One for the Boxing fans!

[KidKruger]

Jes not sure where you are on this, was it not on Dave channel.

[Jeremy]

Ah... by "out for so long"... do you mean out cold after the KO? Or out of action before the fight?

[Otta]

Ah, I thought you meant he hadn't fought for a while.

[Jeremy]

Yep, crossed wires I think! Apparently he was taken to hospital for concussion, but I assume he's OK, as we haven't heard otherwise. It's the kind of mismatch we should never see, especially not at heavyweight.

Where next for Haye? Hopefully someone with a pulse. People are talking about Anthony Joshua, but I think Haye might have his eye on the new IBF champ, Charles Martin. Then he'd have a great bargaining chip for a fight with Joshua, Wilder, Fury, etc. Don't think he'll fancy taking on Wlad again.

[Otta]

He was on the radio yesterday and said that he'd been a bot wprried about his opponent after the match, but that he was fine.

He said he'd knew nothing about Charles Martin, and the guy on the radio was basically saying he's crap, go get him. Haye was talking about Fury and Wilder.

People are suggesting that maybe for a competative fight he should take on Joshua's last oppenent (name escapes me) who gave a pretty good account of himself against AJ.

Definitely can't see AJ's team wanting to put him against someone like Haye just yet.

I am glad Haye is back, he does make things interesting and knows how to play the business game. He said on the radio that he'd gone in heavier than ever before at over 16st, and that he really felt powerful. I do think his power could trouble anyone if he caught them.

Never saw the Wilder fight, but apparently he was awful until he finally came alive and got a knockout in the 9th (I think).

[KidKruger]

"Ah... by "out for so long"... do you mean out cold after the KO? Or out of action before the fight?"

I meant out cold - I read on boxing news he's been unconscious for some minutes then went to hospital for monitoring, but his trainer had later confirmed his boxer was back on his feet and aware of his senses.

Perhaps I'm confusing this with the Wilder fight (rd9 KO) ?

[Jeremy]

No you are right KK, De Mori was out cold for a few minutes, and was later taken to hospital.

[KidKruger]

Ah relief, I didn't cop much boxing this weekend, but the little I did see I thought I'd paid attention !

[Grok]

LOL http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/35461651

[Otta]

Saw that earlier. Hopefully no one will give him a licence, but boxing being boxing you never know. Very sad.

[KidKruger]

No way he'll get a licence.

Kovalev did a proper job on Jean Pascal in their 2nd fight. (Rd8 TKO).

I read yesterday the Kov beat a guy in Russia who later died. He's a very heavy hitter.

Pascal took a proper beating on Sat, often fighters don't come back / are never same after that.

[Jeremy]

Kovalev reckons he was holding back... punishing Pascal, instead of going for an earlier finish.

Kovalev/Ward is the most important fight out there right now... it needs to happen this year..

[Otta]

Jeremy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Kovalev reckons he was holding back... punishing

> Pascal, instead of going for an earlier finish.

If he's actually said that, then action should be taken against him. No boxer should prolong a fight to deliberately "punish" their opponent and put their long term health at risk.

[Otta]

KidKruger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> No way he'll get a licence.

You'd hope not, and I'm sure the BBBC won't give him one, but you can never be sure he won't blag one from somewhere.

[Jeremy]

Otta Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Jeremy Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> > Kovalev reckons he was holding back... punishing

> > Pascal, instead of going for an earlier finish.

>

> If he's actually said that, then action should be

> taken against him. No boxer should prolong a fight

> to deliberately "punish" their opponent and put

> their long term health at risk.

I believe the HBO dude asked him if he was holding back to prolong the fight, and he said yes, I wanted to fight more rounds to punsih him! Maybe Pascal's corner should have pulled him out earlier, if it was that one-sided and Pascal was taking heavy damage.

[Otta]

This is a shocker. Khan to take on Alverez for the middleweight title (at 155lbs) in May!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/35476796

[Jeremy]

Winner to face Frank Bruno...

[KidKruger]

"I believe the HBO dude asked him if he was holding back to prolong the fight, and he said yes, I wanted to fight more rounds to punish him! Maybe Pascal's corner should have pulled him out earlier, if it was that one-sided and Pascal was taking heavy damage."

Max Leberman (or however it's spelt) asked Kovalev if it was try he'd been holding back, to which Kov said yes to extend the pain for Pascal. Max asked how Kov thinks the fans will receive a comment such as that, where a fighter is trying to extend the pain. Kov said the fans realise that Pascal is not a decent person and recognise Kov is a good person.

I actually found the way Max approached the subject quite nasty, as if he's trying to find fault with Kov (who had copped a load of nasty comments from Pascal in build-up to fight, including accusations if racism). It makes me wonder if it's really all about Kov not being an American fighter.

Basically Pascal acted the fool in front, then got owned.

Kov v Ward later this year is the LHW headline I reckon.

Khan fighting Alvarez, who will weigh 170-175lbs, is a hiding in waiting.

[Otta]

KidKruger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Basically Pascal acted the fool in front, then got

> owned.

Mat have got owned, but what boxer doesn't talk a load of shit before fights these days. Sorry but noit finishing a fight when you could finish it so that you can hurt someone more doesn't belong in sport.

[KidKruger]

That's a fair point Otta.

I'd only say that neither does humiliating or insulting your opponent belong in sport, whether inside or outside the ring/site of play.

[Jeremy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/35499695

Wow, it's pretty rare a boxer (let alone Khan) says stuff like "If I beat him, it will be one of the biggest upsets in boxing", or "I've got a good chance of beating him", or "I'm the underdog", or "it's a 50-50 fight"... this is not the confident, cocky langauge we're used to. I really don't think Khan believes he can win. I guess this was just the most lucrative fight available.

Alvarez probably expects to walk straight through him, lining up the real superfight against Golovkin in the autumn.

[Otta]

Refreshing to hear him talk like that, as usually I just want someone to slap his mouth shut. It could be an interesting fight, but yeah, would be a huge surprise if Khan won it.

[Jeremy]

I know what you mean, but not really sure it's "refreshing" as such... boxers always talk up their chances before a fight, because I think confidence and self-belief is such a big part of the sport. Pretty unusual for any boxer to talk like that, unless they're a journeyman lamb-to-the-slaughter type fighter.

[KidKruger]

Basically is Khan powerful enough to knock-out a 175lb boxer with a good chin ?

If not, then it doesn't matter what speed he's got and he needs to avoid getting drawn into a trade with Alvarez.

[KidKruger]

Anthony Joshua has an IBF title fight on 9th April against Charles Martin (who I think got the belt by default when Fury wouldn't agree to fight him as the mandatory opponent, after beating Klitschko).

That's very soon for Joshua to get a shot, I'd like to see him have some strong build-up fights, but good luck to him.

ETA: Martin may have won the title from Glazkov in a fight for the vacant belt, actually.