Random Boxing Thoughts/News 2024

[twiztor]

Saturday is Fury/Usyk!

i know the event starts at Noon ET, but i couldn't care less about any of the undercard. What timeframe is the main likely to begin?

[Elsalvajeloco]

1 hour ago, twiztor said:

Saturday is Fury/Usyk!

i know the event starts at Noon ET, but i couldn't care less about any of the undercard. What timeframe is the main likely to begin?

Depends on the time zone. The main events on these Saudi cards even in the afternoon....if the card itself starts noon ET, the main event probably won't get started until 4:30 p.m ET. Maybe later. Depends on how much pre fight pageantry there is. Plus, there will be a lot of talking before the main event.

[twiztor]

18 minutes ago, Elsalvajeloco said:

Depends on the time zone. The main events on these Saudi cards even in the afternoon....if the card itself starts noon ET, the main event probably won't get started until 4:30 p.m ET. Maybe later. Depends on how much pre fight pageantry there is. Plus, there will be a lot of talking before the main event.

thanks. i was figuring the 12:00 start time meant that 4pm would be a reasonable time to tune in. of course, i'm in CST, so i'll plan on 3pm. Appreciate the info!

[The Natural]

Hope Alexander Usyk wins and Tyson Fury gets KTFO.

[twiztor]

i had it 114-112 Usyk. damn close fight. glad i watched.

[Niners Fan in CT]

I don't know if this was a classic but it certainly felt like a moment.  I hardly ever post outside of the wrestling section anymore but this was something special...   I can't believe Fury survived that onslaught but then I also can't believe Usyk dished it out with the way things were going...    Incredible stuff. 

[Elsalvajeloco]

As pointed out on commentary, Usyk's durability is one of his strongest traits. It was just a question of could it hold up as a heavyweight, and thus far, it has against the best the division has to offer. Fury spent much of the early part of the fight trying to get Usyk to expend a bunch of energy and did some good work to the body. He also got Usyk to lower his guard to protect his body, which opened him more upstairs and allowed Fury to go to work with the right hand. However, besides a few times he may have stunned Usyk, there was nothing really that made believe Usyk couldn't maintain that pace. Plus, Fury wasn't going to be able to move like he did early on in the fight.  It's very taxing to be that size and continue to move around the ring through twelve rounds. Matter of fact, Fury probably did more in those first six or seven rounds than he's done in his last two or three fights combined. So when Fury got tired, it was time for Usyk to go to work himself. And when you're tired and your movement is no longer there, it's a lot harder to fight in spurts. When you do somehow fight like that, your defense leaves a lot to be desired. Those punches that weren't landing after rounds 2 and 3 were finally landing. Then landing more and more. It was inevitable that Usyk was going to land the same shots that put Fury in trouble in round 9. At that point, Fury had to hope he had done enough work in the earlier rounds to edge them and the judges were lenient about him choosing moments here and there to be aggressive. Otherwise, if Usyk swept the last quarter of the fight, he was in trouble mathematically. Usyk got the knockdown and had at least won five rounds convincingly. The best Fury, in my eyes at least, could hope for is a draw.

I'm up for a rematch, but it's a tough ask for a fighter like Fury to replicate this type of performance when he's getting older by the day. That lack of stamina in the latter rounds finally bit him on the ass against someone who made him work. That's not to say he didn't recover well after the knockdown and looking almost dead on his feet going back to his corner. However, based on SugarHill Steward's reactions in between rounds and basically screaming at Tyson not to pull back and get hit by Usyk, Fury didn't really know how to make adjustments after Usyk made his. That's one of greatest strengths for Usyk. He's going to make adjustments. Can you do the same? Especially late in the fight when you have to dig down deep. In my mind, I knew Fury was going to do good work early on. The question was how does it look late if it does indeed go that far? I think Tyson had tricked himself after the first quarter of the fight that he could put Usyk away in the middle rounds and ALL the momentum was his side. Except Usyk weathered that storm. Then, if there was a change in momentum, it was undoubtably on Usyk's side once Fury's face started to get busted up. Usyk is just so extremely durable especially for someone who is very undersized for this era of heavyweights. It's very reminiscent of another former cruiserweight champion, Evander Holyfield back when he was at his absolute apex. You got to put real punishment on him. Real, real punishment. Not these one off shots or mini flurries Fury was landing. That's not going to do it. Press forward and keep going. However, Fury probably knew he was screwed if he did that and Usyk was still around. In terms of strategy, short of just a mystifying one shot KO from a guy who really isn't that type of puncher, it's going to be tough for Fury to put something together and beat a guy like Oleksandr Usyk. It's a difficult ask especially for an older fighter with a good amount of mileage on him.

[Death From Above]

I know 37 isn't what it used to be but it's still wild to me that Usyk is already pushing into old man territory himself. I fully expect a rematch but I agree it would take something wild for Fury to actually win that.

[twiztor]

34 minutes ago, Death From Above said:

I know 37 isn't what it used to be but it's still wild to me that Usyk is already pushing into old man territory himself.

at one point pre-fight, an announcer said something like "neither guy is in his prime" and i was like "it's literally for every top HW title, how can they not be prime?" until i realized that, physically, 35 and 37 are certainly on the upper end of contention. 

[The Natural]

On 5/18/2024 at 1:56 AM, The Natural said:

Hope Alexander Usyk wins and Tyson Fury gets KTFO.

Got the first by split decision and nearly the second in round 9.

[The Natural]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/db4b/live/ced008d0-1572-11ef-9387-dbf28fd278cf.jpg.webp

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/93ab/live/960691d0-1573-11ef-9387-dbf28fd278cf.jpg.webp

Great shot.

Edited May 19, 2024 by The Natural

[Elsalvajeloco]

3 hours ago, Death From Above said:

I know 37 isn't what it used to be but it's still wild to me that Usyk is already pushing into old man territory himself. I fully expect a rematch but I agree it would take something wild for Fury to actually win that.

 

2 hours ago, twiztor said:

at one point pre-fight, an announcer said something like "neither guy is in his prime" and i was like "it's literally for every top HW title, how can they not be prime?" until i realized that, physically, 35 and 37 are certainly on the upper end of contention. 

I would say that mid 30s in the HW division is basically like being 29-31 in other divisions, probably a little younger. Problem with Fury is he has rarely taken care of himself between fights, and he had plenty of marquee fights against notable names. Usyk, despite being older and having a ton of amateur fights like his stablemate and countryman Lomachenko, has always been in pristine shape and never had those bad habits. Moreover, some guys age and slow down faster physically than others. It's kinda like Roy Jones Jr. and Antonio Tarver back 20 years ago. Roy was technically younger than Antonio Tarver, and they even fought in the amateurs as kids in Florida. However, Tarver physically has way less wear and tear because he got a later start. That's even with the drugs issues that stalled his amateur career and promoter issues that stalled his pro career early on. When you watch those three fights, Tarver had younger legs and Roy was a guy who spent the latter year of his prime potshotting and fighting segments of rounds. That and fighting guys like Richard Hall and David Telesco, he could have fought and won those fights blindfolded and an arm tied behind his back. I believe Jim Lampley somewhat insinuated during his fight with Glen Kelly that Jeff Fenech, the legendary Australian fighter in the lower weight classes and Kelly's chief second, had a better chance against Roy than Glen Kelly. That's the competition he was against towards the back end of his prime. When Tarver with the fresher legs fought a much faster paced fight than Roy was accustomed to at that point of his career, it became very evident who the older fighter was. On paper, it was Antonio Tarver. In actuality, it was certainly Roy Jones Jr. The same goes for Mike Tyson (born in 1966) and Lennox Lewis (born in 1965). Even though Lennox retired not too long after they fought, Tyson was the guy who looked aged in the fight just because of the various layoffs and not training like he should have.

I would say Usyk is still in his prime. It's a bit harder to say that about Fury. Besides guys like Usyk and Joshua, the later he still hasn't fought yet, who would force him to do anything beyond what he normally does strategically? Once you're out of the danger zone with Wilder, you can fight as usual. The guys he fought on his comeback trail didn't force him to do anything different. Dillian Whyte is a guy tailor made for Fury. So he necessarily wouldn't have to be in his prime to do a lot of what he has been doing. It's kinda the difference between Larry Holmes fighting guys like Ken Norton and Earnie Shavers and Larry Holmes fighting Marvis Frazier and David Bey. I think we've clearly seen the best Tyson Fury already against top competition.

[waffle]

Fury has taken a lot of hard shots in this era of his career. The man's ability to recover from the dead, is quite incredible. 

Usyk, Crawford, Inoue & Shields. Double Undisputed Club grew. 

Edited May 20, 2024 by waffle

[hammerva]

This season of the TNT Sports Docuseries Rich and Shameless has been pretty great so far with the Brett Favre scandal, Bounty Gate, and I am sure the one they did on Yasiel Puig is gong to be nuts.   But the one last week might be one of the best they have done.  It is about the story of Mark Gastineau trying to get into boxing, the slimy promoter Rick Parker, and Tim Anderson who killed Mark's boxing career by exposing him as a fraud and then ultimately killing Rick Parker in a hotel room.   This episode has everything.   Talked about fixed fights including Derrick Dukes,   the ultimate sleaziness of Parker in his desperate attempt to be the white Don King,  a damn poisoning of Tim Anderson in some dingy Oklahoma arena where the only footage was done by one person discovered decades later,  the murder of Parker, and the insane trial of Anderson that was so corrupt Carlos Colon would have been jealous.

 

[Elsalvajeloco]

[The Natural]

Deontay Wilder is knocked out by Zhāng Zhìlěi in R5. That's four losses in his last five. The trilogy with Tyson Fury took it out of both fighters forever. Frank Warren's Queensberry thrashed Eddie Hearn's Matchroom with a clean sweep. Eddie will be pissed.

Edited June 2, 2024 by The Natural

[The Natural]

Queensberry 8-0 Matchroom.

Edited June 2, 2024 by The Natural

[Elsalvajeloco]

Peach of a right hook by Zhang with Deontay's whole side of his face exposed pretty much did the job.

I saw people blame Malik Scott earlier on Twitter for his training, but that is the least of Wilder's issues. 1. You could see how much inactivity played a role in the Parker fight that Wilder was displaying signs of not really caring about fighter and you could hear sort of the resignation in his voice post fight that he was going to retire. 2. Parker and Zhang are two guys to definitely two guys you definitely don't want to fight as they're extremely competent and won't be standing straight up like a Robert Helenius for you to crack them. They're not going to be mystified by an awkward movements. Zhang is old as shit too, but he's not a stupid fighter. As soon as Deontay became aggressive, he immediately went for counter shots. You cannot go from extremely cautious to overly aggressive. More importantly, you cannot step to your man with the whole side of your face just there and try for a wide right hook...against a goddamn southpaw. What do you think is coming? Boom...right on the button. If Jay Deas and Breland couldn't get him out of his instincts to be wild, no one else is really. 

It's time for Deontay to go back home, call it a career, and chill with Telli and the kids. He probably should have done that after the Joseph Parker fight. I get the big Saudi payday is hard to turn down, but it's absolutely time now. 

[Elsalvajeloco]

I think Jared Anderson may have had the right idea fighting random fringe contenders and nobodies while the other dudes destroy and expose each other. Seriously, Dubois made Hrgovic look like just another guy. It also looks like Hrgovic has major stamina issues. On top of this and after Kabayel beat Makhmudov and Frank Sanchez, there has been a cleansing of the legit heavyweight rankings. 

[DreamBroken]

Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul postponed from July 20 to now November 15

[Death From Above]

Hopefully they call the whole thing off, but it's boxing so of course they won't unless Mike just decides not to do it.

[zendragon]

I'm kinda intrigued by this... The power is the last thing to go but does Tyson just end up being 51 year old in really good shape

[Elsalvajeloco]

Age is relative. I was watching a clip yesterday of Anderson Silva doing an open workout for his upcoming exhibition bout to Chael. He looked to be in great shape all things considered. However, he is fighting another guy who is just as old as him and probably won't be in amazing physical shape or at least won't be in the same shape he was in his prime. Fighting some guy who has relatively fresh legs would require little bit more than that. Fighting someone who isn't a relative novice (like Chael) would require something different.

[waffle]

On 6/10/2024 at 2:51 AM, zendragon said:

The power is the last thing to go but does Tyson just end up being 51 year old in really good shape

He'll be 58. 

[Serious Darius Bagfelt]

Real good fight weekend. With Tank and Subriel Matias involved you know you will see knockouts. Benevidez and Gvozdyk should be a violent clubbering affair