BoxRec

it looks like lynes will have to go to italy nov 9 to defend european title, matchroom obviously lost purse bid, can he win?

On recent form I would have to say yes

I agree. Lynes by stoppage.

bet branco by decision.

He is going to have to go for the KO when he gets in there

home soil sees lynes win by late stoppage. over there tricky but i think branco has had his day. lynes camp wont want to wait for a dubious decision. i'm backing colin to keep up this amazing come back

DAGENHAM'S Colin Lynes makes the first defence of the coveted European light-welterweight title against former holder Gianluca Branco in a tricky assignment in Italy on November 9.
Branco is the mandatory.
The Italian star turned pro 12 years ago and went unbeaten in his first 28 before stepping up in a challenge for the European title against solid Frenchman Gabriel Mapouka in 2001 and snaring a majority decision in Mapouka's hometown of Massy, which speaks for itself.
A fine win.
Branco retained against Scandinavians George Scott and Allan Vester and, well-connected as he is, secured mandatory position to WBC champion Arturo Gatti at a time when Gatti was coming off those three classics with Micky Ward (and when Ricky Hatton was gunning for the same position). Branco protected the ranking (his payday) by simply not fighting, relinquishing his European belt. He was given no chance when Gatti finally accommodated him in Atlantic City in January 2004 in front of 11,000, but Gatti broke his right hand again (previously busting it against "Irish" Micky, who accompanied Gatti to the ring) and threw it sparingly. Branco did just the opposite, nailing the champion time and again with counter rights. The fight was in the balance when Gatti (being Gatti) dropped Branco with a huge left hook in the 10th and turned things around. Final scorecards of 115-112 and 116-111 (twice) for Gatti underline how good an effort it was from the unheralded Italian.
Gatti's face was a mess.
Branco worked his way back to a shot at WBO light-welterweight king Miguel Cotto in Puerto Rico last year but was stopped in eight masterful rounds by the Puerto Rican star. Currently 38-2-1 (20), the 37-year-old challenger has won both his fights since Cotto and enjoys the kind of backing that enables him to pick and choose the biggest paydays, or opportunities such as this at home. He keeps himself in nick and, if elder brother Silvio is anything to go by (a world champ at 40), has mileage in him. Only Gatti and Cotto have beaten Branco.
Cotto is the only man to stop him.
A typically awkward, counterpunching Italian, Gianluca will look to break the rhythm of classy Lynes, who won the European title in July in the Midlands against Midlands puncher Young Muttley with a display of jabbing that bordered on the breathtaking (taking out Muttley in the eighth). Just before that, Lynes upset local man Barry Morrison in Motherwell to win the British light-welterweight title (points). He nearly beat current WBC champ Junior Witter in a triple title encounter at York Hall in late 2005. The 29-year-old is in the form of his life.
So this could go either way. Colin will be bouyed by his Muttley masterclass but will find slippery Branco less of a target and, despite his recent wins in the Lion's Den, Italy a hostile base. Branco has never lost at home and Lynes fights for the first time outside Britain.
If it goes to the cards (neither is really a banger), expect the worst for the visitor.

This is an incredibly obvious win for the Italian, look for some good betting lines.

Riddick Blowe wrote:This is an incredibly obvious win for the Italian, look for some good betting lines.

I'll quote you on that. Branco is old and has largely been inactive. Lynes is going to cruise it.

i saw branco - gatti and was not impressed by him at all. the scores look close but as you say yourself he "...is well connected" (the only judge who scored it close was a Mr Guido Cavallieri!!!) he didnt look like troubling gatti unduly at any stage.

yes this is a tough one for lynes as branco is a big hero at home and is a tricky back peddler but lynes is packing more power of late and his jab is the stuff of dreams right now. if he takes his new found super-confidence with him then he stops the aging italian.

But the thing is Lynes was never a big puncher and Cotto is the only man to stop him - and if nothing else Gatti can bang and he cudnt stop Branco. I have to admit I didnt see the Morrison or Mutley fights but did Mutley look weight-drained? Because if so that win may have flattered lynes though outboxing Morrison was a good win. I think Branco will get the nod despite Lynes doing enough to win(I've seen some disgraceful decisions in Italy).

Lynes with his run of form will make this a good fight, but in Italy, I doubt he will get the nod.

Italy isn't quite as bad as it used to be when it comes to travelling boxers fighting there.
Lynes has a good chance , but any close rounds will go to Branco, so Colin has to keep a good pace up throughout.

colin's problem is that he will have to fight coming forward. he has proved himself the second best backfoot british lightwelter behind witter but in italy he will have to come forward. he does have better power these days and his right hand problems seem to have gone but he will get no favours from the judges by countering, branco wont go looking for lynes anyway, so....its gonna be a difficult tactical fight. i still go with him, though.

Riddick Blowe wrote:This is an incredibly obvious win for the Italian, look for some good betting lines.

Not obvioous at all IMO, Lynes has looked very good of late

we'll see.. im ready for my humble pie if wrong, but this is the classic domestic 'looks great camped out in england his whole career and is in for a shock abroad' scenario.

scotland is not england and just as intimidating imo

oscar wrote:scotland is not england and just as intimidating imo

And harder 2 get a decision