Boxing thread 2017

[tomd2103]

K could have got it earlier.

He just didn't have it in the tank to step on it and finish Joshua when the chance was there.  Maybe age played a part or perhaps he was a bit too conservative. 

Massive respect goes to both fighters after that though and especially to Joshua who looked gone at one point.  To come through that and then have the energy to produce a finish like that takes something very special.

[PaulWinch again]

I also think that fight will help define Wlad as a quality fighter.

[Louzie0]

K could have got it earlier.

He just didn't have it in the tank to step on it and finish Joshua when the chance was there.  Maybe age played a part or perhaps he was a bit too conservative. 

Massive respect goes to both fighters after that though and especially to Joshua who looked gone at one point.  To come through that and then have the energy to produce a finish like that takes something very special.

Yes,
That finish was an incredible comeback. K had already comeback by then. Then JA was down and then recovered.
The entire fight was a proper contest. Fantastic from both.

[paul_e]

Brilliant fight, Wlad looked well up for it (much more so than for Fury) and showed all of his experience but Joshua is a machine.  If he's on his feet he will eventually find a gap and once he rocks someone it takes something special to get  back into the fight.  Wlad did it once (which clearly shocked AJ) but the 2nd time he just didn't have the gas.

I've said a few times that there's something really special about AJ and winning the best heavyweight fight for at least a decade is a good way to start delivering on that.

[tomd2103]

K could have got it earlier.

He just didn't have it in the tank to step on it and finish Joshua when the chance was there.  Maybe age played a part or perhaps he was a bit too conservative. 

Massive respect goes to both fighters after that though and especially to Joshua who looked gone at one point.  To come through that and then have the energy to produce a finish like that takes something very special.

Yes,
That finish was an incredible comeback. K had already comeback by then. Then JA was down and then recovered.
The entire fight was a proper contest. Fantastic from both.

I really thought WK would just see it home in the last few rounds like he has done so many times before.  Joshua found some energy from somewhere though and WK just couldn't hold him off.  Lot of talk about WK retiring, but I think he would have beaten pretty much every other heavyweight in the world with that kind of showing tonight. 

[peter w]

WHAT.A.FIGHT

Going into the eleventh it stil;l could hav ebeen anybodies. But props to Joshua the way he responded.The middle weight division is like theb1500nmeters in that it needs a strong competitor om what is both sports blud riband event. However, neithe rspoer can suebive without its 100m or Heavyweight Champion. Joshua wen some way to giving boxing that genuije world class appeal again.

Wgat a fight.  He's  nowhere neer the finished article but the ebbs and flows and to come back the way that he did was proper Roy of Te rovers old school stuff. It wa sbrillaint.

I've got jore to say but I'm [issed and this is taking me longer to type than  \i want

[peter w]

The other thing I want to mention is that it was quite disingenuous to keep harping on about youth winning over in the end. Even in the 10th round they were complimenting Klistchko for his lightness on his feet and his movement, so don't give me  one round later was purely because of Joshua's age. It wasn't. It was because like in the Eubank - Watson fight, in the 11th round Joshua was better.

[KRS]

Wow! What an amazing fight!

It looked like it could have been over for WK in the 5th, but AJ literally punched himself out and was dead on his feet in the 6th...I didn't think he'd make it through another round after being knocked down let alone make it to the 11th!!! AJ had to fight clever in order to recover and stay on his feet, regained his focus and stamina, and had to go for the knockout otherwise he would most likely have lost of points (sounds like it could have gone either way on the cards). WK didn't seem to have the killer instinct that AJ has, and when the opportunity arose, AJ punished him with some devastating combinations and power.

Congratulations to AJ, and fairplay to both AJ and WK for an amazing fight. 

[itbrvilla]

WHAT.A.FIGHT

Going into the eleventh it stil;l could hav ebeen anybodies. But props to Joshua the way he responded.The middle weight division is like theb1500nmeters in that it needs a strong competitor om what is both sports blud riband event. However, neithe rspoer can suebive without its 100m or Heavyweight Champion. Joshua wen some way to giving boxing that genuije world class appeal again.

Wgat a fight.  He's  nowhere neer the finished article but the ebbs and flows and to come back the way that he did was proper Roy of Te rovers old school stuff. It wa sbrillaint.

I've got jore to say but I'm [issed and this is taking me longer to type than  \i want

Pissed you say? I couldn't tell.


It's like you typed with your face...

[tomd2103]

I also think that fight will help define Wlad as a quality fighter.

Yep.  AJ will rightly get the headlines, but WK put on the kind of performance last night that not many will have seen from him before.  On reflection, the lack of competition in that division over the past decade has probably not worked in his favour in that he hasn't faced the kind of challenge he did last night.  Carl Froch in commentary continually spoke about how good his footwork was last night and as I said earlier in the thread, he probably would have beaten any other heavyweight in the world with that performance. 

I thought he would retire whichever way the result went last night, but after seeing that I'm not so sure.  There are some world titles out there which he could definitely target and last night might have given him the spur to go an win one.

[Dave Cooper please]

AJ had to fight clever in order to recover and stay on his feet, regained his focus and stamina, and had to go for the knockout otherwise he would most likely have lost of points (sounds like it could have gone either way on the cards).

I had AJ one round ahead after ten, but yeah, it was close.

[KRS]

Just in case anyone would like to see it again or haven't watched it at all, I found the full fight in decent quality on YouTube:

[dave.woodhall]

Kal and Gavin fighting in Birmingham tonight.  When do we think the party tunes will start?

[dave.woodhall]

Kal and Gavin fighting in Birmingham tonight.  When do we think the party tunes will start?

And it's started.

[tomd2103]

Kal and Gavin fighting in Birmingham tonight.  When do we think the party tunes will start?

What a waste of talent Frankie Gavin is.  Why are people on SKY still talking about him fulfilling his pontential?