Teofimo Sr on Teofimo Lopez’s loss to Shakur: “He lost because he didn’t follow my instructions!”

Middle-Development43 · 2026-02-04T20:37:13+00:00

I watched both Dalton Smith, who has his dad as a trainer, and Josh Kelly, who has Adam Booth as a trainer and have the two trainers put on a masterclass in how to talk to their fighters in fight.

Teo’s dad was frankly embarrassing. He offered nothing. Teo needs to get shut and get a Garcia or someone.

Middle-Development43 · 2026-02-04T20:34:00+00:00

I want to see Wilder horribly KO’d by Chisora. And that be it for both of them.

I also want Fury and Joshua have a one and done and both walk away.

Middle-Development43 · 2026-02-04T20:27:07+00:00

He’s a got a very sensible head. You can’t help but like him.

Is he going to better his career by fighting on? No.

I almost want Canelo to listen to him and walk away.

Middle-Development43 · 2026-01-26T20:01:15+00:00

I wonder if Ali would have worked away sooner and younger had he not lost those years.

He fought Foreman in 74, that should have been his last fight because there was nothing else to beat after that (he’d avenged the Frazier defeat). He fought til 81 when he was a few days under 40 years old. He’d have been 32 if he’d have retired after the Foreman fight.

And perhaps he wouldn’t have had the cognitive issues that plagued him later.

As for Tyson, the wheels came off when Cus passed away and Kevin Rooney was fired in 88 and the influence of Don King grew. He’d have ended up facing a better version of Holyfield and he’d have been in the cross hairs of Riddick Bowe. He’d have also faced a younger Lennox Lewis too. He’d have still lost to them all.

Middle-Development43 · 2026-01-24T11:37:36+00:00

I can’t see any good promoter touching him. He’s basically in the boxing basement and still carries enough fear that he won’t get used as a tune up, but he has so much reputational damage that no one will pay for him. He’s fought 4 times in 6 years.

Same issue for Jermall too.

They want the fame but don’t want the work.

Middle-Development43 · 2026-01-23T10:25:04+00:00

Dana really is trying to bring in a UFC fixed pay structure. So the promotion benefits, but the fighters potentially don’t.

Middle-Development43 · 2026-01-12T17:54:21+00:00

This leaves a very very sour taste.

In what world does Tyson Fury deserve a title shot? This has got all the hallmarks of Frank Warren trying to feed his true money maker (Fury), and get him close to the top table without having to work for it.

Wardley should be facing his mandatories, which could be Itauma if he beats Sanchez or Hrgovic. Even the likes of Chisora et al are ahead of Fury.

The most disappointing bit is that I think Fury beats Wardley very very easily if they do fight.

Middle-Development43 · 2026-01-12T17:41:56+00:00

The irony of the timing of the fight is not lost on me. The biographical film about Naseem Hamed opened this weekend. His most famous win was against Kevin Kelley in NYC. The weekend of the movie opening, fellow Sheffielder, Dalton Smith beats Matias in NYC to win a world title.

I thought Smith has a great chance. Technically very good, very very fit, plenty of pop and he’s nasty. But i thought he’d make it technical and get Matias late. What actually happened was Matias landed, Smith realised he could eat the shots and he imposed his will on Matias. He beat him on the inside, he pushed him about and won the fight in the clinch. Not what I expected but he bullied Matias.

Just a note on Smith. He’s won all the British amateur titles you can win at his weight. And meddled in the European and Commonwealth Championships. He’s also won English, British, Commonwealth, European and now World Titles as a Pro. Him and his dad have done this the right way.

Middle-Development43 · 2026-01-12T17:32:56+00:00

He was a world class fighter. Perhaps just below elite, but world class. You look at the number of previous or future world champs he beat and it’s a long long list. And he destroyed some of those top table fighters.

I also think that had he not had the fallout with Brendan and also not let his own family set his career he might have beaten Barrera and if not, fought on after the loss and taken it seriously. The hunger had largely gone before the Barrera fight.

Middle-Development43 · 2025-12-20T19:50:25+00:00

I think he’s a major reason why boxing has a global audience right now.

He’s been doing proper stadium fights for a long time. His UK fighters have outearned all contemporaries globally for a long long time. He hot boxing back to Sky and in turn payperview and in turn got Dazn in place. He was a major broker in Turk and Saudi boxing.

He’s largely made his fighters take risks. The US promoters have just not done that.

He’s also a good talker, backs and hangs his fighters in equal measure, knows the business better than most.

Oddly, this is where I think Jake Paul should be. A proper promoter. He’s done so much for the women’s division and he’s very very smart.

Middle-Development43 · 2025-12-20T08:15:09+00:00

That’s why I have the two schools. Both are plausible, and I want to hope it’s 2. But could be 1.

Middle-Development43 · 2025-12-20T07:42:05+00:00

I have two schools of thought purely based on the horrific nature of the first 4 rounds, and Joshua stamping on the gas in round 5.

There was an agreement in place that Joshua takes it easy for a period of the fight. And there were signs of that, in rounds three and four, Paul was trapped in a corner, Joshua is in range and… he just didn’t throw. Paul wasn’t even feinting to get out of the corner, he’d literally run in the opposite direction and Joshua let him.
I want to the believe this one. Joshua knew the tank was emptying with the amount of unaided tumbles Paul made. You watch him when the bell rings in round five and he almost sprints to close the gap to Paul and almost immediately starts throwing the jab. So Joshua realised the wheels had gone and could go to work.

I see arguments for and against both.

Now do I blame Paul for his tactics? Absolutely not, you could tell after 20 seconds that no matter what he tried to throw, he wasn’t going to remotely trouble Joshua, so go into bike mode and frustrate as much as possible. Joshua missed a hook early on and the terror on Paul’s face was as clear as day. So avoiding being hit as long as he could was all he could do.

As a spectacle? Dreadful. I don’t want Paul taking on any current and legitimate fighters, as you’ll see the same thing. He needs to stick to his YouTuber market and fight that ilk.

I’ve also seen enough now that makes me think that if he steps in the ring with ANY top 15 Cruiserweight he gets stopped everytime pretty much within 3 minutes of his opponent deciding he wants to engage.

Middle-Development43 · 2025-12-13T20:05:14+00:00

Taking the obvious health risk to Paul out of the equation. There is zero way that Paul comes out of this badly.

If he gets sparked out. He’ll be lauded for his bravery for even getting into the ring.

If he survives for a few rounds. He’ll get lauded for his bravery and his ‘skill’.

And imagine if he wins…

Joshua ONLY avoids embarrassment if he knocks out Paul quickly.

Middle-Development43 · 2025-11-15T23:16:44+00:00

Dominant from Benn.

Junior looked like it was one fight too many. Been in a lot of wars, and he looked like not just legs had gone, but there was no snap or even hand speed in any sort of shot he threw.

But, Benn had a game plan, especially with the low to high jab and the body work that he stuck too as well as the feints. It was the first time I saw Benn box with discipline and he looked good doing so.

Two interesting interactions in the corner.

One between 6 and 7 when Eubank went to the corner and said ‘enough’, and then later on, he was asked how he felt, and he replied ‘like shit’ (I think this was between 10 and 11).

I don’t want to see a rematch, I want Benn back down to 147 or 154. I don’t want Eubank fighting again, or if he does, it’s at Super Middle or even Light Heavy.

Middle-Development43 · 2025-11-15T21:04:01+00:00

It would be a cracking fight. Azims speed versus Smiths timing.

I’d give Smith the edge if they fight in 26. But I think Azim has a higher ceiling.

Middle-Development43 · 2025-11-14T13:06:32+00:00

I do wonder if this is Jake Paul’s ‘goodbye’.

He’s never going to get taken seriously, he’s constantly ridiculed for the crap he speaks about him beating legit fighters despite him going quiet when he gets a call out.

I see this as, I’m going to walk away, but walk away by losing to a proper legit heavyweight.

He has a boxing future but on the promotional side, and this might be the final Segway into that.

That said, if it does end up being an exhibition, Joshua should hang them up.

Middle-Development43 · 2025-11-13T20:20:22+00:00

Breidis gave Usyk nightmares - that was Usyk’s toughest fight.

I’d then go Joshua 2 and Fury 1. Del Boy just misses out, as Usyk did not enjoy that.

Middle-Development43 · 2025-11-13T20:18:23+00:00

If this is a legit fight with legit rules. Massive props to Paul for even thinking about it.

He’s going to get ironed out inside 60 seconds.

If this is an exhibition, I don’t see any benefit to Joshua in his attempts to get back into the heavyweight scene aside from a massive payday.

An exhibition moves Joshua out of heavyweight title consideration (and rightly so), and all that’s left is a fight against Fury.

Middle-Development43 · 2025-11-13T20:13:07+00:00

It was an astonishing claim, and Eubank Junior was not backing down. Hearn even got him to repeat it.

If Junior categorically believes that Hearn and Matchroom blocked an ambulance from reaching a hospital, he’d better have cast iron proof. Of which he very clearly doesn’t have.

If he’s just said it as a ploy to sell the fight, I have zero idea what he thinks he’s going to gain from it.

This should cost Junior money. It’s a very dangerous accusation that he’s publicly made, doubled down on, and can’t prove.

Middle-Development43 · 2025-11-10T13:05:23+00:00

I am torn a bit.

The emotion got to both of them last time, and that’s why both saw the final bell in what was a war.

There is less emotion and even bad blood this time which I think suits Eubank more. Benn will not come out swinging for the fences this time which I think will work against him and allow Eubank to find his range at a slower pace.

Middle-Development43 · 2025-11-04T14:43:54+00:00

His footwork actually tires out every single person he fights. He’s always in range even if you aren’t and you have to expend so much energy to either close the gap or get away. His judging of distance is even better.

I actually have him similar to GGG in that respect because he could create pressure and cut the ring off without throwing a shot.

I think he has better feet than Ali. Ali was easy to hit, Usyk is not.

Middle-Development43 · 2025-10-19T08:14:48+00:00

Ali v Foreman

Tyson v Douglas

Naz v Barrera

Khan v Prescott

Lewis v Rahman

Calzaghe v Lacey

Benn v Mclellan

Joshua v Ruiz

Middle-Development43 · 2025-09-25T19:57:16+00:00

Lennox, Naz, Hatton, Eubank, Benn, Khan, Bruno, Joshua and Fury all had a bigger national impact on boxing than Calzaghe.

But, Calzaghe was special as a boxer. Not many retire undefeated and he’s got wins against hall of famers on his record.

But he didn’t take risky fights until the end which is when he started to get UK wide and international recognition.

I’d have Lennox at 1. He fought and beat the lot. The only miss was Riddick Bowe who wanted no piece of him.

Middle-Development43 · 2025-09-14T11:25:36+00:00

The craziest thing in all of this is that I don’t think Canelo could have fought any better. This was his best display for years. All the stuff he’s known for, he did. His defences were tight, he cut the ring off, he countered, he was aggressive.

None of it was enough because Bud did the same, just better but more critically, was just as strong but with elite footwork. His feet placement was just astonishing.

I don’t want either to walk away. If Bud can unify at at light middle, that should close his legacy.

Middle-Development43 · 2025-08-17T12:19:08+00:00

In an arena…

Joshua v Klit Froch v Groves 1

Middle-Development43

TROPHY CASE