Boxing thread

DrCornelius

Shrews said:

I've had some bets on the fight, only a tenner total, but adds a little spice, a pound on each

R1 - Ngannou 40/1
R2 - Ngannou 40/1
R3 - Ngannou 33/1
R4 - Ngannou 33/1
R5 - Ngannou 35/1

R9 - Joshua 20/1
R10 - Joshua 30/1

plus £3 on Joshua to win on points @ 3/1

I think Ngannou will come out fast and aim to KO Joshua. If that doesn't happen he may well get picked off from Round 6 on, before the ref steps in at either Rounds 9 or 10.  Gut feel says Ngannou in R4 or AJ in Round 9.

AJ to dodge the big punches and win in Round 9, being well ahead on points.

I’ve done similar ish as I reckon you are right - Ngannou will try and jump on AJ from the first bell . I’ve got him rounds 1-6 by stoppage , £5 per round 

Don’t mind losing my bet that much as I’d like to see AJ v Fury eventually and I can’t see that happening if AJ loses tonight and Fury loses to Usyk 

munckee

I’d say that’s the opposite of what he should do, I think AJ hits harder than Fury but has a worse engine. He’d be better mauling for 5 or 6 rounds then start letting fly as AJ tires. 

That’s how I’d fight him anyway : )

DrCornelius

munckee said:

I’d say that’s the opposite of what he should do, I think AJ hits harder than Fury but has a worse engine. He’d be better mauling for 5 or 6 rounds then start letting fly as AJ tires. 

That’s how I’d fight him anyway : )

My plan would be similar to the reluctant gladiator in life of Brian 

menamestom

Good win for Parker.  He grew into that fight and kept it really tidy.  Worked the jab, kept his distance, moved well, good feints.  Pro job against a really dangerous fighter.

He’s had a good few months.

munckee

In terms of fighters beaten he can match any current heavyweight, right in the mix again.  

munckee

That’s that then. 

DrCornelius

Wow, wasn't expecting that. Brilliant by AJ against an inexperienced guy but one who could hit.

AJ stepping into punches again is a great sight !

munckee

Destroyed him. 

Schnozz

I think there was something Jake Paul esque about that match. I'm only interested in Usyk vs Fury.

Iamnobody

Schnozz said:

I think there was something Jake Paul esque about that match. I'm only interested in Usyk vs Fury.

AJ did what Fury should have done. That bout last night wouldn’t have existed if Fury had performed…

Thought Zhang was lazy with his work rate despite the knockdowns or is Parker doing something that neutralises his opponents - Wilder barely also threw a shot in their match.

Nick Ball was unlucky - I thought he might have done enough. Quite untidy but I like his positivity. 

Schnozz

Iamnobody said:

Schnozz said:

I think there was something Jake Paul esque about that match. I'm only interested in Usyk vs Fury.

AJ did what Fury should have done. That bout last night wouldn’t have existed if Fury had performed…

Although Ngannou's new to boxing, he's not new to getting punched in the face. Looked dodgy to me.

Iamnobody

Schnozz said:

Iamnobody said:

Schnozz said:

I think there was something Jake Paul esque about that match. I'm only interested in Usyk vs Fury.

AJ did what Fury should have done. That bout last night wouldn’t have existed if Fury had performed…

Although Ngannou's new to boxing, he's not new to getting punched in the face. Looked dodgy to me.

If I was getting paid to take a dive, I’d take the money and run after the first one, the second one at the very latest. I wouldn’t wait for my legs to go and head to bounce off the canvass. 

Which part looked dodgy?

DefaultM

Dodgy? I'm a massive UFC fan and really like Ngannou but he got absolutely starched.
I can't see him taking a dive, he doesn't care about getting more money, he wants to be the guy that built himself up from nothing and became best in the world.

swiller

Better ways for it to be fixed, at least with a few rounds for the punters. 
Lots of good options now for joshua before undisputed fight after fury usyk X2. Hrgovic and Zhang seem like obvious opponents to keep him busy this year without maximum risk. Would be nice to see him fight wilder in between as well, not sure either of them want that tho.
Parker showed champ skills, recovery patience and read the fight well after 1st ko. Impressed. Not the best show ive seen but enjoyed it.

TeleMaster

Defo wasn't a dive. 

Placidcasual79

DefaultM said:

Dodgy? I'm a massive UFC fan and really like Ngannou but he got absolutely starched.
I can't see him taking a dive, he doesn't care about getting more money, he wants to be the guy that built himself up from nothing and became best in the world.

I agree - I didn't see anything close to a dive. I definitely don't want to take away from AJ's performance either. A 'live' AJ, who as @DrCornelius says, is stepping into his punches, is great for heavyweight boxing. His power is not in dispute and I wouldn't have used the term 'dodgy'..... but the first knockdown was a little surprising maybe.... In that Ngannau was moving away from the punch as it landed and it seemed to me the punch was at the end of Joshua's reach - but still put him over. Maybe that's just Joshua's undisputed power. The second and third knockdowns looked like knockout punches - Ngannau moving the punch - the punch connected before the end of its trajectory......

I hope we see Joshua and Fury fight. It's as big a fight as it's ever been now perhaps - given the arc of both fighters..... 

Great UFC card. tonight @DefaultM - really looking forward to it..... I've been a fan of Dustin Porier for a long time - I think it's great he's taken the match against Saint-Denis. The sort of thing that does not happen enough in boxing. 

DefaultM

@Placidcasual79 yeah I've been more excited for this one than UFC 300. Gaethje took that fight against Fiviez and won, but I think Poirier will lose this. He was knocked out bad in his last fight, and he's getting older and got a lot of other stuff going on outside fighting. I'd like to be wrong though cos he's one of my favourites.

Placidcasual79

DefaultM said:

@Placidcasual79 yeah I've been more excited for this one than UFC 300. Gaethje took that fight against Fiviez and won, but I think Poirier will lose this. He was knocked out bad in his last fight, and he's getting older and got a lot of other stuff going on outside fighting. I'd like to be wrong though cos he's one of my favourites.

Sadly I think you may be right. It was great that Gaethje fought Fiziev - tI wonder if that fight just showed Gaethje's evolution or was part of the reason for it? (realising he'd have to refine his style to sustain his career and perhaps win more)....... perhaps Poirer can do something similar..... his boxing is refined enough to fight on the outside to points wins.... but whether he'd be able to keep someone as powerful and hungry as Saint-Denis off him is another thing....... I have to admit to being a little sentimental about the fight - I really respect Porier - he doesn't make excuses, is respectful, principled, savage AF......I like the charity stuff he does in his community.... but his time might have come and that makes me sad!!! Silly really. 

It's good those fights get made - we badly need that in boxing - but I guess thats the advantage of the UFC being a singular  promotion/governing body - boxing needs that. 

guitarfishbay

Schnozz said:

Iamnobody said:

Schnozz said:

I think there was something Jake Paul esque about that match. I'm only interested in Usyk vs Fury.

AJ did what Fury should have done. That bout last night wouldn’t have existed if Fury had performed…

Although Ngannou's new to boxing, he's not new to getting punched in the face. Looked dodgy to me.

A difference between boxing and MMA (at least the UFC) is that the fight would’ve ended earlier. 

Either on the ground after the first knockdown, or the ref stops it after the second knockdown where it was pretty clear Francis wasn’t going to be able to defend himself. [In MMA the ref doesn’t break up to allow a count to recover, if you can’t defend then it stops]

There was no need for that third knockdown besides the conventions of boxing. I know this is combat sports, and being a ref isn’t easy in those situations, but personally I prefer when there’s a clear winner to just call it rather than one fighter take unnecessary damage.

I’d accept it’s unlikely Francis would’ve made any other decision in hindsight, but in an ideal world he didn’t need to take that third knockdown punch and wasn’t ever likely to win after the second.

AJ was just way better on the night. Sad to see Francis lose like that but it does make the picture at the top of heavyweight boxing more exciting again now AJ is back on form.

DefaultM

@Placidcasual79  did you watch it?