Who should Thaxton fight next?

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 05 Oct 2008, 07:43

OK, Thaxton just stepped up and won the EBU title with one of the best punches of the year. He beat a guy many felt would be too much for him, dominating from the middle of the ring, and landing power shots from different angles. Melero was a quality operator, certainly better than Lawton and Stewart who extended Thaxton, but Thaxton gave a disciplined and destructive performance. I think the Spaniard maybe froze a bit away from home, and got intimidated early. Guys like Jono, with that Ingle style, do well when they're "on top" in a fight. When they lose confidence, or get confused, then their boxing goes pear shaped. Thaxton boxed well, and landed THE shot.

Should he try and do the same to Khan, who is very fast but very KO'able?

Should he go to war with British champ John Murray, who's been asking for this fight for ages? I prefer this option. The fight could give us some great sustained action. But this maybe doesn't have the right risk-reward ratio. Will Murray be on the backburner following Thaxton success, as before?

Should he try and win a world title? This seems to be a little above Thaxton, to put it politely. He's had a fine career, been a great servant to UK boxing & has givne us some dramatic moments, but every man has his limitations. IMO someone who brings that extra power, and shows him subtle angles, will have him way out of sorts.

Murray gets my vote.

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 05 Oct 2008, 07:49

Murray so he can attempt to win his Lonsdale back and win It outright since he deserves It.

He's not world class and would get brutalised at world level and the big fish won't go for an opponent unknown to them anyway.

Dioufy · Post by **Dioufy** » 05 Oct 2008, 07:50

Murray v Thaxton would be an amazing spectacle.

josh fg · Post by **josh fg** » 05 Oct 2008, 07:55

I think he should have an easier fight for the pay day then fight murray and the winner can unify EBU Commonwealth and British titles with Khan. Thaxton put a lot of years in boxing and I think he should make some money befor fighting Murray who may well beat him. So I voted Presscott.

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 05 Oct 2008, 07:58

Max Molyneux wrote:Murray so he can attempt to win his Lonsdale back and win It outright since he deserves It.

He's not world class and would get brutalised at world level and the big fish won't go for an opponent unknown to them anyway.

Easiest fight to make as well, with them both being with Hennessy. Will Thaxton want it?

Don't you think Hennessy would want to keep them apart, so he can have both a British champ & a Euro champ? If Murray beats McAllister he could become #2 contender perhaps, maybe even higher if Khan (EBU #1) declines to fight Thaxton again/refuses to go via purse bids. I hope Murray can force the fight. He certainly benefited Thaxton vacating the British title, but has wanted to fight Thaxton for a long time.

I agree re world level. Thaxton's "I BELIEVE in myself, so I CAN do it" attitude allows him to get these good wins, but will get him dominated again (Hatton, Romanov).

lefthook82 · Post by **lefthook82** » 05 Oct 2008, 08:39

Prescott or Romanov rematch

Any more talk of Khan make him a bit of a fool in my eyes

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 05 Oct 2008, 08:56

I'll bet Warren wouldn't mind having Prescott blow Thaxton out.

If he wants a world title shot, Thaxton may have to beat someone like the WBO Interwhatis it champ, Prescott.

black panther · Post by **black panther** » 05 Oct 2008, 09:32

From a fans point of view I'd want to see him in with Murray and Khan so we can find out who is the best in Britain. But from a sentimental point of view I'd want him to make a couple of defences of his Euro belt against someone like Zoff so he can add to his retirement fund before he fights Murray as I think Murray would beat him. Its hard not to like an honest hard-working pro like Thaxton and when he finally gets a break you couldn't blame him for milking it a bit. But then again he could be undermotivated for a lesser fight and loose like he almost did against Dave Stewart so Murray it is!

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 05 Oct 2008, 09:35

I don't want to see Thaxton in those routine defences. When he doesn't want to give the belt away, he gets wild and disjointed and one dimensional, trying to walk his challengers down (see Lawton & - in a good fight - Stewart).

Zoff is a really awkward bloke who makes everyone look bad. Not sure he's even in the top 10 Europeans. Kudriatsev I think has one of those big Euro promoters.

Khan & Murray are his #1 & #4 contenders. I think fighting a Brit like them will add more interest, and intensity.

Khan involves lots of pissing about, "I want to stage the fight", "No, he must fight on my card" - even when Khan and Thaxton were each other's top contenders, the promoters couldn't come to terms. Bring on Murray I say.

Dioufy · Post by **Dioufy** » 05 Oct 2008, 11:59

Why not Katsidis? Big name still, exciting and has come over here before. I would pay big bucks to see it.

I am sure they'll be some intercontinental belt on the line.

whicker · Post by **whicker** » 05 Oct 2008, 12:35

Surely a European title defence is what he wants? Given that he was proud to win that belt it stands to reason that he would want to defend it.

Dioufy · Post by **Dioufy** » 05 Oct 2008, 18:54

Good point.

I just think Katsidis is the only top fighter that would feesably travel to England. He's coming off two losses so would welcome the chance I think. If he wants a world title shot then surely he has to make a big fight happen. Murray would be a way to this as well but Murray is a harder fight for Jono. Katsidis is beatable and walks onto a lot of shots. Thaxton would only have to catch him with half that shot on Saturday night and then he would surely be inline for a world title fight. Useless defences of his EBU belt won't get him that.

My opinion of course.

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 06 Oct 2008, 03:53

whicker wrote:Surely a European title defence is what he wants? Given that he was proud to win that belt it stands to reason that he would want to defend it.

Yeah but who do you want him to defend against? Romanov, Khan, Kudriatsev, Murray, Kristjansen, Limond, Earl, McAllister? These are his top contenders. Murray-McAllister winner would be a worthy contender, as both are in his top ten. Khan-Gethin winner would be worthy (Gethin will surely be inrankings after stopping Fewkes) but one fighter will be hard to deal with. Might as well be a Brit, if it's a Euro title defence. Team Thaxton better hope that Romanov gets his world title shot, because what if Yuri comes back from the wilderness wanting his old belt?

Tykemania · Post by **Tykemania** » 06 Oct 2008, 05:22

To be honest he should go with whoever is offering the most money because I think he's going to get beaten by anyone he would now look at facing. Unless he wants to go for a string of easy defences for his ego...

tyson · Post by **tyson** » 06 Oct 2008, 05:25

Nate Campbell is out of contract and a free agent i am sure if Mick offered him more then £150k to come over ( that was his purse for Guzman ) he would put belts on line vs Thaxton.

lefthook82 · Post by **lefthook82** » 06 Oct 2008, 07:02

@tyson,

I think Campbell can come over for about 250-300k

Reading that makes you realise how easy it would have been for Warren to get Khan a shot at the title if he was ready.

Phenomenal-Nutrition · Post by **Phenomenal-Nutrition** » 06 Oct 2008, 07:37

Amir Khan, represents his biggest purse, after Amir being ko'd Thaxton may get purse parity, Thaxton may fancy his chances of cracking Khan's chin, a chance to become famous to the British public, and a way back for Amir Khan into the bargain. Thaxton is the level of fighter Khan should be facing to get where he wants and Thaxton is pretty beatable himself. Also it would be an exciting fight for the fans

Chambers2 · Post by **Chambers2** » 06 Oct 2008, 07:59

Jon should have a quickfire defence or 2 of the Euro title IMO, which could work him into a position where he could challenge for a World title if he comes through them (to be honest I think JT will struggle with elite in the division, but it's his ambition and he deserves his chance IMO).

A belated Amir Khan fight would be ideal, but I don't see that happening anytime soon

Poncey · Post by **Poncey** » 06 Oct 2008, 08:05

Ali Funeka.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 07 Oct 2008, 06:30

If they let Khan at Thaxton, it would be a last roll of the dice, Thaxton may be underdog, but he certainly has the power to stop Khan.

Would be an interesting fight, but don't see Warren allowing Khan anywhere near Thaxton.

A fight with Murray after one routine defence would be excellent, Murray looks too solid to me, and should win, but cracking fight.

Wales · Post by **Wales** » 07 Oct 2008, 06:49

Would mick want to pit two of his biggest fighters against one another though?

overhand_right · Post by **overhand_right** » 07 Oct 2008, 06:51

Thaxton should pay Amir back & bring down the curtain on the Boltan lads career in december. Amir is a big worldwide name and an easy win for him.

Why waste his momentum by fighting an actual world class opponent & losing? Cheat his way to a world title shot & go down in Vegas all guns blazing.

banjo · Post by **banjo** » 07 Oct 2008, 06:57

Wales wrote:Would mick want to pit two of his biggest fighters against one another though?

I don't see why not but I think he'll give Thaxton a Euro defence before fighting Murray and Maybe they'll fight some time next year.

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 07 Oct 2008, 10:43

Have to credit Thaxton. He always wants to test himself. He won't let himself get stuck in a rut, which does make a lot of ppl look bad. The man keeps on believing, and keeps on trying. Sometimes it goes badly wrong, but he keeps plugging away. Another chance comes, and it all falls together (sparking Melero in Norwich). If he listened to his critics, he would probably never have been British champ, never mind European.

I do think that the world class aspirations COULD see him before a hostile, unappreciative crowd, vs someone who will beat him down. As I see it, the Euro title makes him a massive scalp for some good British names (like Khan, Murray, Gethin) in what could be cracking events for the British viewers who appreciate Thaxton's dedication, perseverence and unorthodox power/skills.

Not sure that there is such thing as a "routine European title defence" in this case. In the top 4 or 5 EBU rankings are Romanov, Khan, Murray. Other names include Kudriatsev, McAllister, & probably Gethin (after the Fewkes win). Surely winners of Khan-Gethin & Murray-McAllister will end up the top 2 contenders.

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 07 Oct 2008, 14:03

Do Khan/Warren still think they don't need this fight? A lot to gain with Thaxton #1 in the country without question, & holding the European title.

Probably too much risk though, if a faded (albeit very good in his prime) Gomez can hurt Amir, and coming off the Prescott KO.