Boxing clever

In the next couple of months, there are two major boxing matches featuring British world champions.  Ricky Hatton and Carl Froch both defend their titles against experienced world title campaigners, namely Manny Pacquiao and Jermaine Taylor.  These should be two fantastic fights, and essential viewing for any boxing fan worth their salt.

With the well judged retirement of Joe Calzaghe, these two fighters will continue to carry the flag for British fighting across to the mass markets in the United States.  However both are now into their their thirties, and the search is surely now on for the next few Brits to set the world alight.

It's still unclear if Amir Khan has disappeared up his own backside so far that his undoubted talent will ever be fulfilled; the Barrera fight taught us nothing, and was little more than a PR exercise.  It can only be hoped he doesn't go the way of Audley Harrison, another who believed his own publicity and the yes men around him far too much, and not what his own jaw told him.

David Haye has a great chance of making it big, but runs the risk of his jaw being found out by one or other of the Klitschko brothers.  It would be a shame to see Haye disappear, boxing needs characters like him, and his undoubted talents would have seen him top the division without the Klitschkos looming large.

David Price, the Olympic Super-Heavyweight medallist has kicked off his pro career with a decent win, but has a lot of miles to cover before he can get in the ring with anyone of any quality.  

South Yorkshire stylist Kell Brook, another product off the Brendan Ingle production line, has massive potential, and an exciting style which the American TV matchmakers will love.  He may be the next to make it big, and fingers crossed could be the welterweight successor to Hatton, as long as he doesn't get overconfident.

Jamie Moore, another Northern fighter, has a big chance with his next fight due to be a world title shot.  Moore has been around a while, with only his fight of the year against Matthew Macklin a couple of years ago to show so far for his undoubted strength and courage.  Again the American market will love his all action, go forward style, coupled with the fact that he can be hurt (as Macklin showed).

There are a few hungry fighters coming to the forefront, and Sky Sports must get a lot of credit for continuing to offer them an opportunity on Friday Fight Night.  Long may it continue, and let's hope that at least a couple manage to show the Americans that British boxing is still punching its weight.

A step forward?

England somehow managed, in the course of a comprehensive victory in the friendly match against Slovakia on Saturday, to suffer injuries to 3 different target men.  This could be seen as a real problem; to lose one is unlucky two is sloppy, but a third seems careless.

In fact there is an argument to say that this week we've found out something important about Capello's England.  There have been headlines all week touting a potential recall for Michael Owen, but this is really a red herring.  Capello knows his own mind, and has shown the confidence in his own plans (and perhaps the pigheadedness) not to fold at the noisy opposition from the press. 

The same pressure that would lead Sven Goran Eriksson to bizarrely take Theo Walcott to sit on the bench for the world cup is not entertained by  Capello.  He picks the team.  He decides the formation, and best of all, he has the ability to adapt his system, something Eriksson always lacked.  Plan B, C a and D were employed on Saturday.  Plan E is bringing Agbonlahor into the squad.  

It's refreshing to see an England manager stick to his guns.  He found room for Gerrard and Lampard, got the best out of a rampaging Rooney (despite suggesting he was slightly crazy), and used Beckham intelligently.  Admittedly Slovakia offered very little, but it's important to note how England retained their shape, didn't panic and continued to play their way, and waited for the goals to come.  It may be that Ukraine have learned from Slovakia's approach, but if they sit back and defend then England should win comfortably.  They certainly won't be concerned about Shevchenko's pace on the counter-attack.

If we are confident, then there is a big opportunity for Capello to get Ben Foster in the team again.  David James, as I've suggested before, is definitely not the future for England, and as far as this blogger is concerned, is way past being the present too.  A game which England "should win" was Scott Carson's downfall (Croatia) but Foster has already won the Carling Cup at Wembley for United so obviously has the big match temperament.  

But I wouldn't presume to tell Capello his job, so we'll have to cross our fingers.  He appears like a man who knows not to take unnecessary risks.  The defence and midfield are settled,  Rooney picks himself but needs a regular partner.  That's both ends of the pitch where there is an opportunity.  And who's to say a fit Michael Owen won't burst back onto the scene (when he finally manages to leave Newcastle).

Anyway, it does appear that Capello is living up to his billing.  We can only hope that his players continue to live up to theirs.  If they do, and Gerrard and Rooney remain fit, then there is a chance we can match some of the best.