Callum Smith and Nieky Holzken face to face

At that level, though, paydays aren't that good in boxing. I'm confused why a world class guy would leave kickboxing to box for peanuts instead of crossing over into MMA (where the kickboxing folk usually have more success than in boxing); the overlap in fan-bases there and just the way the sport is structured (MMA is much better than boxing when it comes to parity of matchmaking, that I will admit) would guarantee him some high-profile match-ups and good paydays right off the bat. Why did he choose this route?

 

The gruesome leg injury he suffered against Saki, state of Glory/KB in general at the time coupled the desire he already possessed to compete in boxing probably explains it. But this could pay dividends in the long run as it's a sure fire way to get ranked and thus eventually bigger fights.

 

I guess. I just don't see why he wouldn't go cherry picking instead in MMA, at least appearing regularly on TV and making bigger purses, trade on his name value to get over on some vaguely credible journeymen with weak wrestling who would willingly just stand and slug with him. He's already dipped his toes in the water and gotten off to a 2-0 start in MMA. Just don't see boxing (if he's going to be doing it on obscure Mexican cards for any length of time) as the smarter plan.

 

Well here's to hoping he'll land a fight of value this year. Tomato can crushing is one thing, but tomato can crushing with long periods of inactivity(*cough* Dinu) is another. At least he's been pretty active fighting 4-5 times a year.

 

Yeah don't want to see that. He's packing way too much talent for that not to be a crying shame (way more than Bogdan ever had IMO)

 

IDK about that! Dinu is one of the biggest wastes of talent in recent memory as far as the HW division is concerned, but Spong definitely should not go to waste! Still young enough to make an impact for sure.

 

Eh, I was leading the charge on the Dinu bandwagon early days but in hindsight really he didn't have THAT much going on to get hung up about. I think we just got overexcited to see an in-shape heavyweight with a lick of promise.

 

Disagree he definitely had a lot going for him... But it's all moot anyways because we'll never know for sure I guess!

 

I mean, he wasn't super fast (on his feet or with his mitts), didn't have a bone-crushing punch, wasn't exactly a slick defensive wizard... I struggle to come up with an explanation for the fever that came over us with him.

 

Dude he was capable of some pretty fast combinations when he was up to it.... Had a solid jab, moved well enough. Look up that sick double uppercut KO he had early on in his career(believe the opponent was Russian) He may have not been the heir apparent to the Klitschko throne. But definitely had what it took to be a top contender based on eye test if he fully dedicated himself. I mean FFS. Look at what Hammer has been able to accomplish despite being far inferior to Dinu.

 

Yeah, I guess you're right, I've probably just taken a dimmer and dimmer view on him as the years have ticked by with all his ass-dragging nonsense.

 

Then there's complete brutes like Miller, Browne and Kownacki in the mix. Dinu has/had better skills than all of them.

 

Oh yeah for sure. Heavyweight today is just a laughingstock as far as I'm concerned. I don't even consider it real professional boxing.

 

With all of the stellar amateur talent that's turned over I think we could be heading towards a new golden age.

 

I think Sirenko has a future, damn, he punches hard!