`Scottish` Craig McEwan won again in LA last night. I`m a big fan of Craig`s but missed the fight on Sky. Did anyone see it? I was at the Wildcard gym in LA a few weeks ago and spoke to Pepper Roach, Freddy`s brother, who was raving about him.It seems Craig had been in sparring with Kingsley Ikeke and according to Pep he was sensational. If anyone recorded the bout can they stick it on youtube? Please!!!
I didnt record it but i watched it and he started well, dropped the boy,good combos, very accurate. he got a bit sloppy in the middle and was getting caught with silly punches, but steadied himself and controlled the last couple rounds easily. He switched a bit to much, but all in all i was impressed.
thanks Dunky, hope you can get your mate to do it. I`ve spoken to Craig since I posted and he would like to see it too. I put some of the points and criticisms of his performance which were put on this site and others to him. Craig accepts that when he switches to conventional from southpaw he is more vulnerable but he also says that its a useful way to open his opponent up. On Saturday he was aware that Lopez couldn`t hurt him and was willing to take a few to extend the range of his attack. He says he is still experimenting and learning and will change his style to fit his opponent. He does not accept that his style is amateurish and points out that fast middleweights are often more upright than their slower fellow boxers. However neither he nor Freddy see his basic style as a problem and Freddy himself sees it as an advantage and has encouraged him not to change and ,in fact, to develop it. Craig acknowledges he is still learning and that , as a boxer, he always will be. He is more sure than ever that going to the Wildcard to turn Pro was the right decision and he feels he is making good progress. By the way he does not think that Lopez is a natural welterweight or even light middleweight now.He weighed in heavier than Craig and it doesn`t seem from his photos that he was carrying fat. Craig has also been assessed by a nutritionist and has been told he can make 154 OR EVEN LOWER! I doubt the last bit but I`m no expert! By the way he WAS trying to knock the guy out! Lopez was genuinely tough and Craig gives him credit for staying up. He is working on his power but also on planting his feet more effectively and is sure he will improve. He points out that the Pro game is totally different from the amateurs and that boxers who don`t see this and serve a proper Pro apprenticeship will never improve. I hope thats of interest to you. As a fellow Scot and an admirer of brain over brawn , I am a big fan of Craig`s. I think his methodical, canny approach to his development is the right one.
Good news Grendal my good man, it should be uploaded in full by tomorrow! When its ready to watch, I will inform you right away. I always deliver on a promise:good As for the rest of your post, it was of big interest to me, thanks for the info, its very much apprecited. & if you dont mind, you can tell Craig that I thought he put on a masterclass! Great performance, the lad is so talented its frightening. Hes gonna be a star, I have no doubt.
Firstly, after the Khan PPV fiasco (I paid that's why I'm moaning!), it was a pleasure to see Craig involved in what turned out to be a good night's boxing. This lad has potential and I fail to understand why there's little interest in him at home. Secondly, from what I've heard and read before, it's clear that Jim Watt and others don't like his switch style. But the negativity of the Sky pundits blew me away. What was the problem? He was in total control, this guy was no mug (pretty durable IMO), and he was getting a good crowd reaction. Which I take it would have been from fans who were genuine boxing fans who were there to see all bouts. Not the high rollers who wander in to get their coupons on the box during the main event. Okay when he switched he was taking a few, but this was as good a display from a young British boxer as I've seen in ages. Is it the fact that he's taken a gamble and went stateside that rankles? If I had the ability, I'd have loved to have embarked on this journey... and in many ways Craig's has just begun! Go to the US, get trained by a top trainer, spar with top pro's and learn your craft the hard way while being carefully managed as you make your way up the pro ranks. one wonders what promoter would have been promising what alphabet belt at this stage back home? Good luck to the lad. Oh and this has to be mentioned, Freddie Roach in a Hibs strip... priceless!! I'm no Hibs fan but that put a smile on my face. Finally, well done to Sky - something decent at last!
Craig had a Great Amateaur record having loads of Fights so his experience should do him well in the pros, Seems as if hes got good life on the Go moving over to the states, Tough sparring with great fighters By the Way we had boy from Paisley who fought Craig 8 times as an amateaur as youth and beat him 6 times ( either that or it was 4 out of 6 ) Now that boys not doing anything and Craigs got great prospects Just shows you The fights were when Craig about Feathereight though which he certainly isnt anymore :yep
Here is the fight, youtube gives you the option to watch it in high quality, and i recommend you do just that as the picture quality is much much better.:good [url]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=P0Dnqi6RZbM[/url] [url]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0xQK_lm0n5E[/url] [url]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qB4dr2IvRfg[/url] [url]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JQi-H0LqUlY[/url]
I have high hopes for McEwan, he looks very promising indeed and seems to have a star quality about him. Very impressed that he went Stateside to get the very best training in the game. Khan should take note.
Dont thank me, thank my mate who posts all the scottish boxing stuff on Youtube! I would love to take the credit for it, but I just happen to be a close pal of his, he does all the hard work uploading everything whilst Im busy arguing with everyone in here! If people like his vids, pop in & drop a comment, he appreciates good feedback from his viewers. After all, hes kinda the home of scottish boxing on Youtube! & hes not as hotheaded as me either, so you are all safe You keep up the good work too Reilly, I know we have had our wee disagreements here & there but Im a hard person to get along with. I admit that. however, you do great work for scottish boxing like my pal, cos you do great interviews with the scottish lads. See, I might be a ****, but Im an honest & good hearted ****. Credit where credits due to you.
I watched the fight on u tube with Craig and he passes on his thanks to you and Robert Holland, Dunky. The fight was on the " International Programme" and was not shown in the States so it was the first opportunity for Craig to review his performance. Like everyone else he is frustrated that he did not finish the guy off. He thought he got in too close at vital times when he should have had more patience. He agrees with most of Jim Watt`s comments and even accepted that his switching should be more contolled. I have to say that I disagree with Craig and most of the forum posters on this. Craig put Lopez down with a RIGHT and some of his best spells were when he went orthodox. I think that his biggest fault is his tendency to throw " weak flurries" at times, which would give a better opponent the chance to step in and bang hard. I particularly like the lateral step to the right, he has developed opening up his opponent to single left hooks.When I mentioned it to him, he didn`t know what I was talking about so I had to rewind and show him. It turned out he wasn`t even aware he was doing it! Dunky, throughout our watching the bout Craig was continually commenting on his performance and noting aspects which were good or needed work on, so please pass on Craig`s thanks to Mr. Holland as the clip will be extremely helpfull to his continued progress.