Awesome year for boxing. Might be the best yr of boxing in my lifetime, but this w/e is just another example of great fighters being pitted in tough fights, or great prospects getting to showcase their skills, or test themselves very wiley vets and journeymen. 1.Biggest fight.... Obviously, Provodikov vs Mathysee. After last night, it became quite clear that Mathysee is #1 at LWW. His tough L vs Garcia aside, pretty certain we ALL know a rematch would not go more than 3 rds with Mathysee bludgeoning DGG and ruining him further. Sadly, Mathysee is not fighting a timid backfoot CPer in Provo, but another come forward brawler, and Mathysee doesnt have the defense or the footwork to stave of the raging bull, the Siberian Rocky. My prediction.....PAIN. Provo by KO, rd 3-5. 2. A distant 2nd, but a GREAT fight nonetheless. Crawford at 140, vs Top 15 Thomas Dulorme. The tough French Puerto Rican is once again putting himself up against it. Crawford brings both speed, power, size, and skills N to 140 against Dulorme who'll look to spoil early, but Crawford will impose a pace, the distance, and Dulorme will be handed his second loss. My prediction.......A schooling in the neighborhood of 119-107 with Dulorme tasting the canvas multiple times. This fight, combined with Garcias ugly gift last night, and Mathysse's inevitable KO loss to Provo, will bump Bud into the #1 LWW spot, and make all roads lead to him. 3. Close 3rd, and possible career altering fight. JR vs Fonfara. JCC Jr finally makes a fight he doesnt have to starve himself for to make weight, giving him FULL POWER and and better punch resistance. Fonfara is obviously thrilled with the payday since he's likely making more for this fight than he did for his title opportunity, but if he thought Stevenson was a tough fight, or Campillo who was beating him by 7 rds before finally catching and hurting the broken Spaniard.......he's in for a rude awakening. JR will come straight forward breaking down Fonfaras body, and bouncing his head around his GIRAFFE NECK(IB*) like a bobble-head doll, making the Chitown based Pole look like CHINA DOLL being bludgeoned from pillar to post. My prediction. Fonfara winning rds behind the jab, but going down more than a $2 strawberry. Chavez Jr KO, lights out, or body shot and not get up KO, rds 7-9. 4. Ray Robinson vs Sherzobek Alimjanov. While the Eurasian Lion has built up a fine record on the domestic level, he's yet to face a slick American SP.......this has clowning written all over it. Outclassed, and outgunned, SA puts up his effort before a referee calls a halt to a fight in which SA will be a bloody mess. My prediction......Ray Robinson TKO(cuts) rds 6-7. 5. Amir Iman vs Walter Castillo. Amir Iman is a flash, and a strong banger with skills. Might be the top p4p prospect out there right with Beterbiev, Usyk, Lomachenko, Lubin and Spence. Castillo is a solid pro sporting a 26-2 record and showing a solid chin as a presure fighter. But you can't hit what you can't see, and the punches you can't see will put your lights out. My prediction. Amir Iman becomes the first to stop the tough Latino. TKO rds 8-10. 6. Han vs Guerrero. Guerrero is in with yet another puncher, except Han doesnt quite have the speed or footwork as Lemieux or Quillin. Good crossroads fight for both guys. My prediction. Guerrero up 7 rds on the cards, gets caught. Han KO 8.
I feel really sorry for both Matty and Provo, one of them, or quite possibly both, will never be the same again after 18 April
Well, if one or the other can get and early stoppage win, I think BOTH will be fine. I don't think either would be permanently damaged from an early TKO. Provos got such a thick skull, I doubt even Mathysee could cause a bleed or do anything in the way of making him punchy. Though both will be a little tentative to exchange early after this fight, especially if there's early fireworks.:think
I'm going the other way with Matty vs Koro and think we'll see a close but clear decision win for the Argentine. Also I think Fonfara vs Jr is kind of a 50/50 deal, because the downside of not having to starve himself (or actually less, cause he walks around about 200) to make weight, is that he doesn't have his usual weight/size advantage over his opponent. I actually think Fonfara might beat him in many viewers eyes and it's up to the judges to do their job and save JCC Jr.
hopefully but i see we will disagree on Fonfara-JCC JR, it will go to the cards with Fonfara being better but losing to the judges to set up Jr-Froch later this year :yep
Im not gonna hold it against ya Damien. With Adamek all but retired, and Szpilka having just a punchers chance, you gotta roll with your boys, and a win or even a decision loss, would keep Fonfara right in there for a shot at KOvalev or Brahmer down the road. And I think Fonfara might actually have enough for Brahmer. Close fight.:think
Wilder - Stiverne Kovalev - Pascal Lebedev vs Kalenga Garcia vs Peterson were good so far. We also have these fights this month alone. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr vs Andrzej Fonfara Lucas Martin Matthysse vs Ruslan Provodnikov Terence Crawford vs Thomas Dulorme Daniel Jacobs vs Caleb Truax Wladimir Klitschko vs Bryant Jennings Sadam Ali vs Francisco Santana Anthony Dirrell vs Badou Jack Kazuto Ioka vs Juan Carlos Reveco All good fights.
Nice ****ysis :good I got Provo as well, though it might go a little longer than 5 rounds. Fonfara can't stop JCC so is he going to outbox him and get the decision in California? Don't think so! :nono
partially agree, I agree lucas and provo is going to bring the pain but I cant see either of them truly being the best at 140. call me crazy but I think broner has a legit chance to beat any of them at 140. and yes, dsg looked terrible last sat BUT I think it had more to do with a fierce Peterson that showed up, dude was in incredible shape, coming in at 165 of craziness. NO WAY does dsg entertain that rematch. lest not forget luca looks like he has chin problems since the dsg fight. dsg hurt him (yes, that was a legit KD and LM was hurt) lucas used to walk through clean shots but in his last fight (he came back with a vengeance but) he went down from what looked like a semi glancing blow the 1st kd the 2nd kd I don't even remember but he looked fragile which makes me a little nervous for future fights. he took clean shots from dsg and Judah without looking half as bad as he did with Molina. I mean, i'm not really sure, is Molina the same dude broner just clowned and pounded on for 12 rounds ? that dude looked like he has legit power so maybe he just caught LM on the right spot. Jr I love in the fanfare fight, been training like a real pro since having his little girl.. and this fight, assuming he wins, should lead him to what he wants, Jr V Froch. he'll get some major credit from most after destroying froch leaving him for dead and straight to retirement. one that I love is Thomas Dulorme for the huge upset. as long as the odds reflect of what is perceived than i'll be going above and beyond on him getting the dec Victory. I know I know, that's how I see it playing out. Dulorme is not some fresh chump without fighting experience. he has mad skills and with a better trainer and team around him I feel his time is right now. i'm going for him
it's very sad to see the current state of Polish boxing, especially the ams :-( I hope for Fonfara's sake he doesn't fight KOvalev anytime soon, he already took a heavy beating from Stevenson despite making it a good hard fight