If it makes you guys some money, it's a credible defence and it would let you say you'd cleared up the best of British. That said, the manner in which Ricky beat Katsidis does render any moral argument from Kevin a bit redundant. IS there anyone you'd like to face next, Billy?
Fair enough, I think Ricky beats Kevin without too much trouble too...I would try for the full title if I was yous, and if thats not possible, then a fight with Mitchell could be good to keep busy and plenty of beer money!
Nobody wants to discuss this, even though it's what about 80% of the article actually focuses on? I suppose it does go against the grain of the thread title. :!: Separate thread?
I don't know why JMM doesn't vacate. Even if Pac beats him, I don't think he'll go back to 135lbs. The only fight for him is Rios but it sounds like Bob wants him to take on Gamboa then move up.
How's that? Did he poison a well? You Englanders are just all racist against us Scots, innit? Dunky told me!
Even Dunky has gone off him now.... I think it's because he talked about himself as if he was in the P4P ranks when in reality he was a European class fighter at best. Even after the Cook defeat the excuses came out, and that at 135 he would do some real damage. Not long after he loses a clear decision to Nigel Wright, and then comes out again and says he can still be world champion. Someone who loses to Nigel Wright ain't ever going to be world champion, unless it's in their early fights and they've been thrown in at the deep end.
Most boxers talk some **** and reference themselves in hyperbolic terms, though. :huh If you're going to put his ceiling at Euro level...well he's a rather fine Euro level talent, isn't he? His resume speaks for itself, in my reckoning. I guess I don't follow the scene over there quite closely enough to have picked up on exactly when he acted a ***** and made himself persona non grata. :conf
I have nothing against Alex Arthur - I know he has a choppy reputation with a lot of people but I have always thought he came across okay in the little I have seen. However, I think at this point, age etc. he's really going to struggle to make a world title impression at LWW. Could certainly have a run at a European title, I would think, and could do well domestically, but I don't see him lifting a world title. Like you, I missed the stuff that made him unpopular and still like him. (I'm English, by the way!)
On AA, he hardly set the heather on fire at 135 lbs and moving up just confirms the stories that he eats like a horse.I don't think he'll amount to much at 140 lbs and would fancy Theopane would beat him handily.
He won some tough fights at euro level, then became a paper champ thanks to an opponent not makin weight, defended a few times against crap oposition then lost then talked a big comeback at a higher weight and looked complete shot against Nigel wright then dissapeared.
I think, IB, it's that most people felt Arthur was well and truly exposed losing to Cook. He just never fulfilled his potential and the long layoff put him out of mind.