B.A.D. Grades: The Post-After Dark Report Card

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

By Cliff Rold - Going into the weekend, only one of the fights lined up for HBO’s Boxing After Dark had the look of real competitiveness. In the end, it turned out to be an 0 for 3 showing on those terms but the night didn’t result in a lack of entertainment. Two young faces were further developed and a new one was unleashed, at the age of 33, on a Jr. Middleweight division in desperate need of excitement beyond its field of excellent prospects. [details]

[Silencers]

I agree about Gamboa, it could be better for him to fight a lowe level of opposition first to develop his skills before stepping it up again.

[!! Shawn]

I agree about Gamboa, it could be better for him to fight a lowe level of opposition first to develop his skills before stepping it up again.

I don't. I think it would be best if they stopped trying to change his style. He has looked worse in the fights since they started changing his style, and it has nothing to do with him stepping in class.

It has everything to do with him fighting in a new style. His old style was developed over 400 fights. It suited him well, it works for him, and he knows how to utilise it effectively.

Giving him a new style is basically asking him to relearn the sport. And people are surprised that he is not as impressive after less than a year of learning a new style from scratch?

He always does ****ty at the begining of a fight because he is trying to utilise what they worked on in the gym. As soon as he throws all that crap out the window and fights like Yuriorkis Gamboa, he shines.

With his hands up, he looks out of his element.

[slicksouthpaw16]

I was actually shocked at how they were so impressed with Sergio Martinez. He looked great, but Benema allowed that to happen by standing there and doing nothing at all, he was like a punching bag. I didn't like the way Martinez kept his hands down and the way he was sho boating, and real boxers like Vernon Forrest, Daniel Santos, Sergeii Dzinziruk or even Verno Phillips could exploit that.

[toluco]

martinez trainer actually said to him in spanish in the second round
"keep your hands down if u are feeling confident"

[Silencers]

I don't. I think it would be best if they stopped trying to change his style. He has looked worse in the fights since they started changing his style, and it has nothing to do with him stepping in class.

It has everything to do with him fighting in a new style. His old style was developed over 400 fights. It suited him well, it works for him, and he knows how to utilise it effectively.

Giving him a new style is basically asking him to relearn the sport. And people are surprised that he is not as impressive after less than a year of learning a new style from scratch?

He always does ****ty at the begining of a fight because he is trying to utilise what they worked on in the gym. As soon as he throws all that crap out the window and fights like Yuriorkis Gamboa, he shines.

With his hands up, he looks out of his element.

These things take time, fighting with his arms down is a bad idea as well, I think it's best to slow down his progress a little bit and develop his defense against some lesser opponents so that he can get used to keeping his hands high when fighting, it'll help him in the long run, especially as he gets older.

[bootleggking]

I was actually shocked at how they were so impressed with Sergio Martinez. He looked great, but Benema allowed that to happen by standing there and doing nothing at all, he was like a punching bag. I didn't like the way Martinez kept his hands down and the way he was sho boating, and real boxers like Vernon Forrest, Daniel Santos, Sergeii Dzinziruk or even Verno Phillips could exploit that.

You know, this place never stops supprising me with the rediculous things people say. take for u example. Considering your Username, i would think that you loved a "Slick south paw" like Martinez. i do think your right about bunema allowing him to look even more impressive. but its his natural athletic ability that was impressive. you know, his speed and stamina along with so so power to go with it. as for forrest and phillips beating martinez..LMAO!!!! Martinez is not Mora.. he is too fast and too busy for any of those two slow guys... a Forrest prime would beat him any day, but not now, no way

[kayjay]

The matchmaking ******.

HBO need to force good matches rather than build fighters' resumes. Angulo and Martinez want to be on HBO? Only if they fight each other.

Gamboa headlining against a Kansas City club fighter? That was a joke.


There are good fights out there to be made. But HBO is too busy trying to sell us some ****.


On the card, Martinez fought the toughest competition and did the best. Gamboa fought the lightest opponent and did the worst.

[roujinziro]

Angulo looks like a young Margarito, but he hasn't faced a boxer yet with good footwork. And from how Kellerman talked about him, it doesn't sound like that's in the cards anytime soon. He needs to be exposed more to different styles if he's gonna make it to the top of the division one day and stay there.

Gamboa has amazing skills but a C- on the intangibles seems a bit low. He definitely needs to work on his defense. It seems more and more these days that the better the amateur pedigree, the longer it takes for these young fighters to learn the pro style. Berto and Angulo weren't able to do much in the Olympics, yet Berto is already a champ, and Angulo is probably a year or 2 away from the same. Ward is only now coming into his own and fighting well as a pro, and Gamboa at this point is just a KO loss waiting to happen.

[salao]

man i agree 100%. that was what said on youtube .his style could be fix but don't try to change it. he has been hit a lot more now than before