Imo no...it was only a fight before Appleby that Matthews was outboxing him and on his way to a points victory. He did produce a champions finish but i don't feel he's yet...I feel defend the British title a bit and get some more experience... Thing is we can all look at a fighter beating a current champion such as Cruz but then they go from the hunter to the hunted and is he ready for that....imo not just yet...but i do like what he has and feel he's got potnetial to go onto world level.
No, look for the European title now. Featherweight has plenty of exciting fights at domestic level though. He has beaten Appleby, could fight the winner of Simpson vs Truscott II, maybe Ricky Burns at 130 if he is ambitious?
Hard to knock back a world title fight but he's not ready yet. I think Cruz is a little under rated as a champion as well. I wouldn't have rated him too highly a year ago but the recent win over Solis shows hes in good form. Probably the form of his life. Doesn't make him a monster of a world champion or anything but he wouldn't be that easy for anyone to bowl over. He also has good stamina and a good chin. He hasn't had the lights turned out in 7 or 8 years. Lindsay needs to work on a lot of stuff before he should be jumping in with the likes of Cruz. I'd stick at domestic/EBU level for a while longer. Its still going to be hard for him to say no though. The thing is if he takes it and loses badly is he mentally strong enough to bounce back from it? Its all a bit rushed for me Good point about him turning from hunter to the hunted if he managed to upset Cruz too. He'd find the strap very hard to hang on to. However, a win over Cruz would make him a world champion forever. He might hand the belt to someone else in his next fight but he could always say he was a world champion. Its only ****s like us on places like this that call people weak champions and all that. I think he will say yes but I hope he knocks the offer back.
He should go for it, take his chance before some dodgy ref gets the chance to rob him of his British title and he's left with nothing. Isn't Appleby getting a European title shot?
he should take imo , if he loses he can always come back and fight for irish/british/commonwealth/european titles , then he can fight for another world title in the fututre , he has nothing to lose imo and cruz is very crude , not a great boxer at all , if you dont believe me have a look at his last fight its on youtube
leave the world title fight for now, fight simpson who will beat truscott imo, couple defences, then euro title, then paddy hyland, then fight for a world title.....and he will win it too imo
I rather get Cruz than Gamboa. Thats for damn sure. Although Gamboa can be reckless it desnt bare thinking the beatdown he would put on Lindsay
He should do a Dunne/McCallister a fight for a meaningless trinket and his fans will be non the wiser.
That's clearly not what I meant atsch I meant let Gamboa have Cruz when he tries to grab all the belts