Just How Far Can Matt Skelton Go?

The_Power · Post by **The_Power** » 15 Feb 2004, 17:55

Im sure pretty much all of us here saw matt skelton onto his 12th career win the saturday before last. He won a sloppy lopsided against his most 'dangerous' opponant yet, former British and commonwealth title holder Julius Franicis.

The fight itself i found a great disapointment, but Skelton did what he had to do, and came out with the big W.

With this done, it seems as if he is targeting Sprott for his domestic honours, therefore my first question is, do you guys believe he can beat sprott?

I personally believe he can, and thus capture the domestic honours, if he does achieve this, who else can he beat on the domestic scene? i personally believe he would pummell the dismal danny williams, but what about hide? Harrison even?

My final point is, can he capture European honours? or is he destined to fight the rather average domestic scene and retire with a rather average record, another rather average british heavyweight?

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 15 Feb 2004, 19:13

I feel that Skelton can claim British recognition by beating the rather ordinary Sprott if they meet as is claimed next. Skelton and Harrison are the stand outs for me of a very ordinary division, Hide is a big mouthed thug who will probably (hopefully?) fade into oblivion now he has had his "second coming", Williams has not got the mental strength to succeed beyond British level and Sprott is an average fighter who has made a late burst onto the scene as a recognised force.

In todays climate filled with a vast amount of spurious "world" titles i don't see why Skelton cannot go on to claim higher honours, the only thing stopping him seems to be his age. It is no longer accepted that the once celebrated European belt is owned by a particular calibre of fighter anymore like once was, in fact like many of the other titles it seems to change waist quicker than the Heavyweight fighters who win it change waist size!

So my somewhat laboured point is, in a period of mediocrity both home and abroad, what is to say Skelton cannot claim British and European belts and who knows what else?

Bard of Boxrec · Post by **Bard of Boxrec** » 15 Feb 2004, 20:03

in my opinion he should stick to British honours. He will get exposed on the European scene.

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 16 Feb 2004, 09:24

I'm not so sure, if Danny Williams can get a chance then Skelton should as well. I don't know if it is just me but i like the look of Skelton, he's big and strong, has a good jab and KO power in that big right hand. In a world of Krasniqi's, Sam's and Hersisia's why is he any worse? Who could expose him on the Euro scene? Not many of the foreign European fighters from what i have seen of them, Poland's 23-0 Thomas Bonin is billed as a good prospect on the European scene and he is awful! I think there is an opening for Matt, there's a lot worse fighters holding titles than him at the moment.

Bard of Boxrec · Post by **Bard of Boxrec** » 16 Feb 2004, 09:59

Skelton is a bumbling fighter, short on talent, slow, clumsy, and with vastly overrated power. Against Michael Holden he showed no evidence he would be able to beat even a top european.

krasniqi is limited but skelton is worse.

kevo · Post by **kevo** » 16 Feb 2004, 10:00

I think out of all the current British crop, only Skelton and Harrison could go on to challenge succesfully at European level, but out of these two, only Harrison has the pedigree to go further.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 16 Feb 2004, 10:30

Still quite hard to gauge, for some silly reason Skelton didn't seem at all serious last week and was a big disapointment. Julius is there for the taking these days, and european level fighters take him out. Skelton couldn't, which is very alarming. He's still learning his trade, but he's got to learn a bit faster.

I think he might still make it to European level, I think while Audley has the skill to go futher, Skelton has the power to certainly hurt Harrison. So, if Audley is a European champion, then Skelton could win it then. I can't see him progressing much futher.

jameswilson · Post by **jameswilson** » 16 Feb 2004, 10:43

Harrison has more time than Skelton and is still at a more advanced stage in his career, Nix and Calloway are better than Holden and the Julius Francis that turned up to fight for the English title. I would be very suprised if he went any further than the British title. Harrison is now looking at the European title and should he ever fight Skelton I cant see anything happening apart from Skelton getting KOd, people say Skelton can hurt Harrison, yes he can but Harrison can hurt Skelton even more.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 16 Feb 2004, 10:55

jameswilson wrote:Harrison has more time than Skelton and is still at a more advanced stage in his career, Nix and Calloway are better than Holden and the Julius Francis that turned up to fight for the English title. I would be very suprised if he went any further than the British title. Harrison is now looking at the European title and should he ever fight Skelton I cant see anything happening apart from Skelton getting KOd, people say Skelton can hurt Harrison, yes he can but Harrison can hurt Skelton even more.

A well worded response, I can't argue with it - I do disagree, but thats mearly my opinion - I can't back up my arguments other than saying "we'll see". You could well be correct.

kevo · Post by **kevo** » 16 Feb 2004, 15:24

jameswilson wrote:people say Skelton can hurt Harrison, yes he can but Harrison can hurt Skelton even more.

I agree. Skelton seems to be a volume puncher. As we saw against Francis and Holden, he just unloads with a barrage of punches. I can't remember any of his fights ending with one punch, his opponents either freeze after feeling one punch or get pinned on the ropes and swarmed with punches till the ref jumps in. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, it just seems to me that his reputation as a puncher is unjustified. Audley on the other hand, while no Earnie Shavers by any stretch of the imagination, is still a fairly hard puncher. IMO if they fought Harrison would avoid Skelton's one dimensional attacks and make his superior speed and power tell.

The Caped Crusader · Post by **The Caped Crusader** » 16 Feb 2004, 18:57

Skelton has reached his level now but its still an achieivement when you consider he is 35+ and a former k1 boxer. Domestic level is seen as failure sometimes these days.

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 16 Feb 2004, 19:05

The Caped Crusader wrote:Skelton has reached his level now but its still an achieivement when you consider he is 35+ and a former k1 boxer. Domestic level is seen as failure sometimes these days.

True but that may be the promoters and managers to blame, right from the off they build up there fighters to the max and put plenty of pressure on them and then when they fail above British level they seem to be deemed as an overall failure.

jameswilson · Post by **jameswilson** » 16 Feb 2004, 19:46

Thanks to stujones for his responce. I really hope this fight takes place and should Skelton beat him Ill be the 1st to admit I was wrong and stujones was right, unfortunately unless the BBBoC order the fight to take place for a title I cant see anything happening between the 2 this year, unfortunately politics are really ruining domestic boxing. Im a strong believer that Domestic boxing should be on terrestrial tv but unfortunately allegedly sees otherwise.[/quote]

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 16 Feb 2004, 20:30

jameswilson wrote:Thanks to stujones for his responce. I really hope this fight takes place and should Skelton beat him Ill be the 1st to admit I was wrong and stujones was right, unfortunately unless the BBBoC order the fight to take place for a title I cant see anything happening between the 2 this year, unfortunately politics are really ruining domestic boxing. Im a strong believer that Domestic boxing should be on terrestrial tv but unfortunately allegedly sees otherwise.

[/quote]

Thanks, I will do the same to you - I don't really mind who wins, I just one (or both) to go as far as they can. I do like the way Skelton is being managed, but was dissapointed in his performance/attitidude against Francis.

jameswilson · Post by **jameswilson** » 17 Feb 2004, 06:14

I was more annoyed with Frank Warrens responce afterward, saying how well Skelton had done and how this was the second ex Brit Champ he had beaten, coincidence Frank that both are contracted to u and both way way past their best. I find it incredible that the weekend after Audley and Warrens bust up at the press conference Frank wrote nothing in his NOTW column, and now he knows that Audley has gone to the US to train he has let rip.

JimStone · Post by **JimStone** » 17 Feb 2004, 07:15

I'm with "The Caped Crusader" on this one.

If Skelton becomes British champion he's done very well indeed. People should ignore those who claim, "it's all about the world, baby" and such like so early in their careers. When you're the best in Britain you've achieved plenty. Then you can have a crack at Europe and so on.

I don't think Skelton is good enough to win a Lonsdale belt outright - unless of course he is fed David Barnes style opponents. But, I do think that should be his goal. Fight Sprott for the title and if he wins start making his defences.

Negatives: He doesn't bang with a BANG, he's not a pure boxer and he's old.

Positives: He is tough, strong and game.

The -'s outweigh the +'s big time.

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 17 Feb 2004, 09:12

Well he looks like Shrek, that's gotta be a positive. I hope he does meet Samil Sam although Frank won't go for that until Sam has lost his seventh on the bounce

The Euro scene is pretty poor at present, there's an opening for someone to take it by storm, who knows it could be a British guy?

jameswilson · Post by **jameswilson** » 17 Feb 2004, 09:38

Im sure Harrison can see now the oppurtunity he has. He can beat Krasniqui, no doubt, who knows, Audley may call Krasniqui out after his next fight against Richel Hersisia should he win.

J · Post by J » 17 Feb 2004, 13:08

I totally agree with the posts above about Skelton being a volume puncher, typical square on thai style throwing arm punches, not as side on as most classic boxers and thereofre losing a lot of his power. I dont think he lacks pwer more the way he throws the punch. If they could iron that out a bit more he may improve but I dont see him as having the technique to trouble the better fighters.

Audley however is improving all the time from what I have seen (shame he didnt turn pro 5 years earlier) but with Audley fighting Richard Hersisia , and I dont care bout the title more that he is going up against an unbeaten 21-0 fighter bout time he stepped up, and it is only a little, but should prove a more interesting test for Audley and he may have to take a few for the first time also.
tell you what if I was Audley I know who my next fight would be against post Hersisia , make a name for yourself and he could beat Mesi as could most the top 20. He looked awful in his last fight and has fought no-one of real note.
This would make a name for Aud, and propel him to real contender status
Aud is improving, he has the attributes but he does have to get a shift on, now Lewis is gone who is there, he has a chance you know.
Unless Vitali unifies the belts I can see him if he keeps improving winning a wbo or similar belt, i mean in a year or two's time who is gonna be there? You have to say he stands a chance with any of them on paper, Guinn / Mesi included.
Be interesting Im watching his progress and I have noticed some massive technical improvements and he has started to put some real venom into his shots which he wasnt doing in his early fights.
He is quite articulate I just hope if he beats Hersisia for the WBF he doesnt give it the barry that he is world champ cos that will be a total turn off for me...and I could well lose interest in him as I did with Naz when he got far too mouthy.
If however he says its a stepping stone to bigger and better things then all credit to him and I will support him more vociferously! Not that he would give a monkees, but its just not right is it...i mean wbf isnt a world title so dont make out it is and I hope he doesnt!
Anyway enough ranting from me Ive probs bored you to death!!
We will see, he first has to beat The Dutch Sonny Liston (jeez the original he must be turning in his grave)