Sorry Ryan (merged)

[DG.]

You ducked Small all along.

Yeah, you did!


DD

[whicker]

Well...

I was really impressed with that match up. Sorry it didn't happen.

Just wonder how Small feels about it- wonder is it will give him a confidence boost before being battered by Hall?

[leeharding]

Well...

I was really impressed with that match up. Sorry it didn't happen.

Just wonder how Small feels about it- wonder is it will give him a confidence boost before being battered by Hall?

he did duck small i agree to

[hurlock]

seems like rhodes is just holding out for a pay day.
if he cant beat small he dont deserve a shot.i

[whicker]

seems like rhodes is just holding out for a pay day.

Yeah, perhaps... shame he had that bad infection, otherwise I'm sure the Small fight would have gone ahead as planned.

[sweetscience]

b4 he gave up his belt i believed he was ill and wasnt ducking him

but after giving up his belt im not too sure, unless his NEXT fight is massive, and its soon, cause i dont see why he coulndt have fought small last night

[hitman_hatton1]

You ducked Small all along.

Yeah, you did!


DD

keep stoking it.

anything to piss off twenty six the old goat.

[hurlock]

why's he have 26 tat?? is it the ammount of excuses he has used for ducking small??

[failedairman]

pre fight interview he kept going on abour Small not being part of plan for EU title! Small fighting Hall for brit/comm titles, Moore just about to defend EBU, not quite sure where EU shot puts someone, look at their H/W ratings Audley at no.9!

[DG.]

You ducked Small all along.

Yeah, you did!


DD

keep stoking it.

anything to piss off twenty six the old goat.

Was Rhodes even ill? He was ringside on the night and who knows if he was really as ill as he says?

He bottled it.

As someone said if you cant beat Small then you do not deserve the big fights!

[beagleboy]

He took longer to stop a Hungarian journeyman than big-punching light-welterweight Colin Lynes.

Look at his recent opponents. Woolcombe was stopped quicker by Facey.
When he has had a test (Lockett or Small ) he pulled out.

If Small wasn't going to help his career, what was the point of his promoter winning the purse bid ?

If beating Small can't help his career, how can beating a guy who Colin Lynes stopped ?

[big lennox]

FYI.Rhodes boxed locket.He did'nt pull out.

[big lennox]

It's good to keep busy.

I can understand people's dissapointment in the rhodes-small fight not happening, but if people here on this forum are sick, i am pretty sure they take a few days off work.You can't go into a title defense with a chest infection. It's as simple as that.

I think antony small's big mouth has convinced people he is better than he actually is.Trust me, he was tkaen out of the equation by bradley pryce who is really a welterweight.

[beagleboy]

It's good to keep busy.

I can understand people's dissapointment in the rhodes-small fight not happening, but if people here on this forum are sick, i am pretty sure they take a few days off work.You can't go into a title defense with a chest infection. It's as simple as that.

I think antony small's big mouth has convinced people he is better than he actually is.Trust me, he was tkaen out of the equation by bradley pryce who is really a welterweight.

Rhodes did pull out of the Lockett fight initially.
Fair enough if he genuinely was ill for the Small fight, but to give up his British title not to face him is baffling.
You may consider Bradley Pryce a welterweight, but Rhodes turned down a fight with him after winning the title.

[big lennox]

There is always a context when fights aren't made.I don't think anyone can doubt Rhodes bottle though -he's sparred with sven ottke, marcus beyer, Javier Casstilio, been in with jason mathews (miles bigger than him) and Ottis Grant (again a lot bigger than him and went 10 rounds with roy joens in his next fight). I really can't see him being scared of small.I really want to see how small re-acts to being in a fight with someone that can punch and fancies their chances.

[twenty six]

To be honest I'm surprised it's taken this long for the usual protaganists to voice their opinions.
A few weeks ago there was a thread that spoke about "boxing politics" and how it affects fighters.
A couple of the posters here are intelligent guys who know how sordid boxing politics can be.
Ultimately it's up to the individual to believe what they wish - it's not my role to persuade anyone anything different.
The facts are that he had a chest infection.
He would have gladly faced Small.
Contractually things were going on that are no one else's business - certainly not mine - that meant that Rhodes was placed in a situation none of us would enjoy.
By vacating the title he can now get on with his career.
Subject to TV dates and negotitions underway his next fight will be later this year and for a title.
He had only a week to prepare for this fight and it was only signed sealed and delivered on Thursday.
I will be the first to say that Ryan's performance was competent not pulse racing.
He got the job done, remained active, and can now focus on the next one which as I said earlier, subject to negotiations will be for a title.
Believe what you will.

[twenty six]

Bigmark,
I'm sure you meant to say didn't
Ultimately mate everyone will forge their own opinion.
There are things that can be said, and others that can't.
The devil is in the detail, as they say.

[Counter-puncher]

I will be the first to say that Ryan's performance was competent not pulse racing.
He got the job done, remained active, .

giving him the bebefit of the doubt i was classing his performance as the kind of conservative keep-busy type performance where he just wanted to keep busy and not have disasters like cuts etc. and getting rounds under his belt wouldn't hurt, etc

I've always liked the way he throws the right hook to the body

[DG.]

It's good to keep busy.

I can understand people's dissapointment in the rhodes-small fight not happening, but if people here on this forum are sick, i am pretty sure they take a few days off work.You can't go into a title defense with a chest infection. It's as simple as that.

I think antony small's big mouth has convinced people he is better than he actually is.Trust me, he was tkaen out of the equation by bradley pryce who is really a welterweight.

We take days off sick - but we go back to work after. Ryan did not.

[twenty six]

DG - that is shallow and shows your lack of understanding of boxing.
When there were calls for your head, I never passed comment, cos well it's each to their own.
You have an opinion and I respect that.

[DG.]

There is always a context when fights aren't made.I don't think anyone can doubt Rhodes bottle though -he's sparred with sven ottke, marcus beyer, Javier Casstilio, been in with jason mathews (miles bigger than him) and Ottis Grant (again a lot bigger than him and went 10 rounds with roy joens in his next fight). I really can't see him being scared of small.I really want to see how small re-acts to being in a fight with someone that can punch and fancies their chances.

Sparring and fighting are not the same.

Rhodes of 10 years ago is not the Rhodes of now i termd of fighting.

I see his point about Small but why bother with the Press conference etc? He must have known he did not want to fight small?

He does not think he can beat Small, imo.

[DG.]

To be honest I'm surprised it's taken this long for the usual protaganists to voice their opinions.
A few weeks ago there was a thread that spoke about "boxing politics" and how it affects fighters.
A couple of the posters here are intelligent guys who know how sordid boxing politics can be.
Ultimately it's up to the individual to believe what they wish - it's not my role to persuade anyone anything different.
The facts are that he had a chest infection.
He would have gladly faced Small.
Contractually things were going on that are no one else's business - certainly not mine - that meant that Rhodes was placed in a situation none of us would enjoy.
By vacating the title he can now get on with his career.
Subject to TV dates and negotitions underway his next fight will be later this year and for a title.
He had only a week to prepare for this fight and it was only signed sealed and delivered on Tuesday.
I will be the first to say that Ryan's performance was competent not pulse racing.
He got the job done, remained active, and can now focus on the next one which as I said earlier, subject to negotiations will be for a title.
Believe what you will.

If you are talking about the Fwank Warren being his co/manager then Ryan should say so and NOT the other stuff about rankings etc.

[Counter-puncher]

Sparring and fighting are not the same.

Rhodes of 10 years ago is not the Rhodes of now i termd of fighting.

Stop Press (1): sparring and fighting are different activities

Stop Press (2): boxers can lose some of their skills over a 10 year period to their mid-30s

DG is certainly bringing the news today. what's next, Scoop?

[twenty six]

That's the point DG - why dont you read what is said ?
He DID want the fight, had to pull out with a chest infection then boxing politics took over.
There's no point in carrying on repeating over and over again.
Rhodes scared of Small ?
Oh deary me.
Let's wait and see if Sugar Ray Clay turns up against Hall.

[DG.]

DG - that is shallow and shows your lack of understanding of boxing.
When there were calls for your head, I never passed comment, cos well it's each to their own.
You have an opinion and I respect that.

This calling for my head can stick theirs up their bottom.

I think Rhodes let himself down by not rescheduling the fight, in my opinion.

Rhodes said he could easily deal with Small so why didn't he?


I know enought about boxing to debate most things (when I can be bothered) - if it is the Fwank Warren Manager thng then why did he not say so?

Fighting for the Eu belt to gain a number 5 spot when he is alrady number 8 with smeone else is bafflling.

It's not an eliminator, is it?