Do you automatically have lower hopes for a prospect with almost 100% KO ratio?

[Fox McCloud]

It's something that doesn't make sense, but for some reason, I get skeptical about how good a prospect is going to be if he is winning all of his fights by KO.

The reasons are twofold:

1. He isn't getting late fight round experience most likely, which will hurt him when he steps up, and that is going to be a problem against veteran elite fighters, because they know what to do in those deep waters, while the prospect very well might drown.

2. Often, this is the sign of a fighter who is very powerful, and most of the time, those very powerful fighters fall in love with their power, and neglect to fight fights with the intent of winning rounds. That is very problematic. Also, one of the HBO guys was talking about Miranda before the Pavlik fight and said something about there are a lot of very strong fighters who come out of Colombia with a ton of KOs, but when they get to the states, they get completely outclassed by a veteran fighter who can easily finnesse them. Basically, the tricks they are using to connect with their very powerful punches are probably not going to work against a consumate professional.

Am I alone in this train of thought?

[RAESAAD]

I understand 100%......Being a Lacy and Miranda fan.

[Scott9945]

It's something that doesn't make sense, but for some reason, I get skeptical about how good a prospect is going to be if he is winning all of his fights by KO.

The reasons are twofold:

1. He isn't getting late fight round experience most likely, which will hurt him when he steps up, and that is going to be a problem against veteran elite fighters, because they know what to do in those deep waters, while the prospect very well might drown.

2. Often, this is the sign of a fighter who is very powerful, and most of the time, those very powerful fighters fall in love with their power, and neglect to fight fights with the intent of winning rounds. That is very problematic. Also, one of the HBO guys was talking about Miranda before the Pavlik fight and said something about there are a lot of very strong fighters who come out of Colombia with a ton of KOs, but when they get to the states, they get completely outclassed by a veteran fighter who can easily finnesse them. Basically, the tricks they are using to connect with their very powerful punches are probably not going to work against a consumate professional.

Am I alone in this train of thought?

It depends on the quality of their competition. Also I look for a fighter who can carry his power into the later rounds. You have a good point, especially when the wins are early KO's in minor league circuits. Fighters that have those kind of records in Mexico, Panama, or Puerto Rico usually deserve respect. Records built in mid west USA tank towns or some other countries are suspect.
or countires like Columbia are another matter

[sparked_85]

Yeah Brazilians are also an issue.

Works both ways though, I'm sceptical of a guy with a low percentage because if your not KOing weak competition it doesn't look good.

[Fox McCloud]

Yeah Brazilians are also an issue.

Works both ways though, I'm sceptical of a guy with a low percentage because if your not KOing weak competition it doesn't look good.

I'll agree with that.

Leon Bobo was fighting Antonio Hernandez on some ESPN broadcast a while back, and his record was 16-0 2KOs, and I was immediately pretty skeptical.

If you can't hurt bums, you are going to have a hard time getting respect from elites.

[sparked_85]

Yeah I suppose there are exceptions like Malignaggi, but I still think he'll never beat an elite, someone like Hatton will just eat him on that basis alone.

But didn't he start his career off with like a 1st round KO?....lol

might have made that up.

[Njord777]

I think I take it into context. Sometimes I see a kid on ESPN2 with an amazing KO percentage, even near 100%, and go, "Pfff. Soft opposition. They've been lining chumps up like ducks for this guy...let's see how he steps up.." Obviously your first dozen or so fights aren't likely to be against top contenders, but still, you see that high KO and you wonder what skills has he failed to develop when he dusted everyone in the first few rounds? Does have stamina? How is his own defense? Does he like to drop his hands low, get ****y, admire his work?

I think the proving ground is during those ESPN2 fights. The ones where you fight a solid gatekeeper who just can't break into the contender status himself. When a fight like that draws a prospect into the late rounds and he's forced to show patience, a little depth, and yet still wins solidly or knocks the guy out late, then we see some growth.

I think I learned more about Andre Berto on ESPN2 than I ever have with his HBO fights, for instance. What did the Bravo or Trabant fights show us? Not nearly as much as when he was dropped by Rivera. The real test is what they do in that intermediate place right before they fight the lower-tier top ten fighters and elite boxers, but come off of the spoon fed opponents....

[P4PKING_2008]

Tyrone Brunson solidifies the proof. It just tells me he has been extremely protected and is not stepping when he should do.

[sparked_85]

I still think what that Brunson guy has done is impressive.