Oleksandr Usyk vs Michael Hunter

[handsofstone]

Usyk defends his WBO Cruiserweight title on the Lomachenko/Sosa card on Saturday, great to see both these amateur stars on the same show

Usyk took a wee while to get going against Mchunu but his power and accuracy was far too much for the much smaller Mchunu, great KO over a durable and capable opponent, ive not seen Hunter before, he's unbeaten in 12 but he's not got a win of note, he's had 1 more pro fight than Usyk but its fair to assume he's nowhere near the amateur experience of the Ukranian

Usyk wins comfortably surely, I just hope he doesn't take too long to break him down

[Stuarty]

Looking forward to this card. Set it for record. Up early Sunday with the kids so I'll make the breakfasts and stick it on. Not seen Hunter either but I've read he has some skills and is a bit of a prospect himself so fair play for going in with Usyk so early in his career. Would imagine Usyk will have too much for him but hopefully Hunter can put up a good fight and come again.

[MightyWarrior]

Yeah was wondering about this, but with Usyk being such a hot shot, chucking in an unbeaten prospect with no notable wins on his resume, spells cash in cash out.

[crusader]

He was a good amateur who twice won the US Olympic Trials (once at SHW, once at HW). He beat Oscar Rivas, stopped Andy Ruiz, dominated Andrew Tabiti (the USA's other top young CW), and at the 2012 Olympics lost by the slimmest of margins to Beterbiev. Usyk has an even stronger amateur background though, and of course has proven significantly more as a pro. He looks to be the better fighter and should win, but Hunter isnt bad.

He was a mobile boxer as an amateur, but he's become more of a grinder as a pro. There is a visual breakdown of him as a pro over at this forum: http://www.the13thround.com/phpBB2/view ... 301&hilit=

[MightyWarrior]

ah that makes things more interesting, so he'll be coming with a lot of ambition then, though he looks quite wild in some of those clips.
The son of Mike the bounty Hunter

[handsofstone]

He was a good amateur who twice won the US Olympic Trials (once at SHW, once at HW). He beat Oscar Rivas, stopped Andy Ruiz, dominated Andrew Tabiti (the USA's other top young CW), and at the 2012 Olympics lost by the slimmest of margins to Beterbiev. Usyk has an even stronger amateur background though, and of course has proven significantly more as a pro. He looks to be the better fighter and should win, but Hunter isnt bad.

He was a mobile boxer as an amateur, but he's become more of a grinder as a pro. There is a visual breakdown of him as a pro over at this forum: http://www.the13thround.com/phpBB2/view ... 301&hilit=

Great to hear, I assumed he was just another young American prospect with a padded unbeaten record

[PredatorHayds]

I see this as the Usyk coming out party.

I rate Hunter but feel he's being thrown to the wolves here. I see Usyk knocking the ambition out of him and stopping him around the 6th.

[Tuan_Jim]

If Hunter Jr has his dad's chin it could be interesting - I never saw Hunter Sr so much as hurt (although he was near impossible to hit) and his only stoppage was pulling out vs Brian Nielsen with the obligatory "mysterious sudden injury" all the big name washed up yanks used to suffer inexplicably in Denmark.

The only time I saw Jr, as an amateur, probably Olympics, he looked slick in the first round then gassed and lost. My memory here is very hazy though, others might have a more reliable recollection.

[Gnome]

Another great cruiserweight match up. I'm really glad the division is set to be featured in that megabucks comp they have coming up.

Let's hope it's a better spectacle than Briedis-Huck.

Usyk is the clear favorite but Hunter comes in with his own pedigree. Good fight.

[Gnome]

Looking forward to this card. Set it for record. Up early Sunday with the kids so I'll make the breakfasts and stick it on. Not seen Hunter either but I've read he has some skills and is a bit of a prospect himself so fair play for going in with Usyk so early in his career. Would imagine Usyk will have too much for him but hopefully Hunter can put up a good fight and come again.

Which channel is it on, please?

[handsofstone]

Looking forward to this card. Set it for record. Up early Sunday with the kids so I'll make the breakfasts and stick it on. Not seen Hunter either but I've read he has some skills and is a bit of a prospect himself so fair play for going in with Usyk so early in his career. Would imagine Usyk will have too much for him but hopefully Hunter can put up a good fight and come again.

Which channel is it on, please?

NoxBation

The Channel of Champions

[Gnome]

Looking forward to this card. Set it for record. Up early Sunday with the kids so I'll make the breakfasts and stick it on. Not seen Hunter either but I've read he has some skills and is a bit of a prospect himself so fair play for going in with Usyk so early in his career. Would imagine Usyk will have too much for him but hopefully Hunter can put up a good fight and come again.

Which channel is it on, please?

NoxBation

The Channel of Champions

Class! I will be watching it too then. Thanks!

[handsofstone]

Class fight, I had it 116-111 Usyk by the end but what a performance from Hunter, he really impressed me and not just the incredible heart he showed after taking an absolute pounding in that last round, I think most refs would've stopped that without many arguments, Hunter was beating from pillar to post as Usyk went for for the kill

I was impressed with Hunter's boxing skills too, I had it even after 8 before Usyk upped the tempo and pulled away, Hunter came to win though and wasn't overawed, Usyk again had a lot of lulls in his work where he just stood there in range with his earmuffs on not throwing and Hunter got sharp combinations off, the action ebbed and flowed so it was enjoyable to watch, Usyk closed the show though and finished strong, he never looked liked hurting Hunter though who showed elusive skills as well as a good chin when hit, then finally Usyk did hurt Hunter in that last round which was a one sided beating which could've been stopped more than once

[crusader]

I missed the first half, where Hunter apparently had some notable success, but I caught the last six rounds and had it a clean sweep for Usyk. I've followed Hunter since his amateur days and he's clearly got some solid abilities, though his stamina was an issue and there was nothing on his shots by the time I started watching. Usyk looked a bit sloppier than usual and seemed bothered by a cut, and it wasn't the most promising of showings for his HW ambitions.

The last round was brutal, and I scored it 10-7 even with just the one count; the ref was clearly trying to get Hunter to the final bell.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Hunter had some skills, but his lack of defence was his undoing, and he was off balance a lot. Seemed like he tired pretty quickly, he was throwing arm punches after the 4th. Doesn't look like he has much natural power either.

Good fight, should probably have been stopped, Hunter's head was rag dolling, which for me is when the ref should step in. He wasn't really in a position to defend himself. It's not the Ref's job to carry a fighter to the final bell.

[forcefraser]

hunter took too much leather in the last. Just stop it when it gets to that stage. Tough lad but he was well down on the cards and wasn't throwing much back.

[Stuarty]

Hunter gave a good account of himself. Showed some inexperience and was caught square on a good few times but he can rebuild and come again no doubt. Usyk is a machine. He has all the tools to dominate at cruiser but I'm not sure he has the power to make a massive impact at heavy.

The fight should've been stopped in the 12th though.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Hunter gave a good account of himself. Showed some inexperience and was caught square on a good few times but he can rebuild and come again no doubt. Usyk is a machine. He has all the tools to dominate at cruiser but I'm not sure he has the power to make a massive impact at heavy.

The fight should've been stopped in the 12th though.

Needs to develop a defence, so easy to hit especially after he's thrown a shot himself.

[handsofstone]

Hunter gave a good account of himself. Showed some inexperience and was caught square on a good few times but he can rebuild and come again no doubt. Usyk is a machine. He has all the tools to dominate at cruiser but I'm not sure he has the power to make a massive impact at heavy.

The fight should've been stopped in the 12th though.

Needs to develop a defence, so easy to hit especially after he's thrown a shot himself.

Has plenty of spells of doing nothing but stand in front of opponents as well, class fighter with serious skills and strength but definitely beatable

[Andrew]

Class fight, I had it 116-111 Usyk by the end but what a performance from Hunter, he really impressed me and not just the incredible heart he showed after taking an absolute pounding in that last round, I think most refs would've stopped that without many arguments, Hunter was beating from pillar to post as Usyk went for for the kill

I was impressed with Hunter's boxing skills too, I had it even after 8 before Usyk upped the tempo and pulled away, Hunter came to win though and wasn't overawed, Usyk again had a lot of lulls in his work where he just stood there in range with his earmuffs on not throwing and Hunter got sharp combinations off, the action ebbed and flowed so it was enjoyable to watch, Usyk closed the show though and finished strong, he never looked liked hurting Hunter though who showed elusive skills as well as a good chin when hit, then finally Usyk did hurt Hunter in that last round which was a one sided beating which could've been stopped more than once

Pretty much this post.

It's good to see people are not slating Usyk as a hype job. It's just that Hunter is a legit fighter and we will see him again at the top level. A very good fight by all accounts. The referee should have stopped it in round 12 though that got too much IMO

[rab]

i thought this was a great fight . hunter just looked a bit inexperienced when it came to managing his pace through the fight. if he could ever get the fitness to sustain the pace and technique he showed in the first three rounds he could be something special imo.

[Boxerbeetle]

Excellent fight. I'd take Hunter to beat Bellew.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Class fight, I had it 116-111 Usyk by the end but what a performance from Hunter, he really impressed me and not just the incredible heart he showed after taking an absolute pounding in that last round, I think most refs would've stopped that without many arguments, Hunter was beating from pillar to post as Usyk went for for the kill

I was impressed with Hunter's boxing skills too, I had it even after 8 before Usyk upped the tempo and pulled away, Hunter came to win though and wasn't overawed, Usyk again had a lot of lulls in his work where he just stood there in range with his earmuffs on not throwing and Hunter got sharp combinations off, the action ebbed and flowed so it was enjoyable to watch, Usyk closed the show though and finished strong, he never looked liked hurting Hunter though who showed elusive skills as well as a good chin when hit, then finally Usyk did hurt Hunter in that last round which was a one sided beating which could've been stopped more than once

Pretty much this post.

It's good to see people are not slating Usyk as a hype job. It's just that Hunter is a legit fighter and we will see him again at the top level. A very good fight by all accounts. The referee should have stopped it in round 12 though that got too much IMO

I think the fight showed how to beat Usyk, and that's a good jab, and lots of movement. Usyk is great if you allow him to work, and stand in front of him, but he hasn't got the fleetest of feet. If Hunter had better power, it could have been a very different fight. Hunter doesn't seem to get any rotation into his shots, it's mainly just arm punching, but he certainly rattled his cage those first 3 rounds, a bigger hitter could have made it very uncomfortable. As the fight wore on Hunter abandoned the jab, and his shots became quite wide, making it easy for Usky to land his own shots.

[PredatorHayds]

Really like Usyk.

He always starts slow but boy can he go through the gears when he needs to.
In full flow he has that internal clock that tells him to up the pace to win a round. And hey presto he will have a minute of pure quality.
Only way to beat him at CW is to take him to the trenches.
Can't see anyone getting close.