Pauls Press Ups

BoxRec News correspondent Paul Foley goes toe to toe with this week's boxing press.

It’s been a while since we heard anything about Tyson. No not Mike but, England’s own version entitled Fury.

The last time his name was widely sounded off was after his controversial points win against John McDermott last September but a hand injury put soon paid to an immediate rematch.

You would have thought Tyson may have toned it down since his near miss with defeat. But the Mirror’s Derick Allsop showed Fury has lost none of his fire in and out the ring.

Allsop said the Manchester heavyweight proved his fitness for a return to the ring by leaving former opponent Lee Swaby bloodied and nursing a smashed nose after a six round sparring session in Manchester.

Fury added “I needed some good sparring to make sure the hand is ok and that’s what I’ve had over the last few days.”

And he hadn’t finished his combination just yet. “I know I can go all the way. No-one will be able to live with my power and speed.”

I thought the whole point of sparring was to be tested, and he was hardly getting that considering Swaby had little or none of Tyson’s two assets.

There was talk of a Tyson return to paid action this Friday in Connecticut (which is no longer the case) and after being pushed so close by McDermott the last thing he needed was a sparring partner who would offer little more than target practice.

Let’s hope his next opponent does more than reassure Fury his hand is ok.

Who knows he might even test his chin.

If his name is John McDermott you can bet he will.

Welcome back Tyson.

The Sun’s Gavin Glicksman went one on one with Frank Warren to see how he is standing up after being hit with a severe body shot from his one time friend and golden child Amir Khan who left his promotional stable to join the glitz and glitter stable of Oscar De La Hoya.

One of the subjects covered was the lack of coverage on mainstream TV and in particular the BBC. (A matter I’m highly passionate about.)

Warren blames the BBC’s deal with Audley Harrison as the reason for them showing great reluctance to invest once more in the noble art.

“They essentially said you can fight who you like, there’s no quality control and not only that, your four round fights are going to be main event." (Aye, like that never happened with Khan - Ed.)

“I find it really galling that the BBC tried to wiggle out of the sport by using the Harrison deal as an excuse.”

I agree with Warren that the BBC should get over their ordeal of Audley.

When listening to regular sports bulletins on their networks one could come away and think boxing no longer, exists outside of mainstream figures.

It amazes me that on these same bulletins many names are mentioned in minority sports or events that will never be able to capture an audience in the way boxing did for them in the eighties.

Wake up Beeb, who said boxing is not news?

Well done to Ruth Gledhill the religion correspondent of the Times for coming out from her corner with the knockout story.

Ambreen Sadiq is a 15-year-old schoolgirl who has picked up the gloves.

Well there’s not much punch in that, you might say. Hold on referee, before you stop the fight, it wouldn’t be too big a deal...but she happens to be a Muslim.

Can I carry on fighting?

But her greatest tests have not been inside the ring for it is there she is throwing her weight around pretty well in winning the national female championship for her age and weight and has attended one training session with the England squad.

It’s the fighting on the outside namely in the shape of those who disapprove that may yet prove her most formidable test.

The Muslim Council of Britain have not told her to throw in the towel yet but said some Muslim scholars did regard boxing in general as “inhumane.”

Martin Utley regional coach for the Amateur Boxing Association hailed her by saying “She is pioneering as far as Muslim girls are concerned in boxing.”

At a time when many are doing all kind of inhumane things in the name of religion why should anyone put up a fight?

You can throw your punches but I think this girl will still be standing at the end of the round.

Sadiq is going for gold in aiming for the 2016 Olympics.

I think she is shining already!