The guy is too small for the HW division. Just like Usyk. Yeah he is younger and there is much more sense in his turn to HW, compare to Usyk one, but i think this was bad, bad choice. It has to be his promoter or trainer choice, which is ridiculous. He should have stayed in Cruiserweight and very well become Undisputed Cruiserweight Champion. Yet his team decide to waste his prime and he lost exactly 2 years of his prime, trying to move to HW .... I like Murat very much, as well as Usyk, but both of them make big mistake moving into the HW. One because it was too old for it, and Gassiev to me has no business in HW. He lacks the size and reach and he is not some kind of a great mover, or have the explosiveness of Tyson for example.
This is very disappointing. By the time he fights again, he will have been on the shelf for 2 years. 2 years of physical prime, gone.
For me he doesn`t have the dimension for HW. And if Usyk can box him to 12-0, guess how bad will be against a guy who is even taller and has more reach and more power. And as of now, the guy lost exactly 2 years of his prime trying to make for the HW and he will need time to bring his form back, as well as to adjust in HW, and what exactly he is going to achieve in HW??? He should have stayed where he was, just as what Usyk should have done. Both of this guys make a big mistakes and everything else is just an bad excuses for the bad move their team made. Again this is not a hate against Usyk and Gassiev i like them both. Great fighters, but should have stayed in their division.
I'm just going to say the cruiserweight division that everyone was bragging about for years on this board has turned out to be pretty freaking soft. Usyk can't quit hurting himself in the gym and can only manage one fight with Chazz Witherspoon going on a year and a half. Gassiev backs out of a fight against Jerry Forrest beause he doesn't get a full camp. Jesus, does he need a full camp for "JERRY FORREST?" Gerald Washington, when he was just learning to box after switching from a football career, knocked out Forrest in two rounds. Eddie Hearn has to be wondering how weak of an opponent does he have to give Gassiev to get him in the freaking ring. Usyk, Gassiev, even Briedis, they were all heavyweights as amateurs along with Wilder. But now that they are starting to move up and are officially fighting heavyweights, and not blown up light heavys, they all seem to have gone soft. I don't think that cruiserweight class was all it was hyped up to be.
Gassiev I believe should have stayed AT CW yes but not Usyk. He's got nothing to achieve down there anymore and has a genuine chance of unifying the division.
The problem with Usyk is that he is not 25 or 26, he moved at 32 years old. And he as well has problem with injury, and probably couldn`t fight the right weight for him. You need time to use to the new weight, as well as time to get use with the new division, and his style is very specific, and he can very much start losing speed and his style will suffer. Not everyone could last to 37 in their prime.
Gassiev, retire man... if you aren't ready NOW. you will never be ready. You say if you fought it would be a disrespect to the fans? no quite the opposite, if you DON'T FIGHT it will be a disrespect to the fans!!!
