BoxRec

Dunne settled in straight away. Looks well at home with his rising star in there. Gets a bit too relaxed in that US style though - sparse defensive gaps appear about the same regularity as missed chances to finish due to it. Don't think he should make any drastic changes though: he has his pacing down to a tee, and that style itself can at times be a real omen to a lot of European style fighters, making them look foolish even if they're getting the better of the session - round six being a weakish example in that fight there. The first 1:30 of that round was the only time Walstad nearly gained on top control in the whole fight. Saying that, seeing him trading with Michael Hunter would be good; he was a step out his depth tonight but can get further fights at this level.

Round 9

Dunne is starting to settle for points I think. Walstad is still looking to win and is showing great stamina but little in terms of skill to pull a win off.

10 - 9 Dunne

Round 10

Walstad shook Dunne at the start with a straight right which the commentators ignored. Walstad starting to get inside at last and got some shots off. Dunne starting to tire and is looking to coast to points.

Walstad 10 - 9

Round 11

Walstad goes KO hunting and almost puts Dunne down with a jab while he's off balance. Dunne landed a good right hand but Walstad just edged it.

10 - 9 Walstad

Round 12

Voronin all over again. Dunne is rocked by a right in the 12th. Walstad lands some very good shots, looking for the KO. Dunnes head clears and he goes back to his jab. Dunne rocks Walstad in the last 10 seconds. Great final round.

10 - 9 Walstad

dunne's stamina is poor i think.

he's struggled late on in a few fights now.

I think the thing with RTE's presentation/commentary is that it seems to be mostly all improv - hence that semi-rambling discussion mixing Sugar Ray Leonard, Jim Rock and the mythos of a superman before the main event.

BTW, was that Orlaith from Big Brother/Daily Star fame as a flag girl?

Good performance. Dunne referred to Walstad as a "Hardy little hooer"

In my mind Molitor/Dunne would be a genuine 50/50 fight. But yeah, he does fade a bit down the stretch against strong fighters and I would have doubts over his chin against a true KO puncher... Up steps Kiko Martinez 13 Ko's in 16.

Cannibal wrote:Good performance. Dunne referred to Walstad as a "Hardy little hooer"

In my mind Molitor/Dunne would be a genuine 50/50 fight. But yeah, he does fade a bit down the stretch against strong fighters and I would have doubts over his chin against a true KO puncher... Up steps Kiko Martinez 13 Ko's in 16.

he lacks power.

we saw that at the start of his career.

won 8 in a row then went pts for the next 6 fights.

molitor ices dunne.

Kiko Martinez would be good for his next fight.

Molitor hasn't got the power to put Dunne away so that fight would most likely go the full 12. Out of 12, I reckon Dunne would take a fair share of them.

Both are good boxers but neither sit back and jab their way to victory so it would be a dream "boxing" match in my mind.

I think Molitor is rated too highly based on his demolition of Hunter, but face it. Hunter is a step below world class. Dunne has far more tools than Hunter, more power (though not much), better combinations, a great left hook to the body and a decent jab. Not to mention he beat Molitor in the amateurs. It would be a coin toss fight.

I agree, Cannibal. Another point that people seem to have forgotton is the Hunter was more than hold his own in the first 3 rounds. I know its only 3 rounds, but I don't think Dunne is as vulnerable as Hunter.

This stamina issue might be a worry, I just hope its maybe Dunne not being up for the fight as much as he should - cause stamina looked fine vs Esham.

I still think he faded against Esham. Esham came into it a lot more in the mid rounds after it looked like Dunne was going to box his ears off all night long.

I think if his opponent is still there after 6 and still has a good bit of stamina and drive then Dunne starts to tire, mainly just from someone charging forward at him non stop and him having to work.

Saying that, in all these fights he has been well ahead on the scorecards, so I don't know if he would sustain it for longer if the scorecard was in doubt.

They're talking up Kiko Martinez and that should be a good test for Dunne. If he puts Martinez away I think he should go for a world title afterwards. Martinez would definitely be the biggest puncher he's been in with, though his record looks padded.

stujones wrote:I agree, Cannibal. Another point that people seem to have forgotton is the Hunter was more than hold his own in the first 3 rounds. I know its only 3 rounds, but I don't think Dunne is as vulnerable as Hunter.

This stamina issue might be a worry, I just hope its maybe Dunne not being up for the fight as much as he should - cause stamina looked fine vs Esham.

Molitor was on some serious ring rust, and maybe even jet lag as well, though. To his crdit, the first time he landed clean, Hunter melted into goo and gave up. There's just no nicer way of saying it.

Dunne seems more promising than Hunter, on the Pickering fight alone, but like everyone's saying there are concerns now.

i'd like to see hunter vs dunne.

but hunter is now up at feather, so i doubt it happens.

Dunne has some brilliant moves and looks awesome when he puts it together.

But that left hand is far to low, and he does get tagged quite a lot - Against a more precise puncher he will come unstuck.

I would also question his stamina, he was lagging quite bad at the end there.

I don't think the left hand is too much of a problem early in the fight as his head movement seems to compensate for it and I think he uses it to draw out punches so he can counter punch. But after about the 8th or so he does tend to get hit a bit more.

Dunne has a great jab and a nice style. Fast hands, variety, instincts, body punching. That jab is a head snapper and his timing is really something.


I gave Walstad one round and even then I was being generous. Dunne faded against Pickering after boxing him silly for nine rounds. That was still a top win...Now he says he's having less trouble getting the weight down. He was fighting a fighter inferior to Pickering last weekend, but his stamina and pacing do look better.

Wonder when they will make a move to the next stage. Some strong champions out there. Molitor, Marquez, Caballero and the lesser Ponce De Leon. Either way I think he'll be a world champion though it may have to be at featherweight. Up at 126 the champs are weaker, apart from Chris John.