Calum Smith's Performance

I had it level at 10 rounds. The lack of head movement is a worry took alot of jabs that he cud slipped. Finished the job well tho. He wud have learnt alot from last night

 

It wasn´t his best fight and he was caught many times between round 5 and 8.
Skoglund took the fight to him, but Smith came back good.
Good learning experience for Callum, and he is in my view still the favourite to win this series.

 

I'd like to see Skagland against Martin Murray, I think Callun learned more from last night than any other fight I like Skoglund

 

I've always spoken very highly of Callum on this forum but I think last night showed that he's still a rough diamond. It was a very close fight up until the championship rounds and Smith should have stopped him in round 11.
I think before that, he was too impatient and over reaching his shots leaving himself wide open. He seems to be looking for that one big shot. Taking nothing away from Skoglund, he was very methodical, he's going to have a very good career.
He and his brothers seem to have a great relationship with Gallagher but I can't help feeling he could develop more under a new trainer. He's got all the tools though and I still think he's favourite for this tournament.

 

Hence the reason he picks easier fights and ducked world title shots against Degale and Dirrell.

 

I don't seem to agree with you on most Callum Smith topics but he has to get rid of Tesco Joe.

 

Seems to have drifted a bit lately I hope he steps it up a bit in the next bout needs to fight with more urgency to have a real chance of winning the competition.

 

I knew that Skoglund would give Smith a good fight. I thought Smith did well. It's his lack of high level experience that will let him down in this tournament. Groves and even Eubank have been in harder fights. Smith had never had to dig deep before this one.

 

He wasn't overly impressive last night, but I think more credit needs putting Skogland's way as he was wrote off by a lot of people, when in fact he's a good fighter. After the performance he put in last night whilst coming upon short, I'd like to see him involved in more bigger fights.

Smith started well and finished well, but I felt he lost his composure when his nose was bust and Skogland won a lot of the middle rounds. However he got the job done and showed again that he carries power late on in fights.

One thing I will say though, Groves jab will have a field day with Smith. Skogland couldn't miss with it at times.

 

If callum wants to win a world title he definitely needs a new trainer Tesco is a British level trainer the time has come to find a trainer who can teach him how to slip a jab and head movement

 

Eubank Jr outworks him on the inside and wins a decision, Groves stops him mid rounds. Good solid fighter is Smith but doesn't have that x factor.

 

I think good defensive work, be it head or body movement is something you either have, or have not.

Smith is 27 now. If he hasn't learned how to bob and weave, then I'm afraid he never will.

That face first defence of his will get him knocked out sooner rather than later.

I personally think Groves would obliterate him. Too much movement and far too accurate for smith to avoid.

Ill give smith credit though, he has great power and a good heart. He could have easily dwindled away last night, but he dug in and won the fight. Not by much on my cards, but he definitely won.

He's not an easy fight for anyone

 

Callum boxed well enough but the limitations will be taken advantage of at higher level IMO. Good tidy boxer with power but it's a very mechanical style at times. Inability to catch/parry shots & lack of upper body movement limit counter opportunities & can be backed up with good output due to those flaws and backing up in straight lines with high guard.

Still a good fighter though & does seem to carry good power. And Skogland did box well, showed good movement, feints, jab & varied his work. Good test for Smith.

 

I think the fight went the way it did because of two reasons, one Callum was off the boil and the other was Skoglund was much better than we thought he was. Callum has strengths that would cause Groves all types of troubles but Groves had strengths that would cause Callum all types of troubles. It worries me that these weaknesses have not been ironed out. Take head movement or lack of it, not a massive thing to change. Not because Billy Nelsons on the forum but look at the head movement of his fighter Nartin Bakole, he's a 6"6 heavyweight, well Callum Smith should study it and so should his trainer. Massive Smith fan would still make him favourite v Groves, but wouldn't bet much on it just now.