I think we are getting a little ahead of ourselves with Gassiev

You have to be mad to say Usyk was lucky to get the W against Briedis. It was a competive fight, but was not even close. I had i 8-4 for Usyk. Scorecards was too tight. Of course it was in Briedis land ....
And as much as i like Gassiev, Usyk will teach him. He is very fast on his feet and he has great defence, no way Murat win that fight.
But we will wait and will see.

 

I think the same. despite all expectations, I think that the fight for Uysk will be easier than with Breedis. The Uysk will fly in the ring for 12 rounds, and Gassiev simply will not be able to catch up with him.

 

Gassiev barely eeked out a win against a 40 year old Lebedev. Usyk should win this one. Though Gassiev is young so he could have drastically improved.

 

It was close, whilst I had him winning that was a close fight. It could have been a draw and if there was home cooking I wouldn’t have been surprised to see Briedis get the nod.

 

Gassiev seems to struggle with activity saw it against Lebedev and Dorticos. He relies on landing those big single shots of his and his best punch seems to the left hook to the body and right uppercut. If Gassiev ups his activity and walks through Usyks shots to land his body shot who knows what can happen. I got Usyk landing his pitter patter shots on Gassiev, slipping to his left and turning him all night to a points win.

 

I agree. Not sure how people had Breidis winning, or a draw lol. I had Usyk 9-3 or 8-4

 

Why is it when slavs are fighting anyone but each other **** gets racist or at least xenophobic?

Don't get me wrong I don't need a lesson in why a Russian would have words for an American, but how come there is no rivalry at least here between Russians and Ukrainians?

US-UK is the classic

Mexico-Puerto Rico came in what the 70s? By the 80s was in full swing.

Russia-Ukraine it's like everyone's brothers or some ****. Respect each other's cultures and such....the **** is that?

 

I expect a competitive fight, but I also think Usyk is likelier to win.

 

How many top Russian and Ukrainian boxers have fought each other in the pros so far? Maybe Klitschko - Povetkin and that is it? Rivalries need history. Professional boxing still has little history in Eastern Europe, it wasn't allowed before the 90s in most countries.

 

I guess you're right. I have no alternative reasoning to offer, but I had assumed most rivalries were because of general history not boxing history and I did assume there were more than the one's I'm aware of.

I mean, England hasn't really rivaled America since what 1860? I'm a bit young to say this but it did seem like Mexico and the caribbean islands entered boxing with a rivalry ready to go.

I'm not arguing, just openly musing.

Interestingly Olympia used boxing for just that. Settling rivalries between states in the empire without war. Greece and Turkey didn't need a boxing history to hate one another's fighters, they just needed good old fashion ancient xenophobia. Obviously the nation Turkey didn't exist but the sentiments from Anatolia and Greece proper were basically the same as they are now except settled in Olympia on a four year basis.

 

As if Gassiev hasn't improved in the more than a year it's been since he beat Lebvedev? Gassiev is only 24 right now.

 

I learn so much here.

 

LOL. The Ukranians were Russians until your boy Dutch Reagan came along, and will be again in 5 years when Vladdy P. gets bored. Somebody told me their language is 95% Russian and 5% made up slang.

 

So because of modern political propaganda? You mean to tell me youse guys listen to Putin over Vitali? fair enough I guess.

 

My understanding of the Ukraine is this. Half the country, the half that the Klistchkos belong to, want to be "Ukranian." The western half, the half that Lomachenko and Usyk belong to, want to be Russian, and that U, and L pretty much consider themselves Russian anyway.