Let's Talk Strategy Part 2: Crawford vs Postol

[Doctor_Tenma]

Yeah, agree with a lot of your assessment.

Postol is definitely better of the two on the outside, he's got a much better jab and a straighter, sharper right hand. I see him controlling Crawford on the outside, which is where I think most of this fight will be, as you said neither guy wants to be in the pocket.

I think a lot of people are in for a shock, Crawford isn't anywhere near as good as advertised imo.

Yup, it's pretty much been you and I telling people this on here. It gets ignored how he stands too straight up with his chin in the air, if Jean or Lundy had more than a decent punch things would have gotten ugly.

[John Locke]

Yup, it's pretty much been you and I telling people this on here. It gets ignored how he stands too straight up with his chin in the air, if Jean or Lundy had more than a decent punch things would have gotten ugly.

Spot on, I do feel a bit guilty cos I'm too harsh on him sometimes, but I really don't see the big deal

[-PBP-]

Matthysse and Aydin were able to catch Postol pulling straight out a few times. I can see Crawford capitalizing on this as well. Matthysse came on strong in those middle rounds. I forgot he had a little bit of success in that fight.

[Bullrider]

It's still a 50/50 fight for me, although I already bet points on Postol. It's based on Jean being able to land good shots on Crawford effectively, but then Matthysse was also doing well in the first half of the fight. So I have my doubts on both. I'm lazy reviewing fights.

[1hourRun]

Another round with a more competitive fight.

With Crawford, I think the #1 key is to neutralize Postol's jab. Postol does an incredible job of controlling distance and can control the fight with that single punch. The question is how? From what I've seen from Crawford, he likes to switch southpaw so he can counter over top with his right hook. Crawford is typically a slow starter and needs rounds to get his timing down and study his opponent but with Postol, he cannot let him get comfortable and get into a rhythm. The key is to time him, throw him off his game plan and make him adjust.

With Postol, I see him using his feet, keeping Crawford at range with his jab, being patient and looking to make him pay when he tries to close distance. Basically business as usual. Crawford has a tendency to square up and back up in straight lines with his chin in the air so Postol will have plenty of opportunities to capitalize. The biggest issue here is if Crawford begins to time Postol, what adjustments will he be able to make. Postol seems like a very fundamentally sound disciplined boxer but he hasn't faced anyone that has forced him to adjust.

All in all, see this being a high paced chess match as both fighters prefer to operate at the same range and neither guy has demonstrated much of an inside game. But the issue here is Postol appears to be the superior boxer on the outside. It will be interesting to see what Crawford has in his toolbox.

Agreed. Crawford might not be as fast in the inside as 'Chop Chop' and lacks range having longer arms but he can hit it from the outside with his long reach...he just has to be patient catch it (the Jab) and shoot.

[RussB23]

Crawford will overwhelm him with power punches somewhere in the mid to late rounds and postol will fall

[-PBP-]

Agreed. Crawford might not be as fast in the inside as 'Chop Chop' and lacks range having longer arms but he can hit it from the outside with his long reach...he just has to be patient catch it (the Jab) and shoot.

That's great boxing right there from Chop. I look at clip and see 3 things he executed well:

1. Slips Postols jab (twice) and counters with the right hook

2. Occupies Postol's lead hand, smothers and lands another right hook

3. Catches his jab, smothers his attack and scores to the body

That's my biggest concern with Crawford. Clearly, inside is where you want to be against Postol but Crawford has not shown much of an ability to work at that range. His defense is more backing out of range as opposed to slipping and smothering.

[1hourRun]

That's great boxing right there from Chop. I look at clip and see 3 things he executed well:

1. Slips Postols jab (twice) and counters with the right hook

2. Occupies Postol's lead hand, smothers and lands another left hook

3. Catches his jab, smothers his attack and scores to the body

That's my biggest concern with Crawford. Clearly, inside is where you want to be against Postol but Crawford has not shown much of an ability to work at that range. His defense is more backing out of range as opposed to slipping and smothering.

Good eye bro. I think Crawfords youth, speed and power might overcome in the latter rounds as he turns it up as the fight advances to the final bell...I have not seen Postol in a war and I wonder how he reacts to the pressure, can he dig deep to overcome or press the attack if he has too? Character separates elite talent and its something we have not seen enough from Postol : I seen it in Crawford vs. Burns and Gamboa perhaps that passion wins at least one of the judges -- in a close fight it could be the difference.

[-PBP-]

Good eye bro. I think Crawfords youth, speed and power might overcome in the latter rounds as he turns it up as the fight advances to the final bell...I have not seen Postol in a war and I wonder how he reacts to the pressure, can he dig deep to overcome or press the attack if he has too? Character separates elite talent and its something we have not seen enough from Postol : I seen it in Crawford vs. Burns and Gamboa perhaps that passion wins at least one of the judges -- in a close fight it could be the difference.

No doubt. That's the X factor. While Postol seems to be the more polished boxer, sometimes a fighters, speed, athleticism and physical tools can over come that. I'm still leaning towards Crawford to win this fight though. But I still expect it to be the most difficult fight of his career and he deserves a ton of credit for beating an opponent of this caliber if he gets the job done.

[-PBP-]

Another round with a more competitive fight.

With Crawford, I think the #1 key is to neutralize Postol's jab. Postol does an incredible job of controlling distance and can control the fight with that single punch. The question is how? From what I've seen from Crawford, he likes to switch southpaw so he can counter over top with his right hook. Crawford is typically a slow starter and needs rounds to get his timing down and study his opponent but with Postol, he cannot let him get comfortable and get into a rhythm. The key is to time him, throw him off his game plan and make him adjust.

With Postol, I see him using his feet, keeping Crawford at range with his jab, being patient and looking to make him pay when he tries to close distance. Basically business as usual. Crawford has a tendency to square up and back up in straight lines with his chin in the air so Postol will have plenty of opportunities to capitalize. The biggest issue here is if Crawford begins to time Postol, what adjustments will he be able to make. Postol seems like a very fundamentally sound disciplined boxer but he hasn't faced anyone that has forced him to adjust.

All in all, see this being a high paced chess match as both fighters prefer to operate at the same range and neither guy has demonstrated much of an inside game. But the issue here is Postol appears to be the superior boxer on the outside. It will be interesting to see what Crawford has in his toolbox.

Post fight:

1. Like I said, the right hook over Postol's jab was money. Scored a KD in round 5, and made Postol completely hesitant to throw.

2. Postol was his usual self. But he was getting timed and Crawford got him to overextend himself where he was able to tag him with counter shots. I thought the fight would be closer and we would see more rounds like 1 and 3 where Postol stayed behind his jab and presented Crawford from closing distance but Crawford was too much for him.

Like I said, Postol is very technically sound but looks mighty average when forced to adjust.

Overall I enjoyed the fight and Crawford established himself as a top 5 p4p fighter in the world.

Team TC stand up!!!!!!