Proska's cut

[Ezzard]

Should Proska-Hope have been stopped because of the cut? Gone to the cards?

[fizzjambo]

It seemed to throw him well off his gameplan but although it was a bit of mess I think the correct decision was made in letting it go on. I always look at it as a case of if the injury stops the fighter seeing the punches (or some of) coming then it needs to be stopped. Don't think that was the case here though.

I do think Hope should have had a two point deduction for the rubbing his forehead in it though. I could have lived with it not be any points nad both getting a warning but it had to be intentional if it was a foul and hence two points rather than one. A one point deduction seemed the worst possible decision

[Datsue]

It seemed to throw him well off his gameplan but although it was a bit of mess I think the correct decision was made in letting it go on. I always look at it as a case of if the injury stops the fighter seeing the punches (or some of) coming then it needs to be stopped. Don't think that was the case here though.

I do think Hope should have had a two point deduction for the rubbing his forehead in it though. I could have lived with it not be any points nad both getting a warning but it had to be intentional if it was a foul and hence two points rather than one. A one point deduction seemed the worst possible decision

Agree totally, but as someone on here told me the day after the fight, apparently Proska deserved to have the dude headbutt his cut (which was caused by a headclash in the first place) open a bit more, because Proska said something nasty in Polish/was the favourite/fights "arrogantly".

I for one am glad that others have brought to my attention this new interpretation of the rules & I shall henceforth be applying it to all the fights I watch in future.

It's a bit like people's reaction to the scoring of the fight: professional boxing is decided by clean, effective (i.e. hard) punching. You don't hit as hard, you have to outwork someone/make them miss a lot so you land more. Except when you land less punches, which are not as hard, & you still deserve to get the decision, because... Er. The other bloke was arrogant. In Polish. Or something.

[twenty six]

Proksa's team could have pulled him out and under EBU rules it would have gone to the scorecards, so either Proksa's team thought 1/ they were behind, or 2/ the cut wasn't bad enough to pull him out.
Also its correct to say that it was Proksa who wanted words after the bell, and sought out the confrontation which led to Hope's head rubbing the cut.

[Datsue]

Proksa's team could have pulled him out and under EBU rules it would have gone to the scorecards, so either Proksa's team thought 1/ they were behind, or 2/ the cut wasn't bad enough to pull him out.
Also its correct to say that it was Proksa who wanted words after the bell, and sought out the confrontation which led to Hope's head rubbing the cut.

I know! He talked to the bloke! After the bell!

What a bastard that Proska is!

[slapbangwhallop]

Proksa's team could have pulled him out and under EBU rules it would have gone to the scorecards, so either Proksa's team thought 1/ they were behind, or 2/ the cut wasn't bad enough to pull him out.
Also its correct to say that it was Proksa who wanted words after the bell, and sought out the confrontation which led to Hope's head rubbing the cut.

I know! He talked to the bloke! After the bell!

What a bastard that Proska is!

I'd need to watch it again but I thought Proska was the one that squared up and pushed towards Hope first.

He definitely threw a few digs after the bell in the next round as well, maybe that warranted a deduction.

[Wax On]

They both pushed their heads together at the end of the round. So it wasn't all one way. Two points would have been harsh. Provska was lucky not to be docked points on a couple of occasions for his carry on after the bell. He was still throwing punches well after the bell sounded in a couple of rounds.......

[twenty six]

Exactly.
I think Datsue needs to see the issues before, during, and after the event.
A three punch combo after the bell and no action taken ?
I think Proksa can consider himself fortunate.

[milpool]

I think they were both guitly of getting a bit carried away. At one stage you could hear Hope giving a bit of verbal during the round and the referee telling him to shut it.
They were both keen on scuffling after the bell and were both a bit handy with their heads.
I think that Proksa's corner felt that their man would show his superiority and end up stopping Hope but to their dismay that didn't happen and as the fight went on it was too close for them to risk going to the scorecards.
Great entertainment though.

[iamasadlittleboy]

The cut didn't help but the bigger issue was Proksa's absolutely shocking stamina.

[whiskey]

Fantastic fight, plenty of controversy and drama.

Looking forward to seeing it again.

[fizzjambo]

Thought Proska won but Hope was excellent and did make Proksa look pretty ordinary.

The point about the point deduction regarding the cut seems a bit confused here though. If the ref decided to deduct Hope for rubbing his head in Proksa's cut it HAD to be two points. One point is a deduction for an accidental foul, two is the rule for an intentional foul. Davies deducted two points from Billy Joe Saunders when he stuck the nut in the lad he fought on Mitchell/Katsidis bill because it was clearly intentional and hence the correct decision. Proksa and Hope squared up but Hope then rubbed his forehead in Proksa's cut.

I'd have had no issue with Proska being deducted for other infractions but Hope should have lost two points

[twenty six]

So basically we're back to square one.
Hope should have had 2 off, Proksa 1 for a three punch combo after the bell.
So the result is the same.

[Ezzard]

I thought he nicked it, no pun intended, and was confident the judges would hand him a W as his punching was far more accurate. This said, Hope fought his heart out and although I didn't have him winning I felt he deserved it more on the night, if that makes sense.

I was excited by Proska, the excitement has now waned.

C'mon, mate. We all know the myth of the undefeated fighter is a plague on the sport... Stay excited for a little while longer...

[Datsue]

C'mon, mate. We all know the myth of the undefeated fighter is a plague on the sport... Stay excited for a little while longer...

Nowt to do with the loss of the '0', more the fact that he looked terrible. disinterested and if he is slipping up in this way already then it doesn't bode well for his future. I wasn't there when Hagler slipped to 26-2-1, but I doubt he looked as daft as Proska.

Come off it, Tel. It'll either make or break the lad. Barrera didn't look shit-hot getting pummeled by Jr. Jones, did he?

I know they're worlds & galaxies apart, Jones & Hope, but the lad struggled through a fvkcing awful cut, fought as badly as it's possible to fight, & in my mind & the minds of those that are able to count still ended up winning more rounds. If he'd've dogged it when he was getting a pasting I'd've understood the opprobrium floating about, but people on here are talking like Proska's fvcked their girlfriends, raped their wives & chatted up their children.

It's ridiculous.

[Counter-puncher]

C'mon, mate. We all know the myth of the undefeated fighter is a plague on the sport... Stay excited for a little while longer...

Nowt to do with the loss of the '0', more the fact that he looked terrible. disinterested and if he is slipping up in this way already then it doesn't bode well for his future. I wasn't there when Hagler slipped to 26-2-1, but I doubt he looked as daft as Proska.

Come off it, Tel. It'll either make or break the lad. Barrera didn't look shit-hot getting pummeled by Jr. Jones, did he?

I know they're worlds & galaxies apart, Jones & Hope, but the lad struggled through a fvkcing awful cut, fought as badly as it's possible to fight, & in my mind & the minds of those that are able to count still ended up winning more rounds. If he'd've dogged it when he was getting a pasting I'd've understood the opprobrium floating about, but people on here are talking like Proska's fvcked their girlfriends, raped their wives & chatted up their children.

and that's my job, anyway

[Lenny]

Will be interesting to see if Proska loses his form in the later rounds next time he faces an opponent who can take his shots as well as Hope did, cut or no cut.

I had him winning the fight by a couple last weekend

[milpool]

Although this probably deserves a thread of it's own, I just wondered what peopl ethink is next for Kerry Hope? A rematch? A world title shot?

One thing's for sure he'll be in demand, many of the domestic middleweights will fancy their chances of snaring the European title from him.

[Ezzard]

I thought he nicked it, no pun intended, and was confident the judges would hand him a W as his punching was far more accurate. This said, Hope fought his heart out and although I didn't have him winning I felt he deserved it more on the night, if that makes sense.

I was excited by Proska, the excitement has now waned.

C'mon, mate. We all know the myth of the undefeated fighter is a plague on the sport... Stay excited for a little while longer...

Nowt to do with the loss of the '0', more the fact that he looked terrible. disinterested and if he is slipping up in this way already then it doesn't bode well for his future. I wasn't there when Hagler slipped to 26-2-1, but I doubt he looked as daft as Proska.

I think a little piece of all of us was there that night...

Hope looked bigger and was durable. What bothered me, or worried me, was that Proska seemed to take it personally that Hope wouldn't just fold. Most puncher's get frustrated when their sunday best doesn't close the show. The best ones hunker down, sit down less on their shots but up their work-rate to take the decision.

Just to say good luck to Hope. I thought Proska won comfortably but I don't begrudge the underdog.

[twenty six]

Maybe needs to work on his public persona then .....
Always rated him until this latest fight and if you read back I've said I expect him to learn lessons from this fight and come back an even more dangerous prospect for opponents.
No one is doubting his credentials but even the most partisan of fans must have been alarmed by his lack of stamina in this fight.
I can only put that down to a lack of respect for his opponent because against Sylvester he was most definitely at the races.
Sadly in this one he was like a non runner.

[Lenny]

What bothered me, or worried me, was that Proska seemed to take it personally that Hope wouldn't just fold. Most puncher's get frustrated when their sunday best doesn't close the show. The best ones hunker down, sit down less on their shots but up their work-rate to take the decision.

[Datsue]

You can say that Proska and Hope are galaxies apart, but to use an analogy, James Toney was a few levels above Tim Littles and when he got hit and cut he thought, 'eff it, time to take this lad out', so maybe, just maybe, Proska isn't a galaxy removed from Hope and has been exposed a wee bit.

Er.... No, I never said that. Didn't even intimate it. Not quite sure what you're bollocking on about there, mate.

I know they're worlds & galaxies apart, Jones & Hope

Whatever. As I said, my whole point is that I can't see why people are so down on the lad, but then again it's the first time I've seen him, so.

[Datsue]

But I never said -- or implied-- that Hope & Proska were worlds apart. Why do you keep saying that I did?

I mentioned that Hope & Jones were worlds apart as a way of conceding that my top=-of-head comparison RE barrera vs Jones/Prosak vs Hope was contingent at best, rather than some sort of for-all-ages comparison...

PS: & as for what's bollocks, that is (obviously) referring to you saying that I implied Hope & Proska were worlds apart, when I never did. At all.

PPS: I know the reader makes a text & all, but FFS...

[Datsue]

FWIW: Brook was gashingly open to bodypunches, didn't know what to do when the fight wasn't at his range, didn't work inside & rarely moves his head.

[Datsue]