Anthony Dirrell back in action on FNF

[killersheep]

ESPN2

9:00 ET - Replay of Rodriguez/Wolak

10:00 ET - Morongo Casino, Cabazon, CA

On the undercard Joseph Elegele 12-0 (10 KOs) stacks up against Aaron Martinez 14-1-1 (3 KOs). Power vs. Boxer, could be an entertaining match.

11:00 ET -

Anthony Dirrell makes his way back into the ring for the 3rd time in the last 60 days against Kevin Engel. Engel comes in outweighing Dirrell by 5 pounds on the scales. Engel who has been used as a stepping stone recently after a promising start to his carreer will be in deep here against Dirrell who has been steadily chowing down on C level and below competition.

[CFH]

Am I the only person who doesn't think Wolak - Rodriguez was quite the fight that it's being made out to be?

It was a great fight, but it was very sloppy at times. It was basically Wolak coming forward winging arm punches and getting countered by Rodriguez. It was a very good, very close fight, but I didn't find it incredibly engaging and I certainly don't think it should be FOTY.

[killersheep]

Am I the only person who doesn't think Wolak - Rodriguez was quite the fight that it's being made out to be?

It was a great fight, but it was very sloppy at times. I was basically Wolak coming forward winging arm punches and getting countered by Rodriguez. It was a very good, very close fight, but I didn't find it incredibly engaging and I certainly don't think it should be FOTY.

That's just the red cloud of communism blocking your view

Honestly I loved that fight, couldn't ask for any more effort from either guy.

[CFH]

Am I the only person who doesn't think Wolak - Rodriguez was quite the fight that it's being made out to be?

It was a great fight, but it was very sloppy at times. I was basically Wolak coming forward winging arm punches and getting countered by Rodriguez. It was a very good, very close fight, but I didn't find it incredibly engaging and I certainly don't think it should be FOTY.

That's just the red cloud of communism blocking your view

Honestly I loved that fight, couldn't ask for any more effort from either guy.

Don't blame this on Uncle Joe...

It was a great fight, and the effort both guys put forth was outstanding, it just seems like some people are treating it like it is a shoe-in for FOTY and, IMO, it is nowhere near that level.

[killersheep]

Am I the only person who doesn't think Wolak - Rodriguez was quite the fight that it's being made out to be?

It was a great fight, but it was very sloppy at times. I was basically Wolak coming forward winging arm punches and getting countered by Rodriguez. It was a very good, very close fight, but I didn't find it incredibly engaging and I certainly don't think it should be FOTY.

That's just the red cloud of communism blocking your view

Honestly I loved that fight, couldn't ask for any more effort from either guy.

Don't blame this on Uncle Joe...

It was a great fight, and the effort both guys put forth was outstanding, it just seems like some people are treating it like it is a shoe-in for FOTY and, IMO, it is nowhere near that level.

I'd definitely put it up as a candidate, but there's no way it would win. There should be 5 candidates for the FOTY, and so far this would be one I would put forward.

[Fenster]

Am I the only person who doesn't think Wolak - Rodriguez was quite the fight that it's being made out to be?

It was a great fight, but it was very sloppy at times. I was basically Wolak coming forward winging arm punches and getting countered by Rodriguez. It was a very good, very close fight, but I didn't find it incredibly engaging and I certainly don't think it should be FOTY.

No you're not the only one. After reading about how great this fight was I ended up totally underwhelmed.

Without experiencing it live - it was just a regular punch-up between a couple of "journeymen"

I think the hysterical commentary made it more exciting than it actually was.

[Mars_ax]

Am I the only person who doesn't think Wolak - Rodriguez was quite the fight that it's being made out to be?

It was a great fight, but it was very sloppy at times. It was basically Wolak coming forward winging arm punches and getting countered by Rodriguez. It was a very good, very close fight, but I didn't find it incredibly engaging and I certainly don't think it should be FOTY.

Not a bad fight for FNF, but I wasn't all that thrilled with it, certainly not enough to bother watching it again tonight. Wolak's swarming, non-stop style got tiring to watch, after 6-7 rounds, i'd had enough.

[marbleheadmaui]

Am I the only person who doesn't think Wolak - Rodriguez was quite the fight that it's being made out to be?

It was a great fight, but it was very sloppy at times. I was basically Wolak coming forward winging arm punches and getting countered by Rodriguez. It was a very good, very close fight, but I didn't find it incredibly engaging and I certainly don't think it should be FOTY.

That's just the red cloud of communism blocking your view

Honestly I loved that fight, couldn't ask for any more effort from either guy.

Don't blame this on Uncle Joe...

It was a great fight, and the effort both guys put forth was outstanding, it just seems like some people are treating it like it is a shoe-in for FOTY and, IMO, it is nowhere near that level.

It's the Gatti-ization of the boxing fan. Too many of us equate a highly competitive, spirited, violent fights with a highly competitive, spirited, violent fight with HIGH SKILL LEVELS.

Exciting and great are two different things. When they overlap? That's FOTY stuff.

Having said that, I thought the skill level was pretty damned good. Wolak used his hands, shoulders and forearms to occupy Delvin and that let him get to the body over and over and over again. And Delvin kept in punching position while at the ropes and he made a great strategic decision early that he couldn't move all night and win, he had to stand and fight.

[El Kabong]

#1 It was a very good fight totally worthy of being considered for FOTY!

#2 ALL of the great fights involve at least an element of "sloppy boxing" because in a battle like that 1 fighter makes a mistake the other capitalizes and vice versa. Tell me Bowe-Holyfield, Gatti-Ward, or Corrales-Castillo were 100% technically sound fights!

#3 Sometimes journeymen fight with more heart than champions and sometimes heart makes for better fights than just skill.

I'm happy to see the fight again.


Why did Anthony Dirrell have the long layoff?

[marbleheadmaui]

#1 It was a very good fight totally worthy of being considered for FOTY!

#2 ALL of the great fights involve at least an element of "sloppy boxing" because in a battle like that 1 fighter makes a mistake the other capitalizes and vice versa. Tell me Bowe-Holyfield, Gatti-Ward, or Corrales-Castillo were 100% technically sound fights!

#3 Sometimes journeymen fight with more heart than champions and sometimes heart makes for better fights than just skill.

I'm happy to see the fight again.


Why did Anthony Dirrell have the long layoff?

#2 is just wrong in my view. First off equating the skill levels in Holyfield-Bowe/Castillo-Corrales with Gatti-Ward is indefensible I think.

Skill doesn't mean you don't get hit and getting hit doesn't mean you are being sloppy. Skill, defensive skill, is measured by (among other things) how extraordinary the foe must be to hit you. Go watch Pryor-Arguello I and look for sloppy (meaning poor technical moments). Go watch Ali-Frazier I for the same thing.

One guy using spectacular counters or adjusting his game to temporarily take control is NOT a sign of sloppiness on the part of the guy getting hit. When HE then adapts and temporarily takes control later on? That's not sloppiness on the part of the second guy either. Those aren't technical errors.
That's ebb and flow over time between intelligent fighters.

[Spicoli]

Watching it for first time, very good fight. But as with fights you know the reult of its just not the same. Old school how they whipped out the chilled steel ice cream scooper for his eye (forehead) in Wolaks corner in 9th

This is one that would benefit from a mute button though, and just crowd noise.

[killersheep]

I think moreso than the commentary was this was coming off the back of Haye/Klitschko which gave it a relatively exciting, fan friendly, full of heart fight.

[marbleheadmaui]

Does Dirrell's re-entry into the ring mean his "Neurological damage" was BS?

[El Kabong]

Well marblehead I mean no disrespect but think of it this way I'm not saying Wolak and Rodriguez have the same technical ability of any of the other fighters I mentioned. Ebb and flow of fights is due to the close skill levels of the guys in the ring which is why I said "1 fighter makes a mistake the other capitalizes" when Bowe allowed Holyfield to get inside Evander made him pay, when Riddick created space he made Evander pay it was only because both fighters were on the same level that they were able to survive those ebbs and flows.

[killersheep]

Does Dirrell's re-entry into the ring mean his "Neurological damage" was BS?

Wrong Dirrell,


@ Lyle - I think his long lay off had something to do with his lymphoma.