I give full credit to Barrett...

[BrooklynBomber]

Yeah, I was surprised by how many clean shots Barrett was landing last night. Wlad is far better technically, but that goes without saying.

Off topic slightly, but who would you say are the three most technically skilled h/ws active today?

I'd say Wlad, Toney, and........ Audley Harrison. Laugh, but in terms of technique, he's really not that bad. It's just the ****ting his pants and having a suspect chin parts that let him down...

Dont sleep on Luan Krasnique(sp?) He got ko'd by Brewster, but before that he was outboxing him quite soundly and showing some good boxing skills.
Also lots of euros there with skills, but just like Sergey, they are sleepers to us. Audley, does have skills, which is nothing surprising, considering his amatuer background. Its just his inability to use them at a right moment, which is rather frustrating.
Just a few years back, he was slaimed as a Klitschko killer(vitaly, that is) and inheritant of Lewis's legacy.

[BrooklynBomber]

Also, pre-Wlad Barret was quite technically sound, and Byrd, if he still fights at HW.

[Em1]

Does Don King have plans to make any significant fights? Or he just gonna send him out there against guys he can beat to keep the title and stack up the paychecks?

[Guest]

Just a few years back, he was slaimed as a Klitschko killer(vitaly, that is) and inheritant of Lewis's legacy.

That's incredible to think that nowadays. His punching power is not the greatest.

[PBDS]

... I wasn't actually expecting a lot, I thought he was blowing hot air, but apparently after the fight Don King went into his dressing room and said "you weren't supposed to hit him back, baby! Only in America! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Considering Barrett's last outing (for the first eleven rounds at least) was so passive and docile he just about stopped short of pulling down Rahman's shorts and fellating him in front of the Vegas crowd, then I was amazed to see him back up his words.

More than ever Valuev looks like the most vulnerable of the four titlists, notably wobbled on a number of occasions despite the fact that Barrett isn't an especially big puncher. Not only that, but he also of course doesn't punch anywhere near his weight. P4P Chris Byrd probably has more of a dig. While the 50-0 looms ever closer, maybe King could try and get that Little Klit bout for the money so at least Nicolay will lose his "0" to someone of substance.

By the halfway stage I actually had it even, with an argument that could be made that Barrett was ahead. However, by the end of the tenth it was 97-94 on my card, and I'm not ashamed to admit it brought tears to my eyes to see the compassion in Barrett's corner by stepping in to end the bout. Many other corners would have let it carry on.

Barrett has everything to be proud in last night's showing, a fight where he was brought along as Owen Beck style cannonfodder, but refused to play along.

.....Yeah, in retro I am now convinced he laid down for Rahman. At least he showed a little pride and went for it in this fight. He still got his ass kicked, but at least he put forth an effort and swung for the fences.

[Boxing Analyst]

Valuev smashed Barret like a bottle on the floor.

[Leo Pradun]

If Valuev hits so hard then why didn't he knockout Ruiz? Ruiz just stood there and let Valuev hit him. Tua finished off Ruiz in 19 seconds. I suspect Tua would finish off Valuev in about the same amount of time.

his right hand was injured on that fight...

[STEELHEAD]

Does Don King have plans to make any significant fights? Or he just gonna send him out there against guys he can beat to keep the title and stack up the paychecks?

you got it! follow the money.
i must add in all probability king will try to screw him as hard as he can take it. then get rid of him when he starts complaining by sending him into the lions den of someone who can really hurt.
thats what i think. i guess i could be wrong.ha

[realheavyhands]

no way in hell does valuev hit as hard as vitali... maybe wlad but not vitali.. matter fact i wish vitali would come back

[j]

i'd say big valuev does indeed hit hard. however, i'd say wladimir klitschko hits harder. briggs may hit as hard, peter and maybe brewster as well.

overall, i do think he hits hard but not consistently and there is no way he could string together more than a few power punches without losing steam on them because of his size, slowness, and the way his muscles are trained. imagine how hard it is for a 7'3", 330 pound guy to maintain a constant explosive quality in his movements for anything more than a short period.