Age and injuries Tomps? Ok pal.

Personally speaking I think you are over engineering Fury's victory a tad. Tyson is a massive unit with a long reach and simply due to size, forgetting any ability, will prove a handful for all.

Aye and i'll counter that with a right hook and say your ignoring clear mitigating circumstances

Anyway moving on...........

Absolutely no argument from me in that Fury is being genuine, I don't like a lot of what he has to say, but he sells tickets and gets people talking, ergo, he's done a lot of his job already before he sets foot in the ring!

He HAS to do that though because his actual boxing has never been as spectacular as your AJ's, Hayes, Wilders etc. These guys spark people and that's why fans get excited and want to watch them.

It's interesting to note that when he was fighting Chisora in the first date in Manchester I logged on to buy tickets online only a few days before it was called off. Half the arena was closed off similar to when the darts is there and the available half was around 50% full at best. There was a fair set of other fights on as well involving some local names. This was only days before it was scheduled and they ended up switching it to London as part of a bigger bill.

Also look at his twitter followers, in the days of social media it's a marker for popularity whether we like it or not. As the lineal 2 belt (was 3) Heavyweight champion of the world you'd expect him to have a fair few following him but AJ already has probably double.

He doesn't have mass appeal for his boxing nor his personality so he's carving himself out a niche. There is nothing genuine about it at all as he even struggles with that because he's on a constant contradiction and as soon as he has a difficult question or runs out of something to say he reverts to bible quotes.

The minute a proper heavyweight gets to his chin he's gone. Although history now says he's THE man who beat THE man it does say that about a good few heavyweights who did naff all else besides. He's the hype job imo. If he proves me wrong i'll relent.

No drama from me Tomps, just laughing at the spin, hypocrisy and gullibility.

No reason to dislike Joshua either and will respect him even more when he's achieved something at world level.

Never said Fury was a good role model which seems to be the point you are arguing. Regardless your getting your plastics mixed up. As far as I can see Fury hasn't changed at all and says what he wants. Joshuas the one with the script writer and pointed rhetoric selling to the casuals.

I know you thought Klitchko would spark him out and were disappointed Fury won. All the more reason in my book to re-consider his abilities after defeating a ten year linear champion with relative ease.

Didn't think he would spark him out if you go back to my posts I always thought he had a chance. I did want him sparked though

Age as much as Fury beat Wlad that night and I suspect there was some kind of injury being covered up. I think Fury will do him in 6 this time though.

None of which has anything to do with Joshua currently cashing in claiming the moral high ground purporting to being a decent role model. Good old Eddie and Matchroom spinning it to the masses.

Not sure what Fury family actions have to do with Fury either. Simply put, Tyson Fury upset folk with some of his comments and that is all he has been 'charged and convicted' of. I can live with that in light of Mayweathers and Brunos wife beating, Chisoros spitting, Brown's drug use, Joshuas drug dealing, Hayes beheading tee-shirts and Tysons rapes and ear mauling.

Small fry really in context if you like the boxer, major drama if you don't.

He's been perfectly open about it from the word go so he's hardly claiming the moral high ground. If anything he's a shining example of how boxing can help turn someone's life around. Fury on the other hand is a perfect example of how getting a bit of fame, money and plastic notoriety gives someone the license to act the dick in public and get away with it.

Seems you were the one making the drama about Joshua because you don't like him. That's fair enough it's all about opinions.

I agree on the Eddie Hearn point though, he does sell sand to the arabs at times and most blindly lap it up. He did pull off a masterstroke getting AJ in with that Martin though, he knew damn well the title was in the bag as soon as the Brit detonated.

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

Have you actually looked into the Fury family history namely this so called super trainer uncle or his dad who gouged a blokes eye out ? How much misery did uncle Peter bring to the streets with his former profession ffs !

They are scum and that big dick only inspires disgust and derision when he opens his juvenile mouth. Also while we are at it the only one who lived the true pikey way was John because he was a rough neck who chose too. All this Gypsy stuff is @#/? you should have seen the house Tyson lived in a few years back BEFORE he'd made much from boxing, not a caravan in sight.

Someone like Evans will always get a bit of leeway with their fans because I think they were struggling financially when he took over, or so I'm told. He stopped the rot then invested what bit he had but got burned by Roy Kean so now he just props them up.

Trouble is Rovers will always be a poisoned chalice under the V's unless they really do try and restore what they wrecked. That's because of the ridiculous, arrogant, ignorant, under hand and some of us would say bent way they wrecked it. It's never been a slow slide to our natural level at all and anyone who likes to portray that needs a slap !

Sadly we are stuck with it now and yes we have to live like other Champ clubs and it's a pill we'll have to swallow and get on with it. Never let it be said there is anything natural about the way it came about though like might be the case at many other clubs of a similar size in this div.

I won a fiver on Pacman lol didn't watch it as I knew he'd win he's a level above Bradley as their 2nd fight showed and the fight he lost against him was just about the biggest scandal I've ever seen in boxing. Just money fights though so Pac wasn't taking a risk in his so called last fight just like Mayweather. I'm amazed enough people pay to see them to make it viable when they are so nailed on.

I'm a big fan of Joshua but the fight last night shows how morally bankrupt the sport is. Martin a world champion ??! Pathetic. And how can you be 'world' champion when there are three others ?

There's a reason they took the fight with Martin at this early stage in Joshuas career, because he was very beatable and had done nothing of real note before he got the belt. He was classed as a good prospect though but obviously in the USA now that doesn't mean what it used to in terms of ability. Martin won the belt because his previous opponent, the then champ, retired with a bust knee.

From Martins point of view this was the biggest money spinner on the table, more than a fight in the US with Wilder even and he genuinely thought he could win. The belts are only becoming splintered again because Klitsckho is getting over the hill and the IBF only became available because big tough Fury wouldn't risk his mandatory defence after winning it and risk losing another huge payday with Wlad.

Seems AJ might be the real deal after all and not just a puncher. He fought that fight to perfection. Now the real big tests await but still think he needs a few more difficult tune ups.

Fury will just run around the ring firing off slaps if he fights this guy soon. No way will he engage with Joshua and taking nothing away from Furys achievement but in pure boxing terms AJs last two fights have been more impressive than any fight Fury has had in his career to date.

Am I missing something with Joshua vs Martin. Joshua is 1/6 Martin is 9/2. I enjoy the boxing watch it quite a bit and certainly wouldn't consider myself knowledgable in any way but Martin is the heavyweight belt holder, unbeaten, fought better opponents inc that unbeaten Ukrainian to win the belt and confident to make his first defence in the challengers back yard. Joshua on the other hand for all he's the hottest prospect in town and someone I think the British public will really get behind but he's fought no one of note. Plus all the pundit talk at the time of Joshua getting a shot at the IBF was it was a year too early for him.

Suddenly he's prolific odds on favourite. I really want him to win but half tempted to stick some cash on Martin at those odds

Martin is a good bet at those odds, whilst I want AJ to win and I think he can nail him this Martin guy could just upset the hype. Haye was saying the word coming out of American is CM was bossing it in the gyms over there in the past few years. You don't do that over there if you haven't got something about you.

Saying that though the best they've come up with in the last 10 years from the US is Wilder and there's not really anyone else so they may be clutching at straws.

On the Fury thing the biggest factor in that was he got himself into great shape which no one thought he would. He won't maintain that though throughout his career he hasn't got the right temperament. Often seen out on the lash and in KFC since he became champ. He's like a 14 yrd old stuck in a giant blokes body ! If we look back at the Wlad who fought Haye a few years ago and the one who showed up v Fury it's like 2 different blokes. That Wlad would have chased Fury around the ring all night no bother and they'd have had to box. Age has done for Wlad as much as the pikey I think.

Good fight but bent decision. I like Eddie Hearn and in a lot of ways he's been good for Boxing on the TV but there are often strange verdicts/stoppages in his fights leading to a bit of mudslinging. That on Saturday was wrong on many levels.

I was at school in Brinscall then Chorley with one of Steven Pembertons younger brothers and they lived in a big gaff in Charnock Richard in the mid/late 80's. I don't really remember much about Steven but my mate Lee, his dad and other younger brother were huge Man Yoo fans.

Doesn't mean they didn't originate from Blackburn, I can't remember but I was under the impression they lived Brinscall way before Charnock Richard and Steven maybe just went to school there.

If Jack had courted celebrity he'd probably have been the most famous worldwide Blackburn son ever. Thankfully he didn't and even if he was younger when it happened I doubt he'd have popped up in the jungle decades later.

Foggy will always have been widely known around the world but only in certain circles and even less in those circles would know he comes from Blackburn. Probably the same with Wainwright as everyone just assumes he came from the Lake district I suppose.

Plenty of big names associated with the Town though down the years which isn't bad for a relatively small place.

Nah - He was a Man Utd fan

So is McShane lol

At least the previous Dr Who stills claims to be a Rovers fan so it's got to be him..............oh wait he's not from Blackburn. Damn !

Eubank jnr does lack big one punch power and that's why he's still fighting for British titles etc instead of taking the division by storm. He's got all the other tools and he'll do well he just needs to learn to box smarter. After Watson his old man just did enough in fights but jnr does too much at times and if he goes about like that v Saunders in a rematch he'll run out of steam and maybe get stopped.

Saunders is another little gobshite and I honestly don't think he fancies a rematch despite what he says. He's too busy pricing himself out of a fight with GGG. A right collection of tits on that ringside front row the other night all egging on Blackwell and goading Eubank then turning around and saying it should have been stopped. Disgraceful stuff from Locket etc in the corner as well, where was the towel ?

There are no guarantees in football though and even less with the likes of our lot. If he'd told them he could have a stab at getting in the play offs this season if we cashed in on Rhodes and they backed his loan signings then by the same token he could be worried.

I hope that's not the case and it probably isn't but promises work both ways and unless guarantees are written into legal documents they mean nothing.

No way was that clueless capitulation. A bad day at the office, yes. A day when Marshall couldn't hit a decent cross, when the ball wouldn't drop for us from any 50/50, where passes went astray more often than they have been recently and when our players were still trying at the end. I used to come away from a defeat feeling so down I'd be in a bad mood for the rest of the week. Today I felt we didn't do that much wrong so I felt cross we lost a winnable game but not really deflated , bored or downright angry

Correct. I'd rather watch that today than what was served up last season where we might have spent 89 mins of the game trying to contain the opposition. We set out to over run them first half but it didn't come off and we kept going forwards even at 1 then 2 nil down. We'll prob lose to Ipswich but you know we'll bounce back under this guy, win/lose/win is better than draw/draw/draw.

Far better stuff on display now despite the odd set backs and I wish some would accept that. When it's bad i'll be the first to moan but that today wasn't bad.

Looks like they may have just been trying to buy time to see if they could get some points on the board or throw in the towel with admin. Never seemed very concrete that Holdsworth thing as they couldn't show they had money to run the club right from the off.

Quigg seemed reluctant to close the distance and when he tried big shots Frampton was out the way. As soon as he started going at Frampton he realised he could push him around easy and was slowing him down working the body. As good as Frampton is I really think that fight was there for the taking for Quigg if he'd tested the water earlier.

If they had a rematch in Manchester I'd back him but going over there will be too much I reckon.

I was expecting them to call it a draw to be honest. Mainly because the first few rounds neither did enough to take those rounds but it seems they scored them to Frampton because he seemed to be landing the odd jab.

Too many nerves for both at first them it settled and became tactical boxer v puncher stuff. Developed into a good scrap later on. Close despite what Framptons camp may so but that was only because of lack of punches early on. Quigg looked like he had plenty left and was never in real trouble so his corner should have had him stepping on the gas a couple of rounds earlier. Would have made all the difference, they only seemed to put it on him in the 9th and he looked surprised to be told he was far behind. A bit poor from Gallagher that imo.

He looked a bit drained yesterday and I think they had to weigh in again today so he won't be able to get much back on so don't know if it will go against him a bit being the slightly bigger guy. Not been keen on some of the antics and mouth coming out of the Mcguigan camp so I hope Quigg flattens him now.

Spent 40 mins on phone one morn ages ago for tickets for this only to be told they'd sold out in 9 mins. Similar with the AJ thing, Hearns mobs distribution of tickets is a disgrace. Basically they advertise them for sale to everyone but quietly hand the majority over to agencies then take a cut off them selling at 3 or 4 times face value. Just wasting thousands of peoples time and effort.

Quigg v Frampton is an interesting little match up and should be a good fight. Hard to separate but heads says Frampton breaks him down and a late stoppage or points. Had a sneaky feeling all along though that Quigg might pull something out of the bag, I'm probably rooting for him really as the home boy. A bit difficult though as he's an ex dingle

I think Hanley got a lot of deserved stick last season because we all knew he could do a lot better. Also the question marks about his off field habits which I don't think was doing him any good. He definitely seems to have cleaned up his act and got his ample heed back of the job. He's been excellent so far compared to last season and fair play to him.

Sad thing is though if his form stays consistent he'll be the one paying the bills after summer

Not sure what I think about this one.

By all accounts Martin is far from special. But he's 6'5", unbeaten, a southpaw, and (ridiculous as it is) can call himself heavyweight champion. That has to amount to him having more than a puncher's chance. So what happens if Martin takes advantage and wins? His lack of name value means AJ's reputation would be in tatters (particularly among the casuals, who are the ones making him money).

But even if AJ wins, what's the plan thereafter? If he wants to keep the belt he'll have to defend against IBF mandatories. And I'm worried that's too big a jump for him right now. I'm not saying he wouldn't win, but I wouldn't bet my house on him against the likes of Stiverne or Pulev if they fought tomorrow. It's easy to forget that David Price looked similarly terrifying before Tony Thompson found him out. I don't think Dillian Whyte is the proving ground for world-level fighters.

So yeah - can't help wondering whether this is misguided short-term thinking. If he wins, the likes of Haye and Fury will be all over him looking for the belt and a pile of cash. Real dangerous fights for him.

But then again, maybe the way I'm looking at this is symptomatic of what boxing has become - all strategising and career mapping to protect reputations and unbeaten records - and instead we should just let them all get on with it!

Your lost paragraph is spot on, not about titles anymore really certainly not outside the heavyweight div anyway. Fighters fighting each other for money and profile first and belts second.

On the AJ fight I've a sneaky feeling some American tv company or promoters have put some big money forwards to get this on as a profile fight more than anything. I was chatting to a Yank boxing guy on twitter and he was saying that Joshua was proving very popular Stateside after his fight v Whyte drew good viewing numbers. People over there have never really taken to the Klitschkos and they won't buy into a knob like Fury at all.

It's a no brainer in that sense because if AJ wins it raises his profile over there in prep for a big fight v Wilder. If Martin wins it gets him known across Europe and paves the way for a huge fight v Fury or Wlad after their rematch. Assuming Fury would go for that belt again )he would imo) but also there is Haye who could get a shot if Martin wins.