Thoughts on Leo Santa Cruz's fight?

I didn't say he would do the same, I'm just pointing out Leo was clearly not at his best last night, a fully tuned up Santa Cruz would have stopped that kid IMO.

 

Santa Cruz hurt his right early in the fight aswell, that stopped him inflicting some of the attritional damage he was looking to dish out to Guevara. At his best Santa Cruz would of managed to get the stoppage imo, and I'd be seriously worried for McDonnell if he were to fight him.

If I were McDonnell's handlers I'd keep him well away from Santa Cruz and go a different route to a title, and that's from someone who rarely advocates a fighter taking the easier path to 'success'.

 

I wasn't very impressed with the fact Sky just presumed Guevara was going to be a soft touch, and that Jamie McDonnell would be lightyears better, so apparently it followed that any struggles Guevara caused Santa Cruz to endure would give McDonnell great heart.

I mean, why? Guevara was unbeaten, young coming out of the most productive nation in boxing for producing lighter fighters. He's undoubtedly sparred very tough. The guy had very obvious quality.

 

Well there is talk of Leo moving up to 122, maybe in his next fight, so Jamie may get a crack at the vacant title.

Me too, Sky probably thought he was another Raul Hirales (not saying Hirales is ****) 'he's a 16-0 Mexican who we've never heard of, so he's ****'

Thats how naive the folks at sky are.

 

Even Raul Hirales wasn't exactly **** though. Not really an offensive threat, but the difference between the average Euro/British 'opponent' with a pretty record and one coming out of Mexico at the lighter weights is they usually have some fundamental ideas about how to defend themselves and are invariably durable because they're a product of the gyms they come through. I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise, whereas I'm sorry to say...you just know when certain opponents are definitely going to be crap.

Guevara would give McDonnell a lot to think about. For a start McDonnell doesn't hurt him in a million years and he's not going to be easy for McDonnell to pin down. McDonnell is not exactly the sharpest of punchers so he'd have a tough time looking good against Guevara who knew how to deflect shots and pivot, Jamie would have a mission to land clean. He made Leo look a little less impressive than he has done but ultimately it was a comfortable win.

 

Nice post TFFP.

 

Jorge Silva last night - All of us would be forgiven for thinking he's a mug. But not a chance, 20 years old, been matched really tough and again the guy knew what he was doing. Knew how to defend himself going backwards and on the inside and could take a good punch and fought with heart and courage.

Orlando Salido - Inconsistent early record, massively improved fighter.

Unlike a lot of countries Mexicans spar tough, often get matched tough early unless they're a financial asset which mostly they don't tend to be. But they learn the game, they're rarely blow outs. I think Sky did Guevara a big disservice last night, it was amateur coverage going on about McDonnell. McDonnell threw a billion punches at a Nicaraguan nobody the other week struggling to put a dent in him and was getting laughed at by the guy! so to be so dismissive of a Mexican just because he's unknown was disapointing if not surprising.

 

The Sky team exposed their own ignorance and lack of boxing knowledge with the way the talked about Guevara. As TFFP said, they just assumed he was no good, so they thought LSC would walk through him and when than didn't happen, rather than admit they were wrong and say "this lad surprised me, he was a tough, good fighter" they criticised Santa Cruz instead. It's ridiculous.

The team on Sky is terrible. The supposed experts live in a bubble and massively overrate every British fighter, whilst insulting foreigners, purely because of their own ignorance.

 

Can Santa Cruz beat Jamie McDonnell. Jamie would get beaten and be lucky to hear final bell. He has nothing to gain Leo's respect nor ability to frustrate him..

 

Leo Santa Cruz would leave Jamie McDonnell in a heap on the floor inside 6 rounds!

This guy is a killer! I will however point out Guevara looked excellent early on and Santa Cruz looked slightly bamboozled, Santa Cruz will be great while he lasts at the top, but a style of fighter like this cannot truly dominate a division, a good boxer puncher will beat him! I think Rigo or Donaire would probably KO him being honest.

That said i think stylistically he matches Mares really well, i think he'd walk through him!

Gotta lot of love for this guy :deal

 

Excellent points!

It was the third round where that ***** said this : "this would be a huge upset if Guevara beat Santa Cruz" when it was clear Santa Cruz was being outboxed!

 

In short ............. this :deal

 

Why?

Guevara is clearly a top prospect, these two will fight again down the line absolutely guaranteed, the kid is a phenomenal talent :deal

 

British fighters should get these Mexican fighters like Silva over instead of the usual useless TTG's and fat latvians. Can't cost too much more?

 

The middle ranked Mexicans would have the pampered top level Brits in a lot of trouble! Jamie Mc and LSC should not be mentioned in the same sentence, Mexican fighters are schooled in a tough, rough way, there sparring is like fighting, they live in poverty, they are not only fighting in the ring but fighting for survival outside of it too, the Mexicans that make it to world level have beaten off the competition already from there own country-men which in itself is already worthy of recognition!

They are cut from a different cloth!