Through no fault of his own, the British champion is no longer on the Klitschko agenda
You've got to feel sorry for Dereck Chisora - up to a point. Through no fault of his own, the London heavyweight has been pushed aside to make way for the big world title fight we really want, David Haye v Wladimir Klitschko.
Klitscho clearly has had a rethink about his career; torn abs or not, he has decided time is running out to get his hands on Haye, who everyone knows is going to quit boxing when he turns 31 in October. Haye really has wound up the Klitschko brothers over the past 18 months with his over-the-top stunts - so Wlad, plainly, has had enough.
The younger Klitschko might despise Haye just a little more than he does Dereck, who said some pretty ordinary stuff about the champion and his girlfriend before their aborted fight in Germany. Once injured, though, he decided he could not find time for him in his revised 2011 schedule. So Del Boy gets nixed.
Some times he does himself no favours, though. In a candid interview in the January edition of The Ring, Chisora reveals he has some issues to deal with.
"So far [boxing has] taken me to the level of British champion," Chisora tells Brian Doogan, "yet still women don't seem to like me. I thought when I won the British title things would change. But it ain't happening. I guess it may be because I'm a rude person. But men are hunters. We look. We like. We approach."
Dereck has been convicted of assaulting his girlfriend and has a community service order to complete. He needs to get a grip.
And why does The Ring still limp along behind the times? This edition, as has been the magazine's habit for years, is tagged as "January" when clearly the content was put together several weeks ago (no fault of The Doog's, by the way) - certainly before Klitschko-Chisora was called off. They were not to know that would happen - but they are hostages to fortune every issue.
The Ring, which has been with us since 1922, once was what it still calls itself on the cover ? 'The Bible Of Boxing'. But, like an old pug, it has been off the pace for a few years in a world of instant results, comment and analysis.
So The Ring is going digital. From February, it will be out there on iPads, iPhones and Droid browsers via RingTV.com. Wish it luck. Boxing needs its comfort blankets in tough times.
Where are the Brits?
No edition of The ring would be complete without a list. This month it is their 100 best fighters in the world from the previous 12 months. The top six are: Pacquiao, predictably, followed by Mayweather (ditto), M�rquez, Donaire, Paul Williams (obviously before he was kayoed in one by Sergio Martinez), and, er, Mart�nez.The anti-European bias in many of these lists, not just in The Ring, is hilarious. David Haye, the WBA heavyweight champion, can't even crack the top 50. In fact, only a handful of fighters from this side of the Atlantic make the first half: Wlad K is highest at 9, followed by Vitali K at 13, Kessler (retired) 27, Khan 28, Froch 33, Abraham 42, and Adamek 48.
According to The Ring, Miguel Cotto (11), beaten to a pulp by Pacquaio, has had a much better year than Haye (56). Cotto's win over an over-hyped and hobbling Yuri Foreman was, apparently, enough to restore his reputation. Chad Dawson (21), who lost to Jean Pascal (14), is 14 places above Froch - the only man to beat Pascal. Ricky Burns (98), who has rebuilt his career and is now a credible world champion at super-featherweight, is 19 places below Paulie Malignaggi, who has got no title and was thrashed by Khan.
You can guarantee that if Kell Brook, Matthew Macklin, Matthew Hatton and James DeGale - all within reach of a world title - were fighting in America, they would be on that list. Unbeaten Nathan Cleverly, who should soon be a world champion, sneaks in at 86.
Even allowing for early deadlines and late results, this is very ordinary. As long as these lists continue to skew the worldwide picture, the myth that all the best fighters are at work in America will persist. They've got plenty of fine fighters - but so do Europe and the rest of the world. It is about time The Bible got a bit more ecumenical.
As The Ring's publishers have come to realise, the world is changing. Their next challenge is to recognise that change extends not only to the method of publication but in the distribution of the sport's accolades.
Finally ?
Elsewhere in the venerable old beast, there is an unintentionally comical letter from a reader who observed of the Californian super-middle wizard Andre Ward: "It is refreshing to see a champion who is so humble, dedicated, relentless in the pursuit of perfection, grounded in his family and faith, and respectful of all his fans and opponents."Ward is happy to be known as Son Of God.
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