I think the cut is probably real. Whether or not he paid off the guy to hit him with an elbow, as it appears in the video, I'm less sure about. That guy said in an interview that he wasn't sorry at all, that it was from a clean punch (which sure doesn't look like it).
A few points to consider.
First, even if we give him the benefit of the doubt, what on earth was he thinking sparring like that this close to the fight? Beginning to think his dad is right to question the amateur nature of his camps.
Second, people are saying he's risking his career. What makes you think that he cares about his boxing career at this point? He's already "retired" 3 times, and has strung out every remotely dangerous fight for years. Remember when Wilder had to take him to court to get him to honor his contractual rematch? He's already said he's going to dump all the belts that Usyk has if he wins.
I'm sure it's occurred to him that he's already got the belts he wants to keep. Yeah, it's a lot of money, but he's got a lot already, and he can retire for a few years, and come back and fight Mayweather-style circus "exhibitions" to keep making money. But only if he's still the "lineal champ". If he loses to Usyk, I don't think his ego could take it. Notice how we haven't heard a single peep from him about fighting MMA since that fight was actually offered, and especially after Ngannou put him on his butt in his own sport? He needs most to preserve his own self image as some undefeated fighting god who can't be beaten, and I'm confident that he's doubting that right now. We're all hardest on ourselves, and he's already in theory had to take years off for mental issues.
Even if he didn't pay the guy off to get out of the fight last second because he got cold feet, his camp is still a wreck, they're making ****** choices, and he's getting caught clean enough by a guy who's not even a fringe contender to open up a fight ending cut.
AND, let's also point out that he's now got an easy target for Usyk to aim for. He's got to be thinking about that also, especially with only until May for it to heal. If he wouldn't get in the ring with Usyk with some bruises on his face, I seriously doubt he gets in the ring with that cut.
A few points to consider.
First, even if we give him the benefit of the doubt, what on earth was he thinking sparring like that this close to the fight? Beginning to think his dad is right to question the amateur nature of his camps.
Second, people are saying he's risking his career. What makes you think that he cares about his boxing career at this point? He's already "retired" 3 times, and has strung out every remotely dangerous fight for years. Remember when Wilder had to take him to court to get him to honor his contractual rematch? He's already said he's going to dump all the belts that Usyk has if he wins.
I'm sure it's occurred to him that he's already got the belts he wants to keep. Yeah, it's a lot of money, but he's got a lot already, and he can retire for a few years, and come back and fight Mayweather-style circus "exhibitions" to keep making money. But only if he's still the "lineal champ". If he loses to Usyk, I don't think his ego could take it. Notice how we haven't heard a single peep from him about fighting MMA since that fight was actually offered, and especially after Ngannou put him on his butt in his own sport? He needs most to preserve his own self image as some undefeated fighting god who can't be beaten, and I'm confident that he's doubting that right now. We're all hardest on ourselves, and he's already in theory had to take years off for mental issues.
Even if he didn't pay the guy off to get out of the fight last second because he got cold feet, his camp is still a wreck, they're making ****** choices, and he's getting caught clean enough by a guy who's not even a fringe contender to open up a fight ending cut.
AND, let's also point out that he's now got an easy target for Usyk to aim for. He's got to be thinking about that also, especially with only until May for it to heal. If he wouldn't get in the ring with Usyk with some bruises on his face, I seriously doubt he gets in the ring with that cut.
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