Comments Thread For: Benn: Thurman May As Well Retire; Can't Blame Him For Not Wanting To Fight

[brettWall]

Nobody knows when this division is going to go back to its illustrious state. I used to mainly follow this division. Maybe because the up-and-comers fight each other. Nowadays they all wait for handouts. These clowns want nothing to do with each other. They all have their own individual paths fighting bums after another. Everyone should be disgusted.

Well, who are the so-called up and comers? There's Vergil Ortiz Jr, Conor Benn, Jaron Ennis. On paper Jaron Ennis got the worst record. 30 professional fights and he hasn't fought a single step up fight. Benn got 22 fights, Ortiz got 18, so they're still catching up in terms of number of fights.

[P to the J]

Point is, sometimes fear DOES play in. We can't ever say that fighters are straight brave.

Michael Spinks was SCARED to fight Tyson. Even he said so.

Said Lawal was clearly SCARED to be fighting Naseem Hamed.

Bermane Stiverne was clearly SCARED to be fighting Wilder in the second fight, after he got dropped the first time. Wilder drops his hands and just stares st him, and Stiverne looked like he knew he was close to being a "body on the record".

On and on. Just saying.

So a fighter calling it out, what should happen is the other guy SHOULD get angry enough to prove them wrong and erase the fear come fight night (like Buster Douglas).

No, no, I think you make a very fair point. I’ve been quick to say otherwise in the past, partly because it counters some of the tribalism, but it was a deeply held opinion of mine, too.

Come to think of it, I’ve heard Iron Mike saying he was crying before fights anyway, so I should have remembered that at least.

Re: bold text: there’s money to be made here via fan interest, too

[Combat Talk Radio]

No, no, I think you make a very fair point. I’ve been quick to say otherwise in the past, partly because it counters some of the tribalism, but it was a deeply held opinion of mine, too.

Come to think of it, I’ve heard Iron Mike saying he was crying before fights anyway, so I should have remembered that at least.

Re: bold text: there’s money to be made here via fan interest, too

Fan interest yes... But you still got to be careful and intelligent, lest you end up like Blair Cobbs against Rocha.

But yes...the drama sells the fight regardless.

[kiaba360]

That's why I laugh when Hearn can't get Charlo or Thurman, because he wants to deny Zurdo and Avenesyan! GBP and MatchRoom should working together to build DAZN, rather than begging for co-platform fights! Why beg Thurman and Beterbiev, when Vergil Ortiz Jr., and Zurdo fight on the same platform?

There's no good excuse for Jermall not wanting to fight Andrade if Hearn was willing to offer him an obsene amount of money. Thurman doesn't want to risk getting his ass kicked by Ennis/Ortiz/Benn because the illusion of him being an elite WW would be shattered.


Bivol/Ramirez has been ordered by the WBA, so I'm pretty sure that fight isn't in jeapordy. Ortiz Jr/McKinson is a GBP vs. Matchroom match-up. Ava had the Ortiz fight in his hands, and for whatever reason, he let it slip away. Hearn doesn't want to give an inch to Warren if he thinks it won't be reciprocated, and that's why I mentioned a bartering system. Matchroom gets Avanesyan for Benn on DAZN, and Queensberry gets Buatsi for Yarde on BT.

[Bronx2245]

There's no good excuse for Jermall not wanting to fight Andrade if Hearn was willing to offer him an obsene amount of money. Thurman doesn't want to risk getting his ass kicked by Ennis/Ortiz/Benn because the illusion of him being an elite WW would be shattered.


Bivol/Ramirez has been ordered by the WBA, so I'm pretty sure that fight isn't in jeapordy. Ortiz Jr/McKinson is a GBP vs. Matchroom match-up. Ava had the Ortiz fight in his hands, and for whatever reason, he let it slip away. Hearn doesn't want to give an inch to Warren if he thinks it won't be reciprocated, and that's why I mentioned a bartering system. Matchroom gets Avanesyan for Benn on DAZN, and Queensberry gets Buatsi for Yarde on BT.

In that case, why not make Ortiz Jr. vs. Benn @ 147? GBP and MatchRoom should be working together much more frequently, to help DAZN! Hearn should welcome Bivol vs. Zurdo! No Network Issues! KingRy vs. Montana Love would be good! No reason they never made Andrade vs. Munguia either!

[kiaba360]

In that case, why not make Ortiz Jr. vs. Benn @ 147? GBP and MatchRoom should be working together much more frequently, to help DAZN! Hearn should welcome Bivol vs. Zurdo! No Network Issues! KingRy vs. Montana Love would be good! No reason they never made Andrade vs. Munguia either!

Each promoter is protecting their pieces, and some fighters need more protecting than others. GBP has been careful with Garcia/Munguia, and Hearn with Benn. Ortiz Jr. has a respectable resume and is on the cusp of a title shot. I think a mutually beneficial match-up for Matchroom/GBP is Benn/Rocha: Rocha gets a chance to ascend every sanctioning body ranking, and Benn gets to prove himself against a young and bigger southpaw. If Benn impresses against Rocha, then I think he's ready for Ortiz.

P.S. Benn/Eubank is such a ****** match-up.

[maguirre]

Well, who are the so-called up and comers? There's Vergil Ortiz Jr, Conor Benn, Jaron Ennis. On paper Jaron Ennis got the worst record. 30 professional fights and he hasn't fought a single step up fight. Benn got 22 fights, Ortiz got 18, so they're still catching up in terms of number of fights.

Thirty fights and not a single step up fight. Wonder what his handlers were doing during all those years.

Hate to repeat it. This division has lost its lustre. Look at the guys you mentioned. Not one of them mentions the other's name. They're all waiting for some far away time in space. And they're all assuming they'll be getting their yearly paychecks fighting nobodies.

[Bronx2245]

Each promoter is protecting their pieces, and some fighters need more protecting than others. GBP has been careful with Garcia/Munguia, and Hearn with Benn. Ortiz Jr. has a respectable resume and is on the cusp of a title shot. I think a mutually beneficial match-up for Matchroom/GBP is Benn/Rocha: Rocha gets a chance to ascend every sanctioning body ranking, and Benn gets to prove himself against a young and bigger southpaw. If Benn impresses against Rocha, then I think he's ready for Ortiz.

P.S. Benn/Eubank is such a ****** match-up.

I agree 100%!!! It does nothing to move Benn in the ranks @ 147, and unlike GGG vs. Brook (which was also ******), Eubank Jr. doesn't even have a title @ 160, nor 154! I like the Rocha idea, an Avanesyan fight, or even the Ortiz Jr. fight!

[brettWall]

Thirty fights and not a single step up fight. Wonder what his handlers were doing during all those years.

Hate to repeat it. This division has lost its lustre. Look at the guys you mentioned. Not one of them mentions the other's name. They're all waiting for some far away time in space. And they're all assuming they'll be getting their yearly paychecks fighting nobodies.

That's what the media should be asking. It almost seemed like he just popped out of nowhere, stealthily climbed up the ladder fought bums when this division is chock-full of established names like Alexander, Berto, Ortiz, Malignaggi, Judah, even Lopez will do, John Molina, Vargas, Guerrero, you
name it.

Thirty fights and not a single step up fight.

[kiaba360]

That's what the media should be asking. It almost seemed like he just popped out of nowhere, stealthily climbed up the ladder fought bums when this division is chock-full of established names like Alexander, Berto, Ortiz, Malignaggi, Judah, even Lopez will do, John Molina, Vargas, Guerrero, you
name it.

Thirty fights and not a single step up fight.

It's important to note that Ennis debuted in 2016. He wouldn't have had the chance to build his resume with the guys you named. Josesito is still fighting, but he just lost to Crowley. Ennis should face Crowley. The worst thing Ennis can do is become inactive and let his hype die down.