Both these guys are going to run short of top level competitors with not being in the Cruiserweight tourney II. Biggest fight for both is probably a rematch. First fight was close enough to warrant one and at 39 Lebedev is unlikely to have many legacy fights left. He has a fight next month and then I imagine Gassiev will want a tune up after a tough run of fights but if both come through then this would be a good fight to make for next year. How do you see a rematch going? Has Gassiev improved or will a fairly one sided defeat have took something out of him? Is Lebedev past best and with injuries/inactivity coming up against a more experienced Gassiev be too much for him now?
Both should just move up to heavy. Gassiev can make an honest go at it and Lebedev can look for that Adamek fight that was being rumoured. On topic I feel like Gassiev wins the rematch, he's grown a little bit and Lebedev has slowed a bit.
Gassiev hasn't improved at all, but Lebdev is two years older and has been very inactive over the last two years due to injuries.
I agree that Lebdev should try to cashout with another past prime fighter like Adamaek and call it a career. Gassiev on the otherhand needs to correct a lot of mistakes he makes before he moves up to heavyweight, since he would lose to a lot of people right now. When he sets up his shots and punches in combinations he was even landing on Usyk, but he rarely does it and relies to much on throwing one punch at a time. Usyk is versatile and has defense, so he can easily make the move to heavyweight while Gassiev's lack of defense or head movement would get him knocked out against any good punchers at heavyweight.
