Graham Houston Fightwriter

[littlekinny]

Does anyone know if fightwriter.com is still going?
Graham Houston used to do free previews and reviews which then became a subscription site.
Whenever I google it now I cant find it. Does anybody know what happened or if it was closed down?
All I can find are his twitter tweets?

[Taansend]

Did you try tweeting him?

[orbtastic]

He posts on here sporadically, he posted a day or so ago so you may get a reply?

[Graham Houston]

Does anyone know if fightwriter.com is still going?
Graham Houston used to do free previews and reviews which then became a subscription site.
Whenever I google it now I cant find it. Does anybody know what happened or if it was closed down?
All I can find are his twitter tweets?

I closed the site down at the end of last year, kinny. I just didn't have the time to keep updating it. Taking over the editor's role at Boxing Monthly after Glyn Leach's sudden and totally unexpected passing late last year meant a considerably increased workload, and I have another, subscriber-based, writing commitment.

The last straw, though, was when the web-hosting company told me that the Drupal technology used on the site had become outdated and the site would either have to be rebuilt using new Drupal technology or hosted on a dedicated server (that is, a private server) at more than four times the monthly web-hosting cost.

I decided to keep it going up until Dec. 31, 2014, and then make a clean break.

That, in essence, is the story behind the site closure, kinny.

[whiskey]

Still got the old files / site saved somewhere?

Not too hard to convert, my friend dabbles in Drupal. But i appreciate if your stretched and cant put the work in to keep it relevant.

[crusader]

One of my favorite sites. If I could read only one person's pre-fight analysis and predictions it would be Graham's.

[Peter_G_Superstar]

Graham I heard you where pomping for a Manny win against Floyd? Is this true?

Just as you have usually got a good track record Whats your reasoning?

[Graham Houston]

Graham I heard you where pomping for a Manny win against Floyd? Is this true?

Just as you have usually got a good track record Whats your reasoning?

Pomping? Got me there, Peter. In a nutshell, I like Manny's foot speed and hand speed to trump Mayweather's artistry and precision. I break it all down -- well, as best I can -- in the new issue of the magazine. It's only an opinion. No point in previewing a fight without taking a position, right? (In our "expert opinion" survey almost everyone if going for Mayweather, BTW, and one very good judge with many years in boxing makes it an easy fight for Floyd.)

[whiskey]

The closer the fight gets, the more I like Pacquiao's chances.

Lots of footage of Floyd cutting trees and building strength and apparently being very aggressive in sparring - but maybe thats a red herring and on the night he will be overly economical and that could cost him dearly.

And the flipside is that if he does come out head-on, well that's where Manny wants him.

I know that people look at the ease which Floyd handled JMM, but he was brought straight up from 135 for that one, hadn't grew into the weight in any fashion and was expecting a catchweight - which Floyd bunked and paid the fine instead.

Meanwhile I watch the trouble Zab gave Floyd in the first half, and then look at how Pacquiao left Cotto looking like chopped meat - and I think he's all wrong for Floyd.

Manny is like a wasp, he darts in and out and around his opponents. He throws a lot of leather constantly and bamboozles people.

He's looked disinterested in recent fights, but I think he's going to be on fire for this one.

Floyd's had UD's in 2 of his last 3 fights, and drew remarks that he is not as quick or slick as five years ago. I expect him to bring his A-game, but not sure the same natural gifts and instincts are in such abundance anymore.

[MightyWarrior]

It'll be pretty amazing if Pacman genuinely wins this, though I can't help but wonder why he didn't take the fight all those years ago...

[JC]

I was gutted when Graham went for Manny, as gone for Floyd big time for years now. I hope Manny throws a lot, as he makes a lot of mistakes and will be picked apart, but, as mentioned above, Mayweather could get hustled out of it. Mayweather's in a position James Toney found himself in a few times, a very good fighter who has a hard time when the scorecards come in due to his style of fighting. If a judge can go for Alvarez, then Manny's in with a good shout of taking what could be a contentious decision

I watched the De La Hoya fight the other day, I think I scored it to Floyd by a round. He was in control for most of the fight but gave a fair few rounds away by not doing much.

For me, if Floyd has a weakness that's it; he seems like he could do 15, 20 rounds no problem, but only at the pace he likes to fight at. I could see how the DLH fight could have ended up a draw, although I think the size advantage Oscar had (and Manny doesn't) played an important part.

I've always picked Floyd in this one and I'm sticking with it. But, as you mention, it's not inconceivable he gets hustled out of it by loosing close rounds.

[Carbo]

I used to enjoy the Fightwriter blog a great deal. With the possible exception of CompuBox's (sporadically available and more specifically focussed) previews, I always thought that they were the most detailed and astute fight predictions and reviews.

Is there any way of getting Graham's Boxing Monthly preview of the Mayweather Pacquiao fight? I live in Moscow and so cannot pop down to the shops to get a copy, and I've long-since given up on Pochta Rossii as a reliable method of delivery for anything apart from fist-clenching frustration.

Thanks.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Graham I heard you where pomping for a Manny win against Floyd? Is this true?

Just as you have usually got a good track record Whats your reasoning?

Pomping? Got me there, Peter. In a nutshell, I like Manny's foot speed and hand speed to trump Mayweather's artistry and precision. I break it all down -- well, as best I can -- in the new issue of the magazine. It's only an opinion. No point in previewing a fight without taking a position, right? (In our "expert opinion" survey almost everyone if going for Mayweather, BTW, and one very good judge with many years in boxing makes it an easy fight for Floyd.)

I'm leaning toward pacman too - I actually think he has a better chance now than when the fight was first posited.

Pacman is way more busy than Mayweather, whose output has steadily dropped over the years, and is a lot more mobile - I also think that the volume of puches, and the Vegas judges general favouritism toward the active fighter, will make it hard for Floyd to steal the rounds.

I can actually see this fight throwing up an unexpected conclusion, perhaps a little like Leonard v Hearns, I can't see Floyd just allowing the fight to slip away from him - and I think both his toughness and punch power are underrated - I think if he absolutely needs to, he will go to war with Pacquaio - and whilst few people would pick him to win in that kind of exchange, I personally wouldn't be surprised.

BTW, I think he meant 'plumping.'

[DavidPayne]

Shame. I think the swaying toward Pacman as the fight approaches is driven as much by desire than coherent argument. Most want someone to burst the arrogant balloon.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Shame. I think the swaying toward Pacman as the fight approaches is driven as much by desire than coherent argument. Most want someone to burst the arrogant balloon.

Agreed.

I can't see how Pacman is going to win.

This fight has come five years too late, There is a Flashmanesque trait to Mayweather regarding this - five years ago, it would have been
competitive - now - I can't see other than Mayweather shutting him out.

[johnswan1]

If Pac has as much left as it seems, then his activity should be too much for Floyd to be able to win the majority of rounds. Neither man has stamina issues but I always felt in the De La Hoya fight that Floyd was too calm and didn't do enough to make the margin of victory wider than it was. He didn't chase it enough and there never seemed to be any real urgency. Yes he was picking up rounds late, but that was partially due to the traditional DLH late fade.

I really don't see that changing against Pac. If Pac is outworking Floyd but landing an equal or even slightly less amount of shots I can see him winning rounds on the judges scorecards. Mayweather is a master at what he does and I don't think he will at any point try to turn the fight into a war or throw his gameplan out the window. My early prediction all along has been a close but controversial decision win for Pacman. Not that Floyd will be robbed, I just think it will be one of those fights that is hard to score. I wouldn't be surprised to see scorecards where one judge has Floyd 8-4 or 9-3 in rounds and another has it the other way. Punch stats will probably show an equal amount of shots landed, but with Manny throwing far more of them.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Shame. I think the swaying toward Pacman as the fight approaches is driven as much by desire than coherent argument. Most want someone to burst the arrogant balloon.

Presumptuous - that's not my reasoning at all.

I don't care about Floyd's persona - if he wins, i'll be happy.

I think Pacquaio's speed of hand and foot is the difference. Marquez won against Pacquaio and generally matched him, by standing in the trenches, taking some, and countering - that is not mayweather's style - he doesn't engage with his opponents. He had the size to use his reach and just box Marquez to a standstill, and because Marquez needs to be in the pocket he was left with little or no tools to win.

I think Pacman is going to be able to beat Floyd to the punch because he will be throwing 3 to Floyd's 1 - although of course, there's a chance that Floyd will be able to catch him with the right as he comes in and deter him from that in out style, which will largely nullify him - we shall see.

[DavidPayne]

It wasn't pointed at any individual account James - by eck tha's never changed - it was more the swelling counter-culture which always emerges pre-fight.

Pacman could do it.

But the logic points to Mayweather.

[jamesmcdonnell]

It wasn't pointed at any individual account James - by eck tha's never changed - it was more the swelling counter-culture which always emerges pre-fight.

Pacman could do it.

But the logic points to Mayweather.

...and it never will Davey Boy.

[Carbo]

There are two things underrated about Mayweather that are pertinent to this discussion.

The first is his ability to stop people throwing too much by controlling the distance and using feints and lateral movement. How many times have you wondered why some brawler isn't throwing more? I've come to the conclusion that it's Mayweather stopping them with skills of unfathomable subtlety. That he can do this while scoring with that (best ever?) jab to the body and his right cross allows him to implausibly pick up rounds while not throwing much against fighters who are naturally busier. Late-era Hopkins could do the same.

The second is his punching power and strength. He has far more pop on his punches than people give him credit for (partly because he's so accurate), and at 147 he's robust. The few times he has been tagged (against Judah and Mosley), he's handled it well. I think that he will be a big danger to Pacquiao if forced to stand and trade with the latter. Remember how he buzzed Dela Hoya (who has a great chin)? Now his legs seem to have gone, he stands and plants his feet more, too.

Between those two, I think that he has plenty enough to suggest that saying "Manny'll be busier" is simplistic.

In typing on my phone now, so can't go into detail as to why, but I think that a lot of this fight will come down to whether Pacquiao can establish his jab.

[Carbo]

I used to enjoy the Fightwriter blog a great deal. With the possible exception of CompuBox's (sporadically available and more specifically focussed) previews, I always thought that they were the most detailed and astute fight predictions and reviews.

Is there any way of getting Graham's Boxing Monthly preview of the Mayweather Pacquiao fight? I live in Moscow and so cannot pop down to the shops to get a copy, and I've long-since given up on Pochta Rossii as a reliable method of delivery for anything apart from fist-clenching frustration.

Thanks.

Bump

[Carbo]

I used to enjoy the Fightwriter blog a great deal. With the possible exception of CompuBox's (sporadically available and more specifically focussed) previews, I always thought that they were the most detailed and astute fight predictions and reviews.

Is there any way of getting Graham's Boxing Monthly preview of the Mayweather Pacquiao fight? I live in Moscow and so cannot pop down to the shops to get a copy, and I've long-since given up on Pochta Rossii as a reliable method of delivery for anything apart from fist-clenching frustration.

Thanks.

Bump

It's available for iPads as an app, mate.

Downloading it for Android right now.

Thanks so much, Terry. Hope all's well

[crusader]

He has far more pop on his punches than people give him credit for

I see this claim so often that it's hard for me to believe it's true. With the abundance of flush punches he lands it's also hard for me to believe that he's much of a puncher when he's scored a meager two stoppages and four knockdowns in nearly a decade, with one of each happening in the odd victory over Ortiz (stopped four times and down several times in other fights), who showed no signs of being hurt prior to getting hit with a free punch when he injudiciously looked away. Even when Floyd rattles people they don't seem to be in major trouble, and aside from the very limited number of fights he's won by KO none of his opponents over roughly the last decade looked to me like they were close to a stoppage loss despite being regularly hit with clean punches.

He's not a Paulie M featherfists, but I don't think he's generally protrayed as such and in my opinion his power has little impact on the outcomes of his fights.

[Carbo]

Downloading it for Android right now.

Thanks so much, Terry. Hope all's well

Not too bad, mate. Keeping busy. How are things over there?

Well, I'm still enjoying myself, sanctions and all -- so it can't be so bad.

[Carbo]

He has far more pop on his punches than people give him credit for

I see this claim so often that it's hard for me to believe it's true. With the abundance of flush punches he lands it's also hard for me to believe that he's much of a puncher when he's scored a meager two stoppages and four knockdowns in nearly a decade, with one of each happening in the odd victory over Ortiz (stopped four times and down several times in other fights), who showed no signs of being hurt prior to getting hit with a free punch when he injudiciously looked away. Even when Floyd rattles people they don't seem to be in major trouble, and aside from the very limited number of fights he's won by KO none of his opponents over roughly the last decade looked to me like they were close to a stoppage loss despite being regularly hit with clean punches.

He's not a Paulie M featherfists, but I don't think he's generally protrayed as such and in my opinion his power has little impact on the outcomes of his fights.

I think he has enough pop on his punches to discourage people, put it that way. You can't come foward blithley against Floyd, and occassionally, one will rattle people when you don't expect it.

Further, most of the time, Floyd just isn't committing to his punches. I suspect that if he did, there'd be a fair amount of power there.