Was Tank exposed or has he lost the fire?

Imagine Beterbiev kept dragging world champions or former world champions up in weight from SMW or natural MW SMWs up in weight

Whilst having spent his career shamelessly ducking the elite and elite world champions in his own weight class despite knowing he would have the huge advantage of a stacked deck of home advantage (be it Russia or Canada), home refs and three home judges vs foreign world champions and at worst an even playing field vs the elite from his own country

And then after cherrypicking low risk William Scull as his next opponent dragging him up from SMW he proceeds to lose to him in the vast majority of observer's eyes, in Canada in front of his own fans, and spent most of the fight backpedaling around the ring in mortal fear of getting clipped by the wind of a punch with his face a mask of fear

And he gets hurt, takes a knee after eating a jab to the eye before running over to his corner to take a timeout mid round, and even though it's a clear cut KD and the ref started to count the ref loses his bottle as he remembers who the A side is and changes his mind opting not to rule a clear cut KD a KD his ruling literally saved Beterbiev from a certain loss?

He would get crucified for it even at 40 y/o

Did you hear the chorus of boos as the decision was announced? Remember how much the PBC/Showtime hype machine have been ramming down our throats about how big a star and draw Twink is and he how he always packs out venues?

Well, who was doing all the booing when they announced the decision and when Twink made excuses about grease getting in his eye for the KD? His own fans

How can that not be anything other than exposed? Roach was a KO 40% cherrypick he dragged up in weight and he was supposed to make Twink look like a million dollars and be another HL reel KO on Twink's KO HL reel

 

As I thought, Roach showed he was getting overrated. If he had half the skills he was getting praised for the Cruz fight would have looked completely different.

 

On one hand, I get where youre coming from a bit, and I agree to an extent, my post comes off/is pessimistic and overly critical considering the fight and the fighters its about.

If my post was the sum of my thoughts regarding the fight, or if that was the key takeaway, I think youd have more of a point.

As it is, you quoted me as I was replying to someone I had previous discussions with on how time will tell which one of us was correct on if the Tank fight was due to Roach was some sublime under the radar talent that will go on to do great things, or if the tank fight was more about tank having an off night and himself getting exposed a bit.

I have nothing but respect for Roach and he is one hell of a fighter and boxer. But many people were overrating him due to the Tank fight and given that it was a topic of note at the time, and my perception of what I was seeing was being questioned as I just 'didnt understand what I was seeing', I wanted to bring that back up to that individual and stamp that Roach is pretty much what I saw him as. Which is a very good fighter but simply not the level some were putting him at.

If that was my main takeaway from the fight, Id get where your coming from, but its not, youre just singling out me replying to someone on a specific point. The notion that I shouldnt say anything negative on fighters engaged in good fights is a bit ridiculous.