What a crap fight. How is this a title fight? Even though Richards looked like someone straight off the streets, Huck didn't show anything too impressive at all. He was wild and missed most of his shots on an easy target.
Told ya. Richards is just a journeyman with inflated record. I dont get how guys like that receive those title shots.
That stoppage was some weak sauce. I think Huck probably would have gotten him out of there in that round, but Richards, while taking fire, was actually coming forward trying to fight before the ref tackled him.
It wasn't a complete performance by any means - effective but not thrilling; as DemolitionDan said Huck did exactly what he had to. Two things that did impress me, though - despite having all the grace of a ******ed dwarf trying their stubby little hand at ballet, Richards is a big dude (the listed height difference between them is only 1/2" - that is bull****) and Huck was able to apply the finish by neutralizing Richards' desperate attempts to clinch. He did this by anticipating where Richards was going to try to grab him and either moving his body or shoving Richards in such a way that he couldn't get a firm hold. Also, the very fact that he was able to shove a big Cruiserweight around like that while still getting off his punches with power behind them. Strength and situation awareness. Those are good qualities in a boxer. Again, that's just silver lining as it was only a so-so performance in a mediocre fight.
OMG, that guy is an insult to tomato cans. Building a record against guys who lost like 5 of their last 6 fights, and then handing a bigger name a W (Witherspoon, Huck).
Holy ****, I missed this. Richards was getting murdered, man. He may be a scrub but there's no reason for him to get brain damage just so Huck can make the SportsCenter highlight reel (which he wouldn't anyway, since ESPN's minuscule quota of boxing coverage is filled with homegrown African American talents...and, lately, Pac-Man). You and Zakman really need to give up the ghost, there. Times have changed. The sport had moved on. Referee-discretion stoppages are as real a part of the sport and as valid a conclusion to a match as a judges' decision, or a classic ten-count out-cold KO. You guys need to catch up.
I know, that was meant to be a comical exaggeration. I do try to keep my RBR's strictly informative, but the entertainer in me gets carried away sometimes.