BoxRec

Thomas has pulled out of the fight; he said he would rather fight Jack Cattarell instead for the WBO European title!

I was looking forward to Stalker V Jenkins..

Wow what a mistake, caterall is better than Jenkins and can really punch, wow what a
Mistake from his team

Feel gutted for Jenkins.

Will Stalker be banned from fighting in a British title fight or eliminator for a year because of this pull out?

Jack Catterall is a good pro fighter indeed. Perhaps still learning somewhat, but he has some tools.

Feel for Jenkins mind.

Had he not signed for it?

Feel for Jenkins, but I understand why Stalker's gone down this route. I'd always prefer fighters to go the traditional route, but he's 30, he'd have to beat Jenkins, another eliminator in the new year, then the British title fight next summer, or even as late as September depending on the situation. Or he can fight Catterall for a WBO European title, meaningless belt, but it gives him a world ranking far quicker than going the British route would. At 30, with extensive amateur experience, he can be moved a lot quicker than the average fighter at this stage.

DMA1987 wrote:Had he not signed for it?

Probably, but I'd guess that the contract is with Fwank, his promoter, so he's not going to hold him to it and make him fight Jenkins, even then you never know what clauses are in the contract that may allow him to do this. Depends who's pulled out as well, it may be that Stalker's team have pulled him out, so they've broken the contract he has with them, not him and again he isn't going to complain about it.

The contract situation may come into play with Jenkins though, he signed a contract and through no fault of his own has spent 5 weeks training for nothing, so he may be entitled to some sort of compensation, again depending on what the contract says.

It does leave Jenkins in a difficult position now, there's no one putting on big shows in Wales at the moment, so he'd have to fight on the road. I think they're now pushing to have him made mandatory, but it would be ridiculous to do so based on an opponent pulling out of an eliminator, especially with so many other fighters available.

expe wrote:Feel for Jenkins, but I understand why Stalker's gone down this route. I'd always prefer fighters to go the traditional route, but he's 30, he'd have to beat Jenkins, another eliminator in the new year, then the British title fight next summer, or even as late as September depending on the situation. Or he can fight Catterall for a WBO European title, meaningless belt, but it gives him a world ranking far quicker than going the British route would. At 30, with extensive amateur experience, he can be moved a lot quicker than the average fighter at this stage.

Artur Beterbiev and Kosei Tanaka are showing how you move a prospect quickly. What Stalker is doing is shameful.

Well Saunders said he would be going the European route as Stalker was going British and they are very close friends. Maybe Saunders-Jenkins? I bet Jenkins is buzzing...

expe wrote: At 30, with extensive amateur experience, he can be moved a lot quicker than the average fighter at this stage.

I think this is they key point, but will also be his undoing. The likes of Beterbiev can be moved fast because they are the finished article and have serious power. Stalker has looked poor so far in the pros and has no real noticeable power. I think he comes undone at the first decent test. Both Jenkins or Catterall fights are little better than 50/50 shots for Stalker IMO which is not the making of a future World champion.

Maybe he's a gym beast who's not shown up on the night or maybe he'll display more power on the counter when fighters are coming right back at him. I've got my doubts.

this is going to come across a bit harsh but Stalker strikes me as pretty much, Frankie Gavin, without the head movement

i can see the same kind of problems for him in adapting to the better-level pros

Counter-puncher wrote:this is going to come across a bit harsh but Stalker strikes me as pretty much, Frankie Gavin, without the head movement

i can see the same kind of problems for him in adapting to the better-level pros

Good points

Counter-puncher wrote:this is going to come across a bit harsh but Stalker strikes me as pretty much, Frankie Gavin, without the head movement

i can see the same kind of problems for him in adapting to the better-level pros

Harsh on Frankie perhaps.

Baboon wrote:

expe wrote: At 30, with extensive amateur experience, he can be moved a lot quicker than the average fighter at this stage.

I think this is they key point, but will also be his undoing. The likes of Beterbiev can be moved fast because they are the finished article and have serious power. Stalker has looked poor so far in the pros and has no real noticeable power. I think he comes undone at the first decent test. Both Jenkins or Catterall fights are little better than 50/50 shots for Stalker IMO which is not the making of a future World champion.

Maybe he's a gym beast who's not shown up on the night or maybe he'll display more power on the counter when fighters are coming right back at him. I've got my doubts.

I don't think he will reach world level, or anywhere close, but that's where they're aiming, so they might as well get a move on, he can always drop back down a level when he comes up short. I don't think there's much more to come from him anyway, I can't see any massive improvements coming, get the feeling he'll be stuck in the amateur style he has.

Counter-puncher wrote:this is going to come across a bit harsh but Stalker strikes me as pretty much, Frankie Gavin, without the head movement

i can see the same kind of problems for him in adapting to the better-level pros

With the proviso that I'd quite like to be Frankie Gavin sans head movement, that'd do me, I'm not greedy like, just that level of talent, no more for me, leave some in the pot for others...

Datsue wrote:

Counter-puncher wrote:this is going to come across a bit harsh but Stalker strikes me as pretty much, Frankie Gavin, without the head movement

i can see the same kind of problems for him in adapting to the better-level pros

With the proviso that I'd quite like to be Frankie Gavin sans head movement, that'd do me, I'm not greedy like, just that level of talent, no more for me, leave some in the pot for others...

oh indeed I'd love to be 1/20 the boxer either of them are

stalkers a still-amateurish southpaw doesn't punch very hard. Seems to look a bit long-armed when he throws his shots, doesn't seem to get good leverage.

Stalker versus Caterall is a good fight. We'll know where Stalker is going one way or another after this !