Howdy boxing followers and devoted haters. Right here’s one other week’s value of my bulbous sack, bulging with gooey, salty reality, in your face. Take pleasure in. This week, we’ve got feedback/questions concerning Beterbiev-Bivol, Joshua-Ngannou, and Saudi Arabia vs. The USA
Beterbiev vs. Bivol / UK vs. USA Boxing Media
Beterbiev v Smith was clearly a mismatch for numerous causes. After all the media stateside aren’t going to inform it like it’s. The identical manner they take little interest in placing stress on promoters to stage Beterbiev v Bivol.
Are you able to think about if Beterbiev and Bivol had been two American fighters? The quantity of disdain and innuendo that will be thrown at every fighter can be of epic proportions.
Beterbiev v Bivol is should see TV. It is one of the best match up out there within the LHW division and among the best attainable match ups in skilled boxing. Nonetheless, this struggle is not even on the radar of American boxing gossip queens.
Alternatively can we blame the UK boxing pundits for having pleasure of their fighters? Loads of UK fighters are overrated, however that is British tradition. Vanity is their factor and by nature they are going to take pride and overhype their very own. Fortuitously, it really works properly. The massive media retailers within the UK even have a devoted crew that covers the game and so they do a rattling good job of propping up UK boxing merchandise. Are you able to think about if Individuals did the identical?
– Na’-il Rahman
Howdy Sr. Rahman.
I’ve pointed this out earlier than, however, previous to July 29, Beterbiev and Bivol co-existed as world champions in the identical division for an extended time frame than Spence and Crawford did. Spence-Crawford occurred, Beterbiev-Bivol nonetheless hasn’t. There’s been nowhere close to the crying, complaining, and moralizing about Beterbiev-Bivol as there was with Spence-Crawford.
Some individuals make the case that Spence-Crawford obtained extra consideration as a result of welterweight is extra of a glamour division than gentle heavyweight. That explains a few of it, however not the truth that the institution (and, let’s be sincere, white) media stays reverential to each Beterbiev and Bivol, nearly apologetic when citing the thought of a unification, whereas they value-judged and lambasted the hell out of Spence and Crawford (however particularly Spence) for the unification not occurring.
After all there’s a double customary in the case of the best way African American fighters are portrayed and, finally, judged within the media. White fighters could be inactive with out being referred to as lazy, thieving, or conniving. White fighters can maneuver round sure bouts with out being labeled “cowards” or “geese.” A white fighter who can field known as a grasp stylist. A black fighter who can field known as a runner and boring. And many others…
This double customary will probably be a endlessly factor, till the media protecting the game is extra consultant of these really competing within the sport and watching the game.
As for the UK media, like I wrote earlier than, I don’t blame them for being supportive of their very own (though they might at the very least attempt to beef up their perspective and grasp on actuality). The issue is that the fawning and typically gullible/naive UK media is wildly over represented on the world stage (and so they preserve the gigs amongst themselves), in order that they find yourself establishing numerous narratives which have little-to-no foundation in actuality. This wastes numerous time and sometimes gums up an already gummed-up world stage matchmaking course of.
Beterbiev vs. Bivol (Prediction)
Hey Paul.
Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol. That is the one struggle to make at 175 and the rumors higher be true that we’re getting it subsequent. How are you going to wager towards Beterbiev at this level? He’s a wrecking ball and I’d wager that he’ll be an excessive amount of for Bivol, who’s additionally nice, however simply not as overwhelmingly nice. My name is Beterbiev TKO 10. What do you say? Who’re you taking and the way?
– Sam P.
Hey Sam.
Pretty much as good and as dominant as Beterbiev has been, I’m very tempted to go along with Bivol proper now. Beterbiev wants somebody who could be walked down and disassembled. Bivol has the jab, the hand pace, and the footwork to maintain himself from being walked down. He’s additionally not a risk-taker and will probably be simply superb selecting at Beterbiev from a distance en path to a factors victory. Beterbiev’s age could come into play when/if he has to chase down and power a struggle on Bivol. At this second, if pressured to make a decide, I’d go along with Bivol through determination.
Joshua vs. Ngannou
Paul.
Are we going to see one other shocker when Ngannou faces Anthony Joshua in March? Will Ngannou present up boxing once more, like he did towards Tyson Fury? If he does, the place does he go subsequent? I suppose it might be a struggle with the winner of Usyk-Fury. That’s what they’re saying anyway. What we learn about Ngannou is that he’s robust as nails, sturdy as a bull, packs one-punch energy, and is mentally sturdy. What we learn about Joshua is that he’s phenomenally gifted and athletic, however not so robust mentally. That lack of toughness makes him weak in my view. Break it down for me, Paul. What sort of shot do you give Francis Ngannou towards Joshua?
– Dean from Boston
Hey Dean.
The one factor surprising Ngannou did towards Fury was not be humiliated. He managed to attain a flash knockdown of Fury, however he misplaced that struggle decisively, regardless of the judges’ foolish break up determination scorecards and the continuous crowing from MMA media. So, I’m undoubtedly not a kind of “Ngannou shocked the world” sort of guys.
Kudos to him, although, for making himself right into a boxing attraction by merely being sturdy. He did shock lots of people (myself included) by not trying ridiculously terrible. From right here on out, although, there’s no aspect of shock. His opponents know that he can’t simply be performed with and, extra importantly, they know the way publicly humiliating it will likely be to look something lower than dominant towards him. Joshua is weak as fuck, however even he can get his shit collectively for a struggle the place he’ll solely should throw a stiff jab and ultimately observe a kind of up with a giant proper hand.
Ngannou can have a greater likelihood towards Joshua than he did towards Fury, however that’s solely attributable to Joshua’s elevated chance of self-sabotage. I’m 95% at Joshua both cruising to a protected determination win behind a cautious jab or stopping Ngannou late.
American Boxing, Being Killed By The Saudis?
Hey Magno.
We’re greater than two weeks into the brand new 12 months and all we hear about are the key occasions being staged in Saudi Arabia. Not a peep about any main fights within the US. PBC hasn’t even posted a schedule and so they’re imagined to kick off in March. So, is that this what having the life strangled out of American boxing appears like?
– The Struggle Fan
Hey Struggle Fan.
No must panic, lol. You’re listening to about Saudi main occasions as a result of they simply had a press convention to announce two high-profile playing cards. This time of 12 months has historically been a gradual time for the American struggle scene.
As issues stand proper now, Saudi playing cards aren’t having the slightest have an effect on on something occurring within the US. The Saudis have largely targeted on 175 and above and there simply aren’t all that many names in these weight lessons which are bankable entities within the US, anyway. It’s not like American struggle followers are dropping out on seeing Anthony Joshua (who doesn’t struggle within the US) or Tyson Fury (who, maybe, CAN’T struggle within the US). Beterbiev fights out of Canada. Bivol is a boxing nomad. No person cares in regards to the cruiserweights. Usyk has solely fought as soon as within the US since 2017. If something, the UK struggle scene is the one being strangled by the Saudi exercise, with all of their largest and finest being peddled off to the “kingdom” by Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren, who’ve confirmed that their solely curiosity in boxing is a egocentric one (duh). It’s fast, simple cash and the promoters are leaping at it, as promoters are likely to do.
American struggle followers would have trigger for concern if bankable American fighters begin being drawn to Saudi Arabia. However I don’t assume that’s too doubtless. As a result of, regardless of all the eye the Saudis get for his or her cash and affect, there’s nonetheless extra money available within the US market, with fights that enchantment to the American struggle fan.
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