Hall-McDonnell Reaction

:deal

Same old story.

 

A draw? Yeah.... no.

 

Have to say that I wasn't impressed with Jeffries in the slightest. No range and constantly being tied up. Jeffries was lunging in with shots all night and looked sloppy throughout the contest. He was trying to fight on the inside at times, but never looked effective inside, he clearly needs to learn some inside fighting. To be honest, I couldn't understand what he was trying to achieve in there. He should have used the jab more, put his shots together, and fought more intelligently.

Jeffries better buck up his idea's after that woeful performance.

As for McDonnell - Hall, the fight was very close, I had McDonnell just nicking it by a point or two. Hall looked good early on in the fight but looked knackered in the closing quarters as McDonnell was coming on strong and grinding him down. I know a couple were predicting Hall to come on strong late, yet McDonnell was the one who took over in the latter half.

I think McDonnell should play it safe at Euro level for a while before stepping into the lions den. The opposition in his weight class is very strong so staying away for a year or two is probably best for him.

All in All, a great start to the season. A cracking fight.

 

Great fight, Mcdonnel looked sharp and boxed clever

 

I had Mcdonnell by two rds, he threw some beuitful punches, uppercut and bodyshots, if he'd had a dig he could well have stopped Hall, while the shots to the head just bounced off the bodyshots were hurting.
I think the talk of Halls power was over done, he was clearly the bigger puncher but no wall breaker, he fought a fine fight bearing in mind that was only his 13th fight.

As for Jim Watt, the less said the better

 

I was ringside, 2 row's behind Watt (but couldn't hear what he was saying thankfully) it was a clear McDonnell win but admittedly he is feather fisted and it was accumulation that got him the win. He's my home town boy but he clearly lacks power and I worry about when he steps it up to the next level....
Regardless, tonight was a great fight and the atmosphere in the Donny Dome was electric.

 

Some disturbing trends are developing, and need to be addressed...

1) McDonnell won, close but clear. I wouldn't take vehement umbrage to someone scoring a draw, but would be inclined to think that they maybe strained to give Hall the benefit of the doubt in the closest rounds. I had McDonnell up 116-112 and could honestly see it another point in his favor (or one the other way, but not quite a draw). The couple of true "swing" rounds allow for a range of 117-111 to 115-113 for McDonnell IMO. Any score with Hall ahead can't be taken seriously. It wasn't a "could go either way" scenario. To have 7 rounds to Hall means you gave him at least a couple of rounds in which he landed a handful of good shots - literally numerable on one hand - while largely getting out boxed. He was strong in the first half, but started to fade and concede momentum before the midpoint. Add to that the opener, in which McDonnell did far more work but got caught and startled a few times. Many gave it to Hall - incorrectly, I feel.

2) Watt rules. **** you all. He gets it wrong sometimes but so does every analyst, ever.

3) WTF is with all the Jeffries bashing???? It was his tenth bout. As the SKY heads mentioned, it is VERY early going in his working relationship with Tommy Brooks. Give it some damn time. Wladimir Klitschko got KTFO in his first collaboration with Emanuel Steward, remember? Even putting that aside, give HIM some damn time. He's 26. Less than three years on as a pro. He's just started taking on difficult opponents in his last three starts or so. You don't pass instant judgment on someone the first time they encounter someone like Morby - you wait until next time to see what they learned from the experience. Do I think he'll progress to world level? Honestly, probably not. He's been cut four times out of five in a row now. He has significantly better man in his way at LHW, even at domestic level. His right hand isn't going to carry him all the way, and is maybe his only standout weapon. He can get better than he is, though - and my guess is that he will. Shutting out Morby instead of knocking him out, and looking frustrated about it, doesn't all of a sudden make Jeffries a worthless shire-level club-fighter.

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People just make fun out of him because he's a bit daft, really.

Both in and outside the ring, that is.

Plus his style and apparent lack of technical ability is fun to watch, though considering he's an Olympic medallist it's kinda disturbing.

Oh, and the constant social networking, I think he sleeps with his laptop under his pillow.

 

I thought McDonnell took it about 116-112 to be honest, a bit wider than the consensus. In the later rounds they flashed up a stat that Hall had landed 54 of 450 odd punches thrown; sorry, but that can only acheive so much against a guy so much slicker and polished. McDonnell took about four rounds to be convinced that Hall couldn't hurt him, then after that it was pretty much one way. His body work was superb at times. I was impressed with both fellas though, but suspect it may be celings just about reached for McDonnell. Shame, I like the cut of his jib.

Sky seriously need to look at the money they're spending to put these shows on. I can take or leave Watt, but most would like to see him replaced. Plus the main commentator is not a specialist boxing commentator, I've heard him do other sports. So there's those two, then they cut to some other bloke for a thirty second chinwag with Spencer Oliver, then after the fight they cut to another presenter whose got two more analysts with him. Do they lay on a coach for these ****ers? Just do it like HBO do. Three specialists and it'll be cheaper too, meaning they can spend the spare wedge on bringing us more fights.

 

If I had Jeffries tools I'd be a British champion by now. His problem is that he's fcuking thick, nothing else. It's his tenth fight, fine, but to throw so few body shots, get continuously tangled and get told basics like 'one two hook' between rounds and STILL not do it.... Nah, sorry, the bloke is going nowhere.

As for the main event, it went how I had hoped. Jamie is a far better technician and Hall's 'power' is/was vastly overrated. McDonnell boxed better, landed more, better head movement; clear winner.

 

had it a draw on the night though admittedly some very close middle rounds

cant believe im reading on here that people think halls power is overrated. Had mcdonnell in trouble on a few occasions

 

They were making Hall out to be Roberto Duran at times!! I wouldn't ever say McDonnell was in 'trouble' either, he felt a couple for sure but as the fight went on they seemed to bother him less and less.

That said, McDonnell really needs to try and add some more power to his game. There's almost no chance of him stopping anyone.

 

not a chance a draw,mcdonnell looked the classier boxer,out punched the puncher at times.
if i was being genorous i would give it 7 rounds to 5.
people are giving rounds to hall when he was catching mcdonnell with a couple of hard shots but being outpunched the rest of the round.
was a great great fight,both fighters were superb.

as for jefferies,he was ****ing awful,i don't care if it was only his 10th fight,someone of that level should be beating a guy like molby(spelling) hands down. he looked ****ing terrible,where were his body shots,he hit him with one left hook top the body and hurt him,then never went back downstairs,he would of stopped him early to the body,he had no defence to the body,every punch he through his elbows were wide.
someone like brook should be pointing it out,which he may of mentioned the body in the 6th or 7th round,which by then it was to late

 

i thought the scorecards on the night were pretty much right, McDonnell can go far just through his sheer determination and good stamina.

i can see him getting a world title shot but a brit coming up short once again.

Jefferies fight was awful to watch.

 

I thought McDonnell won the fight clearly lads. By about 4 rounds. Also what were Sky like making out that Hall was this frightning puncher?