WBSS: Naoya Inoue vs. Juan Carlos Payano & Kiryl Relikh vs. Eduard Troyanovsky RBR.

I'm on the other side and think people are getting a little carried away with Inoue. There's hardly any mental gymnastics in that. Sooo....

 

I don’t think this version of donaire has the ability, his performance against Magdaleno and Frampton hardly inspires me. However I do expect Burnett to lose in the semis.

 

FFS. There are STILL people not willing to acknowledge how much of a beast Inoue is? Never change ESB... Never change.

 

Would've preferred that, no doubt. Relikh will hot potato his belt soon enough to either a proper titlist in a unification or to somebody halfway decent top 15 ranked by the IBF. (Lipinets, Okada, Leather...)

 

Shiro versus Melindo is a good little scrap so far. 3-1 Shiro after 4, Melindo won the 2nd.

 

So it looks like Naoya's dad has been his slave driver his entire life. Never letting Inoue have any other kind of a life personal or otherwise. That's what I got out of that profile package.

 

I thought that nasty dreads Dynamite dude was the WBSS exclusive announcer. Well, I guess he did do DAZN quiet a way from Japan in Chicago just hours before this. I like Rey Flores better anyway.

 

Relikh fights the winner of Prograis Vs Flanagan in the WBSS semifinals, I guess that will be Prograis.

 

Naoya Inoue is the ****ing man, I'm sorry. I see him smashing drug cheat Nery in 8 rounds or less.

 

Oh right. Yes, it will.

 

Kalle lol, did you guys see him jump in the ring after Payano was laid flat? He looked like a deer in headlights for a second, then finally turns and waives for help for Juan Carlos. What a statement by Inoue, I mean Payano is a good Bantamweight.

 

Ultimately you have to give Troya some credit. He performed better than many expected him to. He's a limited fighter approaching 40 and he arguably did enough to take a draw or eek out a close win. The odds for this were considered a steal for Relikh backers and the fight ultimately ended up being a close and competitive affair contrary to many of the claims made on here. Based on this I'd favor Troya to get the better of Indongo in a trilogy.

 

Good first round, Troyanovsky landed some good shots already, but I felt Relikh edged it.

Round 1: 10-9 Relikh (close)