Boxing Thread

[wandshogun09]

Just watching that Boxing Tonight or whatever it's called on BT Sport. Only just heard that Mickey Duff died over the weekend. Completely missed that news. He was 84. RIP.

 

Also, why does Frank Warren insist on calling Carl Froch 'Frock'?

[Egg Shen]

yeh there was quite a few articles in the paper in about Duff, sad news.

 

Mayweather's next show is set:

 

Mayweather/Maidana, Khan/Collazo, Broner/Molina. All nighter for that one.

[jimufctna24]

Also, Pac and Bradley 2, Froch vs Groves 2 and Fury vs Del Boy 2.

 

What a fine trio of rematches coming up.

 

Boxing is looking sublime in the next few months.

[Egg Shen]

ye, it's a great time to be a fan.

[Egg Shen]

another big Matchroom show announced for May in Cardiff:

 

St.Davids Hotel, Cardiff Bay was the setting for the announcement of Matchroom Boxing's next Cardiff show, which is set for May 17th at the Motorpoint Arena. Joint top of the bill for the show 'The Second Coming' are European featherweight champion Lee Selby and Matchroom's new signing, former WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly.

 

Lee Selby (18-1) is highly ranked by the WBC and will possibly fight in an eliminator for a shot at that title. It was confirmed that Nathan Cleverly (26-1) will now campaign at Cruiserweight. No opponents announced for either fighter but Eddie Hearn stated that there would be an announcement next week.

 

The show will also feature a super-middleweight clash between Liverpool's Callum Smith (9-0) and Swansea's Tobias Webb (14-1). Another Swansea boxer WBC International light-welterweight champion, Chris Jenkins (14-0) will be on the undercard.

 

As expected the hotly anticipated rematch between lightweights Gary Buckland (28-3) and Gavin Rees (37-4-1), will be on the card. Fans have clamoured for a rematch after the pair fought a War on the last Matchroom show in Cardiff back in February.

 

Promoter Eddie Hearn also announced that Irish middleweight Andy Lee, would be on the bill plus several more fighters to be revealed soon.

 

that sounds great, i'm going!

[wandshogun09]

Froch vs Groves 2 is the same night as Chael vs Wanderlei as well, by the way.

 

That Mayweather card looks tremendous. Stacked. Lines up Floyd vs Khan nicely for later in the year if they both win on that night.

[Egg Shen]

the boxing lineup's are fucking ridiculous recently, a few years ago boxing was always criticized for not stacking shows and selling shows based purely off a main event but that not the case anymore.

 

There's obviously the Mayweather card, then Showtime are throwing this fucker out on April 19th

 

 

Hopkins/Shumenov, Malignaggi/Porter, Quillan/Konecny.

 

It's fucking ridiculous, the amount of great shows on over here is awesome too, my weekend's are pretty much being shaped by what boxing's on these days.

[jimufctna24]

A few years ago Sherdog staff conceded that the anticipation and hype to big time boxing matches are better than the biggest MMA offerings.

 

I agree.

 

I am looking more forward to Groves vs Froch 2 than anything in MMA this year.

[wandshogun09]

Froch vs Groves 2 is one of those massive fights that kind of came out of nowhere. Everything has just fallen into place. Before their first fight would anyone have ever guessed that a fight between Froch and Groves could sell 60-odd thousand tickets or whatever ridiculous amount it's sold, and in such a short time? The controversial stoppage in the first fight sucked on the night but without it this rematch wouldn't be as big as it's become. It probably wouldn't have been happening at all, actually. A combination of that, Groves ability to hype a fight (which I really never had him down for until the DeGale fight, but he really came into his own in the build up to the first Froch fight), and the grudge between him and Froch. It's made the whole rivalry bigger than the sum of its parts.

 

How does everyone see this fight going? I'm really not sure at all. And I was one of those that thought Groves was in a little bit over his head going into the first fight. I knew he was a good fighter but I didn't think he had quite enough to handle Froch. The first 6 or so rounds turned that theory on its head though, and now I don't know how to call it. I still kind of think Froch is the better fighter, but I really think he was got-to by Groves and maybe the mind games have evened it up. He's clearly done a good job getting in Froch's head and that coupled with his own boxing skills might be enough to tip it in his favour.

 

One thing with the stoppage last time though, it seems to have kind of made a lot of people forget that Froch did have Groves in the shit before the ref dived in. It seems that a lot of people have taken up the view that that fight was just Groves battering Froch from pillar to post, then Froch caught him and the ref waved it off. It really takes away the fact that Froch actually made a hell of a comeback after a disastrous first 6 or so rounds. It's worth taking into account that Froch took what Groves could dish out and came on strong in the second half of the fight. Momentum was with him by then and whatever you thought of the decision, he had Groves in trouble when the ref jumped in. Groves legs were all over the place. It's not a cut and dry case that Groves wins the rematch just because he handed Froch his arse early on last time.

 

I'm really, really not sure who I'm picking. There's so much to factor in. Froch may have underestimated Groves a bit last time. Then again, Groves dominating early and dropping Froch might effect Froch's confidence this time. Looking at the first fight there's things that could both boost and dent both guys' confidence this time.

 

It's not topping the Benn vs Eubank rivalry for me, just because that was what got me hooked on boxing and it brings back warm, fuzzy memories. But it's pretty close and there's a few similarities there, I think.

 

 

 

"I personally do hate him. I personally do hate him."

 

In the spirit of the Benn vs Eubank comparison, I'm thinking this rematch ends in a controversial draw. Not really. My gut feeling (today at least) is another Froch TKO. Hopefully this time minus the dodginess. Just a feeling. But I'd actually like to see Groves win so we get a third fight. I do love a trilogy.

[bAzTNM#1]

Froch always looks like he's shitting himself anytime Groves gets anywhere near him. Even in that pic above there.

[bono]

Any idea if there is going to be anymore froch v groves tickets made available? Seems to of gone abit quiet

[Fox Piss]

Eddie Hearn said end of this week so hopefully tomorrow.

[jimufctna24]

I got Groves to win the rematch.

 

I re-watched the first fight a few weeks ago, and my opinion changed from what I saw Live. On the night I had Groves winning by a few rounds, when I re-watched the fight at home in an empty room I had Froch maybe winning 1 or 2 rounds before the stoppage.

 

I think Groves can dictate the fight, he can cause damage and then maybe fight a bit more conservative later on. The first fight shows he has the skills to outbox Froch for long periods of times (he also showed he can hurt Froch) Froch is always dangerous, and there is a chance he under-performed last time out. But I see Groves being too good, and handily outscoring Froch on route to a modest points win.

 

Anyone fancy predicting Del Boy vs Fury. I think Del Boy is going to win, he showed against Vitali that he can be competitive against fighters much taller and rangy than he is (when he is in shape). I think Del Boy will catch Fury and maybe even stop him.

Edited March 28, 2014 by jimufctna24

[Egg Shen]

yeh, the shitty thing about the fight from Froch's perspective is he was basically robbed from celebrating one of the great comeback wins, if the ref hadn't stepped in and Groves had dropped (which was going to happen, i dont care what anybody says) Froch would likely be lining up some kind of Vegas superfight with Andre Ward now...it also probably would have led to Carl Froch going to another level in terms of fan popularity, but despite putting on one of the gutsiest performances imaginable his stock seems to have fallen (well gone up, but fallen if you know what i mean), if Froch had cleanly KO'd Groves he'd have been everyone's favorite fighter, instead he's getting boo'ed in his home city, madness!

 

...his loss is our gain though i guess cause the whole thing has been fucking brilliant.

 

as for the first fight, i haven't rewatched it but ive seen the highlights a thousand times, Groves was clearly winning but the tide was turning and Froch was on his way to stopping him...however, when people wanna talk about how the rematch will go, and no fucker mentions this... how would that first fight have played out if Groves hadn't have dropped Froch hard in round 1? it would probably have been a completely different fight. Not taking anything away from Groves cause he started fast and got his reward but that was a hard knockdown, not many fighters would have got up and continued from that and the effects of it had to hamper Froch's performance for the rest of the night. It was only Froch's sheer toughness and willingness to bite down and keep throwing that won him the fight in the end. Everyone seems to be of the opinion that Froch was dropped got up and was schooled at 100%, he wasn't, that knockdown changed everything and if it hadn't happened who knows what would have happened??

 

It's another thing that makes this fight so interesting.

 

[jimufctna24]

I will concede this.

 

I do think Froch would have stopped Groves even if the referee was a bit more liberal, and allowed Groves a bit more time to recover or even gave him a standing 8 count. Froch had him in all sorts of trouble.

 

I get the knockdown could have changed the fight, but Groves just has the amazing self-belief. He fought in the first round like a man who believed in what he was doing, even before the knockdown. I honestly think Groves has Froch's number, Groves seems to know what to do, and when to do it.

 

I mean look at that picture above, Groves just looks like he expected that to happen, there is no surprise or emotion in his expression, it reads like "I told you so" I think he got a bit overzealous, which you cannot do with Froch as he is always dangerous (see the Taylor fight). If Froch catches him again, I will not be shocked, even if Froch is behind at the time of the stoppage.

 

Froch rarely dominates big fights, every notable fight he has been in has been close, except for Bute. Ward, Kessler x2 and Pascal were all very close on the scorecards. As was the Taylor fight before Froch stopped him late on (in fact Taylor was ahead if I recall rightly). I think Groves would have still won the lions share of the rounds even if the knockdown had not occurred.