This Thursday, like each Thursday, I ask you to drag up a seat alongside my bulging, bulbous sack and watch me shoot a load of gooey, salty reality proper into the faces of boxing’s purveyors of ignorance. This week, we’ve got questions/feedback concerning Tank Davis-Lamont Roach 2 and Constructing Jaron Ennis.
Tank-Roach 2
Hello Paul.
Simply needed to choose your mind concerning the Tank Davis Lamont Roach rematch. I used to be actually stunned that Roach did in addition to he did within the first struggle. I used to be a type of who thought it might be a mismatch and that Tank was selecting a straightforward struggle for himself. It turned out that I used to be fallacious about all the things and Roach may’ve been on condition that struggle. I nonetheless had Tank successful, even when that knockdown had been referred to as, nevertheless it was lots tougher than I believed it might be. What do you see occurring within the rematch? Might this have been a case of Tank taking Roach too evenly? What can Roach do to place himself excessive this time?
– Luis
Hey Luis.
I had Roach successful, if that knockdown had been referred to as (and it ought to’ve been referred to as). A-side money-makers get a certain quantity of boxing “Get out of jail free” playing cards and this was certainly one of them for Gervonta Davis. In a simply boxing world, although, Tank ought to be coaching for the rematch and for an opportunity to regain his belt (he has a belt, proper?). However right here we’re and individuals are making an attempt to say that Roach ought to really feel lucky for getting one other Tank Davis cash struggle. Nope. Roach ought to’ve gained. Interval.
Anyway, I don’t understand how far more Roach can do or how in another way he may strategy issues. I feel he gave his all within the first struggle and had the absolute best night time he may’ve had in opposition to Tank. That makes being screwed within the first struggle all of the extra tragic. That was a proper time, proper place efficiency for Roach and it didn’t stick. I don’t assume he will get the chance to place all of it collectively once more.
For my part, Tank WAS flat that night time and wasn’t working at 100%. I don’t assume he was taking Roach evenly, it’s simply that he gave the impression to be in a bizarre head area all all through that struggle and its leadup. Roach is an excellent fighter and presents a troublesome stylistic matchup, however Tank’s flatness allowed for alternatives that usually wouldn’t have been there. If something can encourage him again to peak Tank, it’s a struggle like this the place he heard quite a lot of shit being talked about him and took quite a lot of criticism that normally doesn’t attain his entrance door.
I’m predicting a Tank win, in all probability by factors and someplace within the 8-4 neighborhood, with Roach taking some heavy artillery alongside the best way.
Constructing Boots
Paul.
Jaron “Boots” Ennis is probably the most electrifying fighter within the sport at this time and a complete bundle with energy, pace, and aptitude, however he isn’t nowhere close to the star he ought to be. What can he do to take the subsequent step up in recognition?
– PA Boots Fan
Hey Boots Fan.
We could need to face the fact that there is no such thing as a longer a path to true stardom for American fighters nowadays. From right here on out, if American boxing continues on the trail its on and retains promoting itself out to forces actively making an attempt to shift focus away from the American scene, there will likely be no such factor as a real boxing star. Essentially the most we will hope for is area of interest recognition amongst a restricted viewers, which is just about what we’ve got at this time. Proper now, except you carry your star energy from outdoors of boxing, there’s a severe cap on how massive you will get. That’s going to be much more of a actuality within the coming months/years.
Having mentioned that, although, there ARE some issues Boots Ennis can do to spice up his profile. Unifying the welterweight division can be good and it might make him extra interesting among the many hardcore followers, though it in all probability wouldn’t do all that a lot to spice up his star energy. Transferring as much as 154 would even be good, particularly if he have been to fulfill and beat Vergil Ortiz Jr. in a slugfest struggle. Sadly, with Turki Alalshikh’s boot on Ortiz’s again and his hand in promoter Eddie Hearn’s pocket, such a bout would in all probability need to happen in Saudi Arabia. And having Boots struggle on the opposite facet of the planet, at an odd hour, and completely lower off from precise boxing followers is most positively NOT the reply to boosting his profile.
If I have been his supervisor and obtained my palms on a time machine, I might return a yr and a half, keep away from signing with Eddie Hearn and align with PBC, which had featured him on a few of their exhibits as a non-PBC fighter and really helped construct him to the purpose the place he may get a profitable promotional deal within the first place. The trail to next-level stardom would’ve then been much more navigatable (and fruitful)– Errol Spence, Eimantas Stanionis (when it mattered extra), Mario Barrios, Keith Thurman, Tim Tszyu, Sebastian Fundora. He even may’ve pressured a Terence Crawford struggle if he had crushed Spence. Hearn had nothing to supply and has principally delivered on that nothing.
I don’t know. Perhaps Boots has gotten as massive as he’s going to get. That’s actually unhappy since I agree with you about his electrifying capacity.
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