Britain’s elite heavyweights could be knocked out of action for at least another six months over coronavirus pandemic

EVERY sport is suffering financial damage during the national lockdown — and fight fans will be lucky to see a boxing comeback by autumn at the earliest.
Britain’s elite heavyweights — Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Daniel Dubois, Joe Joyce, Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora — are supposed to be in action between next month and mid-summer.

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Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder’s trilogy bout is among the fights affected by coronavirusCredit: USA TODAY Sports

Yet there’s every likelihood, even if the Government ends the shutdown before the end of May, that the coronavirus crisis will knock out all of them for at least a further six months.

There are several reasons for my gloomy forecast.

The logistics of rearranging big-fight dates is always a nightmare for promoters.

They have to try to fit in with new TV schedules, and then securing 20,000-seat arenas exactly when they need them is another major obstacle.

But one of the biggest problems is that with every gym in the country closed indefinitely, fighters cannot train properly.

And the most serious threat to their fine-tuning is that they are unable to spar — an essential ingredient in every boxer’s pre-fight preparation.

To follow the guidelines that people must remain two metres apart at all times makes sparring impossible.

Dubois’ eagerly awaited British and Commonwealth title defence against Joyce at London’s O2 Arena was moved from April 11 to July 11 — but it is bound to be postponed again.

And expect Fury’s third fight with Deontay Wilder to be delayed until probably October.

Martin Bowers, Dubois’ meticulous trainer, told me: “Even though we can’t use our gym, Daniel is always super-fit.

“But without adequate sparring he can’t possibly be fighting fit. And unless I was satisfied he was 100 per cent I wouldn’t allow him in the ring.

“It’s  impossible to train a fighter properly without sparring. We had arranged for two top American  sparring partners to arrive last weekend but they couldn’t get a flight out of New York.

“The moment the lockdown is lifted, an accountant can happily go to work the next day and carry on where he left off — a fighter can’t.”

All British fighters are among the country’s five million self-employed.

Of the close to 1,000 licensed pros with the British Boxing Board of Control, only a handful don’t have to worry about money.

No promoter can stage a show without undercard fighters — the bread and butter boys who shed their blood for the benefit of the fans with little reward.

For some reason there are those who believe everyone in boxing is making bundles of money.

It may enlighten them to know on a small show at York Hall, Bethnal Green, a four-round fighter will be paid £1,200, a six-rounder £1,800 and an eight-rounder £2,000.

But none of them now know when they will receive their next pay cheque. Like the rest of the workforce, they also have bills to pay and families to feed.

I just hope that when the Government hand out aid to the self-employed, they include boxers.

The BBBC won’t be able to do much to help them. Unlike the FA, ECB, RFU or the LTA, they are among the poorest of the country’s governing bodies.

By the end of May they will have seen nearly 100 shows cancelled.

They get their money from TV revenue and taxing fighters’ purses. With no boxing, there’s no TV revenue or money coming in from the fighters.
It’s going to cost them dearly.

Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk