BoxRec

what's peoples thoughts on this fight?

Also does anyone know where I can get the betting for this?

Thanks in advance
Daveyswan

M'baye to win at a canter, not seen odds though.

Classy Frenchman Souleymane MBaye defends his WBA light-welterweight crown against unlikely Welshman Gavin "The Rock" Rees, who has never even fought for a British title.
MBaye, however, barely retained with a 12-round draw against Andreas Kotelnik in Liverpool in March, a 'result' that drew plenty of jeers. The 32-year-old Parisian, brilliant in winning the vacant belt in Bolton last September against Raul Balbi (four rounds), boxed well on the counter in a sparkling encounter but faded in the later rounds as Kotelnik pressed the action and put in a strong finish. By the last, the Ukrainian was dominating. All three judges were British. MBaye is British-backed.
Known as "The Sensation", MBaye is a slick boxer with height and reach and a decent dig, having stopped five of his last six. He twice dropped Argentine Balbi and showed all his skills against Kotelnik, who pushed WBC champion Junior Witter all the way here in 2005. But Kotelnik kept coming.
But the fact remains: MBaye has lost only to American star Vivian Harris in 37 outings (on a 12-round decision).
Unbeaten Rees, a cute, aggressive, wear-you-down exponent from Joe Calzaghe turf in Newbridge, turned pro at featherweight back in 1998 and thumped out 26 emphatic wins. He's unlucky, in some respects. Twice he was set for super-featherweight showdowns with unbeaten Kevin Lear when the Londoner pulled out. Then Rees himself was injured, missing out on a clash with Manchester's Michael Gomez. He also copped a year's ban, much of which he spent eating, after chinning someone at a funeral. "I want to prove Enzo Calzaghe right," said chunky Rees, whose ability to compete in this division, in this class, is unproven. "He could have dropped me but my record speaks for itself - I haven't lost since the amateurs 12 years ago."
But while Rees counts Chill John, Michael Muya, Martin Watson, Jimmy Beech and one mourner among his victims, MBaye has licked the likes of Kotelnik (in a first meeting), Balbi, Khalid Rahilou, Gabriel Mapouka, Fabrice Colombel and Laszlo Komjathi.
It's hard to believe Rees is any better than Kotelnik.
MBaye, the mandatory behind him, will expect a more convincing (second) defence of his title. At almost 5ft 10ins, he enjoys massive physical advantages tonight over 5ft 3ins Rees and his long, sharp punches will probably bust open the cut-prone challenger. In saying that the younger Rees, five years younger at 27, has a Rocky-like shout if it goes into the trenches. The way Rees makes room for his hooks and uppercuts inside is almost Hattonesque (who held this title previously). He does have talent. He dished out a points beating to Midlands light-welterweight champion Billy Smith in a six-rounder at the Millennium Stadium last time out in April.
But it's a long, long way from Billy Smith to Souleymane MBaye in the light-welterweight ranks.

Funeral incident, which i'd forgotten about.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/3979973.stm

Wales wrote:Funeral incident, which i'd forgotten about.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/3979973.stm

Class act, that.

Terry D wrote:Poor form but I've seen plenty of punch-ups at wakes as they get highly-charged, particularly in Ireland.

Still with him being a boxer he should count to 10.

I think Ree's will here the ref counting to 10 over him on Saturday.

i remember being impressed with rees when he fought that kenyan that time.

strong little bastard he was that night and looked a bit tasty.

but other times he's looked garbage.

m'baye ain't much of a puncher.

so maybe if rees is up for it and can find some form he could make it interesting.

still favour m'baye though.

M'baye wasn't impressive last time out, alot of people thought he lost against Kotelnik, but he has been fighting at a far higher level than Rees and i think this experience will count alot.

Rees is a compact boxer, who isn't a hard puncher. I think this fight goes 1 of 2 ways. Either M'baye comes out and wipes Rees out quickly inside of 2 rounds, or M'Baye settles into his boxing with Rees having a couple of moments of sucess before being stopped in 10th round.

In terms of earning the right, Rees shouldn't be anywhere near WBA contender status, but we all know it's not what you've achieved....it's who you're connected too!

Rees is clearly a strong guy, but it would remarkable if he pulled this one off. M'baye can be hit and hurt, but even if Rees can catch him, he's lacking the tools and experience to capatalise.

M'Baye's as safe bet (famous last words :) )

M'Baye will probably win on points he's slick and has great skills but he's not too aggressive.

M'Baye on points, though if he split Rees's pint in a pub, I'd favour Gav by one punch KO.

His victim at the wake will enjoy saturday night though.

M'Baye will beat the crap pout of Rees.

agree with KO artist!

We don't know much about Rees, do we?

M'Baye's on the slide. Though talented, he's always been too passive and I think regardless of who you thought won the 2 Kotelnik fights, they proved Souleymane wasn't elite class.

Why would they put Rees in with him? Do they know something we don't? Are we too quick to assume that he's just a sacrificial lamb?

Daveyswan wrote:what's peoples thoughts on this fight?

Also does anyone know where I can get the betting for this?

Thanks in advance
Daveyswan

mbaye is about 1-5 mate with reese is about 5-1 with the draw 20-1 roughly

On paper it is a complete mismatch....

....i remember i was really impressed with Rees back when i saw him on the Calzaghe-Mitchell undercard...then he blew away Daniel Thorpe in 1 round....more recently it took him 5 rounds to take care of Thorpe...his only stoppage in his last 5 fights....and if Rees is worthy of world title contendership...against that oppostion (only 1 of the 5 had won over half of their previous bouts)....it should be 5 straight KOs

Autobarn wrote:We don't know much about Rees, do we?

M'Baye's on the slide. Though talented, he's always been too passive and I think regardless of who you thought won the 2 Kotelnik fights, they proved Souleymane wasn't elite class.

Why would they put Rees in with him? Do they know something we don't? Are we too quick to assume that he's just a sacrificial lamb?

I hope Rees wins but It Is strange that their putting Rees with M'Baye though.

M'Baye will make Rees look like a amateur in my eyes hes to slick hes done more at a higher level Rees aint even done anything at British level and he will be to strong aswell. I would like Gavin to win but really cant see how this will happen unless he lands a big shot because he is strong but i think M'Baye will outbox him all night long and possibly even stop him how on earth as Rees got a WBA title shot? when he aint even done anything be watching this 1 very closely tonight.

Joke fight, no interest...

This one looks as if it could get a bit messy. What has Rees done exactly to warrent a tittle crack?

He's Gone Jim! wrote:This one looks as if it could get a bit messy. What has Rees done exactly to warrent a tittle crack?

A hell of a lot less than Skelton eh mr Warren?

He's Gone Jim! wrote:This one looks as if it could get a bit messy. What has Rees done exactly to warrent a tittle crack?

Well, according to Boxrec, he's ranked number 78 in the world! Oh, and 9 of his 26 opponents had winning records.

http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?hu ... &cat=boxer

49 In the world on Boxrec and he never got a WBA rating like Rees has.

cant believe how ineffective mbaye - a WBA world champ!!! - was

Hennessy should ring up W rren and ask for a fight for Witter against Rees. Mind you Witter has to beat Harris first.