AS GOOD AS IT GETS

Many have recently said that boxing is dead. How wrong could they be? Boxing is very much alive and kicking. The two highest paid sports people in the world are boxers; Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao!

David Haye vs. Dereck Chisora sold out the West Ham United football stadium, Upton Park, on Saturday night; it has a capacity of some 40,000.

The British Boxing Board of Control were not pleased that the fight was going ahead, but David made a cool three million from the event. The fight received more publicity than any boxing match since Mike Tyson came to Britain.

David Haye is a genuine superstar and backed up his boasts against Chisora in what was a terrific fight. David used his boxing skills, speed and power to get the result that he wanted. Dereck was closing in on David, but became reckless with his defence and got caught. The rest is history.

Dereck has now lost four in a row, but they all came against highly respectable fighters; Tyson Fury, Robert Helenius, Vitali Klitschko and David Haye.

Dereck can now fight David Price, Audley Harrison or get a rematch with Tyson Fury. For someone who has only had 20 fights he has been in some real blockbusters.

David Haye is without doubt the number one British heavyweight at the moment. David brings real excitement to the heavyweight division.

As 15 year old teenagers together at a Fitzroy Lodge show, he told me that he would go on to become world champion and he has backed up his teenage boasts. Not many people can do that.

Self-proclaimed ‘Superstar’ Amir Khan was knocked out by my former opponent, WBC world champion, Danny Garcia, on Saturday night.

Many people, including Danny himself, believe I won our fight, but bad decisions happen in boxing. Danny has gone on to beat former champions Nate Campbell, Kendall Holt and now Amir Khan. This is Amir’s second loss in a row, but I believe he can still come back.

Maybe it’s time for him to leave Wildcard, as he is behind Manny Pacquiao and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in the pecking order.

His defence was poor against Garcia, and that along with no ‘boxing brain’ cost him dear. Amir had all the tools to beat Danny, but he did not use them, he should have boxed his ears off.  You just don’t fight a puncher. Lots of movement, speed and boxing against Danny would have seen Amir crowned WBC world champion. But let’s get real, all fighters can lose.

Johnny Nelson lost twelve fights before becoming world champion. Amir has lost only three. He will be back!

Danny Garcia has my good friend, world number one, Ajose Olusegun, next. That will be a cracking fight, as Danny will be super confident now. Ajose has all the tools to beat Danny, and I believe he will win.

Sky pundit, Johnny Nelson, had a terrible start to his professional boxing career. He lost his first three fights. By his 11th fight he had already lost five fights with six wins. But with his hard work, determination and self-belief he went on to win the British, European and WBO world cruiserweight titles.

He would have had many doubters, but that drove him to incredible heights. Johnny Nelson is the perfect example that if you have a dream, you should go for it, no matter what obstacles come your way.

I appeared on BoxNation TV on Monday evening, talking about the weekend’s fights. The legendary sports presenter, Jim Rosenthal, interviewed me and it was a real pleasure.

I’m now looking forward to this season, as there are loads of big fights out there for me; Kendall Holt, Humberto Soto, Marcos Maidana, Andre Berto, Victor Ortiz and Lamont Peterson are all fighters I want to fight before I retire.

US promoters have been showing me loads of love over the last two years, and it seems likely that I will finish my boxing career in America.

After I beat world number three, Delvin Rodriguez, he went on to fight for the world title against Austin Trout. After beating DeMarcus Corley, he dropped a point’s defeat to WBA ‘regular’ champion, Marcos Maidana, and then beat world number 16 Gabriel Bracero and former European champion Paul McCloskey.

I’ve given world champion Danny Garcia his hardest fight by far.

I achieved all this without a promoter. Imagine what I can do when a promoter backs me. America beckons and I am ready.

“It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.” – W. Edwards Deming