Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor
When the news broke earlier today that Michael Clark would not be taking on Kell Brook on December 11th at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, it came as no surprise to World Boxing News as the fight was almost dead in the water before it was announced.
The bout was originally announced on November 4th with the American not even having received a contract for the fight, let alone signed one and his court injunction for non-payment of child support had always stopped the 37 year-old from travelling anyway.
Now Britain’s top welterweight will take on the boiled-down African Philip Kotey, who has an unimpressive record of 21 wins 5 defeats and 2 draws and has never been anywhere near Kell Brook’s league, so shouldn’t cause the Yorkshireman any problems whatsoever.
Kotey, 28, has never even won his national title as he was defeated by Laatekwei Hammond on points in 2005, a man who was blown out by Junior Witter in two rounds, three years previously and is a questionable opponent as a world title stepping stone.
Surely its a stone-cold case of protection by promoter Frank Warren, to announce a credible opponent (who it was known could not make the fight) and then hastily organise a far weaker opponent, who was probably the first in line to fight Brook anyway.
Pardon my scepticism, but it seems to happen a lot on shows lately, were a lot of potentially close match-ups turn into mis-matches after a late pull-out. The rest of the Liverpool card should keep the fans happy though as the main event alone is worth the ringside entrance fee as Paul Smith takes on James DeGale for the British Super-Middleweight Title.
Original WBN article on November 4th http://www.worldboxingnews.net/2010/11/michael-clark-i-aint-signed-no-contract.html
WBN Editor
Ghanaian brought in for Liverpool show
When the news broke earlier today that Michael Clark would not be taking on Kell Brook on December 11th at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, it came as no surprise to World Boxing News as the fight was almost dead in the water before it was announced.
The bout was originally announced on November 4th with the American not even having received a contract for the fight, let alone signed one and his court injunction for non-payment of child support had always stopped the 37 year-old from travelling anyway.
Now Britain’s top welterweight will take on the boiled-down African Philip Kotey, who has an unimpressive record of 21 wins 5 defeats and 2 draws and has never been anywhere near Kell Brook’s league, so shouldn’t cause the Yorkshireman any problems whatsoever.
Kotey, 28, has never even won his national title as he was defeated by Laatekwei Hammond on points in 2005, a man who was blown out by Junior Witter in two rounds, three years previously and is a questionable opponent as a world title stepping stone.
Surely its a stone-cold case of protection by promoter Frank Warren, to announce a credible opponent (who it was known could not make the fight) and then hastily organise a far weaker opponent, who was probably the first in line to fight Brook anyway.
Pardon my scepticism, but it seems to happen a lot on shows lately, were a lot of potentially close match-ups turn into mis-matches after a late pull-out. The rest of the Liverpool card should keep the fans happy though as the main event alone is worth the ringside entrance fee as Paul Smith takes on James DeGale for the British Super-Middleweight Title.
Original WBN article on November 4th http://www.worldboxingnews.net/2010/11/michael-clark-i-aint-signed-no-contract.html