has maidana-morales changed your view about next week

I don't think there is much comparison between Prescott and Maidana. Apart from Maidana being a lot better they are very different.

 

It's not all about power or technique though. Styles makes fights. Maidana/Prescott have the perfect styles to beat the current or previous Amir Khan. McCloskey doesn't.

 

I'm more worried that a 34 year old super bantamweight still has better punch resistance than him.

He may not have won emphatically, but I think Morales showed some attributes Khan hasn't got. His combinations ripped through Maidana and had his legs deserting him. And Morales has never been a humongous puncher. Timing and punch picking>>>>flashy fast flurries :deal It was Morales' ability to turn off of Maidana at close range and land sharp hooks. His jab was sometimes ponderous, but it was enough to give Maidana something to worry about.

I was seriously impressed with El Terribles durability (thought he was on his way out) discipline (mixed his approach up well, waiting for Maidana to tire before launching an assault more often than not) although I think it's clear he will find it hard to go 12 hard rounds.

Khan would smash Morales at this point though. Hope it doesn't happen.

 

Morales is a superior inside fighter to Khan and Maidanas defence is **** on the inside. Maidana has a good defence from the outside. A guy who will beat Maidana comprehensively is someone like Bradley who is an excellent inside fighter and has speed.

 

Ok here is the deal, Maidana is crude, he isnt very skilled, BUT he has the right style to give an in-out raiding fighter like Khan problems, because he has surprisingly good footspeed. He has the ability to chase Khan, and then unload inside with very heavy shots. Its simply about styles, boxing is rock-paper-scissors, some styles give others problems, and others don't.

Mcloskey is a totally different fighter than maidana, he will be standing off from Khan trying to counter and outbox him, which wont work, because Khan is too fast and too erratic to time.

I sometimes wonder how people on a boxing forum can be so clueless about boxing

 

Like you, Earl?

The reason Morales managed to avoid being buckled compared to Khan is:

a) he's a tough son-of-a-*****
b) he steps to the side to escape, unlike Khan who just bolts backwards. That's why Marcos caught him in the 10th - because he backed up ith his hands down.

 

Morales defence on the inside last night was absolutely fantastic, put Khan's horror show in that department vs Maidana to shame. Don't really see how last night has any bearing on next week though, I expect Khan to fight completely differently to how he did against Maidana

 

The difference is, when i troll its because i'm bored and I choose to, not because i'm an idiot.

 

Stepping out to the side and throwing the left hook, Maidana had no answer to it.

Best person to beat Maidana is a. An effective mover with a good jab who will stop him planting his feet b. Someone who hits as hard as him but has a better chin and engine.

Maidana is terribly flawed, but will still pose problems to many. I'd still pick him over Judah (worst tank problems than Marcos, IMO Matthyse is an inferior offensive fighter to Maidana) and Alexander (Urango might he the only guy easier to outmanouver than Maidana, poor performances in last two fights) but I think when Morales', way past his physical best, 'does a Corley' by not folding and being smart, well, then you've gotta go back to the drawing board.

I would say Maidana has found his level now. He and Katsidis would be an awesome war of attrition IMO.

 

They're still completely different fighters, and how dirty Maidana is...is irrelevant. Prescott can literally only throw hooks from the outside. He does not have a clue how to throw a short punch unlike some of the punches Maidana found Ortiz with particularly. At the very least Maidana is not that easy to tame. He's still very strong, he'll always keep the pressure on, even if his swings are wild and missing he'll still keep on working. Prescott ceases to do anything the moment somebody slips inside. There is no comparison, hence why Maidana has competed well at world class and Prescott has failed to do anything of note since his first round knockout of Khan.

 

Anyone else think Urango vs Maidana is a toss up? :think

 

Urango has retired.

 

As for why Morales hurt Maidana more to the head, there are likely 2 factors to this. The first, and most important one from Khan's POV for his continued improvement, is that he very rarely throws punches when his opponent is punching and he can't counterpunch. This seems like a simple point but when your opponent is set to take a punch, its much easier to take them or react to them and take the impact away. The Kotelnik fight is the best example of this, he just punched no target all night, he didn't lay any traps. Secondly I do just think Maidana had a poor attitude last night, he got up from a heavy bodyshot against Khan and was relentless whereas last night he was struggling inside 6 rounds.