When caution fails

[DrDuke]

Today the rational and reserved style of boxing seems valuable and is considered to be smarter than going toe-to-toe, but sometimes a cautious boxer has an opportunity to finish an opponent, but blows it because of the lack of aggression, giving an opponent a chance to come and an opponent uses it.

Such stuff was in Wlad-Joshua, where Joshua seemed ready to go after being down, but Wlad let him go and was KOed later.

Fury-Wilder I seems to be a case. A cautious Fury gave Wilder more chances to be on his punching range, which caused knockdowns and a buildup for a robbery. In the rematch aggressive Fury whooped Wilder.

Whyte-Povetkin is also fitting. Whyte was boxing methodically, giving Povetkin chances to come back after KDs, and he got KOed.

What other examples can you recall?

[margaret thatcher]

canelo improved in the ggg rematch when he took the fight to him instead of trying the box and move

[Jimmy2020]

Such stuff was in Wlad-Joshua, where Joshua seemed ready to go after being down, but Wlad let him go and was KOed later.

I still don't fully understand what happened in that fight. Not sure if Wlad didn't trust his own conditioning or what? He was never the best at reading an opponent but even a novice could tell that Joshua was there for the taking. It was almost like he didn't have the killer in him.

[bennie]

I remember John Conteh really hurt Matthew Saad Muhammad in their first fight and Saad, with his back to the ropes, waved Conteh in and Conteh stood off. Harry Mullan described it as the oldest trick in the book and Conteh fell for it.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Such stuff was in Wlad-Joshua, where Joshua seemed ready to go after being down, but Wlad let him go and was KOed later.

I still don't fully understand what happened in that fight. Not sure if Wlad didn't trust his own conditioning or what? He was never the best at reading an opponent but even a novice could tell that Joshua was there for the taking. It was almost like he didn't have the killer in him.

It was was Vitali who told him in the corner not to go for the KILL.

[JC]

Such stuff was in Wlad-Joshua, where Joshua seemed ready to go after being down, but Wlad let him go and was KOed later.

I still don't fully understand what happened in that fight. Not sure if Wlad didn't trust his own conditioning or what? He was never the best at reading an opponent but even a novice could tell that Joshua was there for the taking. It was almost like he didn't have the killer in him.

Remember that bizarre thing when Wlad auctioned off his robe with his prediction for the fight on a USB stitched into the lining? Apparently the prediction was that he (Wlad) would get KO’d with a right hand when going in for the knockout. God knows if that’s what he really thought but maybe it reflected his state of mind.

[Boxerbeetle]

I always thought Groves was far too cautious in the Froch rematch - I remember saying before the fight that he’d end up getting badly ko’d if he tried to keep it a long-range boxing match instead of coming out aggressive like he did in the first one. Easier said than done, I know, but I honestly didn’t see a way of Groves staying with Froch for 12 rounds and not getting knocked out.

[lefthook82]

Never let a puncher off the hook

I would go with Taylor v Pavlik as an example. Taylor was winning, punched him up in the 2nd round, let him off the hook and then got battered.

Possibly could say Taylor v Froch as well.

[JimJim2009]

I've always thought Carlos DeLeon was lucky that world title fights weren't 13 round bouts, as you could just tell that with one more round, Johnny Nelson would have unleashed hell on him.

[lefthook82]

Ortiz v Wilder both times

[Controversial]

I've always thought Carlos DeLeon was lucky that world title fights weren't 13 round bouts, as you could just tell that with one more round, Johnny Nelson would have unleashed hell on him.

I agree, Johnny was luring him in, slowly very very slowly

[JimJim2009]

I've always thought Carlos DeLeon was lucky that world title fights weren't 13 round bouts, as you could just tell that with one more round, Johnny Nelson would have unleashed hell on him.

I agree, Johnny was luring him in, slowly very very slowly

Glad other folk saw it too. Nelson was like a coiled cobra. The final bell went and I remember thinking "you got away with it there Carlos you jammy sod"

[Controversial]

I've always thought Carlos DeLeon was lucky that world title fights weren't 13 round bouts, as you could just tell that with one more round, Johnny Nelson would have unleashed hell on him.

I agree, Johnny was luring him in, slowly very very slowly

Glad other folk saw it too. Nelson was like a coiled cobra. The final bell went and I remember thinking "you got away with it there Carlos you jammy sod"

Luckily for DeLeon the ref touched him more than Nelson did

[forcefraser]

Maybe Luke Campbell let Garcia.off the hook after that heavy knockdown?

[Coco]

Depends on your style, Vlad would always be at risk by going for the kill, where other fighters are comfortable slipping and sliding in the pocket. You can keep yourself out of range by staying on top of your opponent by not giving home the leverage to get his shots home.

[JimJim2009]

I agree, Johnny was luring him in, slowly very very slowly

Glad other folk saw it too. Nelson was like a coiled cobra. The final bell went and I remember thinking "you got away with it there Carlos you jammy sod"

Luckily for DeLeon the ref touched him more than Nelson did

[oogiebe]

Hagler Leonard. I think Marvin would've won handily had he fought more aggressively from the onset.

[Steveh583]

what sprang to mind when i read the title was quigg vs frampton. obv scott didn't have him in trouble, but i can't help wonder what would have happened if he started earlier.

[oogiebe]

I always wondered if the outcome would have been different if Ron Lyle didn't turn boxer vs Ali. Or at least turned it up midway through that fight.

[dookus]

what sprang to mind when i read the title was quigg vs frampton. obv scott didn't have him in trouble, but i can't help wonder what would have happened if he started earlier.

Agree. Ditto Eubank Jr v Saunders.

[stujones]

When I immediately saw the title - I thought of the final 3 rounds of DLH vs Tito - although I still think Oscar won that fight.

[oogiebe]

Conversely, Conn vs Louis. We all know had Billy stayed cautious, he probably wins that fight.

[Steveh583]

what sprang to mind when i read the title was quigg vs frampton. obv scott didn't have him in trouble, but i can't help wonder what would have happened if he started earlier.

Agree. Ditto Eubank Jr v Saunders.

good call

[Steveh583]

When I immediately saw the title - I thought of the final 3 rounds of DLH vs Tito - although I still think Oscar won that fight.

good call also

[TheLeprechaun]

Lewis vs Holyfield 1.