He would still be European champ He would still be improving (he was improving bigtime in each fight) He wouldn't be a laughing stock. A fighter like Casey is totally mentally destroyed after a loss like the one he suffered against Rigondeaux.
Hindsight is such a wonderful thing... I cannot blame any fighter for wanting to fight and win a world title but when this was announced i shook head..it was clearly a fight he couldn't win. Personally his management would of been better putting him in with Kiko.
A fight with Kiko. If he wins that, a possible fight with Munroe or Booth. Winnable fights for casey and he might have been favoured going into them.
It wasnt a world title, but it was a bigger fight. I think Casey would have lost to Kiko if he had fought for the European title anyway. It all comes down to the money, if he was offered significantly more money for the Rigo fight, then he did the right thing imo. And I dont think he will have any mental scars for his first round loss tbh.
What makes you so sure he'd still be European champ? That fight was a toss up. He made a few quid for himself and can get back to fighting at Euro level. He took his chance because it was likely to be the only chance he'd have of fighting for a world title. If Casey was borderline world class it would have been silly to fight Rigo but he isn't. How would his confidence be if he lost to Kiko? His career would be practically finished. Casey isn't stupid, he lost to one of the greatest super bantamweights ever, he is well aware he lost to someone special.
A laughing stock? For losing to one of the best prospects in boxing today Fair play to Casey for giving it a go but unfortunately he was just out of his depth, no shame in that at all. I agree with Mand that his management should have probably kept this fight away from him though.
the average man on the street who watched that fight consider casey a laughing stock. ive had to explain how good rigondeaux is to several of my mates. either way, casey took a hiding and rigondeaux made it look very easy
Nah,he took a chance that may never come again (he's knocking on in age for a super bamtam). If he's good enough he can come back at Euro level, the Rigo loss was short and sweet and not usually the career ending type.
I don't personally believe he is a laughing stock, im just talking about the perception from the general public. much like dunne was a laughing stock when he got done by kiko. plenty of comedians were taking the **** out of him and i've heard some jokes about caseys interview lasting longer than his fight
its the confidence though, he got a hiding at his own game. he prides himself on coming forward and "out-manning" his opponent but he got absolutely thouroughly beaten at his own game from rigondeaux. that has to affect his confidence and if he gets into a situation where he gets hurt in a fight again.. he may start getting flashbacks to the hiding he took
Casey got taken to school regularly as an amateur, didn't seem to affect him when he turned pro. I was talking to Willie after the fight, he won't be deterred by what happened.