BoxRec

A draw? How did that happen, and the stream cut out.
Has it just that Francis was overweight, how heavy was Vegas?
Was the fight worth a draw? Or is this a ploy to keep him away from Cleverly?

Coco wrote:Was the fight worth a draw? Or is this a ploy to keep him away from Cleverly?

A ploy by whom?

Who do you think!
The promoter

Coco wrote:Who do you think!
The promoter

On that form they would be desperate to make the match. Francis can't make weight and can't even beat a fat Joey Vegas. Easy win for Cleverly, plus he'd get Francis's world ranking.

Was he really poor then, I didn't see the fight?

Coco wrote:Was he really poor then, I didn't see the fight?

Slow, heavy, didn't seem interested. Vegas would have won with a bit more ambition. I think it took Vegas 6 rounds to realise that Francis was so poor.

If they put him in with Maccarinelli, he could get hurt.

Maybe he has put himself in the position to be on call for Macca's next fight then!

Coco wrote:Maybe he has put himself in the position to be on call for Macca's next fight then!

Exactly!

Sky showed (I think) 4 rounds out of the 8, so it is impossible really to tell if it was a fair scoreline or not. Vegas was getting through with some good shots- more so than Francis, from what I saw.

God, it must have been dire. I went to bed at 11.20 assuming that the fight had been scratched for some reason. Didn't see any mention of it early on. Sounds like he's done then.

I think he was excellent against Oakey, and that it would be his last good performance. There must be something up with him turning down fights like the WBO light heavy title shot, dropping the Commonwealth title (thus allowing Cleverly to advance so). Is it possible he's set up financially and that he's accomplished what he's wanted to do, and that's it? Would anyone be surprised if he retired rather than defend vs Cleverly?

If it's the end, it's been a dramatic and exciting career & good luck to him. I wish there were more Brits with his skills & punch delivery.

I just cannot get excited by Nathan Cleverley, he is very average and will no way make it to world class. The Francis that beat Oakey would of smashed him. I know cleverley is young but he is very limited.

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:God, it must have been dire. I went to bed at 11.20 assuming that the fight had been scratched for some reason. Didn't see any mention of it early on. Sounds like he's done then.

Me too mate. Slipped my mind.

Autobarn wrote:I think he was excellent against Oakey, and that it would be his last good performance. There must be something up with him turning down fights like the WBO light heavy title shot, dropping the Commonwealth title (thus allowing Cleverly to advance so). Is it possible he's set up financially and that he's accomplished what he's wanted to do, and that's it? Would anyone be surprised if he retired rather than defend vs Cleverly?

If it's the end, it's been a dramatic and exciting career & good luck to him. I wish there were more Brits with his skills & punch delivery.

He has had a split with the Sangars which left him cash strapped.

He has relocated to London for financial reasons - he said he needs the big fights and the money that goes with it.

Maybe out of the ring problems played a part last night?

Either way - he can nt have gone back so far after the Oakey fight.

Hope so. Didn't the Sky crew say Deano had the edge in that fight? He looked too heavy. It was too depressing to watch all of it.

Is he regretting turning down the Erdei fight now?

steve689 wrote:Is he regretting turning down the Erdei fight now?

He was too heavy and we all know the dangers of not making weight safely.

Did he take the fight short notice? Maybe that is why he was so heavy and out of shape?
I thought he had split with Sanigar ages ago and linked up with Dean Cooper.
And i'm still to be convinced about Cleverly

I wouldn't right Francis off yet, he did look poor and has looked okay at Cruiser before. I am just hoping he was seriously under motivated for this fight - and the problems he had for turning down the Erdei and Cleverly fights... well of course I want them to be over.... but hoping that maybe it might have affected his preperation.

People wrote of Earl after the Ricky Burns set back, he then went on to argueably have his best run of his career.

Coco wrote:Did he take the fight short notice? Maybe that is why he was so heavy and out of shape?
I thought he had split with Sanigar ages ago and linked up with Dean Cooper.
And i'm still to be convinced about Cleverly

I think Boxing Monthly reported that lkegal issues re: Sanigars left him cash straped - maybe some recent court case?

Did not see least nights fight - but Dean was most likely not motivated or ready to fight.

Danny McIntosh has had some unfair criticism on here, yet beat Vegas in his sixth fight.