Klitschko - Ibragimov

[Guest]

Tony Atlas picked Ibragimov last night on Friday Night Fights.
Something strange is going on.
At the beginning of the week Klitschko was -600 on the betting line.
Now, it's down to -285
That is a HUGE swing in the matter of a few days.
Did I miss somrthing?

[swerb]

I just saw the same thing. Wlad was -500 this morning on Bodog. -350 right now.

Ibragimov is just +275 ... I've seen him as high as +550.

Im staying away from this one and am excited to see what the hell happens. As impressive as Wlad has been, and as much as I respect Manny, I still cannot remove from my memory the images of Klitschko just falling apart 3-4 years ago after eating a couple big punches from inferior competition.

Ibragimov is going to be very active, going to try and get inside that lethal Wlad jab. May be able to succeed in getting Klitschko out of his comfort zone where he just sits out there and ruins peoples faces with that excellent jab.

This all said, Klitschko should win. Easily. But the late line movement is a little weird.

[Guest]

I expect Wlad to dominate.
I can't really think why he wouldn't but that kind of money on Ibragimov makes me wonder.

[bustedknuckles]

Unless Klitschko's prefight meal was poisened again, or the Russian Mafia is up to something I don't see this being all that close. Wlad will get that right hand sledgehammer fired up by the 3rd or 4th round and that'll be the show. This would be one of the bigger upsets in boxing over the last 5 yrs if Sultan somehow wins. Klitschko is Lebron James in a boxing ring from a physical standpoint.

[Guest]

I wouldn't say it would be that big of an upset.
An upset yes, but it is the heavyweight division, so who the hell knows what's up???
The bettors might know something we don't.
We shall see soon.

[bustedknuckles]

It wouldn't a kin to Douglas over Tyson, but I think it would be a huge upset nonetheless.

From what I've seen of Sultan he's a good fighter with a very big heart, but I think the salient feature in this fight is going to be a big right hand, not a big heart.

[swerb]

Most awkward first round of a prize fight I've seen in quite some time.

Clash of styles is right, whoever said it.

[Guest]

Garbage.
And people wonder why the heavyweight division is crap.
Ibragimov landed 97 punches in 12 rounds
Really?

[swerb]

Yawn.

Ultra conservative effort from Wlad, who gave Barney Rubble too much respect cause hes a fellow rooskie.

A Sam Peter rematch is the only remotely intriguing fight out there for Klitschko.

Hard to believe, with all the superb young talent right now in boxing littered through the other weight classes, that there's been no one to challenge this guy for the last 3-4 years.

[Guest]

What a dissapointment

[bustedknuckles]

I agree that this wasn't the most exciting or impressive exhibition , but you'll have that with the Heavyweight Division. The thing that drives me crazy in boxing, or sports in general, is when somebody fights not to lose instead of fighting to win. I think that is the approach that Sultan took tonight.

[Guest]

Hey Knuckles, did you check out our show?
I'd like to get your thoughts.

[bustedknuckles]

Actually, I just did this evening. I was impressed with the show and it's a great extension of the work that you do for this site... great timing too with the rising popularity of mma and renewed interest in boxing. If you can get some of the local mma and boxing talent on as weekly or regular guests I think you'll really take off.

I do have a complaint/concern though relative to what Swerb said on the other thread. I had my volume maxed and the TV, wife and kids muted and still couldn't hear it that well.

Although I have to admit that I think that you're more low key on the show than you seem to be on these site and that surprised me. I was expecting a Max Kellerman/Joe Rogan combo:-)

[Guest]

It was our first show and it was a little nerve-racking to be honest.
I don't want to scare away any listeners.
Once I get a little more comfortable, my true colors will show.
Thanks for listening, it means a lot

[bustedknuckles]

No problem, after one show you're already solid gold compared to the local boxing show in Youngstown on 1240, but I digress.

I like the combo format too, as they say "variety is the spice that ads to life"

I would've liked to hear more of your analysis of the scoring of PavlikTaylor II though since it was somehow a point of contention in Vegas. For the record, I scored the fight 6 rounds Pavlik to 3 rounds Taylor with 3 even. If I was a judge I probably would've given 2 of the 3 even rounds to Kelly since he was the more active fighter. If it takes giving Taylor all of the even rounds just to get a draw then I don't think he deserves it. The other thing that I think people missed the boat on is how bad Taylor was hurt by the right hand in the first round. I think that's the main reason he fought a defensive fight after the first round. While it's to his
credit to make adjustments, that's not how he was planning to fight and Kelly should get credit for that.

[CP]

People wonder why no one watches boxing. I hadn't watched in years; friend and I bought Pavlik-Taylor II and enjoyed it immensely.

I decided to watch the fight last night because it appeared as though the heavyweights didn't do what typically makes heavyweight fights unwatchable for me: all the clinching and leaning.

Then I watched a superior fighter in Klitschko go 12 rounds against a smaller fighter who had really no chance of knocking him out. It would be like watching an entire golf tournament catered to Tiger's strengths, and then watch him win by 3 strokes by laying up the entire weekend.

Klitschko's strategy was a winning one, to be sure, but was nothing that would make me want to watch another Klitschko fight, unified title or not.

[peeker643]

That was rough to watch.

I understand Drago is a technician and a guy who looks to win with a process as opposed to imagination.

But Jesus, if I want to watch technical proficiency and process in action I'll go to fucking work.

[CP]

I understand Drago is a technician and a guy who looks to win with a process as opposed to imagination.

I knew very little about the fighters before tuning in. Perhaps Klitschko looks the part of Drago, but I felt I was grossly mislead.

Instead of "I must break you" we got "I will only jab you because I am afraid of getting hit but don't dare call my jaw 'glass' or I will bat your off-hand away like an angry cat".

Again, while good strategy I suppose, watching a boxing match and watching what should be Ivan Drago do nothing but bitch-slap his oppenents' off-hand for 12 rounds was terrible.