Kell Brook vs Devon Alexander official poll

Exactly. This is why I consider the Alexander fight to be such a big step up for Brook. Alexander may not even be a top 5 fighter at 147 but he's a significant improvemebt on any of Kell's opposition as of yet.

 

Not really Hatton is much better than Jennings ever was, Hatton was a European champion and had beaten some decent Euro level names, Jennings was well past his best when he fought Brook and even at his best was never more than European level. Bienas was dominated whenever he faced anyone remotely decent and basically just fought nobodies in Poland. Jackiewicz was a very good European champion who had beaten Jan Zaveck and very nearly won a world title.

Saldivia wasn't great but he was much better than Kotey who looked like he was going to get KO'd by every shot Brook through. N'dou is still a solid enough fighter and is a good test for anyone before they move to world level. Jones as well is much better than anyone Brook had faced previously and is probably a top 10/15 fighter in the division

 

Its a significant step up but by no means mission impossible. I have more faith in Brook's talent than you do but the lack of experience is a concern.

I think Jennings & Hatton are around the same level, Jennings being the better boxer but lacking Hatton's durability. Jennings certainly gave Kell a more difficult fight that Hatton managed. I dont think Jackiewicz was significantly better than Bienias & they both had a style favourable to Kell.

My general point is that in all the time with Matchroom there has only been a marginal improvement in quality of opposition. I hope the lack of world level experience doesnt hurt Kell too much when he faces Alexander.

 

No. Just no.

You can dress up opponents all you like but if you're going to spout off about how great an opponent Jackiewicz was, remember Jennings beat him and he's the best name on either of their records.

Either you didn't see Jennings at his best and have just boxrec'd his record or are twisting it to suit your argument, but there is absolutely no chane Matthew Hatton eould've beaten him prime for prime.

 

Brook is pleasing to watch and he has some aspects to his style which are world class but I don't favour him in this because I think Alexander's style can disrupt his work and also because of the jump up. I'd ideally have liked it if he had had a real World level test before this rather than Saldivia. Jones was a step in the right direction but he shouldn't be the toughest opponent on your record when fighting for a world title IMO.

It's an intriguing fight nevertheless and props to Kell if he comes out of it with a win.

 

Maybe not much better that was probably an overstatement on my part but I still think that Hatton would have too much for Jennings and certainly the Jennings which fought Brook. I think Jackiewicz once he got the early career defeats out of the way was a much better fighter than Bienas was.

I agree with what your saying about Matchroom though they haven't really moved Brook along the was in which they claimed they would do and I agree that Brook could be beaten by experience rather than talent in this fight

 

That was when Jackiewicz wasn't really the same fighter at that point, after the early career loses he only lost a very close decision to Zaveck in a world title fight then Brook totally took him apart, IMO that victory is very underrated.

I probably went over the top when I said much better, but in all honesty I didn't ever rate Jennings much at all and think he was never more than a British level fighter. Him against Hatton would be a close fight but I still think Matthews toughness and pressure would eventually wear Jennings down.

 

Kell's career, for various reasons hasnt progressed perfectly since 2009/10 but Alexander is beatable.

Worst case scenario- Kell freezes on the big stage & comes out tense, he cant adjust to Devon's speed or match his workrate & gets outhustled.

Best case scenario- Kell turns up in immense condition, he establishes the jab, starts to time the right hand & is too big & strong for Devon to clinch effectively.

Devon is going to be much busier than Kell & far more willing to fire back after being caught. I think Brook will be more accurate & land the cleaner shots but his natural cautiousness might cost him.

I think it will be closely contested, not an all action affair but a technical & tactical fight & the result will probably be debatable.

 

When Alexander steps, Kell will catch him before has has chance to move back out again, I can't see him going down with a straight jab like Saldivia did but I do think he'll get tagged and probably go down.

 

It was a hard one to call from the get-go. But thinking about it a little. I think Brook takes it.

Alexander is a good style match-up for him, Brook has problems with guys who carry him faster than he wants to be carried and change up the pace, who get underneath his shots. Devon fights at the same rythm. He has to 'feel' you to get his punches off. I think Brook gives him problems from distance. Brooks punches have more purpose and they are more accurate. Devon hits a lot of air and falls short too many times. If there's a hard straight left hand for him in a fight, which there will be against Brook, he'll just keep touching you with it and never turn it over.

Also Devon makes loud hard breathing grunts before he punches, which tips of his shots. I know a lot of fighters make some noises when they punch but Devon’s is over exaggerated. A really good fighter should pick up on that and Devon won’t be able to hit him clean. Boxing is a game of inches and you don’t want an opponent to brace for any incoming. This habit of hard grunts can also cause fatigue to set in faster. When you grunt that hard you are losing more oxygen.

Here is the thing about grunting. If you have ever watched a weight lifting contest, you hear the contestants grunt as they lift. While watching a shot putter or javelin thrower you will hear them grunt or yell as they throw. In tennis you will hear the players grunt as they hit big shots.

To exert extreme force, athletes are taught to let the “air” out from their core. This is turn causes for a lot of yelling. It’s correct and understandable. But in boxing you should let the air out with your mouth closed. How loud of a noise can one make with their mouth closed?

I think Devon is just trying to punch hard and he’s stuck in a bad habit. The harder he punches the louder the grunts. I understand where he’s coming from, but it hurts him because he lets his opponents know when he is putting extra sauce on his shots. Brook should really pick up on this and not let Devon get off first on him.

Devon is the kind of kid you can tell to stick his hand in a fan to get gold , and he would do it without questioning whether it will get cut off. The problem is Devon does not improvise. He fights like he has been trained all these years. Work , work, work!

Devon flicks that southpaw jab, grunting and looking for openings all night. Devon fights to a positive rhythm but monotonous none the less. He over emphasizes his punches too much, with grunts and body language. If Devon changes the rhythm of his attack he can win this fight and outwork Brook to a decision. However, watching Devon one round is like watching him every round, the same can be said for Brook in a way, but it's not as extreme with him. Devon also holds his guard to WIDE. Which is a no no.

I'm not THAT high on Kell Brook. I think he has plenty of flaws himself. But i like him to land the more clean punches, he's more smooth and relaxed than Devon. They both get hit relatively easy and fight at the same, but Alexander falls short with his attacks.

 

Thing is I think DA is the world level test before Brook goes onto tougher opponents. I've said it before, it's not that I think Brook is that great it's just that I've never been impressed by Alexander. If Brook can't get the better of him then I seriously doubt he'll ever make it at the highest level. I also just can't get the thought of Alexander being taken to school by Kotelnik out of my mind. He was bloody hopeless in that fight.

 

Iam picking Alexander on points, but want Kell to pull it off.

This fight will tell us a lot about Kell, its a big step up from who he has been fighting, plus its in the U.S too, if Kell pull it off lots of respect to him.

 

I reckon Kell will get stopped with an uppercut. His chin is fooking massive and if Alexander can't hit that bad lad he's never going to cut it at the elite level.. I bet Hearn is devastated that Devon didn't vacant and Kell has got to fight at World level instead of fighting some Argentinian for the vacant title.

 

Bloody hell, I dreamt that last night. It was the ninth round.

 

It was clairvoyance. Put the mortgage on it