the what fights did you watch today\scorecard thread.

spence vs porter

spence: 1,5,6,8,9,11,12
porter: 2,3,4,7,10

10-8 spence in rd 11

115-112 spence

i may have been slightly generous to porter in the first 3

very good back and forth fight was fun to watch on replay

 

Erik Morales v Jesus Chavez

Excellent fight in which Chavez managed to injure his shoulder early but kept going with one hand and actually did better as the fight wore on. Morales had a clear edge in power and put Chavez down hard in the second but Chavez showed a ton of heart to keep going and stifle Morales' work. Morales seemed to go off the boil a bit from round 8 but let it all hang out in a barnstorming finale.

1 9-10 (Morales rocked by Chavez)
2 10-7 (Chavez down twice and hurt)
3 10-9
4 10-9
5 10-10
6 10-9
7 10-9
8 9-10
9 9-10 (close)
10 9-10
11 10-9
12 10-9 (excellent action)

Morales 116-111 Chavez

 

Fight 11: Golovkin vs Munroe Jr

1: 10-9
2: 10-7
3: 10-9
4: 10-9
5: 10-9
6: ko

Golovkin looked brilliant the wya he cut the ring off here. Don't get me wrong, Munroe Jr is no world beater, but he was quick of hand and feet and really tried staying at range, but Golovkin just didn't give him any space whatsoever, he brutally cut down the ring and then cut down Munroe himself.

Very impressed with this performance.

 

Fight 12: Golovkin vs Lemieux

1: 10-9
2: 10-9
3: 10-9
4: 10-9
5: 10-8
6: 10-9
7: 10-9
8: ko

This is the fight I tend to class as the last prime performance we ever saw from Golovkin. I always felt Wade was a very weak opponent and he definitely looked a step slower against Brook, but be got through those fights on sheer power and it helped mask the decline somewhat. In interested to see if I still believe that by the end of this Golovkin Binge.

But over these 4 years and 11 fights from 2012 to 2015 I really do think he looks ATG level, I really do.

As for this fight Lemieux was supposed to present a problem he'd yet to face, which was a fellow big banger trying to take his head off. As it happened Golovkin was just better, at every facet of the game. He had better timing, better jabs, better footwork, better defence, better offence.

Lemieux was hopeless in there and Golovkin just chipped away at him until the ref felt enough was enough.

 

Fight 13: Golovkin vs Brook

1: 9-10
2: 9-10
3: 10-9
4: 10-9
5: ko

This is the fight that many say is the start of Golovkins visible decline. He's now 34 years old and his performances get steadily less impressive.

This is the worst Golovkin has looked since the Ouma fight. He was incredibly hittable, his jab was a none entity, he won by going to war and emerging victorious.

There's the argument that Brook was the first P4P ranked opponent Golovkin faced. So maybe he didn't look as dominant because he was in with arguably his best opponent of his career.

Golovkin came out and said he didn't respect the power of Brook so he wanted to put on an exciting fight for the fans, a big drama show.

But if you ask me, it's nonsense. Brook is not the best opponent Golovkin faced. I think Macklin, Murray, Lemieux all comfortably beat Brook. Golovkin did respect the power of Brook, he was backed up a few times and actually there's no way he wanted to continue having those chocolate brownies bouncing off his chin, he just wasn't able to avoid them any more.

So I think I'm standing by my earlier assessment, Golovkin is now noticeably past his peak. Still very dangerous, after all he's just knocked out the best WW in the world (something all great MW champions have had to do) but he's no longer the level of fighter he was the previous year.

Turned pro at 26, spent 4 years working towards a title shot, spent 2 more years perfecting his craft.

Imagine if he'd have turned pro at 19/20. We'd have ahad a much longer prime and probably would all be in agreement that this is one of the greatest fighters in history

 

Luf, great work. Man, you weren't kidding when you said you were going to binge. Wow!

 

I get like this haha. Peaks and troughs with boxing my man, peaks and troughs.

 

Checked out 2 Nigel Benn fights today. Was in the mood to see some action. Here we go.

Nigel Benn v Doug DeWitt

Round 1: 10-9 Benn
Round 2: 10-8 DeWitt (scores a knockdown)
Round 3: 10-8 Benn (scores a knockdown)
Round 4: 10-9 Benn
Round 5: 10-9 Benn
Round 6: 10-9 Benn
Round 7: 10-9 Benn
Round 8: Benn stops DeWitt

Total through 7 completed rounds: 68-63 Benn (actual scores: 70-63, 67-64 and 66-64 all for Benn)

DeWitt's habit of hanging his head straight up and leaning back slightly was as inviting a target as I have ever seen. His corner should have just drawn a target at the base of his chin for Benn. I thought I was being a bit conservative in my score but 2 of the official scores were ridiculously close. Benn absolutely hammered DeWitt throughout.

Nigel Benn v Robbie Sims (British scoring of 10-9 1/2)

Round 1: 10-9 1/2 Benn
Round 2: 10-9 1/2 Benn
Round 3: 10-9 1/2 Sims
Round 4: 10-10 Even
Round 5: 10-9 1/2 Benn
Round 6: 10-9 1/2 Benn
Round 7: Benn drops Sims twice and the fight is stopped

Total through 6 completed rounds: 59 1/2 - 58 for Benn (no official score announced)

Sims was as Jim Watt stated, "a reeeeeal quality opooooonent." (I totally love his commentary). I was giving Sims the 7th round until Benn dropped the bomb on him late in the round. The rounds were close and was a good competitive match. Man, it's not until these fighters careers were over that you look back and appreciate the power of Benn and the skill of Sims and what they brought to the table in a very competitive era.

 

Buster Drayton v Davey Moore

Round 1: 10-9 Moore
Round 2: 10-10 Even (was leaning to Moore but Drayton lands a haymaker at the last second of the round to pull this one Even)
Round 3: 10-9 Drayton
Round 4: 10-10 Even
Round 5: 10-9 Moore
Round 6: 10-9 Moore
Round 7: 10-9 Moore
Round 8: 10-9 Drayton
Round 9: 10-9 Drayton
Round 10: Drayton stops Moore

Total through 9 completed rounds: 87-86 Moore (actual scores: 87-86 Moore, 87-85 Drayton and 86-86 Even)

Amazingly, there were no knockdowns in this fight between two bangers. Drayton with his wide-arc haymakers and Moore, with his refined punching down the middle and to the body. This fight was anybody's as one can see by my score and that of the officials. But poor Davey, he got cornered and was trying to fight back, but should have been squirming and grabbing Drayton to get out of that corner. Because with Drayton throwing those bombs from left field, even the perception of someone getting hurt is going to get a fight stopped. Clearly, when the ref stopped it one could see he was in no distress. But he was pinned, and again - perception.

 

Was this one as good as it sounds?

 

Strangely enough, the crowd was almost muted. Even the announcing team mentions it during the contest on how low-key they were. But I enjoyed this. Good hard, fast blows from both sides. Drayton always looks ungainly, but every shot he throws no matter what angle has KO written all over it. And Moore was really on in this fight and was really banging the body so well. Like I said, it was anybody's fight and well contested, even if you couldn't tell by the crowd. You'd swear they were fighting during the pandemic with no crowd noise.

 

Merry Xmas everyone!

Fight 14: Golovkin vs Jacobs

1: 10-9
2: 10-9
3: 10-9
4: 10-8
5: 10-9
6: 9-10
7: 9-10
8: 9-10
9: 10-9
10: 9-10
11: 9-10
12: 10-9

115-112

This is probably the best MW Golovkin has ever fought, but this clearly isn't the best Golovkin any more. Look how much he's slowed down in the past 12 months. That ferocity just isn't there, instead of being like a hunter cutting the ring off in 2 steps backing the opponent up behind the jab, he's now more of a plodder, keeping his opponent at mid range with the jab, but not really punishing with the follow up any more.

In fact Jacob is giving Golovkin too much respect here, almost like his reputation has preceded him and Jacobs doesn't really want to stand his ground.

Ironically it's only now you can actually appreciate how technically sound Golovkin is as a boxer, he's obviously adapted his style and I genuinely believe that's more to do with him slowing down, than it is to do with the quality of opponent.

Round 4 actually looked like Prime Golovkin was back and maybe this was just a slow start for him, but you can see after the knockdown, the ferocious power shots aren't there, his jab is probably better than ever, very dynamic and powerful, but his power shots have really fallen in quality. I mean there's times in this round (a round he's dropped Jacobs in) where he spends 30 seconds throwing only a jab, this never happened in his prime. He used to drive forward full of momentum and aggression. Its clearly another case of fighters having to adapt to a decline in athleticism by improving their technique. The jab was always a key weapon for Golovkin, but not against Jacobs its almost his only weapon, that and the fact Jacobs is giving him so much respect.

Round 6, 7 and you see that Jacobs has realised, Golovkin isn't just starting slow, he is slow. He can see every punch coming. Yes G is still dangerous, but in more of a blunt force trauma way, not a relentless break you down and hit you with shots you don't see coming way. Jacobs is quite comfortable staying away from Golovkin, which was never ever the case just a couple of years ago.

Even round 9 saw Jacobs start off in the same fashion, but one of Golovkins ponderous power shots finally had an impact, and shook Jacobs to the core and tbh that saved the round for Golovkin.

Ultimately this was very much a fight of two halves. The first half was Jacobs giving Golovkin too much respect as Golovkin plodded behind his jab and basically had his own way.

The second half saw Jacobs realise how slow Golovkin was now, and found it quite easy staying out of range apart from a defensive lapse in rounds 9 and 12 when Golovkin landed a big shot and was able to steal the round.

No one can watch this fight and think Golovkin is still at his best. No one.

 

Fight 15: Golovkin vs Canelo 1

1: 10-9
2: 9-10
3: 10-9
4: 10-9
5: 10-9
6: 10-9
7: 10-9
8: 10-9
9: 10-9
10: 9-10
11: 9-10
12: 9-10

This fight starts in a similar pattern to the recent fights, Golovkin is more of a menacing plodder than a ferocious fighter who cuts the ring off with two steps. Canelo is frustrating Golovkin with movement, but his activity levels are way down meaning Golovkin wins the opening round with pretty much just a jab.

The 2nd sees Canelo up to activity levels and beat Golovkin to punch on a number of occasions, particularly to the body.

The third round sees Golovkin re establishing his jab and reducing the workrate of Canelo. The jab here is a fine weapon employed by GGG, this version of the fighter is still a terrific fighter and actually was worthy of his P4P ranking.

It makes me ask now, is this iteration as good as the previous one, conservative footwork, pumping jab, sharpshooting power shots, defensively astute. Different to the version who fought Lemieux, absolutely, but worse? I'm not so sure now tbh.

The fourth round is the best Golovkin has looked since the Lemieux victory imo. He pounds that jab, follows up with measured power shots in combination, cuts the ring off brilliantly and really controls the round. I get the argument that Canelo wants to fight off the ropes and is countering accurately, but it doesn't wash for me, this is a very good display.

Round 5 shows Golovkin again leading behind the jab. Canelo tried to a bit of kidology showing he can see every punch coming, but ultimately he does nowhere near enough to steal the round from Golovkin.

Round 6, 7, 8 and 9 is more of the same. Golovkin bullying behind the jab but throwing sporadic power shots. Canelo trying to prove he can't be hit cleanly, but not consistently making Golovkin pay for missing.

Rounds 10-12 see Canelo timing with Venom and landing those highlight reel flush counters we've seen so much on YouTube.

I'm gonna be honest, I've seen this fight a few times and I've never thought anything other than a Golovkin win was the right result, but the draw would not have been given had Canelo not come out firing in those last 3 rounds, come out firing against the most dangerous opponent of his career, come out firing when his gas tank has constantly been questioned up until now.

Too little too late on my card, but he earnt his draw the hard way. Without those 3 rounds he loses the fight and probably never gets a rematch.

So credit where its due, Canelo fought a hell of a fight and dig deep when it counted, just as Tito did against Hoya. But just as that fight, the decision is plainly wrong.

116-112

 

I never knew this fight was out there. British scoring in effect.

Herol Graham v Rod Douglas

Round 1: Even
Round 2: Graham
Round 3: Graham
Round 4: Graham
Round 5: Graham
Round 6: Douglas
Round 7: Graham
Round 8: Even
Round 9: Graham drops Douglas 3 times and the ref stops the fight

Total through 8 completed rounds: 79 1/2 - 77 1/2 for Graham

We can all sit here in hindsight and say this was a disgraceful matchup with a 40 bout veteran against this 13 fight novice, and we'd be right. But what was amazing about this fight was that everyone was going along with it. There was no outcry at all. I remember reading the pre-fight writeup from Boxing News and they were lauding Mickey Duff's ability to judge when to move a fighter and when another is ready to be taken. They were harkening in a new era of Rod Douglas. We know now it was a bridge too far. But it seemed like they had cast the die already. Regarding the fight, the unorthodox Graham really delivered patty-cake punches for most of the fight, which was his style. But it was noticeable in the 7th and 8th rounds how fatigued Douglas suddenly became. And why not? He didn't learn much bowling over his opponents and now he was at the deep end of the pool with nothing left. I don't know the extent of the damage Douglas suffered, but he was retired. The punches that dropped him didn't look that awesome. Clearly exhaustion was the main factor here. But I wonder now after seeing it if Douglas had any other underlying issues that went undetected before this bout.