Thursday, 22 October 2009
Champ Or Not A Champ
Slam bang entertainer Marco Huck defends the WBO cruiserweight championship of the world on Saturday when he faces the Yank-Brit, Ola Afolabi, in front of his own devoted fans in Germany, and while it might turn out to be a decent fight it’s certainly going to be one with an unusual aspect.
Afolabi will enter the ring as WBO interim world cruiserweight champion. This is only possible because the organisation in question has now got interim champions installed side by side with its actual world title holders as a regular fact of life, thereby giving these interim baubles legitimate status in their own right, and although the whole thing is farcical and has, of course, been adopted for just one reason – expansion of the WBO sanctioning fees portfolio – the inference is that what we have on our hands Saturday night is some sort of unification scrap.
When Afolabi climbs into the ring as a supposed champ of sorts himself, interim belt hoisted high by one of his corner crew, what is that ritual designed to imply other than that Marco Huck will be not only defending the world title but simultaneously challenging for the interim crown. It’s a bullshit situation, as is obvious to any sane person, but sanity is not a state of mind with which the WBO is acquainted. Its crazy actions, as always, speak for themselves. I’m spouting forth solely because these ever more bizarre developments should never be allowed to go unmocked.
Afolabi will enter the ring as WBO interim world cruiserweight champion. This is only possible because the organisation in question has now got interim champions installed side by side with its actual world title holders as a regular fact of life, thereby giving these interim baubles legitimate status in their own right, and although the whole thing is farcical and has, of course, been adopted for just one reason – expansion of the WBO sanctioning fees portfolio – the inference is that what we have on our hands Saturday night is some sort of unification scrap.
When Afolabi climbs into the ring as a supposed champ of sorts himself, interim belt hoisted high by one of his corner crew, what is that ritual designed to imply other than that Marco Huck will be not only defending the world title but simultaneously challenging for the interim crown. It’s a bullshit situation, as is obvious to any sane person, but sanity is not a state of mind with which the WBO is acquainted. Its crazy actions, as always, speak for themselves. I’m spouting forth solely because these ever more bizarre developments should never be allowed to go unmocked.
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Surprise View From Johnson
Not everybody thought Carl Froch had done enough to beat Andre Dirrell last Saturday, some believing Dirrell’s elusiveness had blunted Carl’s attacks sufficiently for his own counterpunching efforts to have deserved more recognition on the cards. That’s the frustration of the sport when it comes to close fights, of course, especially in cases where the boxers have contrasting styles. Different people see merit in, and give credit to, different skills and attributes.
I was a bit surprised, though, to hear that veteran warhorse Glen Johnson was among those who had Dirrell beating the Brit.
Glen is presently in waiting for his rematch with undefeated Chad Dawson, having screamed blue murder first time around after Dawson took the verdict, and kept his then WBC title, by way of sharp shooting on the move in the face of Johnson’s ever pressing advance.
The Road Warrior was none too impressed by Chad’s reluctance to engage in a punch up and had nothing complimentary at all to say about the Dawson strategy, nor about the judges, who, to his anger and apparent bewilderment, made Dawson a handy victor. Seems Glen couldn’t figure how a guy who wouldn’t just stand and fight could possibly have been seen by those judges as the better man.
In the light of that attitude it’s difficult to understand, is it not, how Glen Johnson came to side with Andre Dirrell after a contest in which Carl Froch had pretty much followed Johnson’s own fistic blueprint of sustained aggression while being confronted throughout by a Dawson like problem.
I was a bit surprised, though, to hear that veteran warhorse Glen Johnson was among those who had Dirrell beating the Brit.
Glen is presently in waiting for his rematch with undefeated Chad Dawson, having screamed blue murder first time around after Dawson took the verdict, and kept his then WBC title, by way of sharp shooting on the move in the face of Johnson’s ever pressing advance.
The Road Warrior was none too impressed by Chad’s reluctance to engage in a punch up and had nothing complimentary at all to say about the Dawson strategy, nor about the judges, who, to his anger and apparent bewilderment, made Dawson a handy victor. Seems Glen couldn’t figure how a guy who wouldn’t just stand and fight could possibly have been seen by those judges as the better man.
In the light of that attitude it’s difficult to understand, is it not, how Glen Johnson came to side with Andre Dirrell after a contest in which Carl Froch had pretty much followed Johnson’s own fistic blueprint of sustained aggression while being confronted throughout by a Dawson like problem.
Sunday, 18 October 2009
Abraham First To Show
I’d thought Andre Dirrell might just be sharp enough to outbox Carl Froch in Nottingham last night, and could be that’s what he did, but the judges’ split voice came down on Froch’s side and that’s the end of the matter. No complaints. It could have gone either way. It was one of those fights.
I saw Dirrell land the cleaner punches but maybe he wasn’t positive enough and for sure didn’t take full advantage of attacking opportunities on the occasions when his evasiveness had Carl lunging and stumbling and sometimes missing wildly. But Andre showed he’s not out of his depth in Super 6 company. He’ll be an improved fighter for the experience and may yet have a shock or two in store before all this has run its course.
Strong man Froch has fought better, no doubt about it, but he again showed his desire and perseverance at least, is still undefeated, and remains on schedule. You’d have to say, though, that Arthur Abraham’s performance earlier in Berlin was more impressive, wouldn’t you, and not just because his kayo of Jermain Taylor was so chilling. Despite having contrasting styles, Froch and Abraham bring the same sort of relentlessness to their work, but on what we’ve just witnessed there is greater precision in the German’s punching. Maybe that precision won’t be so evident when it’s his turn to face the speedy Dirrell next fight up, but right now King Arthur is the guy who’s put down a marker.
I saw Dirrell land the cleaner punches but maybe he wasn’t positive enough and for sure didn’t take full advantage of attacking opportunities on the occasions when his evasiveness had Carl lunging and stumbling and sometimes missing wildly. But Andre showed he’s not out of his depth in Super 6 company. He’ll be an improved fighter for the experience and may yet have a shock or two in store before all this has run its course.
Strong man Froch has fought better, no doubt about it, but he again showed his desire and perseverance at least, is still undefeated, and remains on schedule. You’d have to say, though, that Arthur Abraham’s performance earlier in Berlin was more impressive, wouldn’t you, and not just because his kayo of Jermain Taylor was so chilling. Despite having contrasting styles, Froch and Abraham bring the same sort of relentlessness to their work, but on what we’ve just witnessed there is greater precision in the German’s punching. Maybe that precision won’t be so evident when it’s his turn to face the speedy Dirrell next fight up, but right now King Arthur is the guy who’s put down a marker.
Friday, 16 October 2009
Is Froch Taking Dirrell Too Lightly?
Super 6 is just a day away now and the anticipation is huge. Not surprising. As long as the tournament runs its course, with none of the defeated boxers opting out and failing to complete the minimum three fight commitment, it has to be the best thing to have happened in the sport for a very long time. And, assuming all involved do keep to the schedule, nobody could honestly doubt that whoever gets to emerge as overall winner will have proved himself the real champ at 168, notwithstanding claims by titled non-participants Lucien Bute and Robert Stieglitz.
I’m not about to make a pick right now as to who I think will eventually triumph but the first impression I’ve got before tomorrow’s kick off is that Carl Froch may be just a tad over confident in considering the threat posed him by his American opponent Andre Dirrell.
Dirrell is the baby of the six entries in terms of top class experience. He hasn’t yet had much asked of him as a pro, and hasn’t always been convincing thus far despite his unblemished record, but that doesn’t mean he lacks class or, necessarily, the ability to produce it when required – as will be the case in Nottingham. If he holds up mentally on the big stage, as I expect he will, Andre brings things that can spell problems for the Cobra.
Something tells me Carl doesn’t believe Dirrell can hurt him. Maybe that’s right if we’re talking singular power, but it would be flawed thinking on Froch’s part to be so dismissive. Carl Froch has a good chin, right enough, and it’s a psychological boost for any fighter to have such trust in himself in that area, but anybody can be brought down if hit often enough. Six feet two inch Dirrell possesses long arms and fast fists and I don’t see him having single shots in mind when that first bell rings tomorrow night.
Even though his pro career hasn’t up to now seen him matched tough, Andre Dirrell mixed with the best in the amateurs, and showed himself to be competitive at world level. He may only have struck bronze for a disappointing American team at the Athens Olympics, but let’s get his efforts into perspective. In the quarter finals Dirrell was good enough to edge out Cuba’s Yordanis Despaigne. His performance there said plenty, given the talented Cuban himself had reached that stage via two wins which included a comfortable points victory over Jean Pascal.
Come the semi final Andre was beaten, though by no means disgraced, in dropping a decision to Gennady Golovkin. Golovkin, now an unbeaten world middleweight contender, had won the world amateur title the year before, during which tournament he had easily defeated Matt Korobov, outpointed Andy Lee by a landslide, and knocked out Lucien Bute. A fighter couldn’t acquit himself against the likes of Despaigne and Golovkin the way Dirrell did without being a proper ringman.
Using Athens as a gauge, then, Andre Dirrell would appear to compare favourably with Jean Pascal, at least as regards their respective capabilities at that time. The same may still apply. When going in with Carl Froch for the vacant WBC title Pascal was a fighter untested at the top level, as Dirrell now is, but showed he had both the stomach for a fight and plenty of tools to back his spirit and, though beaten fair and square at the end of a classic tooth-and-nailer, there wasn’t really that much between the two warriors. Dirrell will, of course, have to show similar core hardness to have any chance of succeeding at top level, but if he does have that in him he certainly possesses other assets which might give Froch greater problems than Jean Pascal was able to pose.
Carl Froch has always been a confident fighter, and that self belief has only increased since his late knockout of Jermain Taylor last time out. I suppose he has a right to feeling good about such a spectacular victory. In the entire annals of boxing there aren’t many champions who have rescued their titles by stopping the other guy in the very last round of fights they were otherwise losing. A ring rarity, no doubt, and worthy of all praise. But Froch was losing that fight. Another fourteen seconds and his title would have been gone at the first defence. Where would he have been then? Not in this tournament. Yet here is Carl Froch, not only involved but fancied by many to win the whole thing.
I always expected Carl to win a world title, and said so on many occasions. His style, or lack of it, makes him an awkward guy to fight, he can punch hard, is a good finisher, and his mental strength is a huge asset. He doesn’t get rattled when things are not going entirely his way and has a genuine belief that he can take out any opponent at any stage. Right now, Carl Froch is not a man I’d want to risk money by betting against.
Nor, though, will I be backing him to beat Andre Dirrell tomorrow. Froch loves a fight, and likes to be in with people who share that appetite, but I don’t think that’s what he’ll be facing tomorrow. Not that Dirrell will be running. I don’t expect that either. What I do expect is for the American to make it a boxing match, or try to, by looking to control the distance and pop Carl with fast bursts, then moving out and around before setting up repeat assaults. Froch himself will be aiming to frustrate that kind of pattern by connecting hard and putting some trepidation into Andre’s mind real quick. Nothing like pain for making a fighter reconsider his game plan. But if Carl can’t put some hurt into Dirrell early he could really find himself up against it.
Andre’s footwork will be put to the test here, I feel. He still has some amateur hang-ups in that department and, if he were to lose, that could be key to his downfall. I don’t doubt that Dirrell’s hand skills will trouble Froch, in both speed of delivery and volume of punches, but in this fight – against a proud, hammer fisted champion – his feet are going to have to quick step their way in and out, side to side, while keeping him properly balanced to implement his defensive duties. Anything less and, no matter how well Andre is doing overall, Carl will likely nail him, maybe blow a hole in him.
I’ll be looking at Dirrell’s movement from the off and, if it’s smooth and controlled, Carl Froch could find himself being outboxed and left with no choice but to do things the hard way all over again, as in the Taylor fight, if indeed he can do it at all. Andre might be untested but he’s also undefeated and, with six straight stoppage wins, can bang a bit himself, his blows clearly having a cumulative effect. Should he ease into a rhythm, get Froch frustrated and lunging with his own attempted counters and leaving himself open, Dirrell might even get extra ambitious and look to run that kayo string to seven straight.
If a fight is already going your way it is foolhardy to risk looking for something spectacular rather than just keep racking up the points but, should Andre make a real fast start, is it possible he could mug Carl inside a few rounds like Hagler did with Minter all those years ago?
It just seems to me that Dirrell is not being given quite the respect his actual ability as a boxer warrants, and if Froch is taking him lightly, even ever so slightly, he could pay a heavy price. Nobody yet knows how rugged Andre Dirrell is, nor do we know what sort of an engine he’s got for twelve rounds of fierce championship action, if that’s what we’re in for, but I reckon he’ll be turned on, not intimidated, by the guaranteed hostile atmosphere and I’m tipping him to upset the applecart with a display of sharp boxing.
I’m not about to make a pick right now as to who I think will eventually triumph but the first impression I’ve got before tomorrow’s kick off is that Carl Froch may be just a tad over confident in considering the threat posed him by his American opponent Andre Dirrell.
Dirrell is the baby of the six entries in terms of top class experience. He hasn’t yet had much asked of him as a pro, and hasn’t always been convincing thus far despite his unblemished record, but that doesn’t mean he lacks class or, necessarily, the ability to produce it when required – as will be the case in Nottingham. If he holds up mentally on the big stage, as I expect he will, Andre brings things that can spell problems for the Cobra.
Something tells me Carl doesn’t believe Dirrell can hurt him. Maybe that’s right if we’re talking singular power, but it would be flawed thinking on Froch’s part to be so dismissive. Carl Froch has a good chin, right enough, and it’s a psychological boost for any fighter to have such trust in himself in that area, but anybody can be brought down if hit often enough. Six feet two inch Dirrell possesses long arms and fast fists and I don’t see him having single shots in mind when that first bell rings tomorrow night.
Even though his pro career hasn’t up to now seen him matched tough, Andre Dirrell mixed with the best in the amateurs, and showed himself to be competitive at world level. He may only have struck bronze for a disappointing American team at the Athens Olympics, but let’s get his efforts into perspective. In the quarter finals Dirrell was good enough to edge out Cuba’s Yordanis Despaigne. His performance there said plenty, given the talented Cuban himself had reached that stage via two wins which included a comfortable points victory over Jean Pascal.
Come the semi final Andre was beaten, though by no means disgraced, in dropping a decision to Gennady Golovkin. Golovkin, now an unbeaten world middleweight contender, had won the world amateur title the year before, during which tournament he had easily defeated Matt Korobov, outpointed Andy Lee by a landslide, and knocked out Lucien Bute. A fighter couldn’t acquit himself against the likes of Despaigne and Golovkin the way Dirrell did without being a proper ringman.
Using Athens as a gauge, then, Andre Dirrell would appear to compare favourably with Jean Pascal, at least as regards their respective capabilities at that time. The same may still apply. When going in with Carl Froch for the vacant WBC title Pascal was a fighter untested at the top level, as Dirrell now is, but showed he had both the stomach for a fight and plenty of tools to back his spirit and, though beaten fair and square at the end of a classic tooth-and-nailer, there wasn’t really that much between the two warriors. Dirrell will, of course, have to show similar core hardness to have any chance of succeeding at top level, but if he does have that in him he certainly possesses other assets which might give Froch greater problems than Jean Pascal was able to pose.
Carl Froch has always been a confident fighter, and that self belief has only increased since his late knockout of Jermain Taylor last time out. I suppose he has a right to feeling good about such a spectacular victory. In the entire annals of boxing there aren’t many champions who have rescued their titles by stopping the other guy in the very last round of fights they were otherwise losing. A ring rarity, no doubt, and worthy of all praise. But Froch was losing that fight. Another fourteen seconds and his title would have been gone at the first defence. Where would he have been then? Not in this tournament. Yet here is Carl Froch, not only involved but fancied by many to win the whole thing.
I always expected Carl to win a world title, and said so on many occasions. His style, or lack of it, makes him an awkward guy to fight, he can punch hard, is a good finisher, and his mental strength is a huge asset. He doesn’t get rattled when things are not going entirely his way and has a genuine belief that he can take out any opponent at any stage. Right now, Carl Froch is not a man I’d want to risk money by betting against.
Nor, though, will I be backing him to beat Andre Dirrell tomorrow. Froch loves a fight, and likes to be in with people who share that appetite, but I don’t think that’s what he’ll be facing tomorrow. Not that Dirrell will be running. I don’t expect that either. What I do expect is for the American to make it a boxing match, or try to, by looking to control the distance and pop Carl with fast bursts, then moving out and around before setting up repeat assaults. Froch himself will be aiming to frustrate that kind of pattern by connecting hard and putting some trepidation into Andre’s mind real quick. Nothing like pain for making a fighter reconsider his game plan. But if Carl can’t put some hurt into Dirrell early he could really find himself up against it.
Andre’s footwork will be put to the test here, I feel. He still has some amateur hang-ups in that department and, if he were to lose, that could be key to his downfall. I don’t doubt that Dirrell’s hand skills will trouble Froch, in both speed of delivery and volume of punches, but in this fight – against a proud, hammer fisted champion – his feet are going to have to quick step their way in and out, side to side, while keeping him properly balanced to implement his defensive duties. Anything less and, no matter how well Andre is doing overall, Carl will likely nail him, maybe blow a hole in him.
I’ll be looking at Dirrell’s movement from the off and, if it’s smooth and controlled, Carl Froch could find himself being outboxed and left with no choice but to do things the hard way all over again, as in the Taylor fight, if indeed he can do it at all. Andre might be untested but he’s also undefeated and, with six straight stoppage wins, can bang a bit himself, his blows clearly having a cumulative effect. Should he ease into a rhythm, get Froch frustrated and lunging with his own attempted counters and leaving himself open, Dirrell might even get extra ambitious and look to run that kayo string to seven straight.
If a fight is already going your way it is foolhardy to risk looking for something spectacular rather than just keep racking up the points but, should Andre make a real fast start, is it possible he could mug Carl inside a few rounds like Hagler did with Minter all those years ago?
It just seems to me that Dirrell is not being given quite the respect his actual ability as a boxer warrants, and if Froch is taking him lightly, even ever so slightly, he could pay a heavy price. Nobody yet knows how rugged Andre Dirrell is, nor do we know what sort of an engine he’s got for twelve rounds of fierce championship action, if that’s what we’re in for, but I reckon he’ll be turned on, not intimidated, by the guaranteed hostile atmosphere and I’m tipping him to upset the applecart with a display of sharp boxing.
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
It Ain't Me
If you happen to have visited goarticles.com any time recently – since August, that is – you may have seen articles on subjects like gardening, pets, weddings etc placed there by someone called Sam Taylor. Just to clear up any confusion, none of that is my doing. It’s a different him or her. For what it’s worth, I just stick to the fight game.
Saturday, 26 September 2009
Four And Out
If Cris Arreola could find a way to beat Vitali Klitschko tonight it would have people talking about heavyweight boxing, and taking a real interest in it, for the first time in an age. More realistically, perhaps, it will still give the heavyweight scene a much needed boost if Arreola, even in defeat, were to somehow force Klitschko into a real battle.
Arreola is a fleshy lump but claims to have prepped hard for this big chance and I reckon he’s got the heart to get in there and have a go. Sam Peter was in the same boat when facing Vitali but, for all his pre-fight talk, didn’t produce. There was no fire in Sam’s belly. He tasted Klitschko’s power at the start and whatever confidence or belief he had just disappeared, with plodding Peter more or less accepting a long range beating before finally staying on his stool, never having raised a threat.
The same thing could easily happen to Arreola. Vitali Klitschko is completely different to anyone the Mexican-American has yet come across and it might all prove too much for Cris very quickly but, with a cheering crowd behind him, I don’t expect Arreola to go down without at least giving it a do or die try.
Effort and courage can only accomplish so much, though, and the way Arreola fights will put him right in the firing line against a man who knows how to exploit a reach advantage. Arreola knows he can’t outbox Klitschko. To have any chance he has to hit the champion and hurt him, and keep it going, no let up.
That’s the theory. The probability, though, is that Klitschko wins again. I hope we see a real tear up, and believe we just might, but if Arreola lives up to what he’s said and goes on the attack I’m picking Vitali to win this in about four rounds. If Cris proves me wrong, I’ll be almost as happy as he’ll be himself. Well, maybe not, but you know what I mean. A violent shake up at the top end of the game would be so welcome and it’s going to happen one of these nights. Just not this night.
Arreola is a fleshy lump but claims to have prepped hard for this big chance and I reckon he’s got the heart to get in there and have a go. Sam Peter was in the same boat when facing Vitali but, for all his pre-fight talk, didn’t produce. There was no fire in Sam’s belly. He tasted Klitschko’s power at the start and whatever confidence or belief he had just disappeared, with plodding Peter more or less accepting a long range beating before finally staying on his stool, never having raised a threat.
The same thing could easily happen to Arreola. Vitali Klitschko is completely different to anyone the Mexican-American has yet come across and it might all prove too much for Cris very quickly but, with a cheering crowd behind him, I don’t expect Arreola to go down without at least giving it a do or die try.
Effort and courage can only accomplish so much, though, and the way Arreola fights will put him right in the firing line against a man who knows how to exploit a reach advantage. Arreola knows he can’t outbox Klitschko. To have any chance he has to hit the champion and hurt him, and keep it going, no let up.
That’s the theory. The probability, though, is that Klitschko wins again. I hope we see a real tear up, and believe we just might, but if Arreola lives up to what he’s said and goes on the attack I’m picking Vitali to win this in about four rounds. If Cris proves me wrong, I’ll be almost as happy as he’ll be himself. Well, maybe not, but you know what I mean. A violent shake up at the top end of the game would be so welcome and it’s going to happen one of these nights. Just not this night.
Saturday, 12 September 2009
Mac Robbed Again - But Fury Makes A Point
Ref Terry O’Connor decided that Tyson Fury had won eight of the ten rounds after last night’s gruelling and exciting battle with John McDermott and I have to say his view was inexplicable.
O’Connor’s scoring soured the event, all the sadder because it had been such a good fight, one that both men came out of with a good deal of credit, albeit for different reasons.
Fury claimed in the ringside interview that he deserved the verdict on account of outworking McDermott, and there’s no denying he threw more punches than Mac, but the act of throwing leather does not in itself – or should not – dictate how a fight gets scored. You get points for landing, not just pitching, and John McDermott landed more blows than Tyson Fury did. John’s punches were also crisper and cleaner, made the classier contribution, had the greater impact.
McDermott won the fight but didn’t get the decision. That simple. The frustration he’s feeling, though, must be the worse for having been here before. What does John have to do for a nod go his way. He had somehow come out a loser in that fight with Danny Williams where a three points penalty for Danny had appeared to make the win an iron clad formality, and had previously been short changed in a bout against Mark Krence for the same English heavyweight title that was taken from him last night. Boxing does throw up a bad decision from time to time. That’s the way it is. But how is a guy supposed to cope when bum calls come at him in bunches like that.
You wouldn’t expect Tyson Fury to do anything else but claim his victory was deserved, even though it wasn’t. If the sole arbiter raises your hand you’re not going to argue, are you. And although I have no doubt that John McDermott actually beat him I feel Fury would be proved right in saying he himself would be the legitimate winner of a rematch. Why? Because I don’t believe Mac can box better than he did last night whereas I do believe that Tyson can and will improve a hell of a lot for the experience.
I liked how Fury fought through the fatigue to flail away in those last two rounds. He dredged up that kind of finishing effort because his corner, knowing as we did that their fighter was behind and – in a fair world – needed a knockout to win, sent him out for the ninth and tenth looking for just that. That said, it’s one thing to have need of a rousing finale but quite another to find the mental and physical resources to produce it. Young Fury doesn’t lack guts or desire and I think his stamina will be okay too once he’s matured a bit, and he stood up to some hefty lefts and rights to the chops so I don’t think there’s much wrong with the boy’s chin either. With time, and dedication, he could become a real international class heavyweight, maybe even a contender. But that’s a long way off.
One thing he needs to do for starters is forget the notion that he’s some kind of exterminator. That run of straight knockouts leading into the McDermott duel had Fury telling the Manchester Evening News, “I’m bringing the fear factor back into boxing like Mike Tyson did.” Hey, Jay Leno would be pushed to find a funnier one-liner than that.
O’Connor’s scoring soured the event, all the sadder because it had been such a good fight, one that both men came out of with a good deal of credit, albeit for different reasons.
Fury claimed in the ringside interview that he deserved the verdict on account of outworking McDermott, and there’s no denying he threw more punches than Mac, but the act of throwing leather does not in itself – or should not – dictate how a fight gets scored. You get points for landing, not just pitching, and John McDermott landed more blows than Tyson Fury did. John’s punches were also crisper and cleaner, made the classier contribution, had the greater impact.
McDermott won the fight but didn’t get the decision. That simple. The frustration he’s feeling, though, must be the worse for having been here before. What does John have to do for a nod go his way. He had somehow come out a loser in that fight with Danny Williams where a three points penalty for Danny had appeared to make the win an iron clad formality, and had previously been short changed in a bout against Mark Krence for the same English heavyweight title that was taken from him last night. Boxing does throw up a bad decision from time to time. That’s the way it is. But how is a guy supposed to cope when bum calls come at him in bunches like that.
You wouldn’t expect Tyson Fury to do anything else but claim his victory was deserved, even though it wasn’t. If the sole arbiter raises your hand you’re not going to argue, are you. And although I have no doubt that John McDermott actually beat him I feel Fury would be proved right in saying he himself would be the legitimate winner of a rematch. Why? Because I don’t believe Mac can box better than he did last night whereas I do believe that Tyson can and will improve a hell of a lot for the experience.
I liked how Fury fought through the fatigue to flail away in those last two rounds. He dredged up that kind of finishing effort because his corner, knowing as we did that their fighter was behind and – in a fair world – needed a knockout to win, sent him out for the ninth and tenth looking for just that. That said, it’s one thing to have need of a rousing finale but quite another to find the mental and physical resources to produce it. Young Fury doesn’t lack guts or desire and I think his stamina will be okay too once he’s matured a bit, and he stood up to some hefty lefts and rights to the chops so I don’t think there’s much wrong with the boy’s chin either. With time, and dedication, he could become a real international class heavyweight, maybe even a contender. But that’s a long way off.
One thing he needs to do for starters is forget the notion that he’s some kind of exterminator. That run of straight knockouts leading into the McDermott duel had Fury telling the Manchester Evening News, “I’m bringing the fear factor back into boxing like Mike Tyson did.” Hey, Jay Leno would be pushed to find a funnier one-liner than that.
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]