1 day remaining. . . . .
As I entered the Lowry today I found myself in the whirlwind of world title fever, surrounded by SkySports News outlets and those of the written press. I stood in the foyer as I found myself killing time before it all kicked off at around 2 o'clock.
I turned around, phone in hand, to see boxing pundit Steve Bunce walking in my direction. White shirted with a cravat-like scarf wrapped around his neck I took the opportunity to pick his brain on the result.
"Ask me once I've seen the sort of condition both fighters are in". I don't think he meant that literally but I certainly did and would definitely make an attempt to find him once the weigh-in was over.
The weigh-in for the under card fights was pretty elementary stuff. However, Gary Davies who will challenge Stuart Hall for the British Bantamweight title failed to make weight at the first attempt. This came as no surprise to me as Davies was late in taking to the scales, no doubt using as much time as possible in order to cut to the weight.
This and the George Groves fight, along with the main event of course are the only two fights that have any great significance and appeal to them.
George Groves' fight with Kenny Anderson has great significance with regard to a possible domestic dust-up with James DeGale. The winner of which will not only take home the Commonwealth super-middleweight title but will also be next in line for a shot at the British title. In effect the winner of tomorrow evening's bout will go on to face the winner of Paul Smith versus James DeGale which takes place on the 11th December at the Liverpool Echo Arena.
Before both fighters took the scales Anderson showed a real lack of respect for Groves, the the challenger refusing to shake the champions hand. Groves made weight comfortable, however Anderson had to strip bare in order to get inside the 12 stone limit.
What followed was pure petulance on the part of Anderson who has done very little in winning over a crowd who were already in favour of 'The Saint' Groves, knocking Groves' hat off his head as the two squared up for photos. Anderson then proceeded to attempt to bury his forehead into the nose of Groves. The two were torn apart only for Anderson to want more, the Scots fiery temper clearly on show for the 1,000 in attendance to see.
After a reasonable wait which saw the rest of the under card take to the scales the crowd got what they had come to see. Boos welcomed 'The A-Force' Audley Harrison, tipping the scales at 18st 1lbs and a quarter. His physique was that of a 39 year-old mab, lacking the muscle definition that won him the gold in Sydney that we are forever reminded about, he quickly covering it with his t-shirt. The 253 pounds that Harrison scaled is only two pounds lighter than his heaviest ever, that fight resulted in a loss.
The champion quickly hopped on and off the scales weighing just 15st and a quarter pound. The announcement from MC Gary Logan was met with gasps from those in the auditorium. In contrast to Harrison's physical condition Haye's is chiselled and clearly built for speed and power. Haye did the opposite of Harrison and left his shirt off clearly wanting to send a message to Audley that he is in the best shape of his whole career, not just his short one at heavyweight.
People will talk of the 42 and a half pound weight advantage that Haye is giving away but people must be reminded that he gave away far more in the Valuev fight and came out victorious.
An added sense of drama was added to the stand-off between the two fighters, quite fitting really for such a theatre, Lennox Lewis seperating the two for a photo-call that included himself.
I stuck around after to catch Buncey on the way out. I asked him the same question again. "Who will win?", without a seconds delay he said in the enthusiastic fashion that characterises Bunce "Haye".
"He's fifteen one he doesn't need to be heavy, he said it himself. For Ruiz he needed to be a bit heavy and this is closer to where he was for the other bloke (Valuev), perfect."
There is one thing that I doubt about Harrison more than anything and that is his punch resistance, I made this point to Steve.
"I watched the Ruiz fight the other night, Harrison hasn't got the punch resistance that Ruiz had, if he (Haye) clips him with a big right hand what chance has Harrison got?"
"Harrison has got a chance in the sense that he's tall, he's got a good jab and he believes he can win, he's three stone heavier."
"But it's a pawing jab," I replied inquisitively.
"Well it won't be, not if he throws a proper jab, a stiff jab but for him to do that Haye's got to fight a stupid fight. Haye will only lose this fight because he fights a stupid fight. If he fights a stupid fight he'll be in trouble, by missing his punches, by leaving himself exposed. If you let Audley pick you off he'll do it all day long."
"When he fought Valuev, and I'll leave you with this, when he fough Valuev he told us he was gonna' go in there and it was going to be one minute, I'm gonna kill him. It worked 'cos Valuev beleived everything he read and everything he was told. He jabbed and ran and Valuev could work him out. I think Haye'll do the same again, he'll use is brain".
Buncey, god love him, is absolutely right, the only way Haye can lose this fight is if he fights a stupid fight. It's Haye's to lose
I for one can't wait until tomorrow. Hope you all manage to find a place to watch the fight, whether it be at in comfort of your own home, a pub or at the venue itself. "
Weigh-in photos
I turned around, phone in hand, to see boxing pundit Steve Bunce walking in my direction. White shirted with a cravat-like scarf wrapped around his neck I took the opportunity to pick his brain on the result.
"Ask me once I've seen the sort of condition both fighters are in". I don't think he meant that literally but I certainly did and would definitely make an attempt to find him once the weigh-in was over.
The weigh-in for the under card fights was pretty elementary stuff. However, Gary Davies who will challenge Stuart Hall for the British Bantamweight title failed to make weight at the first attempt. This came as no surprise to me as Davies was late in taking to the scales, no doubt using as much time as possible in order to cut to the weight.
This and the George Groves fight, along with the main event of course are the only two fights that have any great significance and appeal to them.
George Groves' fight with Kenny Anderson has great significance with regard to a possible domestic dust-up with James DeGale. The winner of which will not only take home the Commonwealth super-middleweight title but will also be next in line for a shot at the British title. In effect the winner of tomorrow evening's bout will go on to face the winner of Paul Smith versus James DeGale which takes place on the 11th December at the Liverpool Echo Arena.
Before both fighters took the scales Anderson showed a real lack of respect for Groves, the the challenger refusing to shake the champions hand. Groves made weight comfortable, however Anderson had to strip bare in order to get inside the 12 stone limit.
What followed was pure petulance on the part of Anderson who has done very little in winning over a crowd who were already in favour of 'The Saint' Groves, knocking Groves' hat off his head as the two squared up for photos. Anderson then proceeded to attempt to bury his forehead into the nose of Groves. The two were torn apart only for Anderson to want more, the Scots fiery temper clearly on show for the 1,000 in attendance to see.
After a reasonable wait which saw the rest of the under card take to the scales the crowd got what they had come to see. Boos welcomed 'The A-Force' Audley Harrison, tipping the scales at 18st 1lbs and a quarter. His physique was that of a 39 year-old mab, lacking the muscle definition that won him the gold in Sydney that we are forever reminded about, he quickly covering it with his t-shirt. The 253 pounds that Harrison scaled is only two pounds lighter than his heaviest ever, that fight resulted in a loss.
The champion quickly hopped on and off the scales weighing just 15st and a quarter pound. The announcement from MC Gary Logan was met with gasps from those in the auditorium. In contrast to Harrison's physical condition Haye's is chiselled and clearly built for speed and power. Haye did the opposite of Harrison and left his shirt off clearly wanting to send a message to Audley that he is in the best shape of his whole career, not just his short one at heavyweight.
People will talk of the 42 and a half pound weight advantage that Haye is giving away but people must be reminded that he gave away far more in the Valuev fight and came out victorious.
An added sense of drama was added to the stand-off between the two fighters, quite fitting really for such a theatre, Lennox Lewis seperating the two for a photo-call that included himself.
I stuck around after to catch Buncey on the way out. I asked him the same question again. "Who will win?", without a seconds delay he said in the enthusiastic fashion that characterises Bunce "Haye".
"He's fifteen one he doesn't need to be heavy, he said it himself. For Ruiz he needed to be a bit heavy and this is closer to where he was for the other bloke (Valuev), perfect."
There is one thing that I doubt about Harrison more than anything and that is his punch resistance, I made this point to Steve.
"I watched the Ruiz fight the other night, Harrison hasn't got the punch resistance that Ruiz had, if he (Haye) clips him with a big right hand what chance has Harrison got?"
"Harrison has got a chance in the sense that he's tall, he's got a good jab and he believes he can win, he's three stone heavier."
"But it's a pawing jab," I replied inquisitively.
"Well it won't be, not if he throws a proper jab, a stiff jab but for him to do that Haye's got to fight a stupid fight. Haye will only lose this fight because he fights a stupid fight. If he fights a stupid fight he'll be in trouble, by missing his punches, by leaving himself exposed. If you let Audley pick you off he'll do it all day long."
"When he fought Valuev, and I'll leave you with this, when he fough Valuev he told us he was gonna' go in there and it was going to be one minute, I'm gonna kill him. It worked 'cos Valuev beleived everything he read and everything he was told. He jabbed and ran and Valuev could work him out. I think Haye'll do the same again, he'll use is brain".
Buncey, god love him, is absolutely right, the only way Haye can lose this fight is if he fights a stupid fight. It's Haye's to lose
I for one can't wait until tomorrow. Hope you all manage to find a place to watch the fight, whether it be at in comfort of your own home, a pub or at the venue itself. "
Weigh-in photos
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