Ricky Burns vs Jose Gonzalez + Undercard (round by round discussion)

Well what an interesting if ultimately disappointing fight. First off for the most part Chelo impressed me a lot. We can say it was a bad performance from Burns all we like but this guy was a very very awkward guy to fight. Especially coming off a lay off like Burns has. Second i think Burns has been so used to having a reach advantage that he hasnt really had to learn how to close the distance properly. The amount of times he was starting his attacks from too far out/ reaching for the target/ falling short was crazy, tbh you have to say that is an oversight on his teams part. A quick look at Gonzalez' stats would have shown them they needed to get inside his crazy reach (73" on a lightweight??). I still think Burns is a good fighter, not much more than that though. Thirdly i have always stuck up for boxers who have stopped a fight due to injuries, see my posts on Victor Ortiz' so called quit, or Mikey Garcia's broken nose. However this time it really is hard to see his reasoning. He was handily winning the fight, even if he didnt win another round he had a chance of winning (not as it turned out but at the time), he wasnt taking much punishment, he was fighting out of both stances (so he could have switched to have his good hand as his lead hand and kept Burns at bay) and this is a WORLD TITLE FIGHT! I mean come on? Youve worked your whole life for this shot... Obviously mad respect for going into the lions den and taking on the champ, but this was his chance and i truly feel he has let himself down by stopping the fight. Even despite that though i want to see him fight again, he really impressed me like i said before. So yeah, very lucky night for Eddie Hearn, John Simpson gets a gift and Burns gets schooled and escapes with a stoppage win lol Oh and i f*ckin hate Jim Watt.

Agree with all of that. I was very surprised by how he responded to what Gonzalez was offering. He was just walking into the firing line with his gloves up and getting countered when he threw himself. He did grind it out against an opponent who was battering him, and I don't want to deny him credit for that. But how much of it had to do with Burn's wearing him out, and how much of it had to do with Gonzalez not having the conditioning? Looked like the latter was a much bigger factor to me. Conditioning played a part but I don't think it was just solely conditioning, in the tear-up Burns also hurt Gonzalez with a punch. In the 8th he was retreating like someone who didn't want to take any more punches (see Cotto v Pacquiao). I think Gonzalez's reach was unusual, Burns was putting in a lot of work but couldn't get close enough to his opponent to land consistently. Not all opponents have long arms, styles do make fights. Chelo looked very talented, I'm sure he will be back. R.1 - Burns (close) R.2 - Gonzalez R.3 - Gonzalez R.4 - Gonzalez (close) R.5 - Gonzalez R.6 - Gonzalez R.7 - Gonzalez R.8 - Burns R.9 - Burns

Props to Burns. Why are we discounting him? He was the one who hung in and fought it out. Not his fault Chelo doesnt have his heart and was about to be stopped. He was being so badly out-boxed in the first half of the fight that you'd have to criticise him. It would be ridiculous not to. Really and truly he only put Gonzalez under serious pressure in the 7th and he still lost that round. He won because that round was enough to wear Gonzalez out, and against your typical world class opponent that wouldn't have been anywhere near enough. He gets credit for getting a win on the night, he loses credit for what overall was a case of his opponent losing the fight more than him stepping up and winning it.

He could have won those last three if he had fought on with his right hand. He was so superior to his opponent that he could have pulled it off. He was done I think. After the 7th he pretty much stopped throwing and started running. He would likely have lost the next 3, I couldn't pinpoint anything he was doing that would have won him rounds.

In the end its another big blow for Puerto Rican boxing... Chelo had a big opportunity to resurrect PR boxing with a huge upset win. Chelo really gave up at the end. I genuinely do feel bad for PR boxing. It's never looked this bad before.

Agree with all of that. I was very surprised by how he responded to what Gonzalez was offering. He was just walking into the firing line with his gloves up and getting countered when he threw himself. He did grind it out against an opponent who was battering him, and I don't want to deny him credit for that. But how much of it had to do with Burn's wearing him out, and how much of it had to do with Gonzalez not having the conditioning? Looked like the latter was a much bigger factor to me. Wish I could pass some green K. Chelo let an injury defeat him, which is considered a sin in boxing. However, I definitely want to see him again and I'm hoping he can come back stronger and smarter.

What was with Burns tonight though? He showed zero head movement, zero lateral movement all night. He was bolt upright. Stiff as a board. Great display of heart and a hell of a chin on Burns but my did he have a lucky escape. Agree with all of that. I was very surprised by how he responded to what Gonzalez was offering. He was just walking into the firing line with his gloves up and getting countered when he threw himself. He did grind it out against an opponent who was battering him, and I don't want to deny him credit for that. But how much of it had to do with Burn's wearing him out, and how much of it had to do with Gonzalez not having the conditioning? Looked like the latter was a much bigger factor to me.

What was with Burns tonight though? He showed zero head movement, zero lateral movement all night. He was bolt upright. Stiff as a board. Great display of heart and a hell of a chin on Burns but my did he have a lucky escape. Looked possessed by the power of Khan.

I agree, Burns looked the worst he has in years... Chelo is underrated, I said in a previous thread I'm picking him to beat Burns. I didn't take into account the lack of heart displayed by Chelo. I'm not a big fan of Burns but he looked awful and I'm not sure that was completely Gonzalez's doing. He looked very stiff and tbh I was a bit weary of his comments before, I'm not saying Gonzalez doesn't have a good left hook but the way he worded it, it almost sounded like he was training for somebody completely different. I still can't believe the lack of heart he displayed. What a waste of talent.

What was with Burns tonight though? He showed zero head movement, zero lateral movement all night. He was bolt upright. Stiff as a board. Great display of heart and a hell of a chin on Burns but my did he have a lucky escape. Chelo looked better than I've ever seen him look, and Burns looked worse I've ever seen him look. Another fight where the underdog exceeds expectations, it's one of those years.

Maybe, but Gonzalez was losing those rounds. I had him up 6-3 with 3 to go. I don't think he was winning those last three so best he could hope for in Glasgow was a draw. He still should have fought on. He could have won those last three if he had fought on with his right hand. He was so superior to his opponent that he could have pulled it off. Add Burns to the ever growing list of fighters who only look good against opposition who plod forward. Broner does plod forward though...

I still don't see it with Ricky. Good fighter? Sure, but that's as far as it goes for me. He's too stiff and got lucky tonight.

Chelo gave as good as he got and going to war in that 7th round took everything out of him. It was pointless and he expended waaaaaaaay too much energy going for finish. He needs to pace himself better so he's not wasting energy when things are going his way.

What was with Burns tonight though? He showed zero head movement, zero lateral movement all night. He was bolt upright. Stiff as a board. Great display of heart and a hell of a chin on Burns but my did he have a lucky escape. I agree, Burns looked the worst he has in years... Chelo is underrated, I said in a previous thread I'm picking him to beat Burns. I didn't take into account the lack of heart displayed by Chelo.

What was with Burns tonight though? He showed zero head movement, zero lateral movement all night. He was bolt upright. Stiff as a board. Great display of heart and a hell of a chin on Burns but my did he have a lucky escape.

Add Burns to the ever growing list of fighters who only look good against opposition who plod forward.

I don't think many boxers have those orangutang arms, that's where he really had issues. Abril, Broner and Vasquez all have a shorter reach. Gonzalez was clearly a very tough opponent, no arguments there. But I thought Ricky didn't have much in the way of answers for what he was facing. Even when they traded in the 7th it was Gonzalez who got the better of it.

They don't make them like Trinidad no more. Imagine if Trinidad quit every time he got KDed? Smh this is sad. Posted from Boxingscene.com App for Android This is a BIG learning experience for Chelo. People are gonna shit on him for quitting, but his performance in his first step-up fight was fantastic minus the ending. He showed a lot of improvement, but his sloppiness is probably what led to his injury, and it also led to him tiring out. He needs to fine-tune his punch selection and learn how to keep his composure. That 7th round was ROTY-material, but Chelo could be getting his hand raised right now if he had fought smarter.

I think rican boxing fans should start getting on our boxers for these kind of performances. It benefits not only us but them too. Gonzalez might have seen his first and last chance of winning a belt, because after Burns it doesnt get any easier stylewise for him. Totally messed up my day. I wasnt expecting much from Gonzalez, but after the first few rounds of getting impressed and getting my hopes up, for him to finish like he did is unforgivable.

He really was. He toughed it out but he looked clueless. No idea how to cut the distance at all, just walked straight in and ate jabs and counters. Full credit to him for drawing Gonzalez into a war in the 7th, but a worrying performance for him overall. Burns, to be fair, didnt look himself tonight. I noticed him rushing in right from the first bell. His chin is normally low, but he was hanging it right up in the air all night. He is way better than he showed tonight.