Magomed Abdusalamov is in Self-Induced Coma

[Fenster]

Not sure what the criticism of the HBO comms is about? They expressed exactly what I was thinking - It is an exciting fight. When they commentated on Wlad-Povetkin they again expressed exactly what I was thinking - it is a shit fight.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Without the poor big man suffering an injury the comparison between certain styles, being the cause of injuries, wouldn't even be considered a factor.

Nobody can seriously say they prefer to watch Wlad over what Perez-Mago served up.

[IamInuit]

Yeah had the injury not have occurred it was probably going to be the first hev foty candidate since Ike/Tua.

Having said that El is spot on. Why should Wlad fight like that and put his earnings at risk? With his dodgy chin he would have been working some 8 to 5 job. And he's not a swarmer or brawler so its kind of employment suicide for him to fight that way.

[El Kabong]

Yeah had the injury not have occurred it was probably going to be the first hev foty candidate since Ike/Tua.

I take NOTHING away from guys who brawl like that. And yeah I can certainly enjoy fighters mixing it up like that but it's not something that's going to give a fighter longevity, it won't work vs everyone, and when that style doesn't work it's bad news for the guy that uses it. You can look very foolish trying to brawl with a boxer.

You look at the wars fighters have had recently or excess damage fighters have taken and look at how their careers went AFTER those fights and it's not good. Look at Riddick Bowe, if he had not brawled so much I guarantee you #1 You wouldn't need subtitles to understand him today and #2 His prime would have lasted a lot longer. Look at Meldrick Taylor a very skilled boxer, quickest hands you could imagine, and very slick on defense....he CHOSE to brawl with JCC and it worked against him and he never recovered after losing that very close fight...but even if he had won what good would he have been?

Your career doesn't get extended by taking excess punishment but it could be prolonged by avoiding that punishment.


I'm a huge Miguel Cotto fan and yeah he can brawl but he also knows when to box. There are guys who have boxing skills, like Meldrick Taylor had and they choose not to use them and to me that's idiotic. It's like if Kareem Abdul Jabaar had his sky hook which nobody could stop and just said "Eh, I don't need to use that"......it's moronic. You're not awarded a victory by being exciting, you win by BOXING. That's the name of the game not EXCITING, if that was the game then fine brawlers would be everywhere and they'd be undefeated, but again it's not the main focus of the sport.

[p4pking]

Good discussion here, but it's not as if Mago chose to fight that way, he did what he could to try and win. He doesn't have the tools to avoid punishment from a schooled boxer, it's not a matter of how he decided to approach that fight. That's where the Wlad comparison becomes a bit silly, people fault Klitschko for not doing what he is capable of to win within his craft, nobody is asking him to brawl in doing so.

[Spicoli]

I think the train has run off the tracks with all of this talk about who "chooses" to do what in the ring as the opponent has and will always have a direct impact on your route. Sure guys approach some opponents differently, brawl a boxer, box a brawler etc but at the end of the day a guy works with what he brings to the ring and its not all who are master craftsmen or with top skill to make adjustment. Even the master craftsmen became such...learned and honed alternate avenues by realizing what they had was not enough. Just as you adjust over rounds you adjust and learn over career. Morrison brawling Mercer was mentioned...Morrison didn't go in free swinging and brawling Mercer and get caught, he was combination punching the hell outta Mercer and then his green, his chin, and his stamina came up short with a guy with an iron chin and was better. Damiani didn't turn brawler after outclassing Mercer and making him look an amatuer for 8 rounds...he got caught. Even guys who "choose" to box get caught, just as fine boxers turn brawler out of desperation and at the dictate...need...as a fight unfolds. Mago was never ever going to come in and "box" his way to victory..anyone who had seen him 3,4 times prior and get rocked and badly outboxed early with Vic Bisbal knew why he was being featured. Mostly everyone in the ring is a somewhat skilled fighter, boxer until you find the guy coming out of the other corner is better and has more options. Fights evolve, plans change and plan a turns to plan b, and then c if your lucky. If not, you use whats worked and got you to the dance and God willing when you learn it was not enough early in a career you learn and improve next time around. Ffs right now you just want and hope this guy, this fighter, improves for more reasons than the ring.

[p4pking]

Boxing News | Abdusalamov suffers stroke; Family facing staggering medical bills; Team Abdusalamov establishing trust fund

Well it doesn't look good now.. Apparently the guys family will be in huge debt on top of having to pray that he makes it out alive. Medical expenses should all be covered by HBO or his promoter after that fight(or any like this) for christs sake, his purse was only 40,000

[Beanflicker]

Jesus that's awful. The promoter is obligated to provide medical insurance, so I wonder how much of it is covered?

Great to hear Sergio Martinez stepped up to help. I'm sure he won't be the only boxer stepping up.