Sometimes our great sport really does shoot it's self in it's foot and go from being brilliant to being laughable. Thankfully many of the most laughable moments are from undercards or are really obscure cards that won't have gotten a great deal of press. Sadly however the odd one slips through the crack and what was supposed to be a main event either gets scrapped at the last minute or worse becomes a none televised and much delayed bout.
Earlier today exciting Australian Alex Leapai (28-4-3, 23) was expected to face Ghana's John Napari (18-0, 12). Both fighters had weighed in the day before and were expected to headline a an internet-PPV dubbed "Thunder in the Hills".
Priced at around $9,95 and streamed by http://epicentre.tv (and shown live in Australia on Fox) the card looked poor, but still had some interest due to the Heavyweight match up. Sadly however a cluster of issues really did overshadow the whole show.
On the day of the fight Napari failed a medical (reported by some as a blood test). Yes you read that correctly, on the DAY of the fight a main event fighter was pulled on medical grounds.
Following Napari being told he couldn't fight Thornberry Promotions went calling around for another opponent for Leapai and eventually ended up with Joe Lloyd (2-5) who had to fly, whilst the show was being televised from Victoria to Queensland. This flight may only be a domestic flight but it's certainly not the preparation a fighter should have prior to facing a world ranked opponent (Leapai is the WBO #8 ranked Heavyweight).
Sadly for Lloyd his chance at having his fight televised was all but killed by the undercard which lasted only 9 combined rounds between the 4 fights thanks to 3 opening round blow outs. The speed of the under-card saw the Leapai v Lloyd bout actually called off whilst Lloyd was in the air.
Fortunately for Lloyd his wasn't totally out and after having had his flight and landed he and Leapai did end up fighting, though Lloyd was wiped out inside a round making his cross country venture painful as well as time consuming.
The card, which was genuinely laughable may well be the end of Noel Thornberry who will likely struggle to ever get a show televised.
Earlier today exciting Australian Alex Leapai (28-4-3, 23) was expected to face Ghana's John Napari (18-0, 12). Both fighters had weighed in the day before and were expected to headline a an internet-PPV dubbed "Thunder in the Hills".
Priced at around $9,95 and streamed by http://epicentre.tv (and shown live in Australia on Fox) the card looked poor, but still had some interest due to the Heavyweight match up. Sadly however a cluster of issues really did overshadow the whole show.
On the day of the fight Napari failed a medical (reported by some as a blood test). Yes you read that correctly, on the DAY of the fight a main event fighter was pulled on medical grounds.
Following Napari being told he couldn't fight Thornberry Promotions went calling around for another opponent for Leapai and eventually ended up with Joe Lloyd (2-5) who had to fly, whilst the show was being televised from Victoria to Queensland. This flight may only be a domestic flight but it's certainly not the preparation a fighter should have prior to facing a world ranked opponent (Leapai is the WBO #8 ranked Heavyweight).
Sadly for Lloyd his chance at having his fight televised was all but killed by the undercard which lasted only 9 combined rounds between the 4 fights thanks to 3 opening round blow outs. The speed of the under-card saw the Leapai v Lloyd bout actually called off whilst Lloyd was in the air.
Fortunately for Lloyd his wasn't totally out and after having had his flight and landed he and Leapai did end up fighting, though Lloyd was wiped out inside a round making his cross country venture painful as well as time consuming.
The card, which was genuinely laughable may well be the end of Noel Thornberry who will likely struggle to ever get a show televised.
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