Prizefighter / Purdy v Alexander Saturday fight night thread.

[SRR]

Just when it was getting interesting Darren Barker gives up just as he gave up vs Martinez. No heart or belief in his fighter

What a load of bullshit. The easy thing would be to stand by and watch his friend get battered. An even easier thing would be to turn down the responsibility of working the corner when it turned out the qualified experienced trainer couldn't make it.

Typical Beanzy sticking up for Barker. That was a shocking decision. He wasnt going to win the fight but he wasnt hurt, cut damaged and Alexander had one hand.

Wouldn't be surprised if Barker pulled Purdy out to spare his blushes tbh, it was maybe the most one-sided, pointless fight I have ever witnessed. Purdy hinted afterwards that the short notice/weight issues were to blame and I can believe it because he wasn't even giving himself a puncher's chance, just giving Alexander a big dumb target to lay into. I mean how can you complain at your corner stopping it when you've thrown about 20 punches the entire fight? There was also no title on the line and it's not as if making himself a punching bag for the remaining rounds would have done anything for his career prospects. Also, he may not have been hurt by Alexander's punches but the more punches a fighter takes in is career the higher his chances of suffering long term neurological damage. Obviously that's a risk these guys take for (potentially) great rewards but not all of them become millionaires and Barker did a great job protecting Purdy both as a person and a professional - there was absolutely nothing to be gained by prolonging the punishment. Great call from Barker.

Yeah there was no reason to continue and given the short notice and the problems with weight I believe it is understandable why Barker saw no need for his fighter to be a pin cushion any further.
As far as the weight thing goes I totally buy it and you have to give the guy props for even going over there on one months notice which was probably just 3 weeks after they got their shit in a group. You need 8 or 9 weeks at this level to lose the weight properly.3 weeks or a month is like going on a crack diet.

Yea good point. Chavez' corner should have pulled him out after 7 v Martinez. He lost every round and wasnt getting near Martinez. Almost KOing him in the last round probably wasnt worth sticking in there.

Not saying Purdy would have done this but he could have, and we will never know now. If Purdy was at risk of getting seriously hurt by all means pull him out. When a guys good hand is damaged and he aint throwing it the likelihood is you aint gonna be hurt. Look at Burns last fight, Burns was getting destroyed and the chap withdrew with an injury.

I understand where you're coming from, but he wasn't throwing anything, he was just walking on to shots and when he did throw he looked lethargic and off balance, which clearly had something to do with the weight. But even without those issues there was still a clear gap in class. Furthermore, there is a big difference between an unknown Cuban quitting on his stool after breaking his hand/wrist/heart when his legs had clearly gone trying to finish Burns and a proven champion defending his title in his backyard (and apparently his left hand was hurt early yet it didn't stop him beating Purdy up) - I don't mean to be rude but I just don't think there is a real comparison to be made there. There was nothing from Purdy which suggested he had more to give and I certainly don't believe Alexander was going to be forced to quit or stopped. Purdy for me was out of his depth and didn't have the energy to make a fight of it/properly defend himself.

[Tam Seddon]

Cunningham: Alexander Broke Left Hand in First Round - Boxing News