The RedCafe Boxing Thread

I'm amazed it took this long. Callum Smith should be embarrassed getting beat by such a smaller guy. Kovalev I'll forgive as being over the hill.
 
To be fair even though Eddie is a proper wanker he just said canelo told him so.
Canelo is a middleweight anything above is pushing it .
In fact while I admire his record (easily the best of his generation) any goat middleweight like Hagler or Carlos monzon (or the GOAT himself sugar ray Robinson though he was welterweight) should have him beat rather comfortably.
Not to mention the all time lightweight goats.

Anyway still a very impressive streak by canelo.
 
I think Bivol is actually just a really good fighter so that's a problem in addition to the size. Whereas Callum Smith had the size but ultimately not the class. I'd imagine Beterbiev would have been similarly problematic because he has the size and the class, and more punch power than Bivol too.

Obviously the higher he goes the less the fighters need to be of his calibre to challenge and potentially beat him. But they only had him lined up to fight Makabu at cruiser who was probably the softest touch available, the way he got battered by Bellew was poor. That was probably just scoping the waters. But I guess that idea is off the cards now and he'd be better off at middle or super middle, I think he hinted as much himself.
 
The thing to bear in mind is that Canelo, despite being completely outboxed, was - thanks to the judges - pretty close to winning the fight. And that is what he will be holding on to.

So I think Canelo will run it back. Beterbiev fights Smith Jr next month and will most likely win, so Canelo could (potentially) beat Bivol and then fight Beterbiev for all the belts.

It's a ridiculous sport but I can see Canelo sneaking a points decision next time around and the judges stinking the place out.
 
At the end of the bell Canelo put his hand up and did the showboating. Then the 115-113 scores were being read out. I was thinking ''oh not again...''
 
Is callum Smith another overhyped British product? I mean the guy is freakishly tall for that weight (have no idea how he gets it that low) and still seems kinda lackluster to be honest.
 
Who are the other overhyped British products out of interest?
Just find the hype they generate to be too much for example haye, eubank jr, carl froch and many others.
Some genuinely good boxers but I feel the hype machine goes too far at times.
 
Just find the hype they generate to be too much for example haye, eubank jr, carl froch and many others.
Some genuinely good boxers but I feel the hype machine goes too far at times.
The likes of Fury, Taylor for example didn’t turn out bad. In fact, they reached heights that exceeded their hype but I do get what you’re saying.
 
The likes of Fury, Taylor for example didn’t turn out bad. In fact, they reached heights that exceeded their hype but I do get what you’re saying.

They're great fighters but I don't think they're particularly good examples of not being overhyped. People talk about GOAT status and whatnot but which Tyson are you backing in their primes? And Taylor is superbly skilful, awesome to watch but that Belgian sack of meat beat her up just through brute force IMO.
 
The likes of Fury, Taylor for example didn’t turn out bad. In fact, they reached heights that exceeded their hype but I do get what you’re saying.
Funnily enough fury wasn't your media darling (Joshua had a lot more media attention thrown his way) maybe due to being more controversial perhaps.

Maybe it's just due to us being rather lackluster at the moment so the media attention is shifted to uk because of the lingua franca and all that.
 
I don't think Froch was overhyped. He had a fantastic career all things considered. David Haye perhaps. He had the talent though but his failings were injuries/attitude.
I think Froch got every ounce of what he put into boxing to the point he perhaps overachieved based on pure ability. That’s because he was very willing to challenge himself apart from being openly scared of GGG. I didn’t think he’d beat Pascal, many felt Abraham was gonna beat him, Bute was strongly favored too and he silenced doubters with the Groves rematch. Not a pound for pound player or an hall of famer, but a fine career nonetheless.
 
Funnily enough fury wasn't your media darling (Joshua had a lot more media attention thrown his way) maybe due to being more controversial perhaps.

Maybe it's just due to us being rather lackluster at the moment so the media attention is shifted to uk because of the lingua franca and all that.
Joshua was carefully constructed inside and outside the ropes. Unfortunately, it appears his finest hour - the Klitschcko win - was the fight which appears to have taken a lot of his fire. He appeared willing to go through hell to win a battle. Now, not so much.

Fury wasn’t given a prayer against Wladimir, the boring nature of the fight didn’t exactly excite people, nor did his meltdown after it, he gained some luster back with the Wilder fights and he’s became more likable too. In fact, his last three fights, he’s been very exciting whereas previously he was a bit boring in the ring.
 
Joshua was carefully constructed inside and outside the ropes. Unfortunately, it appears his finest hour - the Klitschcko win - was the fight which appears to have taken a lot of his fire. He appeared willing to go through hell to win a battle. Now, not so much.

Fury wasn’t given a prayer against Wladimir, the boring nature of the fight didn’t exactly excite people, nor did his meltdown after it, he gained some luster back with the Wilder fights and he’s became more likable too. In fact, his last three fights, he’s been very exciting whereas previously he was a bit boring in the ring.
The thing about Joshua is that he really isn't a natural boxer , fury derides him for it (calling him stiff and all that) and honestly I feel there's a degree of truth to it, he just feels off at times like a fish out of water , it was severely visible in the usyk match where he was clearly outclassed.

I'm not taking credit away for him as he truly is a consummate professional in terms of working hard, the problem is he really isn't excessively blessed in one area to make up for his shortcomings (he doesn't have the best chin, best knockout power or endurance) , to me he's a better version of frank Bruno.

I never understood why fury didn't get they hype he deserved ( i was very impressed by his showing against Wladimir as you could argue he beat the better version of an all time great much more easily than the rusty version that Joshua gone to war with) but he might be on the cusp of achieving that if he goes for the undisputable title match.

Anyway I might be made a fool of and Joshua actually proves me wrong but we'll see.
 
The thing about Joshua is that he really isn't a natural boxer , fury derides him for it (calling him stiff and all that) and honestly I feel there's a degree of truth to it, he just feels off at times like a fish out of water , it was severely visible in the usyk match where he was clearly outclassed.

I'm not taking credit away for him as he truly is a consummate professional in terms of working hard, the problem is he really isn't excessively blessed in one area to make up for his shortcomings (he doesn't have the best chin, best knockout power or endurance) , to me he's a better version of frank Bruno.

I never understood why fury didn't get they hype he deserved ( i was very impressed by his showing against Wladimir as you could argue he beat the better version of an all time great much more easily than the rusty version that Joshua gone to war with) but he might be on the cusp of achieving that if he goes for the undisputable title match.

I watched all of Fury's early fights and he looked crap and out of shape a lot in his early career. He was gifted a referee decision against a British level journeyman called John McDermott in his 8th fight! He even took a rematch against him McDermott which tells you that it was a gift. Against Kevin Cunningham he was put on his backside by a much smaller man and resorted to leaning on him against the ropes to wear him down to secure the win. Fury just didn't look that good and had a weak resume. That's why few thought he would beat Klitschko.
 
The thing about Joshua is that he really isn't a natural boxer , fury derides him for it (calling him stiff and all that) and honestly I feel there's a degree of truth to it, he just feels off at times like a fish out of water , it was severely visible in the usyk match where he was clearly outclassed.

I'm not taking credit away for him as he truly is a consummate professional in terms of working hard, the problem is he really isn't excessively blessed in one area to make up for his shortcomings (he doesn't have the best chin, best knockout power or endurance) , to me he's a better version of frank Bruno.

I never understood why fury didn't get they hype he deserved ( i was very impressed by his showing against Wladimir as you could argue he beat the better version of an all time great much more easily than the rusty version that Joshua gone to war with) but he might be on the cusp of achieving that if he goes for the undisputable title match.

Anyway I might be made a fool of and Joshua actually proves me wrong but we'll see.
I think Usyk beats Joshua again, possibly by late stoppage next time and I give Usyk almost a 50/50 shot with Fury. I think Usyk is the best fighter in the world and he’d present a lot of stylistic problems for Fury.
 
I think Usyk beats Joshua again, possibly by late stoppage next time and I give Usyk almost a 50/50 shot with Fury. I think Usyk is the best fighter in the world and he’d present a lot of stylistic problems for Fury.

i wouldn’t be surprised if Usyk loses the rematch, I can’t see him being fully focused for this one.
 
I think Usyk beats Joshua again, possibly by late stoppage next time and I give Usyk almost a 50/50 shot with Fury. I think Usyk is the best fighter in the world and he’d present a lot of stylistic problems for Fury.
I agree.
I held a high interest in usyk's career since his triumph in 2012 Olympics along with his compatriot lomachenko.
Loma seems to have problems in acclimatizeing with more physical nature of the pro scene but usyk seems to have adapted just fine.
 
They're all bloody overhyped! That's a promoters job. Fighters are a one man brand.

If the buzz doesn't exceed their abilities you're either talking about a shit promoter, a boring fighter that has no backing or somebody that is truly exceptional. Exceptional is exceptional because it doesn't happen that often so that's why their reach always seems to exceed their grasp.

We're good at the hype machine in the UK because it's a small country, with a good casual fanbase and therefore there's tons of easy money to be exploited.
 
He’s had a good career, but maybe the highlights of his career are the lowlights - Garcia, Canelo KO, Brook.
 
He’s had a good career, but maybe the highlights of his career are the lowlights - Garcia, Canelo KO, Brook.

A bit harsh. The Maidana fight was a classic. A great win against a guy who went on to give Mayweather one of his toughest fights later in his career.

Khan was flawed but great value. You never knew what would happen when he fought. Super fast hands but poor defensively and with a questionable chin.

 
Good luck to him. I was never a big fan, I felt he should have made that Brook fight a lot earlier and he seemed to have every excuse in the book not to do it. Claiming he had bigger fish to fry when he blatantly did not, and the next fight would contradict him. To me if you're a British fighter and there's a big domestic clash, why would you not want to do it? If you're not even the best in your own country it isn't good for credibility. I think we possibly found out why but that was a major disappointment.

Fair play to him for getting in the ring with the likes of Canelo, even though it was pure folly - it was also brave. Good wins over Maidana and also Devon Alexander was a good fighter. A lot of ups and downs that's for sure.
 
Good luck to him. I was never a big fan, I felt he should have made that Brook fight a lot earlier and he seemed to have every excuse in the book not to do it. Claiming he had bigger fish to fry when he blatantly did not, and the next fight would contradict him. To me if you're a British fighter and there's a big domestic clash, why would you not want to do it? If you're not even the best in your own country it isn't good for credibility. I think we possibly found out why but that was a major disappointment.

Fair play to him for getting in the ring with the likes of Canelo, even though it was pure folly - it was also brave. Good wins over Maidana and also Devon Alexander was a good fighter. A lot of ups and downs that's for sure.

I think earlier in their careers Khan likely would have beaten Brook but it just wasn't going to make him the same money and it was a risk he didn't need to take. To me, honour's even, Brook got his fight and got a terrific win, Khan showed great heart and had a great career. Can't say fairer than that really.
 
I think earlier in their careers Khan likely would have beaten Brook but it just wasn't going to make him the same money and it was a risk he didn't need to take. To me, honour's even, Brook got his fight and got a terrific win, Khan showed great heart and had a great career. Can't say fairer than that really.
But they've both been around a long, long time. I buy that at some stage Brook wasn't the name. There were opportunities when it didn't make sense but also plenty when it did, especially over the last 5-6 years or so.

Instead they both played it safe and waited until a time when the fight didn't have as much meaning as it should have done. Yes Brook got it eventually but it's always going to be tainted by the idea that it was more a case of who is the least shot rather than greatness. That's the disappointment. You say it yourself, you think Khan would have won at some point, I personally don't but we should have had that answer.
 
The rivalry never made sense really because Kell was always the naturally bigger fighter. Khan was great at 135, 140. Kell never fought at that weight did he
 
But they've both been around a long, long time. I buy that at some stage Brook wasn't the name. There were opportunities when it didn't make sense but also plenty when it did, especially over the last 5-6 years or so.

Instead they both played it safe and waited until a time when the fight didn't have as much meaning as it should have done. Yes Brook got it eventually but it's always going to be tainted by the idea that it was more a case of who is the least shot rather than greatness. That's the disappointment. You say it yourself, you think Khan would have won at some point, I personally don't but we should have had that answer.

It's not something I'm going to lie awake wondering about tbh. I really enjoyed watching Khan but he's not an all timer is he? Just one of those things really, they put on a great fight when it eventually happened, Brook won fair and square, I'm happy enough with that.
 
It's not something I'm going to lie awake wondering about tbh. I really enjoyed watching Khan but he's not an all timer is he? Just one of those things really, they put on a great fight when it eventually happened, Brook won fair and square, I'm happy enough with that.
Of course not, but I think we’ve really been spoilt in terms of UK fighters in the last 20 years or so.

In terms of overall talent, he’s right up there with the UK’s best for me. He had a flaw that he could do nothing about, and I could never really understand the people that didn’t like him. In terms of entertainment you’re not going to get much better for your money.
 
I'd forgotten Martin Bakole/Tony Yoka was on and have just watched it back. Another fight to be remembered for the wrong reasons and although no great fight one to be watched to marvel at the stinking corruption on display.

Bakole wins every single round scoring two knockdowns and one judge has the gall to call a draw. I mean the fight finished with Yoka bascially running away and Bakole taunting him -- and one judge decides it's a draw.

It's a disgrace.
 
A bit harsh. The Maidana fight was a classic. A great win against a guy who went on to give Mayweather one of his toughest fights later in his career.

Khan was flawed but great value. You never knew what would happen when he fought. Super fast hands but poor defensively and with a questionable chin.



Funny example after questioning his chin. Unreal that he stayed on his feet for that entire fight.

You're right obviously but that night his chin was absolutely tremendous.