Massey Believes Old Sparring Partner Chamberlain Is ‘Being Fed To The Wolves’

Jack Massey has tried everything to tempt one of his British cruiserweight rivals into the ring.

Capturing the IBO title by blowing away the decent Bilal Laggoune inside two rounds didn’t tempt any of Britain’s best 200-pounders into a fight. Massey then took the risk of moving up to heavyweight to fight Joseph Parker in the hope that a decent performance would boost his profile and drawing power. Massey put in a more than decent performance, giving the former WBO champion 10 good rounds before losing a decision. Still, the phone didn’t ring.

Last month, Massey got a break. Michal Cieslak’s withdrawal from his European title defence against Isaac Chamberlain resulted in the 31-year-old getting the call to fight the Londoner for the vacant title at Selhurt Park this weekend. The fight takes place on the undercard of Chris Billam-Smith’s WBO world title defense against Richard Riakporhe. 

This isn’t your typical short notice opportunity. When the call came, Massey was helping his new Gallagher’s Gym stablemate and former WBO cruiserweight champion, Lawrence Okolie, prepare for his WBC bridgerweight title fight and also fitting in rounds with aggressive heavyweight, Alen Babic.

Things have fallen into place at the perfect time.

“It looks like it. I’ve been fit and ready too. I’ve been in the gym since New Year and haven’t been pissing around out of the gym. I’ve been training right though. I’m fit and ready,” Massey told BoxingScene. “It’s just what we wanted. It’s puts us in a good position in the cruiserweight mix.

“I’ve been getting in the rounds with Okolie and Babic and a Polish guy. We’ll look for a few more people now who are more suited to Isaac but really it’s about tweaking and just upping it a notch.”

Massey has jumped a pretty long queue to get a shot at Chamberlain.

After beating Mikael Lawal to become British and Commonwealth champion, Chamberlain spent six months embroiled in verbal exchanges with his mandatory challenger, Cheavon Clarke, and rival, Vidal Riley before eventually deciding to vacate the British belt and return to the European scene. In 2022, Chamberlain was beaten by then EBU champion, Billam-Smith, after a brutal twelve rounds. 

Massey perfectly understands Chamberlain’s decision, and not just because he has been the major beneficiary of it.

“To be honest, Chamberlain’s been around a long time,” Massey said. “He’s been around since I turned pro back in 2013 and these new, fresh guys coming up, I put him above them. He needs to be stepping up. He’s been in the mix with the Okolie’s and the Chris Billam-Smith’s. He’s probably above these guys who are at British and English level. I can see it. He wants his payday and he wants bigger money doesn’t he?”

Before things came together against Lawal last October, the talented Chamberlain had been something of an enigma. He never got going during a messy, early career loss to Okolie but went toe-to-toe with Billam-Smith in that thrilling European title fight.

The 30-year-old has also battled a shoulder injury and managerial issues but performed well against Lawal, putting in a flawless display of boxing and concentration to clinch the British and Commonwealth titles.

Massey stands 6ft 4in tall and has proven to be strong and robust enough to compete at heavyweight. Both of Chamberlain’s career defeats have come against big cruiserweights who have been able to impose themselves on him. Billam-Smith utilized his physicality to drag Chamberlain into a war whilst Okolie’s used his length and awkwardness to negate him. 

Massey has sparred Chamberlain and believes that although he is capable of outboxing Chamberlain, size and strength will also play their part. 

“He’s got guts. He can clearly take a shot. He’s a tidy boxer but I think he’s a very small cruiserweight,” he said. “I don’t think he carries the power and I don’t think he carries the strength. It was a long, long, long time ago but I sparred him at the old MGM gym in Marbella. At the time I thought he should drop to light heavyweight because he doesn’t carry the power. It’ll be a good fight. After all, it’s 10oz gloves and he can box and move. I’ll track him down and catch him though.

“I won’t go in there and try and rough him up straight away. I’ll stick to my boxing from the start and see where we get to with that. 

“I think people will look at this and see that I’ve been given it on short notice. People online are already saying it’s gonna be a massive upset. Really, in my opinion, it isn’t gonna be an upset.

“He’s been fed to the wolves.”