Ruslan Provodnikov vs Mike Alvarado

[Blodhemn]

Alvarado's body was broken. Wouldn't be surprised he's got a cracked rib. Ruslan didn't goto Bradley's body like that, but his head was buzzed over and over.

Ricky Burns just did 10 rounds with a snapped Jaw.

Yeah, although obviously painful, it's not the same as your body's core locking up like Alvarado's did while taking those cannons to the body.

[lefty]

I think Provodnikov is limited as hell in terms of boxing ability but he's clearly tough as nails and I think he hits harder than even his knockout percentage says.

[DMA1987]

That's what made Bradley's performance so laudable though. Most times a fighter is that condition (and Alvarado seemed more hurt than Bradley to me) things don't end well for them.

I don't know, Bradley had no idea where he was some rounds of that fight, I'd say he took a bigger beating than Alvarado just did. Alvarado had his heart broken, and it's just not something I expected to see. I wasn't there taking the punches though.

Alvarado had been dropped twice, battered for three rounds straight, taken a lot of punishment over ten rounds (Bradley was battered over the first two and then generally avoided serious damage until the final rounds), and he looked like he didn't know where he was after the tenth ended. I think he was seriously hurt and I don't think losing on his stool will generally be looked upon negatively.

I wouldn't class what he did as quitting, he had every right to retire on his stool from the punishment he was taking. But I have also seen plenty of champions go back out (more hurt than Alvarado was), I thought he had that kind of heart. He wasn't dropped either, he took a knee twice.

[DMA1987]

Alvarado's body was broken. Wouldn't be surprised he's got a cracked rib. Ruslan didn't goto Bradley's body like that, but his head was buzzed over and over.

Ricky Burns just did 10 rounds with a snapped Jaw.

Yeah, although obviously painful, it's not the same as your body's core locking up like Alvarado's did while taking those cannons to the body.

Excruciatingly painful I would imagine but I know I'm being harsh on Alvarado.

[gilgamesh]

I think Provodnikov is limited as hell in terms of boxing ability but he's clearly tough as nails and I think he hits harder than even his knockout percentage says.

He's really developed his punching power better over the last year or two. He had thudding kinda shots when I first saw him, but wasn't doing the kinds of things he's doing now to people back then.

He's taken his natural power that he had and improved his technique a lot to bring out the full potential of his punching power.

He's still definitely not too hard to outbox. He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy that will ever be a particularly great boxer either. I just think he'll always be in there trying to get in the other guys chest and outwill whoever they put in front of him.

I'll definitely be rooting for him against almost anybody. He's my kinda fighter.

[lefty]

I think Provodnikov is limited as hell in terms of boxing ability but he's clearly tough as nails and I think he hits harder than even his knockout percentage says.

He's really developed his punching power better over the last year or two. He had thudding kinda shots when I first saw him, but wasn't doing the kinds of things he's doing now to people back then.

He's taken his natural power that he had and improved his technique a lot to bring out the full potential of his punching power.

He's still definitely not too hard to outbox. He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy that will ever be a particularly great boxer either. I just think he'll always be in there trying to get in the other guys chest and outwill whoever they put in front of him.

I'll definitely be rooting for him against almost anybody. He's my kinda fighter.

He's a fun fighter to watch no doubt. That's why id love to see him vs Rios. I dont particularily like Rios as a person but there's no doubting his fighting heart! That would be Gatti-Ward like I reckon.

[crusader]

The champions who continued when they were more seriously hurt than Alvarado was must have shown incredible courage in doing so. I don't think Alvarado should be criticized because he didn't show the same level of heart, assuming he wanted the fight stop.

That he was dropped, took a knee, went down, etc. twice in round eight yet continued to take punishment for two more rounds when he was obviously hurt, worn down, and busted up was an impressive display of heart in my opinion.

[lefty]

The champions who continued when they were more seriously hurt than Alvarado was must have shown incredible courage in doing so. I don't think Alvarado should be criticized because he didn't show the same level of heart, assuming he wanted the fight stop.

That he was dropped, took a knee, went down, etc. twice in round eight yet continued to take punishment for two more rounds when he was obviously hurt and worn down was an impressive display of heart in my opinion.

I dont think he lacked heart personally. If anything his heart was a bit too much for his own good. You could tell at the end at the last few rounds, he didnt even know where his corner was! Anyway, if he didnt have heart, he wouldnt of got up from the second knockdown where Provodnikov was really taking it too him. He could of easily not got up for the count there if he didnt want to.

[crusader]

Anyone heard what the scores were at the time of the stoppage?

[gilgamesh]

I think Provodnikov is limited as hell in terms of boxing ability but he's clearly tough as nails and I think he hits harder than even his knockout percentage says.

He's really developed his punching power better over the last year or two. He had thudding kinda shots when I first saw him, but wasn't doing the kinds of things he's doing now to people back then.

He's taken his natural power that he had and improved his technique a lot to bring out the full potential of his punching power.

He's still definitely not too hard to outbox. He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy that will ever be a particularly great boxer either. I just think he'll always be in there trying to get in the other guys chest and outwill whoever they put in front of him.

I'll definitely be rooting for him against almost anybody. He's my kinda fighter.

He's a fun fighter to watch no doubt. That's why id love to see him vs Rios. I dont particularily like Rios as a person but there's no doubting his fighting heart! That would be Gatti-Ward like I reckon.

Provodnikov vs Matthysse would be amazing as well.

Provo vs Rios would obviously be easier to pull off negotiation wise. Depending on how the Pac fight goes it may happen.

I doubt Rios would fight a guy like Provodnikov immediately if he takes a very bad beating from Pacquiao. If he lasts the distance and wins at least 3 or 4 rounds...he might go straight at someone like Provodnikov off of that kinda showing.

I get the feeling after fighting Pac at 147 Rios will never drop back down to 140 again...so if he fights Ruslan it'll have to be at Welterweight or a catchweight. Considering he just won a belt at 140, I doubt he'll be in a rush to move back up to Welterweight anytime soon.

[lefty]

I think Provodnikov is limited as hell in terms of boxing ability but he's clearly tough as nails and I think he hits harder than even his knockout percentage says.

He's really developed his punching power better over the last year or two. He had thudding kinda shots when I first saw him, but wasn't doing the kinds of things he's doing now to people back then.

He's taken his natural power that he had and improved his technique a lot to bring out the full potential of his punching power.

He's still definitely not too hard to outbox. He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy that will ever be a particularly great boxer either. I just think he'll always be in there trying to get in the other guys chest and outwill whoever they put in front of him.

I'll definitely be rooting for him against almost anybody. He's my kinda fighter.

He's a fun fighter to watch no doubt. That's why id love to see him vs Rios. I dont particularily like Rios as a person but there's no doubting his fighting heart! That would be Gatti-Ward like I reckon.

Provodnikov vs Matthysse would be amazing as well.

Provo vs Rios would obviously be easier to pull off negotiation wise. Depending on how the Pac fight goes it may happen.

I doubt Rios would fight a guy like Provodnikov immediately if he takes a very bad beating from Pacquiao. If he lasts the distance and wins at least 3 or 4 rounds...he might go straight at someone like Provodnikov off of that kinda showing.

I get the feeling after fighting Pac at 147 Rios will never drop back down to 140 again...so if he fights Ruslan it'll have to be at Welterweight or a catchweight. Considering he just won a belt at 140, I doubt he'll be in a rush to move back up to Welterweight anytime soon.[/quote]

I suppose it's the whole money talks thing though. There's not a ton of options at 140 at top rank! Nearly all the talent is with golden boy in that division.

[DMA1987]

The champions who continued when they were more seriously hurt than Alvarado was must have shown incredible courage in doing so. I don't think Alvarado should be criticized because he didn't show the same level of heart, assuming he wanted the fight stop.

That he was dropped, took a knee, went down, etc. twice in round eight yet continued to take punishment for two more rounds was an impressive display of heart in my opinion.

He impressed me towards the end of round 8. I'm not really criticising him, I don't think he quit and like you said previously this is hardly going to be a 'no mas' kind of memory. I just don't think on a stool is where you should be losing your title and I have no doubt tomorrow he will think the exact same thing. Some people can just transcend the pain and pull that bit more from somewhere else. Burns did it to keep going out to get hit on a horribly broken jaw which must have been agony. Barker did it to get up from a body shot which keeps 95% of people down. Bradley did to get up from shots which were giving him brain damage.

I think probably Alvarado could have, he just knew what was coming if he did. That is heart rather than being PUP. But its heart on top of heart, and you are right when you say Alvarado shouldn't be criticised for not having it. He did show heart in the fight.

[crusader]

To me you're just drawing lines between showing great heart and showing good heart. If Alvarado didn't at least show good heart he would've been out of there when he was badly hurt and being punished in the 8th, but he went through two more rounds of punishment, had his eye shut, and didn't seem know where he was at the end of the tenth. You claim that you don't want to lose a title on the stool, but in this case I think that's a better way to lose than being heavily stopped when you've been out of it for multiple rounds and need help finding your way to your corner; I think what Alvarado went through up to that point must be factored into whether the decision for him to not continue was a bad one, or at least not a good one.

Also, Bradley took a knee in the 12th just like Alvarado did in the 8th. If you're going to claim that Bradley 'transcended the pain' to get up then you should be doing the same with Alvarado, who fought two more rounds after going down unlike Bradley.

[crusader]

According to Steve Kim's twitter:

Provodnikov up 98-90, 96-92 and 97-90 at the time of the stoppage

[gills13]

Gallagher breaks with pressures j

[Blodhemn]

Gallagher breaks with pressures j

Great fight commentary btw. Stick around.

[DMA1987]

To me you're just drawing lines between showing great heart and showing good heart. If Alvarado didn't at least show good heart he would've been out of there when he was badly hurt and being punished in the 8th, but he went through two more rounds of punishment, had his eye shut, and didn't seem know where he was at the end of the tenth. You claim that you don't want to lose a title on the stool, but in this case I think that's a better way to lose than being heavily stopped when you've been out of it for multiple rounds and need help finding your way to your corner; I think what Alvarado went through up to that point must be factored into whether the decision for him to not continue was a bad one, or at least not a good one.

Also, Bradley took a knee in the 12th just like Alvarado did in the 8th. If you're going to claim that Bradley 'transcended the pain' to get up then you should be doing the same with Alvarado, who fought two more rounds after going down unlike Bradley.

I wasn't calling Alvarado a coward I hope you realise that. You are exactly right in your opening lines - it took me longer than it should to realise that's what I was doing. I got there though!

To be fair I thought he missed the count quite clearly after the first knee. Even though he went down under his own steam he didn't look much like he wanted to get up, though like I said before he impressed me towards the end of round 8. I think you are probably right, but it all hinges on whether Alvarado knows he gave it absolutely everything. Only he knows.

[crusader]

http://www.BS.com/alvarado-im- ... isk--70822

He says continuing wasn't worth the health risk but maybe after some time to reflect he'll change his position, as is often the case in the days following a bout.

[gilgamesh]

Im curious, what do you fella's think would be the outcome if Provodnikov fought Matthysse?

I don't know, but I'd sure love to see it. I'd be rooting for Provodnikov, but it seems like a real toss up fight to me.