Rematch?

[keirw]

Does anyone think Smith should get another chance at Abraham?
It was mentioned once or twice during the Sky coverage.
I personally think that if Hearn is gonna put his hand in his pocket to get Abraham over to the UK (a big ask in itself) it should be for Degale, anyone else feel like this or am I on my own?

[crusader]

It shouldn't be mandated, as I've seen some suggest. Smith was given a voluntary shot and deserved to lose imo. People are caught up in the excessively wide cards but the result was fair and I think rematches that are mandated based on the initial fight should be saved for unfair results.

I wouldn't have a problem if they agreed to it though.

[bripez]

Ain't gonna be no rematch - don't want one.

[keirw]

I agree, Smith did much better than I expected and I'll raise a glass to him for that, he should be proud of his performance,
but I had Abraham winning by a few rounds in the end.
The cards were too wide imo though.
I felt throughout the fight that if Degale was in the opposite corner that Abraham would have been made to look foolish

[sucracristo]

i saw smith outboxing and outworking AA in most of the rounds and had smith
winning that fight. beforehand i thought that smith was capable of this kind of a fight
and he pulled off the game plan to a T and got no recognition for it from the judges.
the scorecards give abraham all the reason in the world not to give smith a rematch.
if there was a rematch, it would be in germany and i can't see smith fighting any
better in the rematch, which means all 3 judges will score it a shutout for AA.
smith would have a chance at winning if it went the same way in england, but
why would AA defend his title in england? you would need to pay him at least
twice what he could make defending it against anybody else in germany, and
economically that doesn't make sense for matchroom. is smith going to earn that
back for matchroom even if he wins the rematch and defends it in liverpool or manchester?
unless smith was made mandatory challenger, doesn't make sense that AA would fight smith
again because he was tough enough of a voluntary defense.

[righthook]

Smith deffo deserves a rematch no doubt but there is more chance of rocking horse sh##.

AA will want to fight a bigger name and in his own country! Smith done brilliant but there's no point in going back to Germany for a rematch due to the fact u have to knock him out to get a draw, and there's no way AA will come to Liverpool.

Just another case of shocking judging in our sport

[Parson Cross]

No chance.
How can the rematch be mandated when Smith lost ? - and in my view he did lose but by a much closer margin.
Gallagher demanding Eddie "buy" the fight to put it in in UK was just anger talk and a bit silly really.
Sky have little interest in World Title fights unless it justifies ppv.

[Loftgroov]

No chance of a rematch and if there was, you'd only see AA take it more seriously and that wouldn't be good for Paul Smith.

[Dioufy]

I wouldn't want to see a rematch... I feel that was a good chance for Smith to beat Abraham, especially after 6 rounds, but he just couldn't capitalise.

[Sklar]

I'm re-watching the fight now and I don't see the justification for a rematch or for scandal, I've got it wider this time. I didn't think I'd been influenced by the Sky commentary, as I had AA winning, but I must've been. Abraham clearly had a bad camp and/or is getting old because his work-rate was poor and he faded down the stretch but he was blocking almost everything and Smith's busy work was almost wholly ineffectual. Abraham's assaults were clearly more damaging. All in all it was a routine defence. Some people are getting carried away.

People should probably re-watch using this stream(no cheerleaders) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHAunBpbDS0

[Datsue]

I'm re-watching the fight now and I don't see the justification for a rematch or for scandal, I've got it wider this time. I didn't think I'd been influenced by the Sky commentary, as I had AA winning, but I must've been. Abraham clearly had a bad camp and/or is getting old because his work-rate was poor and he faded down the stretch but he was blocking almost everything and Smith's busy work was almost wholly ineffectual. Abraham's assaults were clearly more damaging. All in all it was a routine defence. Some people are getting carried away.

People should probably re-watch using this stream(no cheerleaders) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHAunBpbDS0

That's the one I caught, too.

[JimJim2009]

His mandatory is Stielglitz so the title is staying in Germany. I had Smith winning, Arthur's "do xxxx all for ages" approach does little for me. At least Paul's stock has gone up as a result. A good rest, back out in the new year, and he can easily have a 2nd world title fight in 2015. Liverpool fans can pack out the big arena there is the card brings them out and Smith would be well supported if its promoted and packaged right.

At least he didn't get a career ending bad knock out last night.

[lefty]

His mandatory is Stielglitz so the title is staying in Germany. I had Smith winning, Arthur's "do xxxx all for ages" approach does little for me. At least Paul's stock has gone up as a result. A good rest, back out in the new year, and he can easily have a 2nd world title fight in 2015. Liverpool fans can pack out the big arena there is the card brings them out and Smith would be well supported if its promoted and packaged right.

At least he didn't get a career ending bad knock out last night.

Cant see what other world champion is gonna give him a chance though.

[whiskey]

His mandatory is Stielglitz so the title is staying in Germany. I had Smith winning, Arthur's "do xxxx all for ages" approach does little for me. At least Paul's stock has gone up as a result. A good rest, back out in the new year, and he can easily have a 2nd world title fight in 2015. Liverpool fans can pack out the big arena there is the card brings them out and Smith would be well supported if its promoted and packaged right.

At least he didn't get a career ending bad knock out last night.

Whilst I disagree with the result (although it was absolutely no domination by Abraham) - your very correct about his stock going up.

He didn't disgrace himself in any fashion, and had lots of success in an evenly contested bout.

For me, he took a couple of rounds off - and whilst Abraham was economic, he was very accurate when he did throw in the close rounds.

[dan28uk]

I think there's cause for a rematch but wouldn't expect one it was a voluntary defence if there was one it would be in Germany and Paul Smith couldn't fight any better Abraham could and would expect him to beat him more comfortable I think Abraham definitely underestimated paul Smith.

[Tykemania]

There shouldn't be a mandated rematch - aside from the fact that it was a voluntary defence, and that the only previous example, in Groves Froch, was actually a poor decision, the fact is that Abraham had as good of a claim to the fight as Smith. The Judges should be investigated because there is something fishy in the cards, but no one could really argue that Smith was winning by more than one or two points in the very best of circumstances.

[Broomhall]

Had his shot, didnt take his chance against one of the weaker title holders. Move on everyody, nothing to see here.


When Mo Hope went to Germany as a deserved challenger to Eckhard Dagge he boxed his ears off and got a draw. He didnt get another shot for two years. Now that was robbery.

This was a case of unexpected present, gift wrapped which he forgot to open because he was eating pork pies instead. Not the most dedicated or active of fighters ,Smith-two or three fights a year for the last few years not going to give you the best base when you need a high tempo to fight someone like Abraham.

[hurlock]

Smith was used as a warm up & the sturm fight is way bigger over there

[keirw]

Smith was used as a warm up & the sturm fight is way bigger over there

Strum vs Abraham would probably be a stadium fight in Germany,
yet another reason why a rematch won't happen

[taffytoon]

i saw smith outboxing and outworking AA in most of the rounds and had smith
winning that fight. beforehand i thought that smith was capable of this kind of a fight
and he pulled off the game plan to a T and got no recognition for it from the judges.
the scorecards give abraham all the reason in the world not to give smith a rematch.
if there was a rematch, it would be in germany and i can't see smith fighting any
better in the rematch, which means all 3 judges will score it a shutout for AA.
smith would have a chance at winning if it went the same way in england, but
why would AA defend his title in england? you would need to pay him at least
twice what he could make defending it against anybody else in germany, and
economically that doesn't make sense for matchroom. is smith going to earn that
back for matchroom even if he wins the rematch and defends it in liverpool or manchester?
unless smith was made mandatory challenger, doesn't make sense that AA would fight smith
again because he was tough enough of a voluntary defense.

Seriously!!

[sucracristo]

Cant see what other world champion is gonna give him a chance though.

i'd like to see him against next week's soliman-taylor winner at 160.
there's also the IBO, which isn't a major title but every big name in boxing has fought
for it in the last 20 years or so. smith could beat the 168 IBO holder and it might
be something to do in the meantime while he looks for another big fight.
he could probably even get that guy to fight him in liverpool