Why do some fighters get credit for taking 'risks'?

[Boxing_1013]

Look at Canelo's resume. Who has a better one in the sport right now?

He fought high risk , low reward guys when he didn't have to. Dudes like Austin Trout and Erislandy Lara.

Why are we even questioning him when there are dozens of top boxers with a much worse track record?

Not sure if you read my main post, but I addressed fights like those in it...long story short - when you know you have the judges, and know a guy can't hurt you/at worst you will go 12 rounds and it will be pretty competitive, those types of fights become easy to take...you know the judges will swing it your way.

I don't agree that those types of fights were high risk really for Canelo for those reasons I mentioned...and Lara I rate but Trout nah not really anyway...his resume is pretty good but some are comparable or better right now I think.

[ShoulderRoll]

Not sure if you read my main post, but I addressed fights like those in it...long story short - when you know you have the judges, and know a guy can't hurt you/at worst you will go 12 rounds and it will be pretty competitive, those types of fights become easy to take...you know the judges will swing it your way.

I don't agree that those types of fights were high risk really for Canelo for those reasons I mentioned...and Lara I rate but Trout nah not really anyway...his resume is pretty good but some are comparable or better right now I think.

Ok. So because you think he "has the judges" you won't give Canelo credit for fighting anyone then.

[just the facts]

Yeah, the A-side crap is well, crap.

Usyk is a great example of recent risk-taking. Usyk unified at cruiser but he beat Glowacki, Huck, Bredis, Gassiev and Bellew all in their own backyards. That is one hell of a damn run. Considering that one was a former king of the division and three were unbeaten and Bellew was a solid pro with lots of world class experience, I think that's true risk-taking.

Canelo and Floyd both took on risky fights but like you say, they had an ace in the hole every time. Is it smart? Sure. But a bit dull? Yes.

I think there are plenty of guys who risk and honestly don't give a damn. They sometimes don't get the benefit of the doubt with the judges but oh well. They move on. A loss doesn't shatter everybody's self-confidence. Not everyone cries when they lose their "0". As they shouldn't. Most guys don't get to be that interesting until they have a loss. Then they actually learn that everything won't be served on a silver platter for them. Thank God for losses.

Anyway, when it comes down to it, I agree. When you have certain advantages, the risk factor goes way down. Usyk deserves praise in this area. Canelo and Floyd not so much.

Not a knock on Usyk but it he could have fought these fighters away from their backyard and made more money, he would have done so. It's that simple

[Boxing_1013]

Ok. So because you think he "has the judges" you won't give Canelo credit for fighting anyone then.

Nah as I said in my main post as well, I wasn't intending to sh.it on Canelo (or Floyd) with this post...they are just the most recent/best examples of it...and I said as well that Canelo has impressed me every time I've seen him fight, so I don't really think I hate on him at all.

I just think the notion that he (or Floyd) was really taking 'risks'...well that's just not really how I would view it...great fighters though...but I just can't co-sign the idea that they are/were really taking risks...when you are the A-side you have the judges...when you have the judges you can/will get some good cards in fights, and that not only helps you win some, but I think having the judges pretty clearly makes some fights easier for those guys to take.

You can take 40/60 and 50/50 fights all day because you know you will be taken care of...just the way it is...those types of guys make everyone rich in boxing so it makes sense that they get good cards...if they had 10 losses no one would want to see them fight and boxing in general would lose in that way.

I think facing Lara (and now Kovalev) are good fights for us as hardcore fans...so I am not hating on Canelo at all for that...but yeah I think that for him those fights are a bit easier to take in a way because he knows if he can just be fairly competitive and go 12 rounds he will get some decent cards and maybe a draw at worst.

I can see how some Canelo fans may take that stuff the wrong way but in my mind I am just kind of bringing it up matter of factly...it is what it is...Canelo is a really good fighter and he has proven that...and he is making tons of money, can't be mad at the guy for that.

[Boxing_1013]

Not a knock on Usyk but it he could have fought these fighters away from their backyard and made more money, he would have done so. It's that simple

Fair point...I would assume the money for those fights was fighting in those guys' backyards...but it is odd imo that Usyk had none of those fights at home...I would have thought with him being a bigger 'star' than most of those guys and being from a big country in Ukraine that one of those fights or more could have done fairly well there.

I still think guys like Spence (Brook) Usyk (a few guys) and some others deserve credit for taking fights on the road (and winning)...it just puts you up against it more compared to being the home fighter.

[ShoulderRoll]

Nah as I said in my main post as well, I wasn't intending to sh.it on Canelo (or Floyd) with this post...they are just the most recent/best examples of it...and I said as well that Canelo has impressed me every time I've seen him fight, so I don't really think I hate on him at all.

I just think the notion that he (or Floyd) was really taking 'risks'...well that's just not really how I would view it...great fighters though...but I just can't co-sign the idea that they are/were really taking risks...when you are the A-side you have the judges...when you have the judges you can/will get some good cards in fights, and that not only helps you win some, but I think having the judges pretty clearly makes some fights easier for those guys to take.

You can take 40/60 and 50/50 fights all day because you know you will be taken care of...just the way it is...those types of guys make everyone rich in boxing so it makes sense that they get good cards...if they had 10 losses no one would want to see them fight and boxing in general would lose in that way.

I think facing Lara (and now Kovalev) are good fights for us as hardcore fans...so I am not hating on Canelo at all for that...but yeah I think that for him those fights are a bit easier to take in a way because he knows if he can just be fairly competitive and go 12 rounds he will get some decent cards and maybe a draw at worst.

I can see how some Canelo fans may take that stuff the wrong way but in my mind I am just kind of bringing it up matter of factly...it is what it is...Canelo is a really good fighter and he has proven that...and he is making tons of money, can't be mad at the guy for that.

So which fighters are really taking risks in your opinion?

[Boxing_1013]

So which fighters are really taking risks in your opinion?

Spence fighting Brook in the UK...Usyk fighting a few of those guys in their backyard...Lubin facing Charlo when he did...Lara has always more or less taken risks imo...some guys stepping up to face GGG were taking risks I think, Brook stands out.

Porter has taken some risks...Brook took a risk coming to the US to fight Porter in a way...all those guys in the CW and SMW tourney were taking risks for me.

Edit - while on the subject of tournies - a big issue I've had with Ward in his career was him never going on the road...even in the Super six, for him to be able to fight all of those fights at home, when I think he was like 10th ranked at SMW at that time, and Kessler was number 1...I mean why are they fighting in Oakland and not Denmark ya know...the first four fights Ward had there were in Oakland/CA, I mean I just can't really get behind that as taking risks, and that has always seemed like a way to prop him up and get him those wins whether deserved or not...and the wins in those moments can be tainted as a result, if there is controversy, or a close fight where you get most of the close rounds.