Tag: george groves

Analysis: Are Tim Bradley, Carl Froch and Rafael Marquez worthy of Hall of Fame?

Analysis: Are Tim Bradley, Carl Froch and Rafael Marquez worthy of election to the Hall of Fame?

Strong cases can be made that the three male fighters in the International Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2023 – Tim Bradley, Carl Froch and Rafael Marquez – deserve the honor.

At the same time, it isn’t the strongest class in recent years. Bradley, Froch and Marquez were among the most-accomplished fighters of their eras but not obvious choices – like Floyd Mayweather or Bernard Hopkins, for example — for the Hall of Fame.

They had impressive, but far from perfect resumes.

Here are arguments for and against the newest members of the Hall, who will be formally inducted in June at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, which is in upstate New York.

Note: The Hall made the announcement of their election on Wednesday.

TIM BRADLEY (33-2-1, 13 KOs)

FOR

Bradley wasn’t a powerful puncher but had elite ability, worked as hard as anyone in the sport and was durable. And the only fighter who beat was one of the greatest ever. He won five world titles in two divisions, for what that’s worth in an era of far too many belts. He also defeated a long list of elite opponents. He had an impressive stretch between 2007 and 2013, when his victims included Miguel Vazquez, Junior Witter, Kendall Holt, Nate Campbell, Lamont Peterson, Devon Alexander, Joel Casamayor, a still-formidable Manny Pacquiao, Ruslan Provodnikov and Juan Manuel Marquez. The victory over Marquez might’ve been the best of his career. Few fighters of the generation could match that impressive run.

AGAINST

The vast majority of observers thought Bradley was given a gift split decision against Pacquiao in their first fight (in 2012), which can’t be ignored. The Filipino star deserved the victory. And Pacquiao won both the rematch – which followed the Marquez victory – and their third fight by wide decisions (2014 and 2016). The fact is Bradley was never the same after the Marquez fight (2013), going 2-2-1 to close out his career when he was still young (30-32). He retired after losing his third fight with Pacquiao in 2016. The brutal, toe-to-toe brawl with Provodnikov in 2013 might’ve shortened his career.

IS HE WORTHY OF THE HONOR?

Yes

 

CARL FROCH (33-2, 24 KOs)

FOR

Froch wasn’t exceptionally quick or athletic but he was a clever boxer with formidable punching power and an abundance of confidence, which took the Englishman a long way. He was a three-time super middleweight titleholder between 2008 and 2015, making him one of the most consistent 168-pounders of his era. During that stretch, he defeated Jean Pascal (to win his first title), Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Arthur Abraham, Glen Johnson, Lucian Bute, Mikkel Kessler (rematch) and George Groves (twice). His only losses came against the capable Kessler in their first fight and future Hall of Famer Andre Ward. He delivered a classic mic drop in 2014, when he knocked out Groves with one punch in front of 80,000 at Wembley Stadium and then retired.

AGAINST

Ward exposed Froch’s limitations, outclassing him to win what should’ve been a wide decision in the championship match of the Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament )2011. It seemed in that fight that Ward was great, Froch merely good. Of course, it might not be fair to compare Froch with Ward, who finished his career with a perfect record and arguably is one of the greatest boxers of all time. The loss to Kessler (2010) doesn’t help his case but there’s no shame in it. Kessler was an excellent all-around fighter. And Froch avenged the loss convincingly, meaning he beat everyone he fought except Ward.

IS HE WORTHY OF THE HONOR?

Yes

 

RAFAEL MARQUEZ (41-9, 37 KOs)

FOR

Marquez wasn’t as skillful as his more-celebrated brother and fellow Hall of Famer, Juan Manuel Marquez, but the Mexican was an excellent boxer with a never-say-die warrior spirit and one-punch knockout power to go with it. He had a four-year run as a bantamweight titleholder and also won a junior featherweight belt. He’s best known for his historic four-fight series with Israel Vazquez between 2007 and 2010 – they each won twice — but he had a number of other important victories. Among them: He defeated fellow Hall of Famer Mark Johnson (twice), Mauricio Pastrana (twice) and previously unbeaten Tim Austin (to win his first title).

AGAINST

Marquez didn’t have as many quality victories as some other Hall of Famers. Plus, he and Marquez weren’t the same fighters for their fourth meeting, in part the result of the brutality of the first three. It had the feel of an old-timers game. Vazquez won two of the three meetings that should count most, once by knockout. He stopped Vazquez twice, in the first and fourth fights. He also was only 9-4 in world title fights. And, finally, Marquez, who retired at 34, struggled down the final stretch of his career: He went 4-6 in his final 10 fights. He shouldn’t be judged too harshly because of that; many great fighters have stumbled into retirement.

IS HE WORTHY OF THE HONOR?

Yes

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Analysis: Are Tim Bradley, Carl Froch and Rafael Marquez worthy of Hall of Fame?

Analysis: Are Tim Bradley, Carl Froch and Rafael Marquez worthy of election to the Hall of Fame?

Strong cases can be made that the three male fighters in the International Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2023 – Tim Bradley, Carl Froch and Rafael Marquez – deserve the honor.

At the same time, it isn’t the strongest class in recent years. Bradley, Froch and Marquez were among the most-accomplished fighters of their eras but not obvious choices – like Floyd Mayweather or Bernard Hopkins, for example — for the Hall of Fame.

They had impressive, but far from perfect resumes.

Here are arguments for and against the newest members of the Hall, who will be formally inducted in June at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, which is in upstate New York.

Note: The Hall made the announcement of their election on Wednesday.

TIM BRADLEY (33-2-1, 13 KOs)

FOR

Bradley wasn’t a powerful puncher but had elite ability, worked as hard as anyone in the sport and was durable. And the only fighter who beat was one of the greatest ever. He won five world titles in two divisions, for what that’s worth in an era of far too many belts. He also defeated a long list of elite opponents. He had an impressive stretch between 2007 and 2013, when his victims included Miguel Vazquez, Junior Witter, Kendall Holt, Nate Campbell, Lamont Peterson, Devon Alexander, Joel Casamayor, a still-formidable Manny Pacquiao, Ruslan Provodnikov and Juan Manuel Marquez. The victory over Marquez might’ve been the best of his career. Few fighters of the generation could match that impressive run.

AGAINST

The vast majority of observers thought Bradley was given a gift split decision against Pacquiao in their first fight (in 2012), which can’t be ignored. The Filipino star deserved the victory. And Pacquiao won both the rematch – which followed the Marquez victory – and their third fight by wide decisions (2014 and 2016). The fact is Bradley was never the same after the Marquez fight (2013), going 2-2-1 to close out his career when he was still young (30-32). He retired after losing his third fight with Pacquiao in 2016. The brutal, toe-to-toe brawl with Provodnikov in 2013 might’ve shortened his career.

IS HE WORTHY OF THE HONOR?

Yes

 

CARL FROCH (33-2, 24 KOs)

FOR

Froch wasn’t exceptionally quick or athletic but he was a clever boxer with formidable punching power and an abundance of confidence, which took the Englishman a long way. He was a three-time super middleweight titleholder between 2008 and 2015, making him one of the most consistent 168-pounders of his era. During that stretch, he defeated Jean Pascal (to win his first title), Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Arthur Abraham, Glen Johnson, Lucian Bute, Mikkel Kessler (rematch) and George Groves (twice). His only losses came against the capable Kessler in their first fight and future Hall of Famer Andre Ward. He delivered a classic mic drop in 2014, when he knocked out Groves with one punch in front of 80,000 at Wembley Stadium and then retired.

AGAINST

Ward exposed Froch’s limitations, outclassing him to win what should’ve been a wide decision in the championship match of the Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament )2011. It seemed in that fight that Ward was great, Froch merely good. Of course, it might not be fair to compare Froch with Ward, who finished his career with a perfect record and arguably is one of the greatest boxers of all time. The loss to Kessler (2010) doesn’t help his case but there’s no shame in it. Kessler was an excellent all-around fighter. And Froch avenged the loss convincingly, meaning he beat everyone he fought except Ward.

IS HE WORTHY OF THE HONOR?

Yes

 

RAFAEL MARQUEZ (41-9, 37 KOs)

FOR

Marquez wasn’t as skillful as his more-celebrated brother and fellow Hall of Famer, Juan Manuel Marquez, but the Mexican was an excellent boxer with a never-say-die warrior spirit and one-punch knockout power to go with it. He had a four-year run as a bantamweight titleholder and also won a junior featherweight belt. He’s best known for his historic four-fight series with Israel Vazquez between 2007 and 2010 – they each won twice — but he had a number of other important victories. Among them: He defeated fellow Hall of Famer Mark Johnson (twice), Mauricio Pastrana (twice) and previously unbeaten Tim Austin (to win his first title).

AGAINST

Marquez didn’t have as many quality victories as some other Hall of Famers. Plus, he and Marquez weren’t the same fighters for their fourth meeting, in part the result of the brutality of the first three. It had the feel of an old-timers game. Vazquez won two of the three meetings that should count most, once by knockout. He stopped Vazquez twice, in the first and fourth fights. He also was only 9-4 in world title fights. And, finally, Marquez, who retired at 34, struggled down the final stretch of his career: He went 4-6 in his final 10 fights. He shouldn’t be judged too harshly because of that; many great fighters have stumbled into retirement.

IS HE WORTHY OF THE HONOR?

Yes

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Video: Saturday Fight Live: Callum Smith vs. George Groves

In this installment of DAZN’s “Saturday Fight Live,” Callum Smith watches and breaks down his breakthrough fight against George Groves.

Callum Smith came of age when he fought then-super middleweight titleholder George Groves in September 2018 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The British rivals were engaged in a competitive fight when Smith hurt Groves with a left hook and put him down for the count with a flurry of followup punches in Round 7 to become a world champion.

Smith said recently, “It’s still the best night of my career.”

The Liverpudlian has successfully defended two times, stopping Hassan N’Dam in June of last year and outpointing John Ryder in November. He also has become a potential opponent for superstar Canelo Alvarez.

In this installment of DAZN’s “Saturday Fight Live,” Smith watches and breaks down his fight against Groves

.[jwplayer p2bhQHF7]

 

Badou Jack has yet another tough assignment on Dec. 28.: Jean Pascal

Badou Jack is scheduled to face veteran Jean Pascal on the Gervonta Davis-Yuriorkis Gamboa card Dec. 28, his first fight in almost a year.

Consider the last seven opponents that former super middleweight champ Badou Jack has faced: Anthony Dirrell, George Groves, Lucian Bute, James DeGale, Nathan Cleverly, Adonis Stevenson and Marcus Browne.

Who faces a gauntlet like that in this day and age? Precious few.

Indeed, if any fighter deserves an easy opponent, it’s Jack. So who will the 36-year-old Swede fight on the Gervonta Davis-Yuriorkis Gamboa card Dec. 28 in Atlanta on Showtime? Jean Pascal, another tough veteran coming off an upset victory over Browne in August.

It never ends.

“I’m getting older,” Jack said on The PBC Podcast. “I might deserve a tune-up fight. When I fight better opposition, I step up my game more, I fight better. My first loss … I fought a journeyman (Derek Edwards). I wasn’t really 100 percent. And that’s when accidents happen. … I fight my best when I fight top guys.”

Jack (22-2-3, 13 KOs) fought a top guy last January, Browne, who won a wide decision at least in part because of a gruesome cut in the middle of Jack’s forehead – the result of an accidental head butt in the seventh round – that bled profusely.

Badou Jack is hard at work preparing for his fight against Jean Pascal on Dec. 28 in Atlanta on Showtime. Sean Michael Ham / Mayweather Promotions

Jack fought hard the remainder of the fight but, having fallen behind in the early rounds, he couldn’t make up the lost ground.

“I should’ve won that fight,” Jack said. “… He’s a front runner. He always looks good in the beginning. He’s fast, athletic. I break you down. Usually I’m better in the later rounds. He won some of the early rounds. I won maybe one round or two before the cut. And then I got the cut. I couldn’t even see for six, seven rounds. He still couldn’t do nothing.

“It’s in the past, a learning experience. I shouldn’t have lost that fight, though. It is what it is.”

Of course, Jack went into the fight with the reputation of being a tough guy – remember that gauntlet – but he enhanced his image with his determination to persevere through one of the worst gashes in recent memory.

“It’s crazy, people giving me … more credit for that fight than any of my good wins,” he said. “And that was my worst fight in my pro career. Just because I showed heart and kept fighting with that cut.

“That’s something you can’t teach. You’re either a fighter, you’re either born with it or not.”

Jack, returning from a bad cut, will have been out of the ring for almost a year when he takes on Pascal. Sean Michael Ham / Mayweather Promotions

Jack certainly remains a fighter, even in his mid-30s. He said he doesn’t feel a sense of urgency in spite of his age. The cut has healed well, he said. In fact, doctors cleared him to fight a few months after the Browne fight.

And he said he feels as if he’s back on track after the setback. He’s confident going into the fight with Pascal (34-6-1, 20 KOs).

“I don’t feel no pressure,” he said. “… I still feel young. Even though (Jean Pascal) is only a year older than me, he’s been a pro longer than me. I have only 10 year in the pro game and 26, 27 fights, whatever I’ve got. I don’t feel no pressure. But I definitely need to win this fight, of course.”

Jack has begun to think about the legacy he will leave. He held a major 168-pound title from 2015 to 2017 and won what the WBA calls its “regular” 175-pound title in 2017. Boxing Junkie doesn’t recognize that belt.

“I want to define my legacy,” Jack said. “I feel good. I feel good in the gym. I felt like s—t in my last fight because of some mistakes that happened in camp and this thing with (Adonis) Stevenson happened right before I started camp. I don’t want to make excuses.

“Right now, I feel great in the gym. As far as running, rounds, letting my hands go … I’m doing great numbers. On fight night we’ll see what happens. I’d love to become a three-division world champion.”

Evidently, more tough opponents lie ahead.

Chris Eubank Jr. seeks new horizons in United States

Chris Eubank Jr. will make his U.S. debut against middleweight southpaw Matvey Korobov on the undercard of Charlo-Hogan this Saturday.

Chris Eubank Jr. knows that there is only so much he can do to further build on his family name back home in England. Here in America, though? The possibilities seem endless.

“My goal is to make a name for myself in the U.S. and broaden our horizons,” Eubank, the son of former two-division titleholder Chris Eubank Sr., said during a media workout today in Brooklyn. “The fight fans here have known me for a while, but I want to break out past that.”

The 30-year-old Eubank takes his first step in that direction against Matvey Korobov this Saturday at the Barclays Center on the undercard of the middleweight title fight between Jermall Charlo and Dennis Hogan.

“This is a great starting fight for me in the U.S. We’re aiming to make our own history,” Eubank said. “I’ve done so much in England, and I feel like this is the right time to expose myself to the American public.”

Chris Eubank Jr. came to the U.S. to conquer new territories. Stephanie Trapp / Showtime

Eubank (28-2, 21 knockouts) is coming off a career-best win over former super middleweight titleholder and compatriot James DeGale last February. Eubank battered the shopworn DeGale over 12 rounds en route to a unanimous-decision win. He also participated in the World Boxing Super series 168-pound tournament, defeating Avni Yildirim by third-round knockout but dropping a decision to George Groves, another domestic rival.

Eubank suffered his other loss early in his career against Billy Joe Saunders, which is to say that he has pretty much exhausted all the major fights in his native U.K. Hence, his focus on the U.S. scene.

“I’ve been dreaming about coming here and fighting in the U.S. since I was a kid,” he said. “You dream about fighting where all your favorite fighters came to perform on the big stage. To do it here in New York is special. It’s an iconic place, and so many great world champions have come from here.”

Against Korobov, Eubank will face a skilled southpaw who gave 160-pound titleholder Charlo all he could handle last year. Some observers believe Korobov did enough to eke out a decision. One possible factor in Eubank’s favor is that he will be fighting at his natural weight for the first time in several years.

“I’m not a true super middleweight, so I’m excited to be fighting at 160 pounds. I’m going to be a beast,” Eubank said. “I’m going to be an absolute savage. The power and the speed is going to really shine through against guys my own size.”

Should he get past Korobov on Saturday, Eubank has his sights set any of the middleweight titleholders, including one of Saturday’s main-eventers.

“Anyone with a belt in the middleweight division, I’m coming for them,” Eubank said. “If that means Charlo, I’ll be more than happy to get in there with him.”