Khytrov getting beat up was certainly a shock to me. After that performance I wouldn't really rate Aleem that highly, Khytrov looked bloody terrible. Did Jacobs knock the confidence/durability out of Khytrov with some punishing sparring sessions. Was Khytrov overrated especially after the Brinson fight? Did they beat the snot out of each other and Jacobs will get beat up even worse?
How did Khytrov look awful? He recovered from a knockdown very well, showed good power, was averaging a hundred plus punches a round at times, hurt Aleem several times. He looked flawed but not awful, he showed as many positives as negatives.
He stayed amateur a few hundred fights too long. As a pro, he's never come off as championship caliber to me. Not with that defense. That doesnt mean he's bad or anything, but I never rated him as someone to give GGG a challenge. Seems more like an entertaining fringe contender, and there's always room for those kind of fan friendly fighters.
Every punch that kid threw hit his noggin That kid was teeing off on him because Khytrov had no answers. If was very poor for a world level fighter. It has me thinking Ogogo might beat him again! Khytrov was throwing arm punches with no sting on them, its easier throwing hundreds of them then putting mustard on them!
Could just as easily been the EXACT opposite. He very well may have been beating Jacobs all over the ring not feeling anything Jacobs was throwing back and was far too overconfident when walking Aleem down.
Khytrov was never that good, even in gimme fights on FNFs a few years ago he struggled. I always thought he was an overrated plodder, and it turns out that I was right, however I will say he had a great performance in his last fight which made me think maybe he turned the corner, but it seems that fight was a one off.
Khytrov is like a bigger version of Gradovich. There is no other dimension other than move forward and apply pressure. No head movement, offense is defense and can't hang with good fighters.