Boxing/UFC 2018-24

[Fromtherough]

Joshua did what was needed and produced a professional, if not boring performance. His chin is a massive concern though. His legs stiffened almost every time Ruiz landed. His team will want no part of a third fight with Ruiz.

I thought the scorecards were friendly to Whyte. He had to endure a decent amount of punishment.

The heavyweight division is really interesting at minute. There’s a decent crop around right now. Fury, Wilder and Joshua lead the way. Each of those has vulnerabilities though and some of the chasing pack will fancy their chances.

Whyte when focussed and in shape gives Wilder and Joshua problems. Fury would likely be able to keep away from his wild swings. Parker is still relevant, has a great chin and could compete. Ruiz, again if he got in shape he would be awful for Wilder with his style and strong chin. Ortiz is still relevant and could outbox most. The interesting one for me though is Usyk. He has a good boxing brain and can punch and take a punch. However, that might change at heavyweight. His speed could cause all sorts of problems for all of the other heavyweights.

If the above I feel Whyte deserves his opportunity. Usyk should challenge one of the others, but expect him to get a title shot next year.

 

[spongebob59]

Isn't Usyk one of Joshua a mandatorys s ?

 

[Piece]

Joshua did what was needed and produced a professional, if not boring performance. His chin is a massive concern though. His legs stiffened almost every time Ruiz landed. His team will want no part of a third fight with Ruiz.

I thought the scorecards were friendly to Whyte. He had to endure a decent amount of punishment.

The heavyweight division is really interesting at minute. There’s a decent crop around right now. Fury, Wilder and Joshua lead the way. Each of those has vulnerabilities though and some of the chasing pack will fancy their chances.

Whyte when focussed and in shape gives Wilder and Joshua problems. Fury would likely be able to keep away from his wild swings. Parker is still relevant, has a great chin and could compete. Ruiz, again if he got in shape he would be awful for Wilder with his style and strong chin. Ortiz is still relevant and could outbox most. The interesting one for me though is Usyk. He has a good boxing brain and can punch and take a punch. However, that might change at heavyweight. His speed could cause all sorts of problems for all of the other heavyweights.

If the above I feel Whyte deserves his opportunity. Usyk should challenge one of the others, but expect him to get a title shot next year.

If Whyte performs like that in the championship bouts he will be murdered. Whyte has got something though and I think a scrap v Parker or Usyk would be good.

 

[Fromtherough]

UFC 245 lived up to the billing, brilliant card. Usman v Covington had the needle ensuring their fight was always going to be watchable and it didn’t disappoint. Usman proved himself the much more technically sound striker. Covington is tough as nails though. I’m not a fan, but would have liked to have seen him finish the fight. I think Usman was able to nullify him by targeting the body. Covington had some success but got his tactics wrong. He usually wears down opponents, mixing up high output with grappling but he couldn’t employ that against Usman. I hope Masvidal gets his shot now.

Volkanovski fought a great fight to take the belt from Holloway. Targeting the legs proved very successful. Both likeable guys, I hope there is an immediate re-match.

None of the other fights failed to deliver but notable mention to Yan. Only seen a few fights before tonight but he put on a clinic versus Faber.

 

[williamalex1]

Back in the day I loved watching the likes of Ali, Frazier, Mike Tyson, to name a few, they were real heavyweight world champion boxers/fighters.
I would stay up till 4 am to watch big fights even though some only lasted a few rounds but still great to watch.
I doubt any of the present day heavies would stand a chance against them.

 

[Dan2501]

Conor sat down with Ariel Helwani to do a 45min+ interview ahead of UFC 246 this weekend. Fantastic insight into where he's at mentally going into this fight and this year. He's been clean and sober throughout this camp after not being focused and drinking throughout the Khabib camp, as was suspected. Said he was "filled with venom", not looking after himself post-training, partying, and having full on fights with Russian/Dagestani fighters he had as training partners in a hotel before disappearing for 3 days, doesn't sound like it was a good camp at all. He seems to be properly focused going into this year though, is sticking to a strict schedule, is back listening and working closely with his coaches, has his old boxing coach from his early days from Crumlin Boxing gym back with him and in his corner for the first time in his UFC career. I'm excited. I'm a big McGregor fan and the last 2 years have been tough viewing, he's gone off the rails, lost his dedication, lost his activity, and the performances have suffered. Conor was at his best, as he says, when he was active, back in the gym 2 days after a fight and back working, he hasn't been doing that after his last few, and it shows. I'm expecting a beautiful performance this weekend. I think Cowboy matches up well for him stylistically and I don't think he'll be able to handle Conor's power, and expect it to look similar to the Till fight. This could be a big year for McGregor, he wants to fight at least 3 times which is great to hear, just hope he follows through on it and sticks to his discipline.

 

[Marshy77]

I used to really like Connor up until the boxing, Khabib and Diaz fights plus everything outside of the ring. I think Cerrone will knock him out (head kick), I think he has more to his game than Connor and so much more durable.

 

[Dan2501]

I used to really like Connor up until the boxing, Khabib and Diaz fights plus everything outside of the ring. I think Cerrone will knock him out (head kick), I think he has more to his game than Connor and so much more durable.

Does he? Has lost every big fight he's been in. Got totally dominated by a fighter with a very similar skill-set to Conor in Darren Till. Has been finished by Gaethje, Ferguson, Till, Masvidal and Pettis. I think MMA fans have almost forgotten how good McGregor is, especially after how he got finished by Khabib. I think Conor has more tricks in the stand-up, more power, more speed than Cowboy. I could be proven wrong, that's the fun of MMA, no-one really knows what's going to happen, but I would be very surprised if Cerrone wins this one. The only guys that have been able to beat Conor in the UFC have something special. Khabib has the wrestling and the pressure, Nate has the gas-tank and the iron chin, and Conor still beat him in the 2nd fight. Cowboy is solid across the board, but not exceptional at anything. He's not going to be good enough on the feet to outwork Conor, unlikely to out-trick him on the feet, he's not going to out-power him, he's not going to out-wrestle him, the only chance I see Cowboy having is if he's able to get one of those nice head kicks in which he hides behind the right hand, like the one he landed on Jim Miller, other than that I see Conor running through him in 2 rounds.

 

[Marshy77]

Does he? Has lost every big fight he's been in. Got totally dominated by a fighter with a very similar skill-set to Conor in Darren Till. Has been finished by Gaethje, Ferguson, Till, Masvidal and Pettis. I think MMA fans have almost forgotten how good McGregor is, especially after how he got finished by Khabib. I think Conor has more tricks in the stand-up, more power, more speed than Cowboy. I could be proven wrong, that's the fun of MMA, no-one really knows what's going to happen, but I would be very surprised if Cerrone wins this one. The only guys that have been able to beat Conor in the UFC have something special. Khabib has the wrestling and the pressure, Nate has the gas-tank and the iron chin, and Conor still beat him in the 2nd fight. Cowboy is solid across the board, but not exceptional at anything. He's not going to be good enough on the feet to outwork Conor, unlikely to out-trick him on the feet, he's not going to out-power him, he's not going to out-wrestle him, the only chance I see Cowboy having is if he's able to get one of those nice head kicks in which he hides behind the right hand, like the one he landed on Jim Miller, other than that I see Conor running through him in 2 rounds.

And that's what it's all about. Maybe you're right and I've forgotten how good he is.

 

[Fromtherough]

Conor sat down with Ariel Helwani to do a 45min+ interview ahead of UFC 246 this weekend. Fantastic insight into where he's at mentally going into this fight and this year. He's been clean and sober throughout this camp after not being focused and drinking throughout the Khabib camp, as was suspected. Said he was "filled with venom", not looking after himself post-training, partying, and having full on fights with Russian/Dagestani fighters he had as training partners in a hotel before disappearing for 3 days, doesn't sound like it was a good camp at all. He seems to be properly focused going into this year though, is sticking to a strict schedule, is back listening and working closely with his coaches, has his old boxing coach from his early days from Crumlin Boxing gym back with him and in his corner for the first time in his UFC career. I'm excited. I'm a big McGregor fan and the last 2 years have been tough viewing, he's gone off the rails, lost his dedication, lost his activity, and the performances have suffered. Conor was at his best, as he says, when he was active, back in the gym 2 days after a fight and back working, he hasn't been doing that after his last few, and it shows. I'm expecting a beautiful performance this weekend. I think Cowboy matches up well for him stylistically and I don't think he'll be able to handle Conor's power, and expect it to look similar to the Till fight. This could be a big year for McGregor, he wants to fight at least 3 times which is great to hear, just hope he follows through on it and sticks to his discipline.

I don’t think people have forgotten, I think the fact Khabib had his number is still fresh in everyone’s mind. In his pomp he had a Tyson-esque aura, beating many people before they entered the ring. Diaz and Khabib negated that aura. I’m still genuinely interested in his fights though, he was brilliant for the UFC.

Keen to find out if McGregor is as committed as in his previous runs. I find it strange they’re fighting at welterweight. Both ranked in the top 5 at lightweight. I quite like the fight with Cerrone though. He’s game and will bring it. I do feel his style is made for McGregor though. It won’t go the distance.

I don’t give McGregor much of a chance versus Khabib or Ferguson at lightweight, due to the pressure and cardio they bring. A fight with Gaethje would be fun to watch though. At welterweight Usman is a terrible match up for him. I’d love to see him fight Masvidal or Edwards though.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Anyone trying to get tickets for London?

 

[Fromtherough]

After moving house we have switched from Virgin to Sky, so no longer get BT Sports. Went round my Dad’s tonight and whilst there decided to record UFC 246 - only to find its on PPV! I thought they must have realised this is pointless after the terrible viewing figures of their previous PPV events, but nope. I’ll just watch in the internet on Sunday morning. MMA is still a minority sport in the UK, I don’t get the thought process of putting it in PPV.

 

[Dan2501]

Surprise, surprise. The King is back. Beautiful head-kick, and just put him away. The shoulder strikes were lovely as well, did some damage with those. Conor's back, and he'll be back again soon as well I imagine.

 

[Fromtherough]

Good performance from McGregor. From that first left which barely missed, you could tell he wanted to make a statement. I wonder how the UFC will manage and select his fights. He’s a cash cow, probably they’re biggest draw. However, I think he’ll struggle with Khabib or Usman so maybe a title run will not be what they are after. Mega-fights is more likely - assuming he has three or four left in him.

 

[Pin-seeker]

No one seems overly bothered about a title shot with Usman,I suspect Dana would rather Masvidal or Conor had the belt as Usman hasn’t really got a personality & doesn’t get people talking.

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

I've followed boxing since I was 5 or 6.
It's the only sport my father liked.
I saw the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson fight in person twice as a young boy.
I saw Muhammad Ali box in person when he was still Cassius Clay.
And then again against Ken Norton in Yankee Stadium more than a decade later.
I saw Oscar DeLaHoya live in a rare east coast appearance at Madison Square Garden.
I saw several fights in Las Vegas.
I even saw the UKs' own Terry Downs loose the middleweight title back to Boston's Paul Pender in 1961.

I was a big fan of the Italian Welshman, Joe Calzaghe, often rooting for my ethnicity over my nationality.

I loved when boxing was mostly on premium cable like HBO and Showtime in the US.
Even the pay-per-view matches, if I didn't buy them, were shown on HBO or Showtime a week later.
It was great.

Now boxing in the US has moved to internet streaming services instead of premium cable.
I can't possibly subscribe to all the streaming services, and the good fighters are split between them.
The replays of the pay-per-view fights no longer get to TV.
And at my age, I can't fly around the country to see live fights anymore. I live on a pension.

So I'm heartbroken. I've lost track of boxing. I don't get to see Golovkin and Lomachenko anymore. I loved those guys.

A sport that I watched with my dad in the 1950s is lost to me now.

 

[Pin-seeker]

I've followed boxing since I was 5 or 6.
It's the only sport my father liked.
I saw the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson fight in person twice as a young boy.
I saw Muhammad Ali box in person when he was still Cassius Clay.
And then again against Ken Norton in Yankee Stadium more than a decade later.
I saw Oscar DeLaHoya live in a rare east coast appearance at Madison Square Garden.
I saw several fights in Las Vegas.
I even saw the UKs' own Terry Downs loose the middleweight title back to Boston's Paul Pender in 1961.

I was a big fan of the Italian Welshman, Joe Calzaghe, often rooting for my ethnicity over my nationality.

I loved when boxing was mostly on premium cable like HBO and Showtime in the US.
Even the pay-per-view matches, if I didn't buy them, were shown on HBO or Showtime a week later.
It was great.

Now boxing in the US has moved to internet streaming services instead of premium cable.
I can't possibly subscribe to all the streaming services, and the good fighters are split between them.
The replays of the pay-per-view fights no longer get to TV.
And at my age, I can't fly around the country to see live fights anymore. I live on a pension.

So I'm heartbroken. I've lost track of boxing. I don't get to see Golovkin and Lomachenko anymore. I loved those guys.

A sport that I watched with my dad in the 1950s is lost to me now.

I tend to watch most of the fights on YouTube a day or 2 after the fights.

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

I tend to watch most of the fights on YouTube a day or 2 after the fights.

They get taken down if posted on local servers here. But I'll look for them. Thanks..

 

[Pin-seeker]

They get taken down if posted on local servers here. But I'll look for them. Thanks..

BT sport put hilights on,then the full fight after a while.

 

[Dan2501]

They get taken down if posted on local servers here. But I'll look for them. Thanks..

Search "Fighter 1 vs Fighter 2 Full Fight" on a website called Dailymotion the morning after the fights and you'll find them there