Fighters taking weird tune ups in between fights

It could be for money. Sergio Martinez could not get the big fights so he had to fight nobodies to make some money and stay fresh.

 

Morales fighting Raheem....

 

Guys trying to make as much money as possible. Essentially glorified sparring matches.

 

I could only imagine an outburst from the haters if Pac would take some unknown opponents as a tune up. Its crazy to think that Pacs record as a champ is among the very few greats whose opposition is filled with legends and champions.

 

Eric Morales taking on WIllie Limond

 

miguel cotto gets the weirdest tune ups

urkal to judah, alfonso gomez to margarito, michael jennings to clottey/pac and now mayorga to margo 2.

 

Take a peek at Roberto Durans record. In his lightweight days he fought some of the most terrible opponents.

 

Wlad - Chisora?

 

Cotto is the perfect example. But I see Cotto tune up fights as a good thing. Come on Cotto has been one of the hardest working boxers in boxing.

Hard fights with Bailey and Corley is followed by a revenge tuen up fight against Abdullayev.

Hard fight with Torres is followed by a tune up with weak ass Branco.

Hard fights with Paulie and Quitana followed by Urkal.

Judah and Cotto were going at it big time yet he took a fight with Mosley which was then followed by Gomez. (That night was basically a display for the mega fight between Margo/Cotto).

Then Jennings after the Margo beat down.

Bottom line is that with Cotto's resume I don't see anything wrong with him taking a few soft fights.

 

nothing wrong but some of them are stupid

for example the gomez fight gave him false confidence that he's a slickster, it also made everyone think he will easily outbox margarito, he went into that fight super confident.

 

Some fighters take them, to avoid getting knocked out in the unification fights

 

Gomez was just a display for the REAL fight between margo/cotto. Thats all it was before that he fought Judah and Mosley. Who else do you suppose Cotto should have fought 3 months before the Margo/Cotto fight?

If ANY boxing fan though Cotto would "easily" outbox Margo just based off of the Gomez fight or anyother reason...go kill yourself. That fight was a 50/50 is most fans and writers view.

You're suppose to have a confident fighter in the ring. Thats the whole point of a tune up :huh

 

For most of these guys, particularly the likes of Duran and Chavez, it doesn't matter that they fought so many stiffs between championship bouts. Such fights were mere tune ups for title fights. They were not meant to be competitive.

These fights did not pay the same and were usually held back home for the local audience. In any case guys like Duran and Chavez fought often enough at championship level and still delivered the goods. Tune ups for these guys was usually part of their preperation for bigger fights and a way of keeping busy without risk while they look for big pay days.