Off Topic Boxing

I keep thinking about the big effort Brook put up against Golovkin Ron. If he can bring that kind of form against Spence, then he has a wonderful chance. Those in the US are all over Spence though, they reckon he's the next super star. He's a fantastic body puncher and a southpaw to boot. It's all looking a big ask, but I fave faith in Brook's strength.

 

There's around 8 of us going on Saturday and I'm the only one fancying Brook to win. Spence is supposed to be the second coming of Mayweather but I truly believe Kell Brook is a top class fighter and will prove as much on Saturday. Just my opinion of course but I believe the buyer the opponent he faces the better he is. It's a proper 50/50 fight and I aren't surprised Spence has been made favourite he's potentially very very special. So my support of Brook is by no means done with 100% confidence it's just me sticking my neck out and having hope he's the better fighter. Either way I can't wait until Saturday night and I hope no one blows me up

 

Just watched Spence's last fight. Very fast hands, in and out fighter who can also mix it. If I had to fault him it would be he isn't the hardest hitter in the World and that could allow Brookes to wade in. But, whatever happens, you can expect Brooke's face to change shape.

 

Money for Brook. 5-2 into 31-18. Spence still 4-6.

 

A lot of people detest the WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Adonis Stevenson, but I love the way he goes about his business in the ring. He's one of the fiercest punchers in the game. On the third of next month he'll climb into the ring for the seventh defence of his crown, this time against his old foe Andrzej Fonfara. The man known as Superman is fives on the win, Fonfara is 6-1. The clip below shows Stevenson's last fight. His mandatory Thomas Williams put it all on the line, but came up short. It was a great fight, even if it did only last 11 minutes and 54 seconds. Adonis "Superman" Stevenson is a beast, long may he reign.

 

Brook now 13-8, Spence eased slightly to 8-13. Probably local support. I've just read that some US books have Spence at 4-9 and Brook 7-4. Pundits seem to think Brook will be stopped.

 

I cant see Brook being stopped. If he loses, and I don't think he will (on your own smokey) then he'll be outboxed by a Spence Jr who turns out to be very special. I'm starting to get giddy now I really can't wait I'm gonna be besides myself with nerves and excitement when they're actually in the ring!

 

I really like the look of Spence, but he hasn't fought a GGG or a Shawn Porter. I was really surprised at the way Brook went at Golovkin. If he can reproduce that sort of fight plan, I think he might prove too strong for Spence. Well I hope so anyway. Enjoy the experience mate.

 

Looks a cracking match up and originally I thought it was a real 50/50 in terms of ability, which made me sway towards Brook (as being the value) what with home advantage and looking the bigger man to my eye, but then I started to research and watch more of this American kid and I suspect he's the real deal. Brook impressed me more than he ever did ironically in his sole defeat, when he lost little shame in getting smothered and stopped by GGGs power (like everyone else has) but I think he might just find this American guy extremely hard to hit. In fact I think Brooks downfall will be his bravery in that I envisage him wanting to dominate the centre of the ring and the fight, and by doing so I can see him walking into all sorts of trouble. I think this is a Spence KO and I've had a decent punt on him to do so at 7/4.

Enjoy the night smokey, should be a good un, really like Groves on the undercard too. You're getting to see a few world class operators on the card!

 

Brook now 5/4 in places .If Spence stops Brook it will be the accumulation of punches, as I expect Brook to bit hit a lot in this fight. I don't think Spence has the power to do it with a single punch. Spence is very fast and can be evasive. However, if he decides to mix it, his hands are so fast I think Brook will come off worse. This makes it very difficult for Brook to work out how to beat him. Brook's toughness and bravery will mean that the longer he stays in there, the more his face will be re-arranged. Hope I'm wrong but he has a real hard fight on his hands.

Hopefully, you have something to get excited about (cf the Joshua/Klitschko fight) smokey. Have a great night whatever happens.

 

I fancy Brook to go out and stop this guy.

He's rehydrated nicely- added 9.9lbs overnight from rehydration and he's going to be nice and strong in there.

We saw a glimpse of what Brook can do against Golovkin and it's a shame he bust an eye socket as it was really warming up in there.

Without sounding like I'm repeating what I said in the Joshua Klitschko fight, I think the uppercut might be the game changing punch in this. Brook showed he has an excellent one when trading with GGG and with Spence being quite elusive, punch variety will be key to Brooks chances.

Brook is a classy operator and this could be a really high level, entertaining fight. Spence hasn't been in a proper top class fight yet and the screaming Sheffield fans should be a whole new experience for him. Brook will have learnt a lot from fighting Porter in the USA and then GGG.

 

What a fight. Brave, brave man Kell Brook is but all the credit belongs to the young American in his first world title fight. His first fight away. His first serious question. Let's make no mistakes here he answered all the questions, so he's every bit as good as we thought and hoped. 7/4 to stop Brook too will do me very nice And the new....

 

We may have just seen Brooks last fight. Can't box at that level against that sort of opposition with eye injuries like that.

Good fight great atmosphere. Gutted with result but massive respect to Spence Jr, now bring on Keith Thurman

 

Some interesting views on social media, some seeing it as Brook quitting on his knee. I'm not really a Brook fanboy as you know but his eye was in trouble for a while so I've no issues on him quitting on his knee like that, though his hardcore fanbase may feel hard done by. No sense taking permanent damage though Chris Eubank Jr has an alternative view on that it appears... what do you think?

I hope he's ok to fight again, if he is, can only be Khan for him now. It's been in the making for as long as I can remember and it'd still be a huge domestic fight. It's the right fight for both men imo.

Spence really impressed me smokey, I had a gut feeling he'd have the answers to all Brook would serve him up. For me, I'd have him beating Thurman. That tonight was stupendously good from one so young with plenty against him in terms of class of opponent, fighting away, inexperience etc. We're all quick to try to knock me down the 'hype' but to my eye we've seen someone whose very much lived up to it. Best welterweight on the planet.

Looked a great night, glad Groves came through too, was being asked a pretty big question and came up with the goods when he had to.

 

Very strange fight in those last 3 rounds. With his eyes you wonder if he can go into battle again. 2 fights in a row.

Spence was lively enough but I thought it was very very even for the first half. I was hoping to see a bit more from him in that first 6 but having said that, I was really impressed with how calm he was and how cool headed he was in that atmosphere away from home.

He can only get better and congratulations to him.

Brook v Khan might be the only big £££ for either of them, though much will depend on the eye injury. Perhaps catchweight of 151lb too?

 

Sorry for the delay in replying my phone died and then took ages getting home with all traffic.

I'm a massive Brook fan and have no issue whatsoever with him quitting on his knee. Heard no grumbles from other people there aswell. His eye looked pretty bad for a couple of rounds before and if he's suffered a similar injury to last time he'll know how bad he is so why take more punishment. With regards to the fight itself I had them all square until the knockdown then obviously had Spence up and starting to take control. I haven't seen Eubanks comments I'm not on any social media but I've very little respect for anything he says anyway. He's all talk, dodges anyone decent but talks himself up as best on planet then fights bums for Mickey Mouse titles. So until he steps in the ring with someone half decent and shows something more than a big mouth then his opinion will remain irrelevant. I actually quite like the bloke when you see rare moments of him being himself and honest, not the character his dad has taught him to be.

There were a lot of people grumbling on the way out about Spence saying he looked nothing special. I have to massively disagree with that. I really rate Brook as a fighter I think he's very very good and Spence, matched him, took everything from him then beat him so to me that was a very impressive performance. I'd have to agree at the moment he beats Thurman. Brook is a better boxer than Thurman so as long as Spence can cope with Thurman power like he did with Brooks then he should have the beating of him.

Chuffed for Groves finally getting the world title he's worked so hard for. He got a great reaction from the crowd from the moment he appeared on screen. Very tough fighter who he stopped too so a very impressive way to win the belt. De Gale next??

 

Sorry guys, I have to disagree on Brook's performance. Going into the fight I thought Spence would be the more clinical, but that Brook would be too strong for him, and that's the way it sort looked to me for the first half of the fight. Spence was landing from more angles, but Brook kept driving that big right hand down the middle, and I thought he'd prove too strong towards the end. It was a more uncultured power against a better precision. The latter proved to good at the end. And to be frank, I was shocked to see him take the knee.

 

Didn't see the fight but it seems it went more or less how I expected it to go. Hope you enjoyed your evening despite the outcome smokey.

 

Plus points were: Atmosphere was great, was a good fight for the main event, was nice to be there when Groves won world title.

Negative side: On undercard there were one or two dubious matchups that resulted in ridiculous early finishes. And it was near on impossible to get a drink of any kind inside the stadium, there were very few bars with even less staff and then when people ordered they were pouring drinks from plastic bottles into plastic cups for some unknown reason which took twice as long for every drink.

 

Yeh Eubank Jr is a top class boxer but also a right cock. To be honest though there's been plenty questioning Brook quitting the way he did, even his Matchroom buddy Tony Bellew was very straight in his view that he can't just quit the way he did. I think in hindsight putting him in with GGG was taking on more than they could chew, the mental scarring has affected Brook and no doubt he thought he could do some career ending damage to the eye last night. He was never, ever beating GGG, they took the paycheck but at what price? As I say hindsight is a great thing but would we have seen a different result last night without the GGG defeat? Who knows but he's not the same man as he was beforehand, there's a mental frailty within Kell Brook now.

Regards Spence as I said I think it was a terrific performance, and could become not a career defining fight, but a career changing fight. He's still got plenty of potential to improve and like you say he took some punishment from Brook, who can fight as well as box, but always seemed to come back strong. I wouldn't underestimate his mental strength either, that was a big step up last night in front of a very partisan home crowd and he coped remarkably well and looks a very cool customer even under great pressure.

Delighted for Groves, was a fan since his first Froch fight. I know he'd likely be the underdog against de Gale but I think he'd beat him again.