Comments Thread For: “Fighting Words” — That’s (Not) Entertainment

[Weebler I]

Muhamed Ali, in his later fights, would also grab his opponents and lay on them whenever they they got past his jab. The difference between he and Klitschko is that Ali would go all out for the KO finish whenever the chance arose, and was willing to take risks to get it. He had faith in his chin and ability to take a punch, and Wlad doesn't.

What I don't like is that people bring up that Ali did, so it's okay for anyone to do it. Illegal is illegal. None of them should be allowed to get away with it.

[luke1979]

It was the first time for me to ever go and take a piss in the middle of a round when watching a fight live.

Maybe I'm getting old, but the repetitive clinching and leaning was almost constant. And I gave up.

The harsh point though is Povetkin never made any adjustments. I'm not saying he allowed it, like the referee, of course not but he was unable to do anything to stop it. So he lost end of.

Povetkin did the same thing again and again and again yet it's Vlad catching all the flak. C'mon it's clear after even 5 round the ref isn't going to do anything about it so try something else but he didn't or couldn't. The best he did which was ****, was to arc his right hand even wider.

What I mean is you step with a square defense, dip over your front knee of to the left looking to land an overhand right over the jab of your taller opponent. The result is a sweaty armpit on the back of your neck turned to a UFC guillotine until the ref breaks you up. This happens again and again but you keep doing it until you get more and more tired and weary that after the ref breaks up you for the hundredth time you start taking 1-2s as you look up.

For me it was like bull vs matador in that it was cruel, unfair, unsportsmanlike and was a shame in many ways for all those who payed to watch it.

Klitchko did what he was allowed to get away with. Povetkin performed with the iq of a bull.

Sad day for boxing only because this was a " world heavy championship bout".

[elbonzoseco]

The fight was frustrating to watch, of course. But Povetkin was just as negative, both are to blame. He did the same in the Huck fight, what exactly was Wlad supposed to do? Mormeck fight was the same, those guys chose this tactic, because it's safe for them. Just like it's safe for Wlad to hold. There's a reason why bending below the beltline is prohibited.

[MurkaMan]

What I don't like is that people bring up that Ali did, so it's okay for anyone to do it. Illegal is illegal. None of them should be allowed to get away with it.

Its illegal, but its not like lowblowing or headbutting. You do these things to offset your opponent. Floyd does it, and he puts his weight on your neck while his feet dangles lol. But I dont want people using it as an entire gameplan. clinching is a lost art that can be used in several ways, but we dont want people like Bhop who punches, n hug's his way to a victory.

[The Surgeon]

The single most dullest, boring heavyweight champion in the long history of the sport. Im not one of these guys who think if its not a Rocky Movie or Gatti vs Ward then its not fighting, Mayweather is breath taking in his boxing, Andre Ward i even find highly watchable but Wladomir Klitschko is actually hard to watch even with all his power. He constantly grabs and holds, never fights inside, never go's to the body - I mean he just went 12 rounds without even throwing ONE body shot! And he rarely strings more than two shots together.
Sure he is effective and has been dominant in this piss poor era but so what this is a spectator sport where entertainment counts for a lot. Personally i think the likes of Mike Tyson would run straight through him but with his size and ultra cagey style he could beat many past greats, that though is besides the point because he is one of the least watchable fighters on the planet...Ever! I seriously doubt i'll tune in for another one of his snoozers

[MDPopescu]

It's not entertainment, worse than that, it wasn't even boxing.

Also, Pabon is consistent in the way he refs. He splits the fighters up every time they get close. He does not allow in-fighting.

We know that Pabon doesn't allow in-fighting... But Pabon did not prevent endless clinches to happen -- he didn't deduct points until very late in the fight.

[Weebler I]

We know that Pabon doesn't allow in-fighting... But Pabon did not prevent endless clinches to happen -- he didn't deduct points until very late in the fight.

I hear you and agree, but I was making reference to the article stating Pabon is "inconsistent in the ways he [Pabon] stinks at his job".

Pabon is pretty consistent in the way he refs, Abraham v Ward and Haye v Chisora are two of his other efforts. Basically if you need to work on the inside, this guy is a nightmare of Joe Cortez proportions. If you want the fight on the outside, he is the dream ref, just clinch and hey presto you have space to work as Pabon will come in and separate.

[kafkod]

What I don't like is that people bring up that Ali did, so it's okay for anyone to do it. Illegal is illegal. None of them should be allowed to get away with it.

I'm not saying it's ok because Ali did it, just pointing out that it was a tactic he used a lot and was allowed to get away with. It's something that refs have been turning a blind eye to for a long time, especially in heavyweight fights.
Lennox Lewis did a lot of holding too, after being KO'd twice. I think he maybe modelled his style on Ali's after that, and Wlad, in turn, modelled his on Lennox.

[Bushbaby]

I really, honestly don't give a ****. Wlad fights how he fights. There are no heavyweights with a significant body attack. Vitali and Wlad fight all comers, they don't put mismatches on ppv and they do rule their division.

Part of a small group of active fighters can boast that. If you don't wanna see Wlad do his thing, don't look. He's there to win however he can, not please fans. Maybe if he was fighting mismatches on ppv then you'd have a right to get vex.

[BostonGuy]

I hear you and agree, but I was making reference to the article stating Pabon is "inconsistent in the ways he [Pabon] stinks at his job".

Pabon is pretty consistent in the way he refs, Abraham v Ward and Haye v Chisora are two of his other efforts. Basically if you need to work on the inside, this guy is a nightmare of Joe Cortez proportions. If you want the fight on the outside, he is the dream ref, just clinch and hey presto you have space to work as Pabon will come in and separate.

I hate that guy with a passion. He one of the worst high profile refs in the sport and, yet, he still gets this high profile fights. I remember watching the Huck-Povetkin fight several years ago and every time the fighters fell into a clinch he was there immediate to break up the action. It came to the point where he was anticipating the clinch so much that he was actually breaking them up just as they were starting to clinch. His approach negated any attempts at 'in-fighting.'

With the Klitschko fight, in the early rounds maybe you could make the argument that both fighters were falling into the clinch but as the rounds progressed you could see that Wlad was initiating all clinches and was content only throwing a few punches at time and then ****in' clinching like phaggot.