Banks vs Mitchell II

[p4pking]

For those that have never seen a fix unfold before their eyes w/o going to the score cards well this fight serves as empirical evidence that such things exist. Nobody shuts off like that. That goes way beyond letting the fight slip away. Banks was getting dangerously close to being Wlads mandatory after the first fight.

You may well be right, only I'm not to sure that isn't just the way Banks fights big men? He was hardly guns blazing in the first fight either, just cashed in on Mitchell trying to bull him around without having a clue. The main reason I'd doubt this at all is that Mitchell can potentially make golden boy a bit of cash down the line, and Wlad would clearly ruin him. Really think they arre trying to line that up right away? Is Banks a golden boy fighter as well Just can't see how its really doing Wlad a favour to let that transpire.

[IamInuit]

You may well be right, only I'm not to sure that isn't just the way Banks fights big men? He was hardly guns blazing in the first fight either, just cashed in on Mitchell trying to bull him around without having a clue. The main reason I'd doubt this at all is that Mitchell can potentially make golden boy a bit of cash down the line, and Wlad would clearly ruin him. Really think they arre trying to line that up right away? Is Banks a golden boy fighter as well Just can't see how its really doing Wlad a favour to let that transpire.

Good points. I don't use the term "fix" lightly but that fight looked funny almost like Banks went off script and then realized option A was not the desired outcome.

[Spicoli]

It was an odd feel and as much as I hate to say it, it didn't look right. Banks would buzz Mitchell or show a smidge of momentum and then literally 'wait' for Mitchell to respond Come the 9th etc it looked like a training session. How many head trainers of 'THE' heavyweight champion climb the ranks and do infact hold mandatory or high rankings? Ever? After the 1st fight it could be seen as a conflict of interest, where was Banks major focus. I don't know. Anyway. Mitchell either way is basically cannon fodder for which ever Champion or top mandatory. As willing and a good guy he is, he is full of gaps and limitations for any major promotion.

[p4pking]

It was an odd feel and as much as I hate to say it, it didn't look right. Banks would buzz Mitchell or show a smidge of momentum and then literally 'wait' for Mitchell to respond Come the 9th etc it looked like a training session. How many head trainers of 'THE' heavyweight champion climb the ranks and do infact hold mandatory or high rankings? Ever? After the 1st fight it could be seen as a conflict of interest, where was Banks major focus. I don't know. Anyway. Mitchell either way is basically cannon fodder for which ever Champion or top mandatory. As willing and a good guy he is, he is full of gaps and limitations for any major promotion.

Yeah it's got to be a first at least in recent times. I'm wondering if that couldn't also serve to explain his demeanor a little bit though, maybe his head is more in training these days and he doesn't care to fight much If Mitchell had come with the same gung hoe approach as he did in the first fight, it may have been a repeat no matter what Banks motivation was. There's no reason to think he wasn't just as complacent the first time around and simply took the KO given to him. I don't see what good his throwing the fight would've done, it's not as though he couldn't have just forfeited fighting Wlad one way or another if he became mandatory, surely?