I've had an epithony on eastman

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 26 Dec 2004, 19:00

Read a piece in the express today, obviously written by someone who knows jack all about boxing, and who I would guess NEVER watched Eastman against Joppy.

The guy wrote that the decision was 'highly controversial' and also that 'most pundits thought Eastman won a comfortable decision'

Did they? I recall nothing of the kind.

There were some close rounds in that fight, and you could have made a case for Eastman winning, but only by the narrowest of margins. Personally I thought Joppy was in control through much of the bout, and did the better work.

It worries me that Eastman's response was to call it a robbery, even if he thought he won, surely he must know it would have been very very close.

I think Howard has as much chance of anyone right now of beating Hopkins, but his counterpunching style will be very hard to pull off against someone as strong willed as Bernard. Every game plan Howard might try, will have been seen before.

Sadly, the fight could be much like Hopkins fight with Keith holmes, a boring chess match in which Hopkins looks unspectacular and Eastman lands very few clean shots and a wide points win.

I don't see Howard getting stopped, but I cannot either see what he will do to take Hopkins out of his stride.

Hope I am wrong though, would be a great day for British boxing if he managed to pull it off.

josh fg · Post by **josh fg** » 26 Dec 2004, 21:53

Wales wrote:People dig Hatton for having a terrible padded record well Eastmans is not much better. It worries me that his highest achievment was loosing to WIlliam Joppy who has since been mullered big time by hopkins.

Hopkins will take eastman apart over 12 rounds.... another fighter put into semi-retirement by the executioner.

To be fair the difference between Eastman and Hatton is that Eastman has taken on a lot of EBU mandatorys where as Hatton has a title with witch he can choose his opponents.

Wales · Post by **Wales** » 27 Dec 2004, 09:45

To be fair the difference between Eastman and Hatton is that Eastman has taken on a lot of EBU mandatorys where as Hatton has a title with witch he can choose his opponents.

Every fighter chooses their route in the fight game but the fact still remains that its hard to find a name on eastmans record. 40 fights 34kos... jerry elliot, rob mcracken and a sam soliman who at the time was 11-4.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 27 Dec 2004, 09:56

jamesmcdonnell wrote:Read a piece in the express today, obviously written by someone who knows jack all about boxing, and who I would guess NEVER watched Eastman against Joppy.

The guy wrote that the decision was 'highly controversial' and also that 'most pundits thought Eastman won a comfortable decision'

Did they? I recall nothing of the kind.

Your dead right there James, but for a flash KD in the last second of the bout the fight wouldn't have been close. Joppy still won by 2 (maybe 3) points on my book and obviously that would have been different if that final puch hadn't have landed.

The KD closed the scores up but the line "most pundits thought Eastman wasn a comfortable decision" was way out. Admittedly, the crowd booed the decision, but thats because Eastman's antics won them over (unlike with Hamed). Every time Eastman did a dance or put his foot on the ropes the crowd where cheering.

josh fg · Post by **josh fg** » 27 Dec 2004, 13:25

Eastman didn't win the Joppy fight partialy because he was nurves being on an american bill in my oppinion his manegement made a vast error in not having him fight on another US bill between that last bout and this one. That expireance would have helped him.

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 27 Dec 2004, 14:07

Sorry guys but Eastman just isnt that good. Yes he is EBU champ and has defended several times but his level of competition has in general been pretty weak. McCracken and Soliman aside his record hardly reads well on the 'world' scene. He hasnt beaten anyone remotely world class in a long time. Cant believe people are giving him a shout against Hopkins - and calling it a 50-50 fight is beyond ridiculous!

Any genuine world class fighter would not be losing to a shopworn Joppy as he did and there's no doubting in my mind that Joppy was well on the slide by that point.

Goz · Post by **Goz** » 27 Dec 2004, 15:17

Aboslutely. Bernard Hopkins = Chelsea/Arsenal/Man.Utd.

Howard Eastman = Ipswich.

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 29 Dec 2004, 06:37

Goz wrote:Aboslutely. Bernard Hopkins = Chelsea/Arsenal/Man.Utd.

Howard Eastman = Ipswich.

thats a bit harsh crystal palace perhaps.

Twinkle Toes · Post by **Twinkle Toes** » 29 Dec 2004, 07:33

I go for Hopkins too.

The only advantage Eastman has is that he is younger. Hopkins will be 40 come fight time, and regardless of how well he has looked after his body, there does come a time when enough is enough.

Hopkins going old over night is the only way I see Eastman pulling this off.

Eastman looked far from scintillating in both the Elliot, and Tatevosyan fights. He is going to need to up his game hugely to even compete with Hopkins.

Buster · Post by **Buster** » 30 Dec 2004, 02:02

Eastman needs to train his ass off like never before, get into the ring with the intention of going to war for 12 rounds, he isnt going to outbox Bernard and the Yanks will hate it if he is too negative. He will be headlining a fight on HBO for the Undisputed Middleweight Title against a boxing legend who is currently ranked #1 pound 4 pound by none other than Ring Magazine, it wont come any bigger than this for Howard, he needs to do a Buster Douglas go to war and give it everything!!

mickeybeard · Post by **mickeybeard** » 30 Dec 2004, 09:53

Buster wrote:Eastman needs to train his ass off like never before, get into the ring with the intention of going to war for 12 rounds, he isnt going to outbox Bernard and the Yanks will hate it if he is too negative. He will be headlining a fight on HBO for the Undisputed Middleweight Title against a boxing legend who is currently ranked #1 pound 4 pound by none other than Ring Magazine, it wont come any bigger than this for Howard, he needs to do a Buster Douglas go to war and give it everything!!

Agreed. You know that boxing politics will mean that Hopkins won't be able to keep all of those belts forever, so Eastman going out on his shield in a tear-up could put him in line for a shot at a vacant belt, or a 'normal' world title if the old Champion Emeritus bollocks rears it's head. The division lacks characters, and Howard could make himself very sellable, even with a loss here. Will the often one-paced Eastman be up to it, though?

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 30 Dec 2004, 10:07

Hah if only it were that simple for Eastman to "do a Douglas". At least Buster had ample oppurtunity to land punches on Tyson, with Hopkins it's totally different, he barely takes a single punch flush in any of his fights. In fact I challenge anyone to find a photograph of the Executioner with a bruise or cut of any kind.

mickeybeard · Post by **mickeybeard** » 30 Dec 2004, 10:14

I think conventional boxing wisdom says that Hopkins will outbox Eastman, but does Eastman just want to hear the final bell, or does he want to do something to make an impression and maybe get himself big fights down the line?

mickeybeard · Post by **mickeybeard** » 30 Dec 2004, 10:40

Kilburn wrote:In fact I challenge anyone to find a photograph of the Executioner with a bruise or cut of any kind.

I found this on http://www.immakingshitup.com

...What? It's Christmas, I'm allowed to act like a child.

Buster · Post by **Buster** » 30 Dec 2004, 14:09

Kilburn wrote:Hah if only it were that simple for Eastman to "do a Douglas". At least Buster had ample oppurtunity to land punches on Tyson, with Hopkins it's totally different, he barely takes a single punch flush in any of his fights. In fact I challenge anyone to find a photograph of the Executioner with a bruise or cut of any kind.

I'm not saying it will turn out like Buster/Tyson

.... I'm saying he should give 100% like Buster did and take the fight to the champ, theres no way he's going to win if he fights like he did against Jerry Elliot or Joppy.

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 30 Dec 2004, 19:37

Eastman is often one paced as he only has one pace. I've never seen him work through 3 minutes of a round can anyone else recall him doing so?

Matchfixer · Post by **Matchfixer** » 31 Dec 2004, 16:22

Manos de Oro wrote:
Matchfixer wrote:If you can take a punch from Jerry Elliot then you can take one from Bernard Hopkins.
Body types can be decieving. Elliot looks like a monster, but might not punch that hard. Look at all the toothpick one-punch knockout artists in boxing history. Hopkins likes to punch in regular bursts at a pace Eastman is uncomfortable with - he won't just be taking 'a punch' from Hopkins, he will be taking many, well into the double digits every round.

Matchfixer wrote:Never been too sure about the plaudits Bernard Hopkins has received and think Eastman has at least a 50/50 chance.

Ignore the hype, watch his fights, this guy's the real deal. No way is Eastman not an underdog.

Matchfixer wrote:Only thing holding him back is his concentration as has been mentioned already.
True. But he also has a lack of experience being in that particular ring, not to mention being in it with someone remotely the same class as Hopkins. He will have to concentrate 100% just to survive.

Matchfixer wrote:Unfortunately I predict a Hopkins points win as you have to win rounds clearly in the US if you are a challenger and I expect most of them to be fairly even.
Hopkins points win is a good prediction. I doubt very highly that most of them will be fairly even.

Sorry to pick apart your post like this Matchfixer, but I just disagreed with most it. :P

No problem! We will see what happens when they meet... :)

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 31 Dec 2004, 16:30

We certainly will. I dont see Eastman winning many rounds never mind the fight.

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 31 Dec 2004, 18:24

Im wonder whos shwoing it here in the uk. Will it be Sky?