Tonights fights at the Borough Hall

[Manos de Oro]

Well that injury to Valery Odin sure put a dampener on tonight's card, but we might as well have a separate topic for it since there's already a thread about Odin.

Michael Hunter - German Guartos

Thought Jim Watt was bang on in all his post-fight comments, even though I can't remember them exactly now. In short, however, Hunter's defensive technique has definately improved, particularly in the third (and I think second) round. I saw him take a step back after throwing a volley, and doing some excellent lateral work. He's on the up.

Francis Jones - Richard Mazurek

As Jim said - Mazurek is a tough six rounds for just about anybody in British boxing. I personally think it's because he can fight the same pace the whole way, and also has such a high level of focus put into his boxing - kinda minimizes his short-comings (and he's a good boxer), and makes him very durable. You could tell Jones was trained by Neil Fannan - there was something Hunteresque about him even though they weren't identical. I thought Fannan came across excellently tonight in his corner work and looking at the condition and schooling of his boxers his stable looks firmly on the up slope. Good times in Hartlepool right now.

Paul Appleby - Andy Davis

There's a shocker - how often do you see two lads that young up against each other? Maybe how it turned out told the reason why? All that said, I thought that left hook by Appleby that sent Davis spinning was a peach. I saw him before on a Hunter undercard (I think it was...) and didn't really know what to make of him, even though he looked technically sound... but he showed real professionalism tonight in with a lad his own age... easy for the emotions to get the better of you in a situation like that. Yes, it was short, but I'm not being funny when I say that was a good win... think of it as a small, but important, psychological building block to stack on his mental game. Still a hell of a long road ahead of him though...

Paul Holborn - Billy Smith

Wasn't that impressed by Holborn, to be honest. Billy Smith has a very limited output, but only that matched with his keeness was messing Holborn's rhythm up quite well. Maybe some might say it was a styles thing but if I'm honest I don't think it was.

Steven McGuire - Valery Odin

Sad ending aside, I didn't learn anything of Steven McGuire that his other fights haven't told. Looked one dimensional through a lot of it I felt. I'm not sure he'll go above British/Commonwealth level, though I think with some work he can make it there without too much bother. His promoter seems very keen on him so let's just wait and see. Thoughts are with Valery Odin, though.

[Ady 1]

Steven McGuire - Valery Odin

Sad ending aside, I didn't learn anything of Steven McGuire that his other fights haven't told. Looked one dimensional through a lot of it I felt. I'm not sure he'll go above British/Commonwealth level, though I think with some work he can make it there without too much bother. His promoter seems very keen on him so let's just wait and see. Thoughts are with Valery Odin, though.[/quote]


Anybody know how Valery Odin is???

[steve689]

I was impressed by Hunter, he had a good rhythm to his work and seemed a lot more controlled in his output. In the past he has been a little too over eager and square on and rushed in throwing manic shots relying on his superior fitness. Last night he seemed more balanced and picked some great shots, he stepped back and waited for Guartos to throw his wide shots and stepped into range to deliver stinging counters before moving out again. A great learning fight. Dealt well with the Spaniard's tactics as well, watching clips of Guartos i noticed he seemed to throw a few low blows in for good measure, last night he strayed low a couple of times too, luckily it didn't become a factor as Danish referee Saugmann got on top of it early.

On the undercard i thought McGuire did ok although he should have used his reach and jab more to keep Odin at bay, he smothered his own work by fighting in close. Of course this bout was over shadowed by Odin's injury.

Couldn't really get into the Jones and Holborn fights to be honest, Jones is a trier and seems to be improving but not sure he will go too far, Mazurek is underrated and better than his record suggests. He is very fit and has good basics. Holborn struggled a wee bit with Billy Smith but got the win.

Paul Appleby stunned his opponent Davis with sharp shots, strange to see two novices go at it but good learning for both. Appleby was shown on SKY before against Ian Reid i think and he seems to have ability. The Odin situation aside not a bad night's Boxing all in all

[Razor]

So in all what was Hunter like, how did the fight go like, i cudnt make it.

[Manos de Oro]

So in all what was Hunter like, how did the fight go like, i cudnt make it.

Like steve says - Hunter showed better balance than he has before; settled into his boxing quicker (shows he's getting more experienced). Hunter was always the big favourite to win, but Guartos - whether he saw it as a few rounds job (like Neil Fannan said) - wasn't there to play the opponent role at least as long as he had his first wind. He was an awkward type who looked worse than he was, with a wide guard and attempts at silky lateral movement. However, for that to work he banked on two things: 1) Hunter fighting at, or below, his pace 2) Hunter throwing single or double shots. As we all know, Hunter sets his own hellacious pace and throws punches in threes and fours. Guartos' only hope was a single big shot -- he landed a full blooded right hand (I think it was) bang on Hunter's chin during the first round - visibly wobbled Hunter and would have put him in real danger if he weren't so fit. As it was he recovered super quick.

Guartos' night was basically over at this point. He tried his best to dodge but he was getting outworked... the hail mary's he was loading up on, missing. A peach of a left hook to the body took his wind away in either the second or third (think it might have been the second), and by the time it came for his second wind to kick in he simply didn't want anymore. I personally was glad because he could have got hurt if the bout had gone on with his ever declining state of ability (as we know, Hunter doesn't tire), and the crowd had gotten an exciting three rounds of intense boxing with their local man clearly coming out on top - Guartos had a go and failed: no need for over-heroics.

[nickd]

Hunter was impressive, but lets not get carried away the opponent was pretty average and that is being kind. His defence does seem to be improving, he still has a tendency to get involved a bit too much which I think might end up being his downfall when he eventually steps up to world title level. A job well done but he needs better tests at this level before moving on to challenge for world honours IMO.

[steve689]

I would tend to agree with that, i assume Jailuouv was an optional defence or whatever they are called? And the Guartos was a mandatory. Both were decent but surely there are stiffer tests at Euro level? With Guartos being mandatory then perhaps not but i think Hunter would need a couple of tougher challenges before he moves up to world class. If he can build upon last night's showing and add some method to his relentlessness then he could become very hard to beat indeed.

[nickd]

To be honest and without trying to detract from Hunters performance but that guy was one of the worst European title challengers I have seen in a while let alone a mandatory! Lets hope there's better around to challenge him.

Just had a look at Guartos' record, how on earth was he a mandatory for the European title? Take a look at his record.

http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=014756

[steve689]

You are right Nick what was that guy doing in the ring for the title, is Super Bantamweight really so weak at Euro level? Since getting KO'd by the world class and always exciting Monshipour he went on a 7 fight winning streak all against fighters with losing records bar one debutant. His comeback opponent was 0-17, another was 7-33-2 and the guy he beat before fighting Hunter was 3-20-2. How does this earn him a European tilt exactly

[Manos de Oro]

Yeah, but since when did the European title have any prestige in itself? It's been dodgy for donkey's years, guys! It's worth stems from the world class, and fringe world class, fighters who've held it - not its reputation for matches. Guartos was obviously a mid-rounds job (did anyone ever really feel deep down there could be another winner pre-fight?). He did draw with Monshipour over six - let's not even begin to pontificate the scoring - and then took him three when Monshipour was in his title reign. Given both styles, those would have been very lively contests that showed his ability to war for a good ten minutes. The other wins he has against dodgy opposition just shows his fitness and activity. He was meticulously and, IMO, appropriately picked as the 'opponent' last night.

[maxx]

Guetos came out in round one very agressive looking for the big knockout early with big wild swings it didn't come so that was that it was pretty easy for Hunter from there on in.

[Razor]

You are right Nick what was that guy doing in the ring for the title, is Super Bantamweight really so weak at Euro level? Since getting KO'd by the world class and always exciting Monshipour he went on a 7 fight winning streak all against fighters with losing records bar one debutant. His comeback opponent was 0-17, another was 7-33-2 and the guy he beat before fighting Hunter was 3-20-2. How does this earn him a European tilt exactly

Probably cause he has a very crediable draw with the so called best in the division.

[steve689]

If you are referring to Monshipour mate then the draw was goodness knows how many fights ago and Monshipour since avenged it with a 3rd round KO and plus the best man in the division is now retired after he lost to that Thai fella in a fantastic war.

But that's besides the point, Guartos has no recent form at the weight to justify a European title shot. That's not a slur on Hunter, he showed improvements and can't be blamed who is put in front of him, he did his job very well and credit to him.

[BigEars]

If you are looking for a decent opponent for Hunter all you have to do is look accross the Irish sea:http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=081166(copy and paste into browser)

I feel he would beat Hunter and is the toughest opponent on the EBU's list bar Mahyar Monshipour (who's announced his retirement anyway)

The EBU's list:
1.Monshipour

2.Pickering(moving up to feather for the IBF shot)

3.Miguel Mallon(outclassed and stopped by Pickering in 10 rounds , not that great but fairly durable)

4.Kiko Martinez(never heard of him but he looks fairly decent , holds the EBU-EU title and has 11Ko's from 12 wins , no loses no draws. Only 20)

5.Salem Bouaita(16-12-0 , doesn't look great , was outpointed by Martinez widely , was stopped by Monshipour in 9 , was outpointed by Nicky Cook over 6 , aswell as Guartos over 6.......domestic French level fighter)

6.Turcay Kaya(23-10-4 , stopped by Monsipour in 6 , has beaten Bouaita but more recently lost to him . Has a win over Johnny Armour . Domestic French level again)

7.Yersin Jailauov(prematurely stopped against Hunter in the second round but was being outworked and outclassed , not a great fighter just awkward)

8.Noel Wilders(former European Banatmweight champ but has lost his last 3 fights , all to quality opposition . L KO 5 Silence Mabuza , L pts 8 Esham Pickering , L TKO 6 Bernard Dunne , past it and probably won't fight again)

9.Reidar Walstad(Don't know who he is so checked his record up , 11-1-1 Norweigen who was TKO'ed in 1 by Shinny Bayaar , I don't think I need to say anymore)

10.Fausto Bartolozzi(7-3-1 ,1 KO , Italian champ , that's probably why he's on the list .)

ineligible
Bernard Dunne----IBC(he won't be defending this title so he will be ranked soon . Won win a Tko in 2 of Sean Hughes btw)

#9 and #10 shouldn't be on the list , they should have either cut the list to 8 or put Cyril Bellanger(blown up Flyweight who fights lots of fights against overmatched opponents , the EBU actually still have him at Flyweight but I doubt he'll be making that limit again ) and Paul Hyland (young Irish Super Bantamweight with a record of 8-0-0 4 Ko's , best wins over Snarski and Mingaleev) Leaving it at 8 probably would have been the best idea .

and that's my run down on the European Super-Bantamweight division .

[steve689]

Let's hope Hunter is on a collision course with Bernard Dunne, if Dunne drops that IBC nonsense and aims for European level instead i reckon that would be a great little tearup.

Edit: Or is Dunne campaigning at Featherweight?

[BigEars]

Let's hope Hunter is on a collision course with Bernard Dunne, if Dunne drops that IBC nonsense and aims for European level instead i reckon that would be a great little tearup.

Edit: Or is Dunne campaigning at Featherweight?

No he's fighting at Super-Bantamweight and is looking for a fight with Hunter .