Matt Skelton's opponent confirmed...

[bennie]

Skelton meets Ratko Draskovic this Saturday in Edinburgh, the Yugoslav who took Audley Harrison eight rounds last March.

[knockout]

Skelton meets Ratko Draskovic this Saturday in Edinburgh, the Yugoslav who took Audley Harrison eight rounds last March.

wasn't he meant to be retiring after that fight???

[bennie]

Skelton meets Ratko Draskovic this Saturday in Edinburgh, the Yugoslav who took Audley Harrison eight rounds last March.

wasn't he meant to be retiring after that fight???

This fight's a definite, mate. Chief support to Arthur-Gomez.

[knockout]

Skelton meets Ratko Draskovic this Saturday in Edinburgh, the Yugoslav who took Audley Harrison eight rounds last March.

wasn't he meant to be retiring after that fight???

This fight's a definite, Knockout.

i am not questioning you bennie, i am questioning how hungry Ratko will be.... maybe he wasnt retiring... i may be getting confused with Saleta

[bennie]

wasn't he meant to be retiring after that fight???

This fight's a definite, Knockout.

i am not questioning you bennie, i am questioning how hungry Ratko will be.... maybe he wasnt retiring... i may be getting confused with Saleta

Well, as we saw with Skelton's last opponent, they ain't gonna throw him in with anyone too dangerous at this stage. There's too much money at stake with this guy.

[steve689]

I predict Matt Skelton to stop this guy and then the Maloney brothers bandwagon PR machine will certainly start rolling into overdrive! Skelton KO6, i think Matt has more power than Audley but is maybe not as good a boxer as him.

[stujones]

I predict Matt Skelton to stop this guy and then the Maloney brothers bandwagon PR machine will certainly start rolling into overdrive! Skelton KO6, i think Matt has more power than Audley but is maybe not as good a boxer as him.

Not happy with this fight, Skelton needs to get a move on just like Harrison. People (including myself) have been criticisng Audley's opponents since day one, so for Skelton to be fighting one isn't the way forward for a "future world champion" - Eugine Maloney.

A KO would be good, considering both Sam and Harrison have failed to achieve that.

I would like Skelton to fight someone ranked higher than Holden before the year is out - that was a good platform, he must take advantage of it. He's too old to be messing around with guys like Ratko Draskovic.

[REAL_DEAL]

skelton is a fighter that bullies fighters in the corner and tries to force a stoppage, he is good to watch, i would like to see skelton fight in the middle of the ring more

i would like to see skelton punch Resistance but we may have to wait a while.

also i heard that the board turned down skelton oppenent for hide fight at ally pally,

[knockout artist]

This would be a good opponent for Skelton if he was 25, but he is 36.
He needs to be fast tracked.

This opponent was being lined up for Roman Greenberg until Greenberg damaged his hand.

But Greenberg is 21 and nearly young enough to be Skeltons son.

[Guest]

Skelton is Skelton, him and his team shouldn't give a toss what Harrison and Greenberg get up to. I understand that Skelton has to get a move on but there is little logic in chucking him too deep whilst he is still lacking in experience.

Because of Skelton's advanced years he is only likely to get one chance to make a big heavyweight breakthrough. If he fails his eventual acid test there would be no way back, he won't get a second chance so his team must make sure that he is as well prepared as he possibly can be when that moment arrives.

Skelton has yet to venture beyond 6 rounds, and his best win so far is against a faded Mike Holden. How that constitutes him being lined up for a make or break fight is beyond me at this stage. His opponent on Saturday make take Skelton the full route like he did Harrison which wouldn't do him any harm at all. People do worry about Skelton's stamina, perhaps the fighter does himself, so by going the distance he will dispell a few myths.

I'm happy for Skelton to have another couple of learning fights in 2003 before being given a more sizeable test in 2004, someone like Dennis Bakthov would do. Sports Network can rightly be condemned for molly coddling their prospects, but at 35 years-old Skelton will be stepped up in class sooner rather than later I believe.

[MightyWarrior]

Skelton meets Ratko Draskovic this Saturday in Edinburgh, the Yugoslav who took Audley Harrison eight rounds last March.

I know you were "up" on Skelton awile back bennie, and after watching his last few how far do you think he'll go?

Looks like he can hit, and this guy looks an ok opponent for him at this stage, but in his last fight he was slamming away with his chin right up in the air - I was having visions of Pele Reid for a moment!!

I know the other guy wasn't throwing much back, so hopefully when they get him in with Francis he'll have some sort of defence worked out..

Exciting addition to the UK scene though.

[bennie]

Skelton meets Ratko Draskovic this Saturday in Edinburgh, the Yugoslav who took Audley Harrison eight rounds last March.

I know you were "up" on Skelton awile back bennie, and after watching his last few how far do you think he'll go?

Looks like he can hit, and this guy looks an ok opponent for him at this stage, but in his last fight he was slamming away with his chin right up in the air - I was having visions of Pele Reid for a moment!!

I know the other guy wasn't throwing much back, so hopefully when they get him in with Francis he'll have some sort of defence worked out..

Exciting addition to the UK scene though.

I called him a "brilliant prospect" if my memory serves me correctly, and received a lot of stick for such a label, which quite surprised me. But the subsequent win over Holden was a very good one (after all, Holden had been in training all summer to fight Herbie Hide) and Eugene Maloney (who doesn't bullshit like Frank) is sure he has a heavyweight who can really fight on his hands.
Yes I know Holden was not up to much (and had been stopped in four rounds by Michael Sprott a little earlier), but you couldn't knock Skelton's performance. He outclassed his man. The jury's still out of course. Matt remains an exciting addition to the domestic heavyweight ranks, that's all. But I have a feeling he ain't gonna do a Pele Reid and disappoint.

[Goz]

I called him a "brilliant prospect" if my memory serves me correctly, and received a lot of stick for such a label, which quite surprised me. But the subsequent win over Holden was a very good one (after all, Holden had been in training all summer to fight Herbie Hide) and Eugene Maloney (who doesn't bullshit like Frank) is sure he has a heavyweight who can really fight on his hands.
Yes I know Holden was not up to much (and had been stopped in four rounds by Michael Sprott a little earlier), but you couldn't knock Skelton's performance. He outclassed his man. The jury's still out of course. Matt remains an exciting addition to the domestic heavyweight ranks, that's all. But I have a feeling he ain't gonna do a Pele Reid and disappoint.

Funny you mention Pele Reid because I thought of him the last couple of times I saw Skelton fight. I fancy Skelton to fight for the British/Commonwealth level title at some stage but not go too much further.

The opponents I've seen him in with have just let him hold them on the ropes with his left hand and hit them at will, the next level up will not let him do so.

Although during the fight with Holden he did take a round 'off' so to speak and showed some decent boxing skills.

However far he goes I welcome him to the British Heavyweight scene!

[tolstoy]

Because of Skelton's advanced years he is only likely to get one chance to make a big heavyweight breakthrough. If he fails his eventual acid test there would be no way back, he won't get a second chance so his team must make sure that he is as well prepared as he possibly can be when that moment arrives.

His opponent on Saturday make take Skelton the full route like he did Harrison which wouldn't do him any harm at all. People do worry about Skelton's stamina, perhaps the fighter does himself, so by going the distance he will dispell a few myths.

I too have no problem with Skelton's opponent. Draskovic stands a good chance of taking Skelton the distance and that would do him no harm. My only reservation concerns the fact that he might NEED to go the distance but may not be READY for it yet, so in that sense this bout could even be considered a risk.

At his age, yes, he's no time to waste and defeat to an unheralded fighter would wreck his chances of achieving anything worthwhile due to the time boxers are "frozen" out of the picture. However, this will be Skelton's 7th fight in 2003 so I would say that he is, indeed, getting a move on.

If Audley Harrison had been as busy so early in his pro career, he wouldn't have had half the criticism.

[stujones]

Because of Skelton's advanced years he is only likely to get one chance to make a big heavyweight breakthrough. If he fails his eventual acid test there would be no way back, he won't get a second chance so his team must make sure that he is as well prepared as he possibly can be when that moment arrives.

His opponent on Saturday make take Skelton the full route like he did Harrison which wouldn't do him any harm at all. People do worry about Skelton's stamina, perhaps the fighter does himself, so by going the distance he will dispell a few myths.

I too have no problem with Skelton's opponent. Draskovic stands a good chance of taking Skelton the distance and that would do him no harm. My only reservation concerns the fact that he might NEED to go the distance but may not be READY for it yet, so in that sense this bout could even be considered a risk.

At his age, yes, he's no time to waste and defeat to an unheralded fighter would wreck his chances of achieving anything worthwhile due to the time boxers are "frozen" out of the picture. However, this will be Skelton's 7th fight in 2003 so I would say that he is, indeed, getting a move on.

If Audley Harrison had been as busy so early in his pro career, he wouldn't have had half the criticism.

Good points,

My main arguement is thought - why is Draskovic okay for 36 year old Skelton, but not for 32 year old Harrison.

Personally, I think its a step down from Holden and Skelton can ill afford step downs.

At 36, why not make a go of it - at least Harrison might have 6 years of decent boxing in him (judging by Holyfield, Lewis and Tyson) - Skelton's got three maximum.

As he is staying busy its okay, but I would like to see an increase in Standard by the begining of next year at the latest.

If Skelton's not fighting someone of at least Keith Long/Michael Sprott's standard by say March then he's not likely to fulfill Eugine's bold prophecy of World glory.

He's going to have to make a jump sooner or later, why not sooner - they've got nothing to lose.

It would be horrible to see him fighting lesser guys, then when he's ready to move up, age catches up with him. There's a huge difference between 36 and 32.

Both Harrison and Skelton need to move on. Greenberg and Gammar have time well on their sides.