Inoue vs Fulton at 122

His power can be devastating to children. With Fulton he is starting to venture into man size territory. So far he's beaten nothing, but child like fighters. The line of demarcation is around 126 pounds, where yes you are still talking about very tiny men, but they are beginning to look like actual men. So at 122 he is beginning to tread into waters that he may not like.

Donaire experienced this same problem. He was excellent at knocking out a small child, but found it quite different against a man sized fighter like Walters.

 

"I just couldn't get going tonight. The better man won tonight and I take my hat off to him."

— Fulton after getting undressed and KO'd by Inoue

"Fulton never fought anyone."

— Slick School Fans

 

Being slick matters in the lower weight classes. Because they don't hit nearly as hard. Granted, bigger fighters can absorb a bigger shot, but the increase in power outpaces the increase in durability the higher up in weight you start talking about. At LHW slickness means jack ****. It's all about timing and power. At 122 it matters a lot. As hard as Inoue hits for his size, he still punches like a Bantamweight.

 

Your logic isn't really consistent...though I definitely agree that "slick" is more-heavily employed in the lower-weight classes. It's really more a case of the technique just not being possible for bigger fithers.

If a single punch does more damage (as I agree it does as you climb in weight class) - then it makes it that much more important to be able to avoid/slip it.

The problem HWs face with this tactic is that boxing is a strengh/endurance sport - and endurance also declines as you gain in weight. It takes lots of energy to be slick and it's very taxing to do this for 8, 10, 12 rounds even if you are a young HW fighter. If you talk to any Eastern European/Eurasian boxing trainer - he'll probably tell you that all that Western head bobbing/dipsy-doo just isn't worth it for bigger fighters and it's detrimental over the course of a long fight.

Of course, stuff like rolling the shoulder, etc. is fine and it's valuable in pretty much any weight class.

 

In the higher weight classes you can't rely on slickness. You have to be physically strong, have a huge punch or be a southpaw. You can't be Mayweather at 175, 200 or HW.

Slickness means less the higher in weight you go. There is a difference between being defensively sound and slick. Kovalev had great defense, but was not slick.

 

Good points. More than anything I was adding some detail about why it isn't going to work. You are 100% right about slickness only being one aspect of overall defense, of course.

 

bivol is slick

 

Fulton outboxes him, pure and simple. His power against Fulton will be his only saving grace. If Cool Boy can handle that, it's a wrap.