Rakhim Chakhkiev vs. Epifanio Mendoza RBR

I'll say this for Mendoza: he didn't lie down and was as uncooperative about getting stopped as his present faculties allow.

...and that's about the nicest thing I can say about his performance. :yep

 

I'm honestly a bit surprised/disappointed in Chak that he took so long to TCOB against this version of Epi, and that he only scored one of his three knockdowns through the first eight. :!:

It was a borderline complacent showing, and hopefully not a new trend for RC. Had he applied himself more he could have gotten rid of his man in less than half the time IMO.

 

Russian cruiser based in Germany, reputation for power and aggression as his ring name indicates ("The Machine")

Has yet to really step up to a true "warm body" but has - outside of tonight - looked like a real Terminator against a few washed up semi-names. He destroyed the reliably sturdy Zack Page but it's questionable how much that didn't have to do with years of toll on the super-journeyman.

I'm actually really high on Chakhkiev, if this sounds a bit negative, but pushing 30 he needs to ramp up his level of opposition - and put in better all-around efforts than this one today.

 

It wasn't Chechnya for whom he won a gold medal.

 

Honestly cruiser is **** weak. There are a couple of titlists I'd already favor him over: Yoan Pablo Hernandez (who's got talent to spare but a pair of fatal flaws in his glass mandible and defensive lapses) by brutal kayo and Krzysztof Wlodarczyk fairly easily on points via much superior workrate.

The three-headed dragon of Lebedev-Huck-Afolabi (who have fought each other on more or less even terms and are my h2h top three in the division) probably can't be slain by this or any soon foreseeable version of Chakhkiev.

Slick & seasoned types like Tarver and Jones are tough tasks but doable. Fellow "young guns" in contention like Masternak and Kayode he beats.

 

:thumbsup

Could be lots of fun either way.

I'd imagine Lebedev vs. Chakhkiev would move lots of tickets at the Moscow Ice Palace.