HBO Munguia v Smith ~ Machado v Mensah

[Spicoli]

Watched some Mensah. Nice enough guy but looks more than ordinary and Machado shouldn't have problems finding him.

I almost felt bad for a Smith watching weigh in press conference. Seriously he looks like a walking five o clock shadow being led to the guillotine. Munguia has his head big on talking Charlo so hope Smith gives him some problems.

[Master]

I think this is on Box Nation and the fight is on here at 4am.

[Master]

Liam 'Beefy' Smith 'itching' to win back WBO light-middleweight crown against rising star Jaime Munguia



Liam 'Beefy' Smith was the first of four boxing brothers from Liverpool to claim a world title three years ago.

The 29-year-old has the opportunity on Saturday at the Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas to create his own musical score by winning back the World Boxing Organisation light-middleweight crown he lost to Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, this time against another Mexican in rising 21-year-old star Jaime Munguia.

Munguia, from Tijuana, promoted by Oscar De La Hoya, usurped the 154lbs WBO belt from Sadam Ali two months ago, stepping into the WBO title challenge after Smith was forced to withdraw through an "allergic reaction" illness during training camp.

Munguia destroyed Ali with vicious hooking assaults, and at six-foot tall, using his long reach to throw arcing hooks and body shots on his opponent, stopped the 29-year-old inside four rounds to record the 25th stoppage of his 29-fight career.

"I've been itching to get the title back, and I'll 'old man' him in this fight," explained Smith. "I might have to withstand attacks from him in the early rounds, but I know I can weather that and I'll then come on strong. He hasn't faced anyone as good as me. Or as strong."

"He was called 'a nobody' when it was suggested he could face Gennady Golovkin, and now he's beaten Ali - who is actually a welterweight not a light middleweight - he's now being seen as a sensation," added Smith, whose only defeat has been to 'Canelo'.

"They've come out and set their stall out saying they will beat me quicker than Canelo beat me [Smith was stopped in the ninth against the Mexican star], so it's up to them to make it their fight. If he can't get to me early, Munguia's in for torrid night because I will just get stronger as the fight goes on. As much as he's the champion he hasn't fought anyone better than me, and I have been in against better opponents than him. He's a talented kid, but this fight with me has come too early for him."

Smith's assessment is accurate, but the Liverpudlian must be smart in the early rounds, before launching his own assaults, in thew mid to late rounds. I favour Smith to win on points, but the 29-year-old is very much the away fighter, and it would not be a surprise to see a controversial verdict if the fight goes the full championship distance.

In Moscow on Saturday, one of the fights of the year takes place with the final of the World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight tournament for the Muhammad Ai Trophy, when all four world belts are on the line with the meeting of Oleksandr Uysk and Murat Gassiev. The long-awaited, much-anticipated match-up to create an undisputed cruiserweight world champion pitches the silky skills and power of southpaw Usyk of the Ukraine against the extremely heavy-handed Russian Gassiev. Usyk's superior ring generalship and skill set should be enough to see the growing star of the division home to a points decision, if he can avoid being drawn into a toe-to-toe battle of machismo.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/lia...125516043.html

[palmerq]

I'll be watching this on the delay as usual, stoopid Canadian cable, everything was set up to make munguia look great last time out so it will be good to see him in against a big fellow who is clearly competent too. I like sadam Ali but it was a horrible physical mismatch between him and munguia.


Hbo really aren't showing much boxing this year.

[Kirkland Laing]

I got about twenty minutes of early Tyson knockouts that they were showing before this card started here. If the main event is a blowout I've already had my evening's entertainment.

This undercard fight looks good. Falcao versus Martinez I think.

[TitoFan]

Machado - Mensah up next.

[Spicoli]

King finds his way back to a title fight . Mensah nephew of Quartey? Lets hope something rubbed off.

[TitoFan]

Mensah down already from a huge right hook at the end of the round.