Last night we all seen a different side to Ricky were he had to show true grit and determination in what was a very difficult fight against a world class operator. In hindsight the length of time out the ring did affect Ricky's performance but in no way can I take anything away from Gonzalaz's performance were he showed some excellent skills. But ultimately Ricky superiour strength and fitness came through, Jose may have hurt his wrist but I seen it within an hour of the fight and there was no swelling or bruising so IMO there was no serious damage. So massive credit to Ricky who proved all the doubter wrong once again! I'd also like to thank the tremendous support the fans gave Ricky in that superb arena.BN
Why was Ricky struggling to adjust to Gonzalez, Billy? I accept ring-rust would have played a part in the first few rounds, but what about after that? He really struggled to handle the movement and boxing Gonzalez displayed.
What doubters did he prove wrong Billy? Everyone thought he'd win convincingly. Everytime you decide to go on a crusade like it's you and Ricky against the world, bit gay. Ricky is one tough ******* though, reminds me of Froch, his main asset is his tremendous mental strength.
I think Gonzalez would have won if he hadn't punched himself out but credit to Burns for fighting back after the 7th round. That was the turning point in the bout and I'm glad Burns managed to fight through adversity and retain his belt. I said last night that bouts like that are what legends are made of and even though Burns looked rusty, I don't think it harms his legacy too much. I think Burns will look better when he's fighting regularly, not having intense camps without a fight at the end of it.
He was struggling to adjust because Gonzalez was clearly the much better boxer. It isn't rocket science. On skills alone Gonzalez was on another planet.
It's not as easy as pie to adjust in the ring, Dave. It's a talent that only elite fighters have, in my opinion. Burns just couldn't figure him out.
the only other factors i think was the pressure of expectation, first fight with matchroom and so wanting to entertain the fans rather than fight a boring technical fight, or that gonzalez was a better boxer
If you look at Rickys run from when he won the Commonwealth title agaisnt Akaba to the Mitchell win, he has never faced a fighter like Gonzalez. Fighters like Burns typically struggle against fighters like Gonzalez and this was no different. I like Burns but the only thing he proved last night is that he is a belt holder and not the No.1 Lightweight in the world.
I am very happy for Ricky. He showed incredible heart in that 7th round and I think the uppercut he landed in that round was a turning point in the fight. Gonzalez's legs seemed to leave him from then on.
Well done on comin through a tough night billy, this will do ricky a lot of good i feel. Proud a the both of yous so is scotland
yeah the uppercut on the inside seemed to take Gonzalez`s legs and somehow he couldnt seem to get them back after burning himself out a bit of a double whammy effect
Wow, great insight. Thanks. Because it's THAT simple all the time. First, it's David of df. No one calls me Dave because I'm not a character in Only Fools and Horses. Second, that's a fair point but there were things he could have done and wasn't doing. I think Rob's point is sensible - Ricky might not have been used to seeing that type of fighter. But I asked Billy.
