was still debate over who would take the crease. In the end though I was told to pad up and went out and made a stunning 18 runs that included three fours. All through the slip cordon.

But anyway, we had one opener and still needed another and Steve Smith was sick of waiting.

He picked up his bat, picked up his helmet and promptly told us all to “Harden Up!” in quite colourful language.

What makes this story remarkable was that Steve was one of the youngest in the side, which was made up of mostly Year 12 students like me. He was only in Year 9, and there wasn’t a lot of him at all. But none of it fazed him.

He was just such a competitor, who had a real confidence about him. It’s that swagger you see in the best batsmen like Warner, Clarke and Haddin. It’s not arrogance, just a faith in your ability and a determination to take on the bowlers.

I saw him play first grade for Sutherland as a teenager and go onto captain them a year later. I saw him break into the NSW side and win the Big Bash and Twenty20 Champions League in his early 20’s.

I also saw him struggle with the label as the next Australian spinner. He was never a spinner; he was always a batsman first. His leggies were always handy and they improved with his entry into the state ranks and international arena. But he was never the answer to replace Shane Warne.

His got his chance in the Baggy Green, but the pressure of having to take wickets and score runs was too much and he went straight out the other end. It’s no shame to be dropped from the Australian Test side; in fact it’s more a rite of passage these days. Waugh, Clarke, Warner were all dropped and all returned better players, just like Steve has this summer.

I wrote an article a couple of years ago saying the only way he would make his return was as a batsman. I’m no Nostradamus; it was simply dealing in the facts. The reason he was in a position to earn a Baggy green in the first place was the mountain of runs he scored in the junior ranks, high school, Sydney grade and State cricket.

After he was dropped he went back, concentrated on his batting and scored runs until the selectors said he could return.

I was talking to a friend of mine before the Perth Test and he was of the opinion that Australia should drop Smith. I disagreed, but felt Australia should drop him down to Number 6, to ease the pressure on the young batsman. I felt he looked burdened by the pressure of a top order collapse and couldn’t play his natural game when at the crease.

All that changed in Perth and we saw him make his first Test hundred on Australian soil. That was the moment the weight lifted and now Smith is showing what he’s truly capable of.

An innings saving century on his home ground at the SCG follows and suddenly he has three test centuries in his last six tests.

The real Steve Smith is standing up and it's great to see....I've been lucky enough to see it for years, and hopefully we see it for years to come.

Follow Adam on Twitter - @adamsantarossa  - http://bit.ly/1lE7Nvi

 

The Socceroos Blueprint - Is Holger really to blame and are we stuck with Lucas Neill?

 

 

Believe it or not last month’s 6-0 loss to Brazil isn’t the first time we’ve lost to the Samba Kings by such a margin.

Brazil trounced the Socceroos by the same score back in 1997 in the Confederations Cup Final, where the Socceroos side contained named such as Bosnich, Tobin, Lazaridis, Vidmar, Foster, Zelic, Slater, Kewell, and Viduka.

All names I’d love to still have around today.

As much as I was frustrated by the decisions Holger Osieck made, I think he has been thrown under the bus in a way, given the position we find ourselves in on the world stage is really a sign of the times.

Our youth sides have been poor over recent World Cups; we didn’t make the Olympics in 2012 and we have just one player playing in a top league.

Back in 2005, Kewell, Cahill, Neill and co were flying the flag in the Premier League, Bresciano and Grella in Serie A and Aloisi in La Liga. Today, Mile Jedinak is in the Premier League with Crystal Palace, with the other Socceroos dotted throughout the UAE, Korea, Japan, MLS and A-League.

Many have been crying for a youth policy and for the Socceroos to usher in the next generation, but much of the talent have stunted their development with poor moves overseas.

Tom Rogic sits on the bench for Celtic each week, whilst Mustafa Amini plays in the third tier of German football with the Borussia Dortmund reserves. Nathan Burns has been in the wilderness for years, as has Matthew Spiranovic, both of which have recently returned to the A-League alongside names such as Djite, Zullo, Vidosic (gone again), Babalj, and Behich who all have moved abroad, only to return soon after and lose any momentum gained due to a lack of action.  

The reason Holger Osieck selected the squad of players he did is because he clearly did not feel the younger players were up to it, and although I do not entirely agree with that, you have to say they certainly haven’t helped their cause.

Holger has also been criticised for not looking towards the future during his recent tenure but it’s no real surprise given the way the FFA structured his deal.

 Holger’s main objective was to ensure World Cup qualification, which he did.

The Socceroos qualification for Brazil triggered a bonus in his contract and Holger would have received another if he managed to guide the Socceroos out of the group stage.

Now the way these bonus payments are structured is pretty conventional but it is a factor in the way Holger selected and prepared his sides. Holger prepared the best squad that he thought would assure qualification and progression through the group stage of the World Cup.

People are saying his view was too short sighted, but he was only doing what was outlined in his contract and for which he was to be heavily rewarded financially.

There is plenty of doom and gloom about regarding the Socceroos but the position we find ourselves is not too dissimilar to the one in which we found ourselves back in 2005.

Australia went to the Confederations Cup and lost every game.

The Socceroos lost 4-3 to Germany, 4-2 to Argentina and 2-0 to Tunisia, which led to Frank Farina getting the axe and the FFA turning to Guus Hiddink.

I don’t have to go into detail over what happened next but the argument is simple. The squad which saw Frank Farina fired was the same squad that would seal qualification under Hiddink and almost stun the eventual World Champions in the knockout stage of the World Cup.

Hiddink brought in the odd player but the bulk of the squad stayed the same and I believe the next Socceroos manager only needs to follow the example.

Hiddink brought the Socceroos of 2005 structure, organisation and a bit of belief and I feel that is all that is lacking with our current crop. There is no question some tinkering must be done, but I cannot see too many players coming in from outside the current squad. Some of the fringe players will be given more prominent roles, but many of those Socceroos that fell to Brazil and France will take their place in June 2014.

There are areas on the field where the Socceroos are clearly lacking and that needs to be fixed up urgently.

Much of the finger pointing from both defeats has been towards Socceroos captain Lucas Neill and whilst to be fair he is not the sole culprit, I have been calling for his head since the 4-0 loss to Germany back in 2010.

Neill was slow then and almost four years later, we haven’t seen much improvement.

Now, Holger is not an idiot, he is watching the same matches as everyone and obviously he feels Lucas brings something extra to the team. He is the most experienced option we have, having played 94 times for the Socceroos, and maybe Holger felt the fact he isn’t overawed by the big stage as key, not to mention his leadership.

Neill has survived up until now for a couple of reasons, one being the fact that the Socceroos have until recently got the desired results and sealed qualification for Brazil. Secondly, who exactly do we turn to if Neill is shown the door? The Socceroos are devoid of any real experienced centre halves with the likes of Rhys Williams, Robbie Cornthwaite and Jason Davidson having just 21 caps between them. Other contenders include the likes of Curtis Good, who is yet to be capped and you’d have to think on recent form someone like Matthew Spiranovic is firmly off the international radar.

You can see now why Neill has survived this long. The question that needs to be asked now is what’s more of a liability- Taking Lucas Neill to the World Cup or a younger option who has just six games to get up to speed before the tournament begins.

One thing the Socceroos must do is change their structure and revert back to the two midfield “screeners” adopted by Guus Hiddink and Pim Verbeek. Australia clearly has a weakness at the back and this formation does counter this. It may not be the easiest on the eye, but it does ensure results, something that is important in tournament football like the World Cup.

Another area where the Socceroos are lacking is creatively. They didn’t have a single shot on target against France and had just two against Brazil. Hardly surprising when you lose by 6-0, but the Socceroos have struggled going forward in recent times, as shown throughout the qualification stages.

The Socceroos still do not have a striker they can rely on and Holger tried several throughout the campaign, including Alex Brosque, Archie Thompson, Josh Kennedy and Dario Vidosic. The best option for me is to play Tim Cahill as a striker, given his knack of finding the net. I feel Cahill serves to team best as a striker as I do not feel Cahill is the player he once was and we are better served creatively with someone like Tom Rogic in the no.10 role.

Cahill is still deserving of a place in the Socceroos side and has a high work rate and will press from the front. The Socceroos are certainly not flush with options up forward and he has saved our bacon countless times, ensuring he must have a place.

As mentioned I believe Rogic should become the player in behind and although not playing regularly at Celtic, he has shown promise in his short cameos with the Socceroos. Another option at No.10 could be Robbie Kruse, as I feel he is Australia’s most dangerous attacking weapon and naturally you want to give him as much of the ball as possible. However there is a lack of options to fill Kruse’s role on the right hand side of midfield and a Rogic-Kruse-Oar combination certainly strengthens the Socceroos attack.

As mentioned earlier the Socceroos must adopt two holding midfielders like previous campaigns and Mile Jedinak and Mark Milligan are my first choice to hold those places. Jedinak is performing solidly for Crystal Palace and Milligan was a revelation in this role throughout the final World Cup qualifiers.

This means Mark Bresciano and Brett Holman move to the periphery, but both have underperformed in recent matches and I feel do not offer enough when played out of their natural positions. Both are probably best suited as attacking midfielders and with the future in mind, Rogic wins the race for that role.

The biggest conundrum for any new manager is the back four and as mentioned above, I’m not the biggest fan of Lucas Neill, but who fills the void, given most options are so inexperienced and we have so little time until the World Cup.

David Carney and Luke Wilkshire have also been poor in recent times and again continue to survive given a lack of any real alternatives. Players such as Michael Zullo and Aziz Behich should be pressuring for the left back role, but how sold are we on both at the top international level. Both still have a lot to prove.

We can’t discount a guy like Shane Lowry either, who has struggled for a look in under Holger. Perhaps the new Socceroos boss will open the door for several who have seemingly had their cards marked in days past.

 Whatever is decided and however gets the Socceroos job, they have just six games to turn things around before the World Cup begins.

Australia played some stunning football throughout the Asian Cup in 2011, and two years later they are playing some of their worst.

In the middle of all of it I still feel the performances of 2011 are possible, but some tough decisions need to be made. Whoever the new manager decides to turn to must be given confidence and we need to understand that there is really no quick fix.

There’s no guarantee results will improve, but I’ve learnt a valuable lesson in my time covering sport.

Never write off the Aussies.

Adam Santarossa

Follow Adam on Twitter - @adamsantarossa

 

 



Why the arrival of Sugar Shane doesn't taste so sweet

 

 

Danny Green thought his crushing win over Roy Jones would launch him into some mega fights in the US.

His next two fights were against Manny Siaca and Paul Briggs, which eventually led to a shot at Antonio Tarver, which was just his second fight in three years.

The reason – The Boxing world knew Jones was done and that the win meant nothing in the larger scheme of things.

Now Anthony Mundine will bring the next superstar to our shores in “Sugar” Shane Mosley. A man who is guaranteed a place in the Hall of Fame, with two victories over Oscar De La Hoya and a World Champion across three weight divisions.

There is no denying Mosley is one of the biggest names this country will have ever seen, but Mosley is well past his prime.

Sure his recent resume makes good reading. Fights with Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Canelo Alvarez case in point. But looking beyond the names and having seen each fight, Mosley was never in the contest.

Sure he had Mayweather in trouble for a round in their fight, but he didn’t come close to winning another round thereafter.  It was a complete shutout in the Pacquiao fight and whilst he showed heart against Alvarez, it was again largely one sided.

The fact is he was won only one fight in his last five, with a draw against The Contender winner Sergio Mora separating three straight losses.

His only win in those five came in his last fight against Pablo Cesar Cano, who at 26-2 is reputable, but not yet world class.

There’s a similar angle being played here to the one used in the build-up to the Green-Jones fight. Jones defeated an equally done Jeff Lacy to setup the Green bout, with the marketers now able to say that Jones was back.

Lacy in his day was real quality, but after being destroyed by Joe Calzaghe, he rode a steady ride to oblivion. The Super Middleweight fought Jones at Cruiserweight, with Lacy adding the extra mass at the Hot Dog stand and not in the gym. Jones was too fast and looked good in the process, but as we saw in his fight against Green it was all smoke and mirrors.

I wrote in my preview of that Green-Jones fight that you’d have to question the willingness of an aged fighter to get into a war, when they are already guaranteed $1-2 million before stepping in the ring. Why hurt yourself for good when the cheque is as good as cashed?

Mosley’s fights have taken a similar trend in recent times, with the fighter seemingly more interested in self preservation than actually winning.

It isn’t just the Boxing world saying these things; Sugar Shane even decided so himself, retiring earlier this year, before the Mundine offer tempted him out of retirement with a nice big superannuation cheque to go along with it.

A Mundine v Mosley fight will do good business, simply because Mosley still remains a name. The fact Mosley has continued to fight for the last two years despite everyone telling him to give the game away is based on that very fact.

Mosley will sell tickets, something Anthony “The Man” Mundine has never struggled doing either. But Mundine has always been criticised of taking the easy options in his quest for world domination and his decision to take this fight over others will again give writers like me ammunition.

It wasn’t long ago that Mundine turned down the chance to fight Austin Trout for a shot at Miguel Cotto, despite being the WBA No.2 and Trout No.1. Trout would not only go on to defeat Cotto but walk into a fight with Canelo Alvarez, two fights that Mundine has filled newspapers talking about for the past few years.

The easiest way to get noticed in boxing is to pick the hardest fight possible and make a statement. Sometimes your risk will pay off like it did for Daniel Geale, who walked into Germany twice and won and could now be just a fight away from a Middleweight superfight.

 Mundine v Mosley will sell tickets and do well on PPV, and truth be told, I will most likely buy it, but I did buy Fenech v Nelson 3!

The fact is a Mundine win will not do anything more than line his pockets. His credibility won’t rise and neither Alvarez, Mayweather nor Pacquiao will come knocking at his door.

Boxing fans know where Mosley sits in the current scheme of things and it’s the same place Roy Jones sat in 2009.

I’ve seen the story before and I know its ending.

The winner will use the victory to try and make as much noise as possible in the days and months following the fight in the hope that another payday will land in their lap.

 They'll proclaim that they are ready for the biggest and baddest that the boxing world has to offer.

But the best won’t come, because the best left both “Sugar” Shane Mosley and Anthony “The Man” Mundine a long time ago.

Follow Adam on Twitter at - @adamsantarossa

Barker no easy deal for Geale

 

 

Unlike some recent Australian Boxing World Champions no one can accuse Daniel Geale of handpicking his opponents.

Fresh from wins over Sebastian Sylvester and Felix Sturm in Germany and a comprehensive win over Anthony Mundine earlier this year, Geale has decided to take on America and has chosen the toughest opponent imaginable.

“Dazzling” Darren Barker is the man who will stand in the opposite corner from Geale in Atlantic City, with the Englishman looking to prove that he can exist at the elite level of the Middleweight division.

Barker pushed Middleweight King Sergio Martinez all the way in October 2011, despite finally being stopped in the 11^th round.

Barker has bounced back from that defeat with two consecutive wins, and although both Simone Rotolo and Kerry Hope aren't notable in the Middleweight rankings, the way Barker disposed both shows he can be a force. But lose to Geale on Sunday and his cards will be marked and it will be unlikely we will see him on a similar stage anytime soon.

Despite being Champion, Geale still has a point to prove.

 Still largely unknown on the US scene, Geale is hoping an impressive display against Barker will prompt a fight with the heavyweights of the division.

Currently Geale is seen as the least marketable of the Middleweight champions, with Martinez and WBA Champion Gennady Golovkin seemingly on a collision course to fight in the very near future.  

Martinez has reigned in the division for a number of years and Golovkin has been knocking out anything with a pulse in recent time. Geale has stated he will have no issues stepping in with either, but we all know the only thing that guarantees these fights is dollars at the end of the day.

Frankly at this time, not enough people are aware of Geale and his talent to tempt Martinez or Golovkin into the ring with the Australian champ, with the Barker fight the first step to rectifying that.

WBO Champion, Dmitry Pirog may be next in line for Geale, with a second World Title perhaps a further selling point for promoters, fans and potential opponents alike.

 But there are also the ongoing proceedings around current IBF mandatory, Sam Soliman.

The Australian was meant to fight Geale earlier this year, before that fight was scrapped after it was announced that Soliman failed a post-fight drugs test, only for Soliman to be later cleared.

Even a fight with Julio Cesar Chavez could be in the works, with Chavez looking to restore his pride after being suspended for testing positive to Marijuana after his fight with Martinez. Despite being a lacklustre affair for all but the final round, a rematch between the two was set before Chavez’s drug ban, so a fight with Geale might get Chavez quickly back in the mix.

But all the speculation on the future is wasted unless Geale gets past Barker in Atlantic City, which will be no easy task.

Barker and Geale both fight in the same style, with each taking an all action approach, fighting each round bell to bell. Barker has power in both hands and is equally adept at fighting at a distance and can also mix it up in close. Barker is a skilled technician who uses his angles well, and like Geale uses his jab to put his combinations together. Not a single punch thrown by either is wasted.

The styles of both fighters are so similar and it will be interesting to see how Geale settles given the fight will be his first in the US and with so much on the line. In his fights with Sturm and Mundine, Geale has started on fire and it allowed him to dictate the terms from the word go. Geale’s work rate is superior to anyone in the division and that may just be what gives him the edge.

He showed no fear in his two fights in Germany, but this time the pressure is squarely all on his shoulders.

The task isn’t just to retain the IBF Middleweight Champion but prove to the world that he is in fact the Real Deal.

THE PREDICTION – GEALE by decision

THE BET - Whilst Barker will go into the fight the outsider, for those wanting to have a bet I’d consider putting a lazy $5 on the draw at $21. That’s how close I feel this fight could be.

Follow Adam Santarossa on Twitter - @adamsantarossa



Why the banning of the biff is serious business

 

Now we have had huge debate for the past few weeks about a banning of the “biff” in State of Origin. We've had NRL players, fans and legends of the code come out and say the game has gone soft, but all of them have a short sighted view, and simply do not understand the bigger picture and the changing climate in which the game now operates.

We must remember that the NRL is no longer just a sport, but a business, and a billion dollar business at that.

As a result the game has corporate interests it must protect and it must counter a push from the AFL, which has dramatically cleaned up it’s code in recent years.

In junior participation numbers, rugby league is behind both AFL and Football, and perhaps harshly continues to be levied with the “dangerous” tag.

The debate surrounding the removal of the shoulder charge and the “biff” is similar to when the AFL outlawed the “shirtfront” or sling tackle. People said it was a softening of the game, but the line was drawn. If you made contact with the head, you paid the price. Suspensions of 6, 8, 10 weeks were handed down, and the message was quickly received loud and clear.

Think of the last time you saw a punch thrown in the AFL. Barry Hall on Brent Staker, probably comes to mind, maybe even Matt Scarlett on Hayden Ballantyne, if you get technical. But both offenders were dealt with by the tribunal and spent weeks on the sidelines.

Paul Gallen unleashes a barrage of punches, gets suspended for a week, and complains.

The NRL needed to show that his actions are not acceptable and if you step out of line, a punishment must be served.

The NRL is a billion dollar industry now. It no longer has a single obligation to players and fans, but it now must consider government and corporate interests.

Sponsors such as Holden and Telstra pay millions of dollars to be associated with the game, and through this they not only sign up for the good but the bad. By their association any hits to the NRL’s brand, directly affect them.

With every image of Origin players splashed across the media exchanging punches, comes a Holden , VB, GIO, or XXXX State of Origin logo on each player’s jersey, a privilege that the company has paid millions to own.

People were furious on talkback radio over the severity of the punishment levied at New South Wales forward James Tamou.

People said the $20,000 fine was too severe and that he should be treated like a regular citizen and remain innocent until proven guilty.

But Tamou is not a “regular citizen”. He is a player on around $400,000-$500,000 a season. $20,000 is a small price to pay, considering he was four times over the legal limit, not to mention driving unlicensed, a crime in which he is a repeat offender.

It has been reported that Tamou was driving a sponsored vehicle at the time of his arrest, given to him by the Cowboys major sponsor, Toyota.

What some people do not consider is the fact that every sponsor of the Cowboys would have clauses written into their contracts that they can walk away if they feel the integrity of their brand has been blemished by the action of the club or players.

A major sponsor of an NRL side could be paying between $500,000-$1 million per season and if that sponsor chooses to walk away as a result of an incident like Tamou, then the club’s financial security is placed in jeopardy.

$20,000 is a fair punishment in my eyes.

You have to remember that there are several clubs in the NRL without a major sponsor, and long gone are the days when leagues clubs were the main source of funds.

The most important thing to remember in all of this is who exactly pays the bills – sponsors.

The $500,000 plus that a major sponsor pays per season is what goes towards paying the salary of players like Tamou.

Some clubs in the NRL have an inability to spend the full extent of their salary cap due to a lack of revenue, through sponsorship shortfall. It is imperative that clubs not only hold their sponsors but attract more lucrative deals year upon year.

This is why clubs are spending more and more time in the community, increasing the value of their brand. It is no longer all about getting the two points on the weekend. Good deeds on the field on Sunday will no longer paper over the bad deeds in Monday’s paper.

Sponsors are paying big dollars and don’t want their product being portrayed in the wrong light.

A clean image sells better and revenue doesn’t simply grow on trees.

Scandal affects the NRL in the same way it affects the share price of major organisations around the world. As a result the value falls and potential investors shy away.

Look at Cricket Australia and Swimming Australia in recent times. For so long, blue chip stocks in the Australian sporting climate, they now both seemingly have fallen well down the pecking order in the sponsorship stakes.

Sure, Cricket Australia just signed a significant TV deal, but there is substantial discontent around the national side at the moment and the baggy green brand has certainly seen better days.

As sport becomes more corporate, it must be run like the billion dollar business that it is.

This is why a banker such as NRL boss David Smith now sits in the top job.

It’s no longer all about the Rugby League, but corporate image, dollars and most importantly sense.

Adam Santarossa

Follow Adam on Twitter at @adamsantarossa