Tucked away from all the hullabaloo on Saturday night there were a few other fights taking place. Of course not as important as the big one but Miguel Cotto stopped Gianluca Branco in 8 rounds, poor old Branco failed again in a world title shot, shame he will have to wait for his next world title chance for another go
In Germany Arthur Abraham was surprisingly extended the full 12 by Aussie Shannan Taylor. I thought Taylor was close to finished and that Abraham would have him out of there within the first half of the fight but he clung in for a lopsided decision loss. Also on the card Henry Akinwande won over 12 against Cisse Salif, even dropping his man...good win on paper for Henry. Marco Huck continued his learning curve with a 6 round win over Lee Swaby and the most significant win of the night for me saw Heavyweight prospect Alexander Povetkin KO Richard Bango in 2.
Huck didnt drop Swaby. After round 5 Swaby wanted to quit since Huck was hitting too hard and he, Swaby, was running out of air. His corner convinced him to try for one more round.
Povetkin looked ok. He landed more combos than he have done in his other fights but he also got hit when he tried to deliver them (took 1, landed 3 himself often)
Akinwande looked in cruisemode. Danish commentator said that Akinwande looked like someone in a asembly line, doing the same thing over and over again.
Abraham didnt look that good, seems he lost a bit of his hunger after winning the title.
There were a couple of surprises on the undercard.
4-14-1 Marcen Gierke beat 14-0 australian Adam Vella on points. It was a decent fight.
WBF 168 champ Stjepan Bozic lost a non title fight to David Gogiya from Georgia. Bozic was fighting for a contract with Sauerland.
Cotto's fighting the decent Paulie Malginaggi next. I think Cotto will be too strong for him, but has his Malginaggi come out yet? He's a cross between Hector Camacho (his idol) and Graham Norton.
To be honest, either Abraham is a very inconsistent fighter or Kingsley Ikeke was vastly overated (seem to be saying that about US Middle/Super Middles all the time now) and made Abraham look better than what he is.
I would have expected Taylor to last the course vs the pedestrian Abraham that fought Eastman - but the one who hammered Ikeke looked the business, but perhaps it was Ikeke who made him look better - like Reid/Pemberton made Lacy look better than what he is.
Lets hope Eastman can get past Miranda and this time Hennessey will get Sky backing for Eastman vs Abraham II - Howard threw away that fight.
I have been thinking the same thing Stu, was Abraham's win over Ikeke a bit misleading? His performances versus Eastman and Taylor would suggest so. Maybe Ikeke wasn't as good as we first thought because Abraham was punch perfect that night.
Abraham just looked a bit disinterested I thought, much like everyone else.
Just a case of not being able to motivate himself for the run of the mill fights - as we've often seen with Calazghe in fact.
Taylor looked as tough as nails by the way. I remember he came over here and Richard Williams looked like a million $$$ beating him up. Seem to recall Taylor was just getting over a drug problem at the time?
I reckon Abraham saves his best for the big stage. Wouldn't be surprised to see him find a way to beat Taylor if they ever meet.
MightyWarrior wrote:Abraham just looked a bit disinterested I thought, much like everyone else.
Just a case of not being able to motivate himself for the run of the mill fights - as we've often seen with Calazghe in fact.
Taylor looked as tough as nails by the way. I remember he came over here and Richard Williams looked like a million $$$ beating him up. Seem to recall Taylor was just getting over a drug problem at the time?
I reckon Abraham saves his best for the big stage. Wouldn't be surprised to see him find a way to beat Taylor if they ever meet.
Didn't look disinterested vs Eastman, well at least he shouldn't have looked disinterested.
MightyWarrior wrote:Abraham just looked a bit disinterested I thought, much like everyone else.
Just a case of not being able to motivate himself for the run of the mill fights - as we've often seen with Calazghe in fact.
Taylor looked as tough as nails by the way. I remember he came over here and Richard Williams looked like a million $$$ beating him up. Seem to recall Taylor was just getting over a drug problem at the time?
I reckon Abraham saves his best for the big stage. Wouldn't be surprised to see him find a way to beat Taylor if they ever meet.
Yeah Taylor had a serious cocaine problem, He got rehab a few years back but it was to late he stuffed his chances he had in the welterweight and Junior Middle divisions.
Taylor has never been the same after the hiding he got off Moseley, that fight and the drugs really stuffed him up.
MightyWarrior wrote:Abraham just looked a bit disinterested I thought, much like everyone else.
Just a case of not being able to motivate himself for the run of the mill fights - as we've often seen with Calazghe in fact.
Taylor looked as tough as nails by the way. I remember he came over here and Richard Williams looked like a million $$$ beating him up. Seem to recall Taylor was just getting over a drug problem at the time?
I reckon Abraham saves his best for the big stage. Wouldn't be surprised to see him find a way to beat Taylor if they ever meet.
Didn't look disinterested vs Eastman, well at least he shouldn't have looked disinterested.
Why would he look disinterested v Eastman? That was his big step up to world class, so of course he was motivated for that.
MightyWarrior wrote:Abraham just looked a bit disinterested I thought, much like everyone else.
Just a case of not being able to motivate himself for the run of the mill fights - as we've often seen with Calazghe in fact.
Taylor looked as tough as nails by the way. I remember he came over here and Richard Williams looked like a million $$$ beating him up. Seem to recall Taylor was just getting over a drug problem at the time?
I reckon Abraham saves his best for the big stage. Wouldn't be surprised to see him find a way to beat Taylor if they ever meet.
Didn't look disinterested vs Eastman, well at least he shouldn't have looked disinterested.
Why would he look disinterested v Eastman? That was his big step up to world class, so of course he was motivated for that.
Well, he was still poor vs Eastman - that was my point. That wasn't the performance of a world beater - far from it.
