What flaws saw Virgil Hunter in Sullivan Barrera ?

[ikorolev]

Barrera is a good fighter. Perhaps very good. He will beat a whole lot people at 175 and likely settle in as a backend top 5 guy in the division right there with Fonfara. To beat Ward tho, you can't just be good or very good. You have to be great. It's Ward's mind which makes him so good. On top of the physical skills - he is so damn smart in there. Basically a bigger Floyd.

Except he can't take a punch like Floyd.

[diddy]

Barrera is a good fighter. Perhaps very good. He will beat a whole lot people at 175 and likely settle in as a backend top 5 guy in the division right there with Fonfara. To beat Ward tho, you can't just be good or very good. You have to be great. It's Ward's mind which makes him so good. On top of the physical skills - he is so damn smart in there. Basically a bigger Floyd.

Except he can't take a punch like Floyd.

Why's that? Because he suffered a flash knockdown once early in his career against a guy who's dropped a who's who of opponents? Don't be ridiculous.

[ikorolev]

Ward fights the way he fights with lots of clinching, because he can't take the punch. Another top fighter like that is Klitchko.

[diddy]

Ward fights the way he fights with lots of clinching, because he can't take the punch. Another top fighter like that is Klitchko.

No, because thats what wins fights. Not getting hit.

[ikorolev]

Ward fights the way he fights with lots of clinching, because he can't take the punch. Another top fighter like that is Klitchko.

No, because thats what wins fights. Not getting hit.

You can win fights differently even if you don't have KO power. Lomachenko is a good example.

[diddy]

Lomachenko? The guy who couldn't make it through 2 pro fights without taking a loss?

[ikorolev]

Lomachenko? The guy who couldn't make it through 2 pro fights without taking a loss?

Personally, I credit Loma for his "loss" to Salido much more than Ward for his "win" over Kessler.

[apollo creed]

Loma and Ward are what boxing has it's best in terms of high quality.

[ikorolev]

Loma and Ward are what boxing has it's best in terms of high quality.

Seriously ? You compare Loma who wouldn't even respond to Salido's low blows and other dirty tactics to Ward who initiates dirty fighting ? Loma who keeps throwing with Ward who keeps clinching ?

[crusader]

Barrera is a good fighter. Perhaps very good. He will beat a whole lot people at 175 and likely settle in as a backend top 5 guy in the division right there with Fonfara. To beat Ward tho, you can't just be good or very good. You have to be great. It's Ward's mind which makes him so good. On top of the physical skills - he is so damn smart in there. Basically a bigger Floyd.

What makes you think that Barrera is that good?

[Badhusker]

Maybe I am the only one bothered by this, but why can the OP or the MODS correct the grammar of the thread title? WTF? It makes the whole site look stupid. imo

[ikorolev]

Maybe I am the only one bothered by this, but why can the OP or the MODS correct the grammar of the thread title? WTF? It makes the whole site look stupid. imo

That would contradict the First Amendment

[ikorolev]

They weighed exactly the same at 174.4. They look about the same size, but Barrera seems to be in slightly better shape:

[apollo creed]

I don't see a lot of confidence on Ward's face. In his last fight he took some clean punches from fat Smith and I saw a basic Ward, not that cagey versatile-sharp Ward of Kessler, Froch and Rodriguez fights.

[Tanzio]

I don't see a lot of confidence on Ward's face. In his last fight he took some clean punches from fat Smith and I saw a basic Ward, not that cagey versatile-sharp Ward of Kessler, Froch and Rodriguez fights.

I think that it has been pretty obvious for awhile that SOGgy does not love to fight. He is simply special at it. He is not alone in that predicament.

That does not change the fact that he should get by Barrera relatively unscathed. If he doesn't it will be as a result of a combination of his degradation and Barrera's improvement.

If SOGgy can get away with the fits and starts of his career while maintaining his past level of excellence, he will be in exclusive company. But that will take more than just a W v Barrera.

I'm not convinced SOGgy has the stomach for boxing. Not sure if he ever did have it, in a Krusher sense.

[apollo creed]

I don't see a lot of confidence on Ward's face. In his last fight he took some clean punches from fat Smith and I saw a basic Ward, not that cagey versatile-sharp Ward of Kessler, Froch and Rodriguez fights.

I think that it has been pretty obvious for awhile that SOGgy does not love to fight. He is simply special at it. He is not alone in that predicament.

That does not change the fact that he should get by Barrera relatively unscathed. If he doesn't it will be as a result of a combination of his degradation and Barrera's improvement.

If SOGgy can get away with the fits and starts of his career while maintaining his past level of excellence, he will be in exclusive company. But that will take more than just a W v Barrera.

I'm not convinced SOGgy has the stomach for boxing. Not sure if he ever did have it, in a Krusher sense.

Yeah I also think he lost his desire to box. I think he'll struggle against Barrera and he'll get a UD with a lilttle help from the judges but of course I may be wrong. Anything can happen in a boxing match.

[Badhusker]

I think this fight is pretty important to Ward, and he will do well. People make too much of the weight jump though, as he used to compete at 178 in the amateurs. I think they chose Barrera for a reason, and if he struggles badly he may drop back down or hang it up. I think he will look very good, and answer a lot of questions the doubters have. No matter how he does, he is a little like Floyd, meaning he won't get much credit for winning.

[apollo creed]

I think this fight is pretty important to Ward, and he will do well. People make too much of the weight jump though, as he used to compete at 178 in the amateurs. I think they chose Barrera for a reason, and if he struggles badly he may drop back down or hang it up. I think he will look very good, and answer a lot of questions the doubters have. No matter how he does, he is a little like Floyd, meaning he won't get much credit for winning.

Floyd is a master of control and mind games.

[Tanzio]

I think this fight is pretty important to Ward, and he will do well. People make too much of the weight jump though, as he used to compete at 178 in the amateurs. I think they chose Barrera for a reason, and if he struggles badly he may drop back down or hang it up. I think he will look very good, and answer a lot of questions the doubters have. No matter how he does, he is a little like Floyd, meaning he won't get much credit for winning.

SOGgy put himself in this position. He has created the doubters as much as he has created the expectations. If he looks like the man who fought Froch, he will get credit (too much from some) from all but the true haters.

SOGgy just needs this W. Barrera is undefeated and somewhat of an unknown quantity. This is a no lose situation for the Cuban as long as he is competitive. If he keeps it close, we may see him in with the likes of Fonfara, which would be fun. If he somehow was able to pull this fight off . . .

[ikorolev]

The fight with Barrera is supposed to revive Ward's career and start a new stage of it, but Ward seems to be absolutely not excited about that. Anticipate another ugly performance.

[apollo creed]

I don't see a lot of confidence on Ward's face. In his last fight he took some clean punches from fat Smith and I saw a basic Ward, not that cagey versatile-sharp Ward of Kessler, Froch and Rodriguez fights.

I think that it has been pretty obvious for awhile that SOGgy does not love to fight. He is simply special at it. He is not alone in that predicament.

That does not change the fact that he should get by Barrera relatively unscathed. If he doesn't it will be as a result of a combination of his degradation and Barrera's improvement.

If SOGgy can get away with the fits and starts of his career while maintaining his past level of excellence, he will be in exclusive company. But that will take more than just a W v Barrera.

I'm not convinced SOGgy has the stomach for boxing. Not sure if he ever did have it, in a Krusher sense.

SOGYYYY won by UD.

[apollo creed]

Yeah I also think he lost his desire to box. I think he'll struggle against Barrera and he'll get a UD with a lilttle help from the judges but of course I may be wrong. Anything can happen in a boxing match.

As I thought, he got that UD victory but he needs one more fight before Kovalev.

[Mexi-Box]

A lot of weaknesses. Sullivan Barrera was never that good. Pretty average fighter.

[ikorolev]

Yeah I also think he lost his desire to box. I think he'll struggle against Barrera and he'll get a UD with a lilttle help from the judges but of course I may be wrong. Anything can happen in a boxing match.

As I thought, he got that UD victory but he needs one more fight before Kovalev.

Then he needs to fight by the end of June, because in accordance with what they signed with HBO, he must fight Kovalev after that.