Exhibition fights are a must for older boxers who want to carry on fighting, to keep them from getting hurt<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nFull transcript<\/h2>\n
Question: I\u2019m delighted to be joined by none other than \u2018The Hitman\u2019 Ricky Hatton. Ricky, how are you keeping?<\/strong><\/p>\nRicky Hatton (RH): \u201cI\u2019m doing good. I\u2019m just off my exhibition bout with Marco Antonio Barrara a few weeks ago. I\u2019m straight back in the gym now, I\u2019m keeping my weight off.<\/span><\/p>\nIt\u2019s been a lifestyle change for me to be honest with you. I\u2019m getting a little bit older now so I need to be looking after myself weight wise. It\u2019s been a good thing from top to bottom.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): What was it like then to be back in the ring at the Manchester Arena again?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cIt was brilliant to be honest with you. I was shocked at the crowd, the size of the crowd and the atmosphere and everything.<\/span><\/p>\nObviously the cost of living now is very, very expensive for people. Christmas is coming up too of course. But the crowd that turned up was really touching.<\/span><\/p>\nTo do it with someone like Marco Antonio Barrera was a dream come true. I\u2019ve been a friend of Marco\u2019s for a number of years now. We all know how good Marco Antonio Barrera was but to find out first hand just how good he actually was an absolute dream.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): Do you see yourself doing more things like that [the Barrera exhibition] moving forward?<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cIf an offer came I would certainly look at it. What it did for my own personal well being, having a goal and a target, something to strive for. We get older, we still need something to get out of bed for in the morning don\u2019t we? It was brilliant. I\u2019ll always look at it because there was nothing negative that came from it.<\/span><\/p>\nIt got postponed originally. It was actually meant to happen on July 2nd first, and then it got postponed until November 12th. I kept in training, I kept in shape and that\u2019s the way forward.<\/span><\/p>\nIt inspired a lot of people as well. The amount of letters from people that I got that suffer from mental health problems and saw what a bad way I was in a few years ago. Seeing me do this was a positive and was hugely inspiring.<\/span><\/p>\nPeople who have problems with their weight have said \u2018Ricky you\u2019ve done amazing to get into the shape you have done at 44-years-of-age\u2019. There was nothing negative to come out of it so if you look at it from that point of view, if an offer came in to do it again, I would certainly consider it.<\/span><\/p>\nI am 44 now and going into training camp every five minutes is a lot tougher these days but I would certainly look at it as there was nothing negative to come from it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): Do you think a \u2018legends league\u2019 could be feasible?<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cI don\u2019t know to be honest. I\u2019m all for these exhibitions. The one thing we worry about as boxing fans is that your heroes give it one last go and end up getting knocked out and hurt. Muhammad Ali is the one that comes to mind. It was heartbreaking to see him get beaten by Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick and that.<\/span><\/p>\nThese exhibitions are different in the sense there is an understanding between the person you\u2019re doing the exhibition with. Shorter rounds, less rounds, bigger gloves – there\u2019s an understanding between the two so you can showcase your talent and skills one last time for the fans, without seeing your heroes get hurt or beat up.<\/span><\/p>\nI\u2019m all for these exhibitions. Don\u2019t get me wrong, I know my best days are behind me. There is no way I\u2019m going back to 12×3\u2019s and eight ounce gloves again [Ricky laughs]. But having said that, with these exhibitions you can see your heroes, watch them showcase their skills one last time with no risk of seeing them get knocked out which is always the main worry as a boxing fan.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): What do you think of the domestic super-lightweight division right now? It really is a stacked division domestically.<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cIt always has been. I\u2019m delighted that Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall are getting it on again. Not just for Jack [Catterall] to get the opportunity, he deserves the opportunity. No disrespect to Josh [Taylor] but I thought he lost that fight like most people do. But in fairness to Josh, he has insisted that he wants it. They\u2019re having the rematch which is what champions do.<\/span><\/p>\nThere is a little bit of a question mark there. Josh has been there and proven the champion that he is by giving Jack another chance. Obviously Jack Catterall trains in Manchester with his trainer and my friend – Jamie Moore, so I see a lot of Jack.<\/span><\/p>\nIt was really heartbreaking from a financial perspective for what he would have done if he had won all of those belts and the titles. It would have been incredible for him. He sort of missed out a bit, but at least he\u2019s going to get a second chance. Fair play to Josh Taylor for doing that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): How would you say that rematch is going to go?<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cIf we\u2019re going off the first fight, I\u2019d like to think Jack Catterall will do it. It would just be sods law wouldn\u2019t it if Josh Taylor just turned it on that night. Listen, everyone is entitled to a bad night. That might have been Josh Taylor\u2019s bad night.<\/span><\/p>\nI\u2019ll slightly go with Jack Catterall because I think that performance from last time will have put a dent in the back of Josh Taylor\u2019s mind. We all know how good Jack Catterall is but I think he performed better than any of us anticipated that night. Josh Taylor could just have had an off night too.<\/span><\/p>\nI think it\u2019s a real 50\/50 fight, I really do. I think Jack just had one of those nights where he was bang at it. I think this one will be a damn sight closer but can still go either way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): A fight that hasn\u2019t been made, Errol Spence vs Terrence Crawford. Is that frustrating for you as a boxing fan that we aren\u2019t seeing these big fights?<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cWe\u2019ve had the same thing many times and sometimes it happens in boxing. We\u2019ve been blessed in boxing with lots of great fights recently but it\u2019s like the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua situation. Everyone is demanding that the two best heavyweights fight each other but it just doesn\u2019t seem to be happening.<\/span><\/p>\nIt\u2019s the same with Crawford and Spence. Two unbeaten world champions, pound-for-pound contenders. It\u2019s a must that these fights happen for the sport. If these fights don\u2019t happen it\u2019s bad for our sport.<\/span><\/p>\nI think with so many things going wrong, with the likes of YouTubers fighting UFC fighters and UFC fighters facing boxers, fights at catch weights and this and that, the one thing we will forgive them but only if these big fights happen, they need to happen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nI wouldn\u2019t say our sport is going down hill but the entertainment value is sometimes more important than the titles are at stake these days. You\u2019ve got two unbeaten fighters there, two world champions, pound-for-pound greats at the height of the division and it\u2019s not happening. But then you might then get a YouTuber who has 50 million followers that gets the limelight.<\/span><\/p>\nThose are the fights that should be getting the limelight [Crawford v Spence, Fury v Joshua etc]. They should be happening which is heartbreaking really. It\u2019s been on the cards for a while and for whatever reason doesn\u2019t seem to be making any progress.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): You mentioned Fury and Joshua there. Surely that fight has to happen?<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cYes. Tyson the other week was saying \u2018You\u2019ve got until 5 o\u2019clock to make your decision\u2019 and this and that. I love Tyson and that, but it\u2019s just too big a fight for it not to happen. You can\u2019t just be giving until tea time on Monday to sign a contract. It\u2019s that big a fight and it does take time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nI don\u2019t think it\u2019s anyone\u2019s fault in particular either. It just takes time for big fights like this to get agreed. You\u2019ve got a different promoter, different TV company – it\u2019s frustrating.<\/span><\/p>\nThe boxers want it. The boxers are always the ones that want the fights and it\u2019s just the politics that sometimes gets in the way. I think Frank Warren wants it, I think Eddie Hearn wants it. I think Tyson Fury wants it, I think AJ wants it but it\u2019s just not happening! I can\u2019t put my finger on what it is. I\u2019m pretty confident we\u2019re going to get it over the line sooner or later though.<\/span><\/p>\nThere\u2019s the Usyk fight – that\u2019s another one. You\u2019ve got AJ, you\u2019ve got Tyson, you\u2019ve got Usyk – if you can\u2019t get the AJ fight, then let’s try to make the Usyk fight. It just doesn\u2019t seem to be happening at the minute but I can\u2019t put my finger on it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe AJ and Tyson fight has been talked about for three or four years now. It doesn\u2019t look good on the sport when Crawford v Spence isn\u2019t happening when we all know it should happen. AJ and Tyson not happening – it doesn\u2019t look good.<\/span><\/p>\nThose are the proper fights but then we\u2019ve got the YouTube crew nicking all the limelight. For the sake of our sport we need these fights to happen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): In an ideal world if Fury and Joshua do agree and fight next summer at Wembley Stadium, who would you be backing there?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cI think Tyson is just too good in every department. No disrespect intended to AJ and what he\u2019s done. Olympic gold medalist, two-time heavyweight champion of the world – his legacy is cemented to a certain degree.<\/span><\/p>\nThis is the fight that they both need to have. AJ showed that he can be outboxed like he did against Usyk. When you think about it, Tyson is just a bigger Usyk. He\u2019s got the height, he\u2019s got the reach, he\u2019s got the ability , he can box in southpaw, he can box orthodox, he can fight at the close-quarter range, he can fight at a distance – he\u2019s just a good all rounder.<\/span><\/p>\nWith AJ though you don\u2019t just get an olympic gold medal if you haven\u2019t got the boxing ability. He\u2019s also got punching power. If anybody is going to beat Tyson Fury, it probably will be Anthony Joshua.<\/span><\/p>\nI just think that Tyson has all the advantages. He\u2019s got the boxing brain, I think he can change his tactics mid fight and stuff like that. He\u2019s so versatile. He can go to war, he can box at a distance, he has a wonderful defence, he can go southpaw, orthodox, and I don\u2019t know if AJ – who has done the country really proud being two-tie heavyweight champion of the world, olympic gold medalist – I don\u2019t know if he\u2019s good enough to suss out the puzzle of Tyson Fury. I think he\u2019d just be too clever and too good all round I think.<\/span><\/p>\nFingers crossed we get it over the line, absolutely.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): Tyson Fury is fighting Derek Chisora for the third time this weekend. Do you think this is more even than people are perceiving it to be or is this a routine victory for Tyson?<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cIt\u2019s the third time they will have boxed so you do think what are they going over old ground for? But Derek is still hanging in there, he\u2019s still knocking on the door, he\u2019s still been putting performances in. He deserves his shot.<\/span><\/p>\nWe all want to see Tyson versus Joshua, and if we don\u2019t see that we want to see Tyson vs Usyk. If we can\u2019t get Tyson versus Usyk then we\u2019ll watch AJ and Usyk – they are the top three in the mix who we want to see fighting each other.<\/span><\/p>\nBut after that you\u2019ve got the other batch of top heavyweights and there could be six, seven or eight of them and Derek is definitely one of them that\u2019s in there. He\u2019s a larger than life character, he\u2019s entertaining.<\/span><\/p>\nI think the fact that Tyson has beaten him twice doesn\u2019t make it look good but at the end of the day if the big fights aren\u2019t out there and can\u2019t get made, Tyson\u2019s still got to be fighting hasn\u2019t he? He\u2019s still got his bills to pay, he can\u2019t be sitting around waiting for the AJ fight because we\u2019ve been waiting for three years haven\u2019t we? He\u2019s got to get on with it.<\/span><\/p>\nTyson will be thinking \u2018we can\u2019t make the AJ fight, we can\u2019t make the Usyk fight\u2019, but there\u2019s a batch of others and Derek Chisora is one of the batch and is one of the contenders knocking on the door. I can see why people are disappointed in it but one thing that boxing has taught us is that there are always going to be upsets, especially in the heavyweight division.<\/span><\/p>\nWe\u2019ll talk about Joshua, we\u2019ll talk about Usyk – if Tyson takes his eye off the ball and big D [Chisora] lands one, you never know. Tyson has been on his back a few times. Those fights with Wilder, there are a few more miles on the clock now with Tyson so you never know.<\/span><\/p>\nI think at the end of the day Derek probably deserves his shot. He\u2019s kept knocking on the door, he\u2019s entertaining and we\u2019ll forgive this fight if we get the main fight that we\u2019re after – the Joshua one or the Usyk one. But if that;s not going to happen then in the meantime it\u2019s a domestic fight, two British heavyweights, that\u2019s the way we\u2019ve got to look at it I guess.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): If I had to ask you for a prediction for the Fury v Chisora 3 fight, how do you think it will go?<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cI would probably say Tyson Fury by a late stoppage again. I love Derek Chisora to bits, he\u2019s absolutely first class but I think there are a fair few miles on Derek\u2019s clock now. Most definitely after this fight I would like to see Derek hang them up.<\/span><\/p>\nI think Tyson is a little bit fresher, he\u2019s got all the attributes that I\u2019ve mentioned with the height and reach and I think Derek has been to the well a few times. Tyson by a late stoppage. It’ll be entertaining. Derek will bring it to him for however long it lasts. He might find that he\u2019s hitting fresh air a few times but yes, I think Tyson will win via late stoppage.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): What is your opinion on YouTube boxing?<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cI\u2019m old school. The one thing I wanted to do when I was coming up was to become world champion and to be the best in my weight division. But things are changing and the fighting world has just moved on leaps and bounds. We\u2019ve got UFC\/mixed martial arts now which is massive, we\u2019ve got boxing – even though I\u2019m old school, I think we\u2019ve got to move with the times. If you don\u2019t, it\u2019s going to pass you by. You say \u2018I want to fight this guy, I want to fight that guy, I don\u2019t want to fight a YouTuber\u2019 – that\u2019s where all the money is.<\/span><\/p>\nYou\u2019ve got Jake Paul who is a massive name now, everyone wants to fight him – he\u2019s box office value. As an old school boxer, we\u2019ll put up with the Jake Paul\u2019s and this fight and that fight and the Youtubers, as long as we get the Tyson vs Aj fight, the Spence vs Crawford fight. If we\u2019re still getting them, then really, who cares about the other ones?<\/span><\/p>\nAs boxing purists, if we\u2019re seeing the fights we want to see and we\u2019re bothered about, then they can do their thing but at least if we\u2019re getting the main fights as a boxing man. That\u2019s what I mean. It\u2019s bad for our sport. It\u2019s got a few things happening to it that wasn\u2019t happening years ago, like the YouTubers and like Floyd Mayweather fighting a mixed martial artist. What will save boxing is if these mega-fights like the two fights we\u2019ve just mentioned take place. Nobody would be bothered about the youTube crew if boxing fans were getting the fights we really want.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): Jake Paul views himself as a boxer. Do you think he can\u2019t call himself a boxer until he fights one? If he fought someone like Tommy Fury, do you think that\u2019s more credible?<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cYes, absolutely. Let\u2019s have it right, he\u2019s a YouTuber and he\u2019s going into boxing. I think the way he\u2019s done it is the correct way of doing it. He is a YouTuber so you fight this guy, you fight that guy and because he\u2019s got a few rounds under his belt now in the boxing ring and has dipped his toe in water, now is the time for him to fight a boxer.<\/span><\/p>\nUltimately, Jake Paul has done more professional rounds than Tommy Fury. I think he\u2019s gone about it in the right way. Now he\u2019s fought a basketball player, he\u2019s fought a UFC fighter, I get it. But now he\u2019s reached the time that if he is going to speak of himself as a professional\u00a0 boxer then he needs to fight a more dangerous opponent next time.<\/span><\/p>\nFair play to him. He\u2019s a YouTuber and has gone right out of his comfort zone and into the hardest game of all – boxing. Yes he\u2019s fought a basketball player and former UFC fighters, but why shouldn\u2019t he? But now if he wants to refer to himself as a boxer then now is the time he\u2019s got to fight one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): If Jake Paul was to fight Tommy Fury, would you be backing Fury to win it?<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cYou\u2019d like to think so, yes. We\u2019re talking about Jake Paul but my advice to Tommy as a friend of the family and as someone who used to train Tommy when he first started in his career, when he does fight Jake Paul I\u2019ll be firmly in Tommy\u2019 corner. If that fight is going to happen and we\u2019re saying that Jake Paul needs to fight a boxer, I also think Tommy needs more rounds.<\/span><\/p>\nTommy\u2019s not really getting the rounds and he did an exhibition last time because he came in overweight. I think Tommy needs the competitive rounds, nevermind Jake Paul. From Jake paul\u2019s point of view, that would be more like it, fighting someone like a Tommy Fury.<\/span><\/p>\nI think Tommy Fury beats him all day long, as long as he gets a few more rounds in the bank. Jake Paul has done more rounds than Tommy Fury. Once Tommy has banged out a few six rounders and got a few eight rounders under his belt, then I think it\u2019s a no-contest.<\/span><\/p>\nAs he hasn\u2019t done too many rounds himself, he probably hasn\u2019t got that natural stamina. It\u2019s not just for Tommy, it\u2019s for Mayweather, for me – you need those rounds under your belt and so far Tommy\u2019s not done that yet and that\u2019s the only thing that gives Jake Paul half a chance. If Tommy got a few rounds under his belt and built that stamina up then I think it\u2019s an easy fight for Tommy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): Women\u2019s boxing is booming now. What did you think of the Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano fight, fight of the year?<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cNever mind one of the best fights for ladies, but one of the best fights period! It was incredible. What a flagship fight for ladies boxing. I was very fortunate to go to the Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall fight in London where it was an all-ladies bill. The standard of ladies boxing now is incredible.<\/span><\/p>\nThey\u2019ve come such a long way since when it started and I must admit I wasn\u2019t a fan of ladies boxing when it first started out. I just didn\u2019t like the ladies beating each other up with blood all over their faces, I just wasn’t a fan. But if ladies want to do boxing, just like the men and it\u2019s a passion and dream for them, then they deserve just as much of a chance as the men to go and fulfil and go for those dreams.<\/span><\/p>\nAlthough I wasn\u2019t a fan early on, I think ladies deserve their chance just the same as men go and reach for the stars and go and fulfil their dreams. The way ladies boxing has taken off now from a few years ago is absolutely incredible.<\/span><\/p>\nI actually train a lady boxer, Chloe Watson, who boxed on Saturday night (Saturday 26th November). She\u2019s four unbeaten now and she boxed in the GB Team years ago. She won multinational titles and boxed at multi-nation tournaments, so I’ve got high hopes for Chloe. Ladies boxing now, it really is top drawer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): One negative about boxing is PPV prices. We\u2019ve seen it go from \u00a320, to \u00a325 and now \u00a327 with Fury v Chisora 3 and Usyk v Joshua 2. Is it unaffordable now for boxing fans?<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cYou pay your BT or your Sky subscription fee and then they charge you to watch these fights on Box Office as well. I mean, \u00a330? It is incredible.<\/span><\/p>\nWhen you think about the cost of living now for everybody and to keep banging the prices up at the box office, I guess it is what it is.<\/span><\/p>\nI was delighted that my exhibition ended up being on Sky Sports because my previous one that got postponed was going on the internet at the box office. So unless you bought a ticket for the fight, which is tough for people these days, unless you\u2019d\u00a0 paid for it on box office then you wouldn\u2019t have seen my fight with Marco Antonio Barrera.<\/span><\/p>\nWhen Sky came on board and it went on Sky Sports, fight fans could see it for free. I was absolutely delighted that happened. But yes, it seems to be going up and going up and I don\u2019t see it changing anytime soon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): Do you think it will get to a stage where it is just too much for boxing fans to spend on PPV?<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cThe promoters and TV companies aren\u2019t daft. If they keep putting it up and the viewing figures are crap, then they\u2019ll be going \u2018hang on a minute\u2019 and then they\u2019ve got to look at it as a TV company. They\u2019ll be thinking it;s great that they can charge 30 quid for the fights, but there\u2019s no point in charging 30 quid if you\u2019re not getting the viewers. If they don\u2019t get the viewers then they might have to start knocking it down.<\/span><\/p>\nThey might think they\u2019re getting a million viewers who are paying 20 quid, rather than 150,000 that are paying \u00a330. The TV companies will have to look into that. All it boils down to is numbers. If they keep putting the price up then the figures must be good. If they keep putting the price up and then all of a sudden they\u2019re not hitting their desired amount of views, then they might have to do a double shuffle and start knocking it down.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): What is your opinion on the whole Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn situation and the failed Benn drugs test etc?<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cIt was disappointing. It was disappointing for Conor, he turned around and was as shocked as anyone when the results came through and you\u2019ve got to take him on his word with that. I\u2019m not exactly sure where that whole situation is with Conor and whether he\u2019s contesting it or not, but I think boxing needs to be a little bit stricter.<\/span><\/p>\nThe thing for fight fans is the confusion. We\u2019re all still confused as to what\u2019s going on. Has he actually been banned? In other sports it\u2019s black and white. You fail a test, you get that punishment. Whereas in our sport, everyone is still scratching their heads about where we\u2019re standing in the situation.<\/span><\/p>\nConor said he\u2019s as shocked as anybody to find that in his system and I feel sorry for him. His reputation is at stake and if he genuinely hasn\u2019t taken anything then it is a shame.<\/span><\/p>\nI felt sorry for Chris Eubank Jr too who worked so hard getting all of that weight off. It was made at a catchweight so the fight could happen, he did that and then right at the last minute the fight got pulled which is heartbreaking for Chris.<\/span><\/p>\nWe\u2019re talking about some of the big fights that haven\u2019t been made, well Chris Eubank Jr is in a fantastic fight now with Liam Smith. That is a great fight. Two British fighters at world level in their primes. Liam has been there, done it, worn the t-shirt, fought Canelo and has been a world champion. We\u2019re all wondering if Chris Eubank Jr can be a world champion. He\u2019s had one fight that has sadly fallen through for him through no fault of his own, but the sun must have been shining down on him for this fight when it was made. It\u2019s a belter this fight, a really, really good fight.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(P): Who do you think wins Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith in January?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cI think it is a 50\/50. I wouldn\u2019t say Liam has miles on the clock but he\u2019s been there, bought the t-shirt whereas it seems like Chris Eubank Jr has been around forever.<\/span><\/p>\nIf you look at Liam and you look at Chris, you\u2019d say that Chris is the fresher. Maybe that\u2019s why some people would lean towards Chris a little bit but I think Liam is very good. He could maybe out-think him and out-school him.<\/span><\/p>\nWe never like to sit on the fence do we but I do think that is a genuine 50\/50 fight. Anyone who is edging one way or another is just by such a small margin. That\u2019s what makes it such a good fight .Sometimes a fight is made and you already know who the winner will be before the bell has rung but as fight fans when one like this comes up we go \u2018Ohhhh, I don\u2019t know about this one\u2019 and that\u2019s what makes it such a great fight.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(P): Looking at the British boxing landscape now, who do you see as some of the biggest prospects in Britain right now? Who should we watch out for?<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cThere\u2019s Adam Azim who boxed last weekend. I think he\u2019s 6-0 now and he looks a real prospect. Then you\u2019ve got Dalton Smith who is a very good prospect. Frazer Clarke is probably the next heavyweight prospect coming through. We talk about Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua and it\u2019s nice to see we have this conveyor belt of heavyweight fighters. You\u2019ve got Daniel Dubois who is knocking on the door of a world title now but Frazer Clarke is a real prospect.<\/span><\/p>\nThen you\u2019ve got another one, he\u2019s from Liverpool and he\u2019s called Nick Ball. I like him, I really like him. He goes for the knockout every time and is very explosive. He\u2019s a nice kid too. He\u2019s been down at my gym sparring actually.<\/span><\/p>\nEvery second he\u2019s in there he\u2019s going for the knockout, he\u2019s very explosive and he\u2019s great to watch. I think he\u2019s going to be a really good prospect. He\u2019s knocking on the door now of a world title shot of sorts but I think we\u2019ll still class him as a prospect. He could be the next one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(P): A featherweight domestically of course you\u2019ve got Leigh Wood and Josh Warrington, they could be big fights for Nick Ball next year.<\/span><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cHe\u2019s not far off that now. We\u2019re talking about him as a prospect but he\u2019s nearly there. There are some great fights for him domestically to be had for him. His style is brilliant, he has a great style.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n(Q): Who could be the next heavyweight champion from Britain?<\/strong><\/p>\n(RH): \u201cI think Frazer Clark has the capabilities, he\u2019s got the pedigree. He\u2019s only had four fights so far so there are a few boxes he\u2019s got to tick just like we all had to do coming through. He\u2019ll need to test his heart, his chin, his stamina, his boxing brain but I think Frazer Clarke has got a fantastic chance.<\/span><\/p>\nI think Joe Joyce deserves his shot now too. I think Joe Joyce beats Usyk. He\u2019s got the style to swarm him. He\u2019s got the height, the reach so I think he\u2019s got a chance of beating Usyk.<\/span><\/p>\nNeedless to say, Daniel Dubois has a great chance. I think it\u2019s nice that we\u2019ve got the conveyor belt coming after Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. These are the ones to take their place at world level.<\/span><\/p>\nJoe Joyce is capable of becoming a world champion, Daniel Dubois is capable of becoming a world champion, Frazer Clarke is capable of becoming a world champion but just needs time.<\/span><\/p>\nIt’s an exciting time. For years America had all the champions and all the belts but now Great Britain seems to be making a good stand on the world stage. AJ, Tyson Fury, Joe Joyce, Daniel Dubois, Frazer Clarke – it\u2019s great to see.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n