168lb Division, Who Beats Who?

[DuckAdonis]

Ok let's imagine a 168 WBSS again. This is based on who I would like to see in it.

#1Callum Smith Vs Braehmer

#2 Caleb Plant Vs Chris Eubank Jr

#3 Benavidez Vs Anthony Dirrell

#4 Saunders Vs Uzcategui


Winners of #1 and #4 fight and winners of #2 and #3 fight. How does it go?

#1. I think Callum Smith would have real trouble dealing with the slick and experienced Braehmer. I think Smith might land a couple of good counters and hurt Braehmer at some point but he won't finish him. Callum Smith wins a close UD, about 116-112 ish

#2. To be honest with you I think Plant takes Eubank Jr to school. I think Plant's style is all wrong for him. The jab alone will make Eubank guessing all night. Probably will be Plants best performance to date considering the competition. Plant wins by wide UD, 117-111 or 118-110

#3. Another breakout performance. This fight is scheduled to actually happen on the Spence-Porter undercard. Benavidez pressures Dirrell early on and I think Anthony will fold in the middle rounds. He will land some good counters from time to time but Benavidez pressure and body attack will get to him. Dirrell gets broken down and stopped around the 7th or 8th round. Benavidez wins by TKO

#4. Saunders has the advantage as far as styles go. Saunders is a quick slick southpaw with good footwork. We all know Uzcategui has been outboxed before, also by a southpaw named Matt Korobov who he had alot of trouble with. So yes I think Saunders wins but not as easily as some might think. If Saunders isn't really fit he can get caught in this fight. But let's assume he is...I think he will outbox Uzcategui pretty comfortably early on. But as the fight goes on Saunders will start making more mistakes and he might slip up here and there and get caught with something that buzzes him. In the end Saunders keeps Uzcategui guessing with his jab and straight left behind it while circling the ring. He wins a UD and goes through some scary moments

And how do the Finals and Semi-Finals go?

Semi-Final #1
-Callum Smith Vs Saunders.
This is a really tough one to call. I think Saunders is technically the better fighter, but Smith has a huge size advantage. Smith has been the more active fighter and that might hurt Saunders in this fight.
I think early on Saunders would frustrate Callum Smith. Smith would have trouble with Saunders speed and footwork and especially his quick jab. Callum Smith got jabbed up by Skoglund in one round and I think he might have one of those rounds early on Vs Saunders as well. Saunders wins the first couple of rounds, some will be close when Callum uses his reach. but as the rounds go on we will see Callum Smith adjust more and get the timing on his shots right. He will counter over Saunders jab and fire straight right hands through the pipe.
Saundersz still boxing will, gasses out a bit after the middle rounds from the high pace. He build a lead early on but Smith is starting to catch him more and more. Saunders is feeling the weight on the shots and goes on the defensive more and more.
Callum Smith starts to attack Saunders body and wins alot of the mid-late rounds.
At the end the fight will be very close with the judges giving the nod to Callum Smith for his effective aggression. Maybe a SD.



Semi-Final #2
-Caleb Plant Vs David Benavidez
I feel like Caleb Plant is in his physical prime right now and that Benavidez still has a lot to learn. I think Benavidez would bring out the best in Plant and that this would be a great fight. The first rounds will start out cagey. Benavidez pressures him and Plant tries to stick and move and use the jab to the head and body. Benavidez will be confident going in and have great success going to the body and going to the inside with his combination punching. But then Plants power surprises him. Plant starts to land with sharp counters. Like Gavril, Plant will have great success jabbing Benavidez body. He will keep Benavidez guessing at times with his feints. I think most of the rounds will be very close and competitive. Benavidez will nick alot of the rounds Mid-Late and Plant the early middle rounds. Plant will probably gass later on and that's when Benavidez will get to him. But he will survive the onslaught and win a very close decision. He will have just landed the sharper counters setting them up and making Benavidez pay when he misses or neglects his defense. I think with a few more fights Benavidez can beat Plant but rn I think Plant wins a very close fight

[EL_GRINGO]

Too much death & drama going on this week.

Lets get to some more basic boxing sh^t.

Who's beating who at 168 among the major players (not counting Canelo since he's a novelty title holder currently & has seemingly made no decision to official move up or contend serious at 168 yet).

Top 4 at 168 to me right now are with little argument:

David Benavidez, Phoenix, AZ, 22yrs, 21-0 (18), 6'1, 77in
vs Plant (W-KO) Benavidez wears down Plant late
vs Ramirez (W-Dec) Benavidez bullys Ramirez all night
vs Smith (W-KO) Smith's show's some toughness to last

Caleb Plant, Nashville, TN, 27yrs, 19-0 (11), 6'1, 74in
vs Benavidez (L-KO) Plant has some early success, but falls late
vs Ramirez (W-Dec) Plant wins on more effective aggression
vs Smith (W-Dec) Plant edges out a 8-4, 9-3 decision

Gilberto Ramirez, Mazatlan, Mex, 28yrs, 40-0 (26), 6'2, 75in
vs Benavidez (L-Dec) Unable to mount an effective offense
vs Plant (L-Dec) Close, but Plant is more successful more often
vs Smith (L-Dec) Unable to get much going on

Callum Smith, Liverpool UK, 29yrs, 26-0 (19), 6'3, 78in
vs Benavidez (L-KO) Competitive for periods, but comes up short
vs Plant (L-Dec) Has moments, but not enough to eek out the W
vs Ramirez (W-Dec) Smith's reach negates Gil's attacks

Too bad Bivol don't move back down, add Canelo and you got a very strong weightclassi haven't seen too much of Benavidez,Callum Smith is i think the boxer of the UK i rate the highest, but how has been competition been, i rate Ramirez very highly aswell