Boxing Thread

@MN5 said in Boxing Thread:

@MiketheSnow said in Boxing Thread:

Usyk v Rico

Awesome contest

View image

Sounded like a controversial stoppage. Did you see it ?

Yes

Very close fight with Rico ahead on the cards coming into the 11th

Better 11th round for Usyk and he caught Rico on the temple late in the round.

Rico was rocked, lost his gum shield and had close to 30 seconds before the ref resumed the fight with about 10 seconds to go.

Usyk was letting fly and the ref called it with about 1-2 seconds to go

Arguably the ref could have let it go and more than likely Usyk would have ended it emphatically in the final round

Rico comes out with huge respect and plaudits

Only his second ever boxing match

Amazing athlete

@MiketheSnow said in Boxing Thread:

@MN5 said in Boxing Thread:

@MiketheSnow said in Boxing Thread:

Usyk v Rico

Awesome contest

View image

Sounded like a controversial stoppage. Did you see it ?

Yes

Very close fight with Rico ahead on the cards coming into the 11th

Better 11th round for Usyk and he caught Rico on the temple late in the round.

Rico was rocked, lost his gum shield and had close to 30 seconds before the ref resumed the fight with about 10 seconds to go.

Usyk was letting fly and the ref called it with about 1-2 seconds to go

Arguably the ref could have let it go and more than likely Usyk would have ended it emphatically in the final round

Rico comes out with huge respect and plaudits

Only his second ever boxing match

Amazing athlete

Based on that one would have thought Usyk would have schooled him.

The old "styles win fights" adage seems apt here. Sounds like Usyk got a hell of a fright.

When you think how easily Joshua beat Ngannou then yeah, Verhoevens efforts are extraordinary.....and you're not wrong, he's a unit and a half.

Yeah styles make fights and Usyk struggled with Ricos style + his brute strength.
Usyk would KO Dubois tomorrow while Dubois could likely KO Rico.
Prob worse I have seen Usyk energy and footwork wise but he still managed to land the most damaging punches in the end.
Turki calling for rematch but hopefully Kabayel gets his deserved shot first

Sometimes fighters age overnight ,

First time I’ve seen him look that vulnerable,

Be interesting to see how he backs up with kabayal to see if it was just a one off

@kiwiinmelb said in Boxing Thread:

Sometimes fighters age overnight ,

First time I’ve seen him look that vulnerable,

Be interesting to see how he backs up with kabayal to see if it was just a one off

I was thinking Usyk didn't look quite as trim as before, and his opponent was agile and fit and refused to let him move around him.

What is interesting, at the point of the stoppage, most had Rico in front ,

But only one judge had him in front , 2 had it dead even

With usyk having gained the momentum at the time , odds on he was going to win that last round and he was going to win a controversial split decision

The stoppage probably saved boxing from that embarrassment of reading out those cards

@kiwiinmelb said in Boxing Thread:

Sometimes fighters age overnight ,

First time I’ve seen him look that vulnerable,

Be interesting to see how he backs up with kabayal to see if it was just a one off

Happens to the best of them. Age and tough fights get them all eventually.

Fury and Wilder being the most recent examples I can think of after their brutal trilogy.

Has Usyk gotten a bit complacent ? as you yourself said only 13 days ago he looked in a class of his own prior to this.

@MN5 said in Boxing Thread:

@kiwiinmelb said in Boxing Thread:

Sometimes fighters age overnight ,

First time I’ve seen him look that vulnerable,

Be interesting to see how he backs up with kabayal to see if it was just a one off

Happens to the best of them. Age and tough fights get them all eventually.

Fury and Wilder being the most recent examples I can think of after their brutal trilogy.

Has Usyk gotten a bit complacent ? as you yourself said only 13 days ago he looked in a class of his own prior to this.

he has looked in a class of his own to date , 2 one sided fights against all of Fury , Dubois and Joshua

I suspect there could be the ageing factor , he is 38 and had a long career when you factor in his long amateur career, and privately there might be a feeling of I’ve achieved it all now , a touch of complacency yes , similar to when fury fought ngannou .

Boxing is going to shoot itself in the foot eventually with these silly matchups, particularly at heavyweight, when all it takes is one big shot , Kabayal as an undefeated mandatory deserved that fight ahead of someone from another sport all day everyday..

Interesting developments in the HW division,

Usyk vacates his belts but says he’s not retired just yet ,

maybe a rematch with Rico is on the cards for him, and rather than hold up the division, he’s saying over to you younger fighters now,

We have some interesting matchups out there with the likes of Dubois , Moses , kabayal , Moses vs hrgovic probably becomes a very important fight now , the winner is probably in a title fight .

And don’t be surprised if fury vs Joshua becomes a title fight now ,not that they deserve it but money talks

And the whole HW division celebrates.

why does he want to vacate his belts but still fight?

@nostrildamus said in Boxing Thread:

why does he want to vacate his belts but still fight?

Yeah something isn't adding up.

I have a feeling he is going to be the second heavyweight champ who will actually retire undefeated. I don't reckon we'll see him in the ring again.

( cue me being completely wrong and a fight announced later this year )

@MN5 said in Boxing Thread:

@nostrildamus said in Boxing Thread:

why does he want to vacate his belts but still fight?

Yeah something isn't adding up.

I have a feeling he is going to be the second heavyweight champ who will actually retire undefeated. I don't reckon we'll see him in the ring again.

( cue me being completely wrong and a fight announced later this year )

I agree, what has he got to prove? A matchup with Putin in the ring?

@nostrildamus said in Boxing Thread:

@MN5 said in Boxing Thread:

@nostrildamus said in Boxing Thread:

why does he want to vacate his belts but still fight?

Yeah something isn't adding up.

I have a feeling he is going to be the second heavyweight champ who will actually retire undefeated. I don't reckon we'll see him in the ring again.

( cue me being completely wrong and a fight announced later this year )

I agree, what has he got to prove? A matchup with Putin in the ring?

Whew, you quoted right after my edit. I completely forgot about the incredible Rocky Marciano with a record of 49-0 and mistakenly mentioned Usyk as the first guy to be unbeaten. I had a sip of coffee and rectified my error.

But yes, Nothing to prove. He's beaten everyone worth beating and looked fucken rusty last time out. Time to do a Chilli Peppers ( Give it away )

@nostrildamus said in Boxing Thread:

@MN5 said in Boxing Thread:

@nostrildamus said in Boxing Thread:

why does he want to vacate his belts but still fight?

Yeah something isn't adding up.

I have a feeling he is going to be the second heavyweight champ who will actually retire undefeated. I don't reckon we'll see him in the ring again.

( cue me being completely wrong and a fight announced later this year )

I agree, what has he got to prove? A matchup with Putin in the ring?

@nostrildamus said in Boxing Thread:

why does he want to vacate his belts but still fight?

So he can pick and choose an opponent/ opponents that might generate a payday, and not have to fight his mandatories ,

The way I see it , it’s the honourable thing to do if he’s chasing money now over defending the titles

@nostrildamus said in Boxing Thread:

why does he want to vacate his belts but still fight?

He'll want to have big cash out fights similar to his last, instead of being mandated to fight guys that are below the level of guys that he has already beaten, which won't demand as much money.

In other words, he's conquered the division with nothing left to prove, and would rather have crossover fights, which funnily enough, was probably his hardest fight he's had at HW, so probably expect a rematch with Rico Verhoven.

@kiwiinmelb said in Boxing Thread:

@nostrildamus said in Boxing Thread:

why does he want to vacate his belts but still fight?

So he can pick and choose an opponent/ opponents that might generate a payday, and not have to fight his mandatories ,

The way I see it , it’s the honourable thing to do if he’s chasing money now over defending the titles

Lol beat me to it.

More developments , Kabayal who was usyks wbc mandatory is now wbc world champion,

Usyk appears to be fighting wilder next , interesting choice of opponent from usyk

Great welterweight fight about to start, Boots Ennis v Xander Zahas , both undefeated good boxers

Well paid poster boy for Zuffa boxing
A rematch with Rico very unlikely as boxing governing bodies may not sanction it this time due to mandatories not being fulfilled, but Turki Al-Sheikh wants it to happen
Kabayel needs his shot - should now be elevated
Did hear a rumour a fight between Usyk and Opetaia could happen on Zuffa