Before the back problems, he reminded me abit of Monzon. Lanky, but surprisingly fluid at times with real sneaky power. In the Ishida fight, he didn't look his usual self. It's like he'd fight to his opponents level. I think he'd beat everyone except GGG, but I don't think GGG would knock him out. I think if they had a trilogy it'd go 2 for GGG and 1 for Pirog, like Barrera-Morales. Pirog would be ruling 168 right now most likely #2 behind Ward.
I personally believe Pirog is among the top five greatest cases of a "could have been" going back, say, 20 years. Can you really think of that many other fighters that will remain as big a question mark as Pirog?
None at all, hence me asking. The man was so damn good to watch. He pleased both sweet science & KO fans.
I remember this fight - scheduled for late summer 2012. Pirog already had some back issues (he dominated Ishida but clearly was lacking pop in his punches). Golovkin was completely unknown to American audiences at the time and hadn't yet come over from Germany. Pirog destroyed his back doing the stupid sledge hammer, tire workout. Hbo was forced to delay the fight a month and subbed in the highly ranked polish guy Proksa. The rest is history. Proksa was more of a live dog anyways. Pirog initially injured his back not long after the Jacobs fight and clearly his power over the next three fights (all hidden in russia but available on youtube of course) was just clearly lacking. He couldn't have held GGG off for very long at all.
What exactly was pirogs injury? I know it was his back but what did he do to it. It had to be pretty bad for his career to be ended by it. What a shame.
I picked Pirog without hesitation, initially, then I hesitated, and went back and added the (maybe) because it would be at MW, and AA always had a puncher's chance. That being said, that would have been the only way he could have won.
I had a pinched sciatic nerve for a while, it would almost incapacitate me at times, so yeah, a ruptured disc would definitely cramp his particular style, similar to how Sergio's bad legs cramped his.
Did Pirog never try and see a back specialist? Or was it a done deal when he injured his back that he had to retire?