BoxRec

I'm getting more at the sentiments of posters on other forums (who are suggesting that Brook exposed GGG), although you wouldn't know that just from my post here. To be fair, I think the opinions here are very reasonable for the most part , so maybe my post is a bit out of context!

Basically, Brook fought well and clearly deserves credit for his showing, but I don't think he did dramatically better than some GGG opponents who are considered guys GGG easily ran through (rather than guys who exposed him).

I felt Brook's comment about the injury wasn't a claim it was unfairly done, it was saying that with the blurred vision, not being able to see a clear target etc he really struggled at both attacking and defending. Yes the injury was caused by a heavy puncher but sometimes there is an element of luck, good or bad, about it. Otherwise Golovkin would be inflicting broken eye orbits on every single opponent. I also think sometimes people do confuse the bigger name having a poor fight with the lesser name making him look bad. I thought the same with Murray as well, they made Golovkin look less special because they were able to box him to a standard he doesn't always have to deal with. The problem however is always going to be that if you can't hurt Golovkin enough to make him wary of getting caught clean he will try to just walk through you. The only answer then is staying in sufficient shape to use your boxing as a defence - back to the fight once Brook couldn't see properly that was the end of it. Based on what happened though I'd say at best the injury just brought the result forward by a few rounds - without that injury, considering the level of pounding he did take and the success he did have, Brook might have gone 8-10 rounds which by current standards is a really impressive showing.

Brook is still a fresh fighter; he absorbed GGG punches as well as you would expect a fresh, full of confidence, fighter to.
However - maybe not that 5th round, but very possibly in the 6th, and no later than the 8th ... those punches would have been having a very different effect on him.

His corner did 100% the best thing long term for him; he will still have his confidence and freshness next time he fights. To have been allowed to have his physical and mental resilience broken down as GGG was comfortably in the process of doing, would very likely have ruined Brook ... or at the very least, taken away something that the very best boxers possess, and require, when the going gets tough.

However - for the sport of boxing; I do not think it was a good decision. One of boxing`s appeal is the all or nothing attitude to winning, the come from behind, against the odds victory ... this fight did not have these ingredients.
Brook tried his best, it didn`t look to be good enough ... he survived the scare early in fight, looked as if he may survive the fight; but when it looked like GGG was ready to dismantle him, Brooks trainers had no real confidence in Brooks ability to really win, so it was stopped ... there was no drama.

I was there on Saturday night and really enjoyed the fight.

What I took out of it was that GGG is one of the best fighters I've ever seen at cutting the ring off. His subtle steps easily neutralised Brook's speed advantage and I didn't think he was remotely troubled by Brook's punches despite taking a few. GGG clearly went in there to have a war and in doing so perhaps took a few more shots than was necessary but he was always in control for me.

I can't see anyone beating GGG any time soon given his granite chin, huge power, great technical skills and relentlessness.

Brook was better than I thought he'd be but I think he needs to step down to 154lbs where he'd be quite big and comfortable at the weight. The winner of Canelo v Smith (surely Canelo) would be a fight I'd like to see.

As for GGG, I'd love him in with Eubank Jnr. I think that'd be a war with GGG winning in similar fashion to last night.

tonyevs wrote:Brook is still a fresh fighter; he absorbed GGG punches as well as you would expect a fresh, full of confidence, fighter to.
However - maybe not that 5th round, but very possibly in the 6th, and no later than the 8th ... those punches would have been having a very different effect on him.

His corner did 100% the best thing long term for him; he will still have his confidence and freshness next time he fights. To have been allowed to have his physical and mental resilience broken down as GGG was comfortably in the process of doing, would very likely have ruined Brook ... or at the very least, taken away something that the very best boxers possess, and require, when the going gets tough.

However - for the sport of boxing; I do not think it was a good decision. One of boxing`s appeal is the all or nothing attitude to winning, the come from behind, against the odds victory ... this fight did not have these ingredients.
Brook tried his best, it didn`t look to be good enough ... he survived the scare early in fight, looked as if he may survive the fight; but when it looked like GGG was ready to dismantle him, Brooks trainers had no real confidence in Brooks ability to really win, so it was stopped ... there was no drama.

that's exactly my thoughts

and my prediction going into the fight

GPTM1403 wrote:I felt Brook's comment about the injury wasn't a claim it was unfairly done, it was saying that with the blurred vision, not being able to see a clear target etc he really struggled at both attacking and defending. Yes the injury was caused by a heavy puncher but sometimes there is an element of luck, good or bad, about it. Otherwise Golovkin would be inflicting broken eye orbits on every single opponent. I also think sometimes people do confuse the bigger name having a poor fight with the lesser name making him look bad. I thought the same with Murray as well, they made Golovkin look less special because they were able to box him to a standard he doesn't always have to deal with. The problem however is always going to be that if you can't hurt Golovkin enough to make him wary of getting caught clean he will try to just walk through you. The only answer then is staying in sufficient shape to use your boxing as a defence - back to the fight once Brook couldn't see properly that was the end of it. Based on what happened though I'd say at best the injury just brought the result forward by a few rounds - without that injury, considering the level of pounding he did take and the success he did have, Brook might have gone 8-10 rounds which by current standards is a really impressive showing.

This is my feeling too. Regardless of the eye injury, the fight would have lasted until about the 8th round anyway. With the eye injury, it always is going to give pause for thought as to what may have happened in the fight. However, in my opinion, Brook would have been peddling backwards into those later rounds, getting caught with shots as GGG pressed his opponent, cut off the ring and walked him down. It was only a matter of time before the strength and power told, regardless of the injury, which was obviously a freak accident.