Some 2018 Boxing Chat

First topic message reminder :

Fights I want to see in '18.

Alexanda vs ortis and Whyte vs Brown.

What do you want?

Nathaniel Jacobs wrote:

Herman Jaeger wrote:What about Yard’s fight?

Krusher by KO. Yarde seems to be hoping that Kovalev has deteriorated massively since his last fight. Even if Kovalev is slightly diminished, he’s a few levels above Yarde. The key aspect for Yarde is how will he react when he gets hit by Kovalev. Yarde hasn’t fought anyone of note. This bout has the feeling of Kovalev/Cleverly about it.

Kovalev is the better boxer without doubt, Yarde has one chance and that's landing something big but doesn't seem likely.

90/10 in Kovalevs favour.

Throw the kitchen sink you never know Sergy may still be wearing that right hand off Andre. Then..your muscles give out and you start taking a pasting just around after the fourth round hit him in the nutz and get disqualified live to fight another day

Anthony Yarde began boxing at a relatively late age.  As an amateur he had 12 fights.  As a professional he has had 18 fights.   May 2017 won the British Southern area light-heavyweight title. July 2017 won the WBO European light-heavyweight title.  Sep 2017 won the WBO Inter-Continental light-heavyweight title.  Since then has fought at European & International Continental level to defend titles. Current age 28.

Sergey Kovalev began boxing aged 11.  As an amateur he had 213 fights.  As a professional he has had 37 fights. He won his first world title in his 23 professional fight (Aug 2013).  Since then he has been fighting either to retain or gain world titles.  Current Age 36.

It seems like a mismatch - but it is certainly brave of Anthony Yarde.

No name Bertie wrote:Anthony Yarde began boxing at a relatively late age.  As an amateur he had 12 fights.  As a professional he has had 18 fights.   May 2017 won the British Southern area light-heavyweight title. July 2017 won the WBO European light-heavyweight title.  Sep 2017 won the WBO Inter-Continental light-heavyweight title.  Since then has fought at European & International Continental level to defend titles. Current age 28.

Sergey Kovalev began boxing aged 11.  As an amateur he had 213 fights.  As a professional he has had 37 fights. He won his first world title in his 23 professional fight (Aug 2013).  Since then he has been fighting either to retain or gain world titles.  Current Age 36.

It seems like a mismatch - but it is certainly brave of Anthony Yarde.

Enlightening stuff, thank you.

Anyone else seen that video which has emerged of Ricky Hatton holidaying in Ibiza? The guy is becoming boxing's version of Gazza. I appreciate that he's on his holidays, had a drink etc., but the bloke is forty years old, not twenty. Getting pi*sed, showing off his gut, falling all over the place and then looking to start fights with strangers isn't the most endearing behaviour for me.

In isolation I'd just say, "Oh well, he's an oaf and there's plenty of them about", but with Hatton's well-documented struggles with booze and depression it doesn't look good. He just can't grow out of this Jack the Lad image and I get the impression he's still struggling to adapt to life as a nobody (only relative to the star he once was).

Once British boxing's crown jewel, now quickly becoming an embarrassing distraction it can do without.

I heard about Hatton getting drunk and making a tit out of himself in Tenerife, and TBH I didn't really care. But if he's actually been starting fights with random strangers? I've not heard that elsewhere, and am quite saddened to hear it, if true.

On the Yarde/Kov fight... it seems an odd matchup, Kov is by far the higher level operator. Not sure why it was made, perhaps there were limited options in what is now a fairly thin division. I think Yarde just has to hope that Kovalev's age and mileage is catching up with him!!

Think what you need to remember about Ricky Hatton is that he has a history of depression...Depression promotes lack of self esteem and in many cases people self harm...

Certainly depression mixed with alcohol is a deadly combination as Alcohol is a depressant in itself..

I can understand people thinking Hatton with his money and his lifestyle obtained from Boxing should be careful not to bring the sport into disrepute..

But if People with depression had logical process of thought then they wouldn't be depressed....As it is debilitating not just for the sufferer but for those around them..

I was talking to someone who grew up outside of the UK and he claimed to be a martial arts expert with "lethal hands" - such that he was registered (he claimed) with the local police force and was forbidden to get involved in fights (presumably except for last resort defence purpose) - because he had been trained in and knew how to kill / severely harm someone.

Which makes me think about some of these current or past professional boxers - who know how to throw a punch for maximum damage - and I wonder whether they too are forbidden to throw punches in public - because an ordinary member of the general public would likely be killed or brain damaged (directly or from the fall).  Of course with boxers they might end up breaking their fists (without boxing gloves) in the process.

No name Bertie wrote:I was talking to someone who grew up outside of the UK and he claimed to be a martial arts expert with "lethal hands" - such that he was registered with the local police force and was forbidden to get involved in fights (presumably except for last resort defence purpose) - because he had been trained in and knew how to kill / severely harm someone.

Which makes me think about some of these current or past professional boxers - who know how to throw a punch for maximum damage - and I wonder whether they too are forbidden to throw punches in public - because an ordinary member of the general public would likely be killed or brain damaged (directly or from the fall).  Of course with boxers they might end up breaking their fists (without boxing gloves) in the process.

The old lethal weapon fallacy.

It seems that Deontay Wilder is or was in town - or at least in Batley, West Yorkshire, England.  Some of the things he said - at least as reported and quoted by the BBC - even seemed to make sense (e.g. his comment on the Ruiz vs Joshua rematch):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/49443349

Anthony Yarde started boxing aged 19.  His trainer Tunde Ajayi is either an unrecognised genius or a lunatic - he has his own training method that he calls System 9 that doesn't involve sparring or rather it involves limited sparring - the theory being is sparring damages the body.   I hope Anthony Yarde can last the 12 rounds.  I hope he has a granite chin.  This type of story could be turned into an award winning low budget independent British Film.

Sergey Kovalev KO'd Anthony Yarde in the 11th round. The fight was largely one sided as the Russian used his superior boxing ability to outbox Yarde. Yarde hurt Kovalev in the 8th round but couldn't get the KO. Kovalev showed a champion's heart.

Kovalev looks vulnerable and it's obvious he's happy take $10m retirement fund to face Canelo

I am surprised that Anthony Yarde lasted 11 rounds. Credit to him and his trainer for taking a complete novice of a boxer to this level in Kovalev's back yard. In the 8th Kovalev looked in trouble but a second wind saw him take complete control as Yarde tired and got overpowered.

Yarde will definitely come again but he needs a proper trainer. How can you go into the biggest fight of your life and do very little actual sparring?

Naturally Kovalev was a few levels above what Yarde's faced previously and Yarde seemed at times to be stunned by the Russian's power.

Getting plenty of respect for that effort and deservedly so gave the fans a great fight. Started to beat up Kov with the body shots then went in for the kill, came with in one punch of victory. If Kovalev’s the best light heavy of recent years that makes Anthony Yarde a fighter with a lot of potential. Could become a crowd favourite with performances like that the only thing missing the stamina as we suspected dare we say it lose a bit of muscle mass but he’s very strong if he could just tone it without losing any strength may work wonders. Some salivating matchups on the home front in the not too distant future how about Pascal in the meantime that would be fun and I think he’d win it

I’d rather see Kovalev fight the winner of Beterbiev and Gvozdyk before fighting Canelo which is a bit of an irrelevant money fight for me

I’d rather see Canelo fight Charlo or Andrade but Hoya has steered him away from his two most dangerous challenges at middleweight cute as ever

Could Kovalev beat Beterbiev or Gvozdyk now? Not sure he’s not what he was and chin on the decline but a victory would cap off quite a career. Boxed everyone there was to fight and always sought out the most dangerous opponents never took fillers

Smart move.... Get Kovolev over in a big fight with Callum Smith..

Kovo is shot. Smith becomes a two weight champion and a top 10 P4Per....Becomes a star..

Smart move...So it won't happen.

You genuinely don't think it would happen Truss?

I certainly think Smith would fancy it and don't see him turning it down. Would Eddie make it? Questionably but for no means do I see him actively avoiding it.

If anything I think the issue is it looks like Canelo will get to him first regardless. It's a money fight for them and I think they see a lot of flaws and obviously an aging fighter with stamina issues. Best option for picking up another tile in another division for the Mexican.

As for Smith...if anything I actually think it would be Kovalevs team who wouldn't want anything to do with it. Little to gain..plenty to lose.

And just for the record...Smith beats Kovalev with plenty to spare for me. In fact I even think he beats Alvarez too...would love to see that match up and see Canelo in with someone he doesn't have huge size advantage over. (That said...to win Callum would need to change trainers as Joe Gallagher is not a world class trainer in my book and his fighters will always fall short at the very top because he doesn't have that extra level to help them)

Time Golovkin found some balls and moved up to 168 to lose to Smith....

Gvozdyk/Beterbiev- ‘Don’t ask me whose going to win that fight, I have absolutely no idea. All I know it’s going to be the fight of the year’

https://youtu.be/qFwj5Ch2e8k

Will be out so I won't be watching it.....But I think Luke Campbell has a decent chance tomorrow....

Think the guy that beats Lomochenko (fairly).....Will be taller..sharp with good movement and a decent jab..

Not that Campbell is a better fighter but styles make fights....Lack of power may be a problem...

Intriguing fight..

Thought Campbell was unlucky against Linares..

Good luck to him....Seems a nice kid..

I want to see Campbell win and do think Lomachenko is a tad over rated; he's fought Russell Jr who is probably the best he's beaten, an old and much smaller Rigondeaux and the fragile but brilliant Linares. If we look past the fact he's only had 14 fights there's not much depth to his three weight titles.

I think Lomochenko will stop Luke Campbell in maybe the ninth.  As Campbell tires Lomachenko will get in on the inside and mid-distance (the pocket) and cause sufficient damage for a stoppage.  I can't see Campbell keeping Lomachenko on the outside with his jab.  Campbell has a massive reach advantage but Lomachenko's movement and spatial judgement should be sufficient to counter that advantage.

Lomachenko
Reach: 65 1⁄2 in (166 cm)
Height: 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Wt at Weigh In: 134.5 lbs

Luke Campbell
Reach: 71 in (180 cm)
Height: 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Wt at Weigh In: 134.25 lbs

Looking through the records Lomachenko fought and beat José Pedraza Dec 8, 2018 by unanimous decision.  Pedraza had nearly the same reach advantage (1/2 inch shorter) and height (1/2 inch shorter) as Campbell.  That fight Lomachenko was returning from a shoulder injury sustained during the Linares fight 7 months earlier. Pedraza lost his WBO lightweight title which he had won in his previous fight.

Fascinating stuff yet again, I'm so glad I don't have to check boxrec myself.

Not sure when Hughie Fury is going to get the hint that he needs to do more in fights, that's three winnable fights he's now lost through inactivity.

Great effort from Campbell! Had more success than most and kept Lomachenko honest for three quarters of the fight...

Hi-Tech shows his class ultimately though; he has 2 or 3 extra gears than probably anyone else in boxing and his ability to put his opponent under constant mental and physical pressure (the way he moves them around the ring is incredible)..

It's a shame he's not that little bit taller and naturally bigger to just make that jump to 140 as it would open up some catch weight opportunties.

I can see him unifying the lightweight division and perhaps taking on a couple of names in and around him...Gervonta Davis/ Santa Cruz/ Warrington and maybe target Jose Ramirez at 140 (would be a huge challenge) before retiring.

I had Lomachenko by 3 rounds going into the 10th Round so little bit wider on the scorecard than I had it but definitely best man won and comfortably.

The scorecards were an absolute joke 116-111 seems fair to me but does go to show how over rated Lomachenko is, he's fortunate that there are no top class operators around his weight. Don't get me wrong he's very good but not proven greatness by a long shot.

And you were doing so well Soul...

Over-rated! Not a chance! He absolutely sucked the souls out of Walters & Rigondeux & Sosa. Beat the very good Gary Russell JR. He hasn't avoided anyone at the lower weights. Has won 90% of his fights very very comfortably and is now beating guys much bigger than him. Since moving up to Super Feather and Lightweight he's giving away on average 4 inches in reach. The man is a once in a generation talent. To call him overated is to effictively admit you know little about boxing!

It is generally agreed that for Lomachenko Lightweight is his absolute top weight - he just doesn't have the frame to go any higher.  It seems the plan is to unify all the belts at lightweight, then maybe drop down to superflyweight and possibly flyweight before retiring.

owen10ozzy wrote:And you were doing so well Soul...

Over-rated! Not a chance! He absolutely sucked the souls out of Walters & Rigondeux & Sosa. Beat the very good Gary Russell JR. He hasn't avoided anyone at the lower weights. Has won 90% of his fights very very comfortably and is now beating guys much bigger than him. Since moving up to Super Feather and Lightweight he's giving away on average 4 inches in reach. The man is a once in a generation talent. To call him overated is to effictively admit you know little about boxing!

You say on one hand he's giving away reach but then mention Rigondeaux, it's not his fault but there just isn't the talent around to prove greatness. It's far easier to look flashy against good boxers.

Seen the fight and Campbell did himself proud...

Be a bit wary though of bestowing the future World champion tag on him....

Seemed like a beating in the Taylor v Chavez mode...Where a guy is taking a beating but because he is in the fight (Taylor in fairness was winning) it isn't that apparent..

The cumulative effect of last night will no doubt be very uncomfortable for Luke today....

Surprised if the fight hasn't aged him and he isn't young for a fighter now and that is a bigger problem at lower weights.

Still well done to him....and Lomo who outclassed a good talent again.

Think it's time for Hughie Fury to forget any hopes of becoming a World Champion. He's far too negative and doesn't have a decent punch in him. You would have thought that someone who is 6 1/2 feet tall would pack a decent wallop, but it seems that he just doesn't have any oomph at all. Povetkin's on the slide and almost 40 - he should have beaten him in his sleep.

As 50/50 as it gets wouldn’t like to bet on this one can anyone predict the outcome with any certainty?

https://www.oddschecker.com/boxing/artur-beterbiev-v-oleksandr-gvozdyk/winner

Been a quiet year but two fights within a week 19th Oct and 26th Oct as good as it gets

Mr Bounce wrote:Think it's time for Hughie Fury to forget any hopes of becoming a World Champion. He's far too negative and doesn't have a decent punch in him. You would have thought that someone who is 6 1/2 feet tall would pack a decent wallop, but it seems that he just doesn't have any oomph at all. Povetkin's on the slide and almost 40 - he should have beaten him in his sleep.

Hughie Fury is still only 24 (he turns 25 in just over 10 days) and has been fighting at elite world level for some time now. So he still has a lot of time to develop and improve.

Elite world level? He's been fighting and losing to cast offs.

Soul Requiem wrote:Elite world level? He's been fighting and losing to cast offs.

PLease provide a list of all those you see as current "world level elite heavyweight boxers". How many would be in this list?

There's three or four depending on whether Ruiz is more than a one trick pony; Widler, Fury and Joshua. Povetkin was a few years ago, Joseph and Pulev aren't.

Soul Requiem wrote:There's three or four depending on whether Ruiz is more than a one trick pony; Widler, Fury and Joshua. Povetkin was a few years ago, Joseph and Pulev aren't.

My list would be longer - maybe including all the top 5's of the various world bodies. I think our differences here comes down to our definitions of "elite". I think "world level" would be easier to define. World level would surely be all the top tens of the various world boxing bodies.

That would be an awful definition, have you seen some of the guys listed in the top tens?

Let's be honest, Hughie has been in with some decent operators (Parker, Pulev, Povetkin). But not only did he lose, he showed nothing which makes me think he could beat them in a rematch, let alone move onto a higher level and challenge for world titles. I'm struggling to think of a noteworthy win... maybe a way-over-the-hill Samuel Peter?

So I would suggest that he's fringe world level, at best. I can see him becoming something of a gatekeeper fighter in a couple of years time, his profile and purse being inflated due to his family name.

True gent, Kev. Has time for everyone. Great trainer great guy

https://youtu.be/pJCjOp2N2zA

If Benn beat Sika how about Froch against Benn for 2020 lol?

Herman Jaeger wrote:If Benn beat Sika how about Froch against Benn for 2020 lol?

Yeah... I know this forum is almost dead now, but surprised there's not more talk of this. Maybe because everyone is convinced it's some sort of elaborate joke. How is a middle aged man, who hasn't competed in over 20 years, convinced that he can hang with a tough, roughhouse type of fighter.. who was fighting at close to the top level only a couple of years ago?? It is baffling!

The fight is irrelevant to the sport of boxing, of course... I'd much rather it wasn't happening. But given that it is (or appears to be)... who isn't intrigued, just a little bit?? He may have sufficient cardio fitness and power. But will he have punch resistance? Will he be able to train and spar without getting injured? Will he have the reactions and instincts to defend himself in there? Can he do a real-life Rocky and actually make a contest of it? Might Bika come in under-prepared and apathetic, and seriously regret it??

My gut reaction is that it will get stopped in the second or third round, Benn won't fight again, and Bika will get criticized from all sides... and may not fight again either.

After Saturday surely Crawford against Thurman just as interesting as Crawford against Spencer. Maybe Spencer not as far ahead of the other welterweights as everyone was saying?

Spencer against Thurman has got to be a very good close fight on paper though obviously won’t be next up maybe that’s a bad thing for Spencer as Keith’s hand could come back stronger when the bones fuse together

Who is Spencer?

Damn self correcting phone again. I’m going to have to do something about this

Hopefully the Spence hype dies down a little now

Keith was never ducking him, Keith had the Pacquiao payday on the table

Oh so ducking is ok if there's a payday on the table? We'll have to remember that the next time you accuse someone you don't like of it, not to mention that Spence Jr hasn't been overly hyped anyway, good yes but Brook showed he's very beatable before running out of steam.

You make me die you do you Spence fanboys really convinced yourselves Keith was afraid

Soul Requiem wrote:Oh so ducking is ok if there's a payday on the table? We'll have to remember that the next time you accuse someone you don't like of it, not to mention that Spence Jr hasn't been overly hyped anyway, good yes but Brook showed he's very beatable before running out of steam.

He didn’t run out of steam, he ran out of eye sockets