Very big fan of Amir Khan. Some good recent wins however have still not put the glass jaw theory to bed. Predicting a points win over Canello but few agree!

Eubank junior is top notch. Fought the wrong fight against Saunders, a bit like Quigg / Frampton. Feel his power will come as his technique is very good and his timing and delivery polished. Very good chin!

Ohara Davies also looks good as do the Yafai brothers. Conor Benn also well regarded by many in the game.

I've still got a feeling that Brook is the best we've got. Looking forward to him demolishing rated fighters.

I've missed you on this thread ojw, glad you're back and I mean it

Joshua has turned his life around, was probably born into an environment where he had little opportunity so turned to crime, but thats all history now.

With the right management he could go right to the top and dominate the division like Lewis did, that can only be good for Britain.

Cheers Gav. Big of you. Hope all ok.

Credit to Joshua. Very pleased for him. And yes he's turned his life around and all the more credit to the lad for that alone.

Don't think Fury had it easy on gypsy campsites though!

Pleased to see Blackwell recovering.

Good wins for Groves, Selby, Macklin and the twin.

Irrespective of the hype it's a good time for UK boxing. Genuine world class in Brook, Fury, Joshua, Frampton, Smith x 2, Haye etc a second group slightly below in Crolla, Quigg, Whyte, Groves, Saunders, Eubank and a large crop of younger fighters following and learning from decent pros. Good times ahead for UK boxing in general.

Give me an Anthony Joshua any day over a Tyson Fury.

I agree the division needed a shake up, but not by someone who talked more than he punched.

Fury is an embarrassment to the sport, the sooner he retires the better.

Joshua convicted drug dealer who was facing eight years in the nick. Brilliant role model indeed, especially if you like your pills and powders.

Frampton on points.

Joe Gallagher peeing me off. Hearn isn't sole reporter on this one and openly admitted he was going to wind it all up with the latitude that gave him. Gallaghers caught up in it all as well.

Someone's 0 has got to go!

Just looking at the Championship league table throws up some very interesting statistics.

Rovers have conceded just 27 goals in the league this season. Only 3 teams in the whole division have conceded less goals than Rovers, those being automatic promotion chasers Burnley (26), Middlesbrough (16) and Hull (19). Derby County and Forest have conceded 27 also.

Even the teams chasing the play-offs known for their defensive resilience have conceded significantly more than we have, Ipswich on 39 for example.

Beyond this we have 'only' lost 10 games this season, which is a low figure for a side in our position. Birmingham and Ipswich, just outside the play-offs, have lost 9, whilst Rotherham, third bottom, have lost 9 more games than we have.

In comparison to the sides down at the wrong end of the table with us, the bottom 3 sides have all conceded basically double the amount of goals we have this season, Bolton (52), Charlton (56) and Rotherham (55).

Its quite clear that at the back we are a very strong side and there is little/no work that needs to be done on that front to very quickly climb the league.

At the other end of the pitch the story is very different. Rovers have scored just 28 goals all season, with only Charlton (26), Bristol City (27) and MK Dons (25) scoring less goals than us. Alarmingly Fulham have scored 47 yet sit below us, whilst all the top 6 sides have scored 20+ more goals than us over the 30 games this season.

I would like to think moving forward, as long as we survive this season, that the major surgery will be concentrated on our attacking abilities and not on our defence, which has been consistent all season.

Good post. To be fair the defensive improvement was noticeable pre-Lambert. My biggest gripe with Bowyer was the goals conceeded column and I was pleasantly suprised this season. The loss of Cairney and Gestede didn't help him going forward however.

That's why I was so relaxed as we lost five on the bounce one nil. Narrow, narrow margins too close to call. We're going to be ok under Lambert and already look more of a team to me.

Conceeding less than 40 will be vital if we are to hit the play-offs. Fair play to our Captain. I've been a critic in the past, but I've no complaints this season and hes really won me over.

Phew indeed!

Sundays game feels like a free hit now. The players should be able to look forward to it.

It's a win-win for Khan really. If he loses the fight, he can still come crawling back to England for the Brook stadium fight and take down millions in the process.

If he wins then he can pretty much fight whoever he wants. If he chooses Brook then he'll probably want a 95/5 purse in his favour or something obscene like that.

Eddie Hearn told Khan he could earn 10 million for the Brook fight. When Khan asked Hearn for the 10 million to fight Brook and called his bluff, the problems started.

Thought David Price was definitely done after last time. My girlfriend's brother is friends with some of the family (they live in Clayton-Le-Moors) so he's been to loads of the fights. Even he didn't think he'd come back from the last couple of defeats! 'Head's gone' as it were....

Three of Price's defeats came against two boxers who have now been caught using banned substances. Hard not to feel a tad sorry for him and the deleterious impact these results have had on his standing and career.

AJ fighting Martin for IBF title on April 9th. Hope this isn't a step to far for him at this stage, shades of Bruno.

Bruno lost in 11 to Bonecrusher and in 9/10 to Witherspoon I think. Bruno was never beating Tyson in a million years.

Intriguing fight against Martin and I am pleased he has taken this decision. With Khan v Canello, Fury v Klitchko, Ward v Kovalev, BJS maybe against GGG, or Brook against GGG, Frampton v Quigg with the winner fighting Rigondeux, AJ v Martin etc at long last some decents fights that are hard to call.

I resisted Sky for many years but then they bought the cricket coverage and I had no choice but to subscribe . It annoyed me and it still does. If it ever goes back to free to air , I'd cancel my sky subscription in an instant.

First time ever I have not had Sky this year. Not missed the football, apart from the odd game, but have missed the cricket very much, especially with us doing so well in the test arena.

Not concerned at losing the one dayer's. Bet the players are dying to come home. Very pleased with the test performances against a decent side.

Khan v Canello in Vegas is on, fair play to him for that.

Yup. Shuts a few up who say he's scared.

The glass chin stuffs being peddled everywhere as well. He was meant to lose to Maidana. And Alexander. Every fight he's ever had people predict hes getting sparked out. He's not favourite, but I wish him well.

I think he's trying to smoke Mayweather out. Either way the Brook fight is still big.

As much as I loved watching KP batting his time with England has gone now. The arrogance that made him dynamite on the field, ultimately became his undoing off it. Disappointing really as we could have enjoyed him for a lot longer. When you see the likes of Hales and Lyth and Compton getting a game, often averaging below 25, it frustrates knowing he is sat around watching. All teams require standards of behaviour however and KP acted like a fool.

Liking the current emphasis on youth, mixed with seasoned campaigners. Enjoying the positive mindset and attacking new approach as well. Great that we can now change a test in a session wth both bat and ball.

Need a top quality opener with the technique to survive and bat for long periods. Cook can normally hold one end up but needs some support. No good your number three coming in at 15 for 1 all the time.

Hoping Bell scores early runs this season and challenges for his place. Form is temporary....

A good series win. Well done England.

Back to normal today. Need an opener asap.

Go on Jimmy. 77 for 9.

8 down. Be good if Anderson can get a wicket.

CAN YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU HEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRR ICERSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SING NOOOOOOOO

SOUTH AFRICA 46 FOR 7!!!!

Absolute dynamite. Broad 5 for 1 in 31. Go on England.

Come on Rovers.

160 + for 4 at tea chasing just over 300.

Cook and Hayes both failed again. Root and Stokes leading the fight back.

Important final session. Don't lose it here England!!!

Good first day for England. The pitch will suit their attack so we need to polish off the last three quickly tomorrow. Come in England! Be good if Cook can get a big score first innings.

Day 1 definitely, I was thinking that it was a results wicket, however it seemed to become easy paced as the game went on.

I suppose it just didn't disentegrate as you would hope, and as there was no swing or seam, ended up as a draw.

Though we did drop plenty of catches- ie AB on 8.

We dropped 8 catches.

The ball was lifting off a length on the last day.

Good test cricket wicket.

Catch your catches, win your matches.

C'mon you Saffers! And please let it not rain. Win this, get Steyn back again for the next test and boom. Confidence will be sky high going into the 3rd test

Think you can calm down now. 1-0 to the good guys.

C'mon you Saffers! And please let it not rain. Win this, get Steyn back again for the next test and boom. Confidence will be sky high going into the 3rd test

Whose side are you on

Hope it chucks it down.

Big trouble now 116-6.

Big trouble indeed. What a collapse. Need to somehow survive the session. Ali and Bairstow are in.

Thought Shearers header was just as good as the left footed shot.

Was in the Blackburn End upper tier. Bloke sat on my left didn't celebrate when we scored the first. Watched him closely for the 2nd goal still no movement, not that I cared one iota.

The mush behind us cared though. Big row after the 2nd goal, some argy bargy, mush next to me thrown out

Well done Joshua. A proper test. Good fight, credit to both. Eubank also did well, great work rate and combinations.

Mitchell should retire. Campbell was up against a tough kid, no disgrace losing, but equally he struggled and looked ordinary.

I caught the gloves are off and didn't think much of it other than the usual mouth. Stating that he was much younger and bigger as he repeatedly did wasn't rocket science just like his tactics of dance and counter using his much bigger reach weren't. Has to have massive credit for sticking to it and carrying it through though as well as getting into the shape to do it for such a big cumbersome guy.

Saw some behind the ropes and yes I was surprised at his boxing brain and the guy is very intelligent. Fact remains though that he's a loud mouth prick from a family of scumbags and he spent the last few months making it impossible for hardly anyone to take to him, u makes yer bed as they say. Not that he cares, he genuinely doesn't which helps his daft image.

Fact is though that for everything Fury did good the other night Wlad was equally as bad. 50% Fury made him look that way but the other 50 was a bit of a no show with him. Just because you don't like someone doesn't mean you don't rate them though and Fury can be a force in this below average division. I remain far from convinced there is anything great about him though and I just wish the other night it was only for one version of the crown as that would be more fitting for him at this stage but that's boxing I suppose.

Agree with most of this, especially the last paragraph.

Disagree Fury should have commented differently pre-fight. His comments and acting were simply designed to upset his rival and promote interest in the fight. Job done in hindsight.

Klitchko didn't turn up. Pathetic. 18 power shots thrown all fight? That should have been his tally at the end of round 4.

Fury was also crap. Just not as crap as Klitchko. You have to hope there are tougher tests ahead. I personally scored it level after the point deduction. Styles make matches / fights as we all know. Too big units cancelling each other out with both of them frightened to get levelled.

Not seen it yet but sounds like a good effort from Degale and a great confidence builder, not that he needs it like. Agree I always thought Froch would have had too much for Degale and I'd like to see him set the record straight with big mouth Groves although not sure he should keep getting title shots.

Joshua / Whyte is an interesting one, if it's a trade off it really could go either way but if they box a bit I expect Joshua to come out on top inside 5. As much as I'd love to see Fury ironed out I don't think AJ is ready for him yet he needs to be mixing it with the Chisoras for a good few hard rounds in a couple more fights yet.

It was a good effort from Degale. Viewed on Showtime and apparently the Americans liked what they saw. Must be in a good position to now challenge Jack.

I know the smart money is on Joshua. At the risk of being called clueless, I am stating now that I think Whyte has a cracking chance against him. I base this on their history as youngsters, the fact they have previously fought and also the fact that Whyte has had 80 kick-boxing fights. If you are used to being kicked in the chops maybe he can take Joshua's punches to the face? Meanwhile, what is Joshua's chin like? I'm thinking and hoping their is an upset. Love seeing Eddie Hearn go white about the gills and Joshua needs testing. Needless, its not a career defining fight for either and time is on their sides. Happy whoever wins.

Fury ironed out? Not sure why everyone dislikes him and you can only beat what is stood in front of you. He bigged up his chances and sold his fight. If wanting to see the real Fury, watch the Gloves are Off or Behind the Ropes in the fight build-up. Bullshit baffles brains.

I've told you what I think, your post lacks class, we all comment on most subjects we're not experts in, by your own admission above you do not, you're an expert, so I'll be careful in future and keep an eye out going forward

Let's not spoil the thread by trading insults.

I'm not spoiling anything. If you don't want your ill-thought out posts repeating, don't write them. Your always moaning people do not read back a few pages but when someone does and reminds you, suddenly it is crass.

You said I knew nothing about heavyweight boxing because I thought Fury would win. Care to retract that stupid comment?

James Degale went almost unnoticed last night fighting Lucian Bute in Canada and came away with what looks on paper to be a credible point victory, did anyone see the fight?

Degale talking about Badou Jack next year in Vegas, the conquer of George Groves, Eubank Jnr possibly, or dropping down and fighting Golovkin, but surely he'll be advised to avoid him like the plague, then we have Froch who is still talking about fighting, so who knows.

I saw the fight.

Bute away was always going to be a tough fight, irrespective of how easily Froch beat him up. Last chance saloon and he put up a great effort. Ring commentators and Eddie Hearn had the fight close, maybe one round in it. Mcdonald told Degale he needed to win the last two rounds to win. Suprisingly, the judges saw it heavily in Degales favour, the result bringing boos and dsisacontent from the partisan home crowd. I thought Degale had won, but felt it was very close.

Courageous of Degale to take his first defence away from home. He is a very confident fighter indeed. Won the title away, defended it away and now talking about unifying belts away again against Badou Jack. I think he wins that fight on points, too slick, too quick.

Problem for Degale going up the levels is I don''t think he can knock the very best out and also suffers from stamina / concentration in the later rounds. I think Froch would get him on the ropes walking through his shots and take it away from him. On the stamina issue he looked tight at the weight which is a concern only one defence in.

Meanwhile Froch is stating his current weight is 13 stone 7 with 8% body fat. Says there is no way he could get back to super middle-weight and if returning would have to fight at light-heavy. (Froch also thought Joshua is ill-matched against Whyte. I'm ot so sure and think it could be a cracker.

Pleased for Crolla, Liam Smith, Fury and Degale. I think I am correct in saying we have 12 world champions at this time which is a cracking effort.