Tony Thompson v Maurice Harris; Predictions and Discussion

I already started this thread, but ok. I don't think age catches up with Thompson here, he started boxing at age 27, he likely has another 3 or 4 good years. Inactivity? Four pretty impressive knockouts in the last 24 months, if anything age will catch up with Harris here.

Thompson is underrated in my book. He exudes a calm in the ring that belies his relatively inexperienced career. He really has a good sense of angles and how to use his 6' 5" frame. He has an above average and good power with the straight left and the right hook. I really see him controlling Harris pretty easily. Frankly, I'd love to see him in with any of the top heavies, even Wlad again. Thompson would be a problem for someone like Adamek or Povetkin, possibly even Vitali. Thompson/Arreola would be a hell of an interesting fight.

The main event is also somewhat intriguing here. Releford is certainly a journeyman, but he knows his way around the ring and does not lay down. He's rangy and athletic and if motivated could make Arreola look bad. One of my favorite journeyman types, although admittedly his best weight is 200 lbs or under.

 

Harris is a decent boxer, but he has an abysmal glass jaw that has let him down in fight after fight, as will likely be the case in this matchup. He's also not getting any younger. That he is in a title eliminator is, basically, a joke.

 

Thompson is one of my favorite lesser names of the division. Good fighter. Nothing great, but he's large, active, smart enough and has a good head on his shoulders, attitude-wise. I expect a win by TKO and must agree with Augustus, he is underrated. A solid fighter.

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better not be a hug-a-thon or...

I'll throw my beer bottle at the TV :twisted:

 

what cannel shows it?

 

espn2 FNF undercard of NIPS vs Releford :hey

 

:goodnice analysis. i was thinking too that this isn't a bad card for fnf standards (at least at the hw level)

 

The reason Harris is there is because he is the current USBA (USA HW) Champion, which is a title awarded by the IBF. Their Intercontinential belt is vacant.

The winner of Thompson vs. Harris will fight (and likely lose to) Eddie Chambers.

So, I think they are doing us a favor by putting the USBA belt around the winner of the eliminator, showing the best US Heavyweight as the US Champion and putting them on a world stage.

I'd like to see them do something like Chambers vs. Chisora (US vs. the British Champion) or Chambers vs. Helenius (US vs. Euro Champion) for the vacant Intercon title.

 

I think it would be a better fight if they showed up in shape. Thompson seems a little heavy and Harris is way high. Harris is always all over the place with his weight but I think he was in the 220's or low 230's recently. Thompson should win as he is the more consistent fighter w/ height and reach advantage but he isn't really that exciting for me. I've always liked Harris but I would never put money on him b/c you never know what kind of performance he will put on. I think he has skills but started the pro game early and didn't have the best management. If he was handled better his career would have been better. I pick Thompson by UD but I would like to see Harris pull it off.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing this fight, but what I'd rather see is the IBF strip Harris and put the strap on the line for the winner of Chambers vs. Arreola, and make that winner the mando for Wlad.

 

So the winner faces Chambers???? Now this has got my attention. Chambers-Thompson interests me a lot, I'd consider the winner the best US heavyweight. Chambers may be the best at the moment but he hasn't beaten someone another yank like Thompson, Arreola or even Kevin Johnson to earn that spot

Good luck Tony Thompson! WAR!!

 

thompson wins by ko

 

NIPS could probably TKO both of them back to back...

the best the USA has in the Heavyweight division is NIPS :yep

sad but true! :smoke

 

Toney would beat him :smoke

Take him to school, like he did in sparring some years ago