Does winning the contender, help or hurt a fighters career?

Well, all the Aussies, including teke are adamant they won't support Choc until he fights someone in the top 10...so Bika, at least. I for one will not support Bute unless he fights someone at least as good as Larsen next, with Andrade v. Stieglitz coming up as a mandatory defence in autumn if he gets past his voluntary defence in May. Then, in 2009, I will start a campaign for Bute to fight Kessler, just like I campaigned for Calzaghe to fight Kessler last year. He will get no quarter from me until he does. :nono

So...I don't think there are that many nuthuggers of top fighters at 168.

 

Nah none seems to have put themselves over as a real fans favorite. All (even the good ones) are either unknowns or not very likeable like Choc, Taylor and Froch.

Kessler seems a decent kid and is maybe the best out there but we will not find that out until he fights again.

I really hope we get to see the good fights and the division does not slip away into shoddyness.

 

Kessler is a great guy, fights the best and fights in an exciting way, just about. Froch v. Inkin winner will eventually be part of the mix too - and quality will be guaranteed. If Froch wins, we can expect some excitement. Bute is popular but doesn't fight in an exciting way, really. Mundine isn't exciting either, but at least he's good. Then, there's Taylor. He's not exciting, but he is good and popular. 2008 will be a slow, uneventful year for the division, but that was to be expected after Calzaghe v. Kessler. You just don't get bigger than that. In 2009, however, everyone has plans to make a move for the top, Bute, Kessler, Taylor, Froch v. Inkin winner - there will be a couple of good showdowns for sure. Too much money at stake not to get involved...

 

Yep you are right. 2008 is is prob just going to be the year that the division settles down but by 09 we should hopefully get a really good tough division and I can see a possibilty of good things at the tail end of this year, maybe.

I hope we get situations where fighters have to take hard fights. Froch vs Inkin is a tough night for both and your right Kessler will want to face the best he can, especially after his loss.

How do you view Bute's intention of getting into the grips of serious fights? I like the sound of him vs Larsen. Larsen is maybe not the fighter he once could have been but he still could make a very good opponent.


I have serious reservations about Choc which you may have noticed but I also do not look too fondly on Taylors entrance into the division. I can see him getting an easy crack at the vacated belts then doing the same thing he did at middle.

 

Winning the contender does not hurt a boxer's career. Exposure can only help.

 

Don't worry about Taylor; it won't be easy for him to win a belt from a beltholder and he'd have to beat someone decent for a vacant belt anyway. Choc will have to do or die. It's as simple as that. Froch v. Inkin winner will want at least one mandatory defence before jumping at the deep end, so, spring/summer 2010 looks the earliest he'd agree to unify.

Kessler will want to get a belt as soon as possible, by the end of 2008, ideally. This can be either the vacant WBO belt, if the belt is indeed vacated, the WBC belt if the WBC forces the winner between Froch v. Inkin to fight Kessler for the vacant belt, or even, as an outside bet, the WBA, if the WBA force Mundine to face Kessler as mandatory...

Bute says he wants to use 2008 to improve and develop with a view of fighting some big fights in 2009. He promised he'd be ready to face someone as good as Kessler by then. So has his coach/promoter.

So, we're looking at Kessler v. Bute in Spring/Summer 2009, but obviously, only if both remain unbeaten and, importantly, if the fans demand it and there's a lot of hype around this fight. No hype=no interest from the networks=no money and a poorer risk/reward for both...remember how much we had to campaign to make Calzaghe v. Kessler happen? Unless a good percentage of fans think Bute can beat Kessler, this fight won't happen as early as that...so...Bute needs to improve sufficiently and the fans need to believe in him enough...

Bute has already said he'd accept to fight Pavlik or Taylor any time anywhere....but I don't think those two will fancy it this year.

So...Bute will most likely fight a voluntary defence in May (Larsen??), mandatory in autumn (Andrade v. Stieglitz winner), and, if he is still unbeaten, another voluntary defence in December (???)...

Kessler will fight Miranda in May and then will look to get a title shot or a fight against Pavlik/Taylor/big American name, later this year, I guess.

 

As tonight's Vera versus Lee fight shows, being on the Contender can get a fighter a little exposure that can lead to opportunities down the line he might not get otherwise. But it's up to the fighter himself to make the most of his opportunity. Props to Vera for doing just that.

 

Mundine keeping it real down under fighting low risk I need to milk my title retread and fall short scrubs.

 

i heard brewer has had major knee surgury and had to retire....bika just had a war with codrington...mora sucks dick, literally...hope forrest retires hsi ass

 

If you are are coward **** arse like Mora then it is great for your career. No one would have ever heard of that bloke if he had not been on the show, most of the other guys have done ok on the back of the show.

LOL, I love it. I hate that guy and I hope Vernon Forrest literally bludgeons him. I think it helps. I think the reason we haven't heard from Grady Brewer is that he's probably happy he doesn't have to work at GoodYear anymore.