Comments Thread For: Photos: Joe Smith, Maxim Vlasov - Face To Face in Tulsa Final Presser

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

Joe Smith, Maxim Vlasov Final Press Conference Photos Gallery - Joe Smith Jr., the small business owner and former union construction worker from Long Island, just wants to fight. Smith, who operates Team Smith Tree Service with his father, hopes to chop down Maxim Vlasov and win the vacant WBO light heavyweight world title Saturday evening at Osage Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma (ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN, 10 p.m. ET).
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[Citizen Koba]

Joe's got hitched recently? Far from always but it ain't unusual that getting married marks the beginning of a decline for boxers.

[macmike100]

Congratulations on your marriage. Best of luck this Saturday.

[damned1974]

Joe's got hitched recently? Far from always but it ain't unusual that getting married marks the beginning of a decline for boxers.

He better have waited til after fight night to bust that nut LOL....Joe Smith actually impressed last fight. He looked a bit quicker and beat the hell out of Alvarez.

[Citizen Koba]

He better have waited til after fight night to bust that nut LOL....Joe Smith actually impressed last fight. He looked a bit quicker and beat the hell out of Alvarez.

Joes Improved almost fight by fight since he first broke through against Fonfara way back when... I always liked him for the everyman backstory but I used to think he was too basic to really be competitive with the divisional elite. The experience of being matched tough seems to have brought out the best in him though.

WRT marriage I'm thinking about dudes like Klitschko, Thurman and Kovalev who just seemed to loose their killer edge right around the time they got married or had kids. Doesn't happen to every dude of course but I do think there could be a least something behind it, whether it's psychological or hormonal or whatever.

[damned1974]

Joes Improved almost fight by fight since he first broke through against Fonfara way back when... I always liked him for the everyman backstory but I used to think he was too basic to really be competitive with the divisional elite. The experience of being matched tough seems to have brought out the best in him though.

WRT marriage I'm thinking about dudes like Klitschko, Thurman and Kovalev who just seemed to loose their killer edge right around the time they got married or had kids. Doesn't happen to every dude of course but I do think there could be a least something behind it, whether it's psychological or hormonal or whatever.

Haha, I was kidding. Joe just scraped by this last fight, but I agree that I like his improvements. He will never be a slickster or technically brilliant, but he is an honest fighter that gives it his all and utilizes the advantages he does have. Good on him.

I agree that being thrown to the lions has only helped him too. He rarely has given a poor effort even in defeat. Dude fought with a broken jaw and could have quit when he was losing, but still seen the finish line where others could have easily quit..