"El Perro" Angulo vs. James Kirkland - Saturday "Fight Thread"

[Mars_ax]

Real boxing fans, will wanna see this one tonight, it should be a war!

The Card starts on HBO @ 10:15 PM EST tonight, or at 2 or 3 AM Sunday morning across the pond.

November 5
At Cancun, Mexico (HBO): Alfredo Angulo vs. James Kirkland, 12 rounds, junior middleweights; Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin vs. Craig McEwan, 10 rounds, middleweights.

I'll go with El Perro by 5th round KO.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[CFH]

I just don't see how Kirkland's chin will hold up to Angulo. His only hope is to go right at Angulo and try to spark him early.

Bute - Johnson is interesting. Pressure has trouble Bute in the past, and there's no one better at it than Johnson, but I think Bute learned a lot from the Andrade fights and he should come through here.

[p4pking]

I just don't see how Kirkland's chin will hold up to Angulo. His only hope is to go right at Angulo and try to spark him early.

Bute - Johnson is interesting. Pressure has trouble Bute in the past, and there's no one better at it than Johnson, but I think Bute learned a lot from the Andrade fights and he should come through here.

I don't think Kirkland will see it any differently, and he does have a shot of taking Angulo out early imo although I doubt it'll happen, this will basically be a street fight. I know Cintron has real power and managed to hold it together and outbox Angulo, but that fight made me wonder how much confidence Angulo really has in his own ability to take punishment. He never quite threw caution to the wind and went after Cintron once he fell behind, as one might have expected him to given his supposed toughness and Cintrons lack of. Of course Kirkland can't really take anything else from that fight as he can't box for shit, but it's something.

[p4pking]

Also, given that this fight is in no way bigger than it would have been a couple of years ago you've got to wonder whether Kirkland or his people really feel it's a good career move or just want to cash out before he goes back to jail or something

[Hulk]

I'm excited for this one.

Hard not to pick Angulo, but I'll be rooting for Kirkland to pull it out somehow.

Also, I think Johnson can beat Bute, who doesn't have the best chin.

[p4pking]

I'm excited for this one.

Hard not to pick Angulo, but I'll be rooting for Kirkland to pull it out somehow.

Also, I think Johnson can beat Bute, who doesn't have the best chin.

I wouldn't say Bute has a bad chin, he took some decent shots from Bika who is about on par with Johnson at this stage for power and pressure. It was really fatigue that cost him against Andrade and the rematch counts for a lot.

Apparently Johnson has sparred a bunch with Bute, which points to him having even less of a chance than you'd expect imo. That's not to say Johnson won't give it his all of course, but I do feel he has no problem playing the opponent at this point. Bute's people are pretty careful with him, no reason to fight Johnson if they weren't very confident.

[Rantcatrat]

I'm excited for this one.

Hard not to pick Angulo, but I'll be rooting for Kirkland to pull it out somehow.

Also, I think Johnson can beat Bute, who doesn't have the best chin.

Hulk also may be pointing to the fact that Bute was KO'd by Gennady Govotkin in the amateurs. His chin isn't world class, but it's not horrible from what I've seen. As Galaxy mentioned, he took shots from Bika pretty well and Bika can punch.

[CFH]

I just don't see how Kirkland's chin will hold up to Angulo. His only hope is to go right at Angulo and try to spark him early.

Bute - Johnson is interesting. Pressure has trouble Bute in the past, and there's no one better at it than Johnson, but I think Bute learned a lot from the Andrade fights and he should come through here.

I don't think Kirkland will see it any differently, and he does have a shot of taking Angulo out early imo although I doubt it'll happen, this will basically be a street fight. I know Cintron has real power and managed to hold it together and outbox Angulo, but that fight made me wonder how much confidence Angulo really has in his own ability to take punishment. He never quite threw caution to the wind and went after Cintron once he fell behind, as one might have expected him to given his supposed toughness and Cintrons lack of. Of course Kirkland can't really take anything else from that fight as he can't box for shit, but it's something.

I seem to remember Cintron buzzing ANgulo a couple of times as well, so maybe Kirkland can get to his chin.

[Galaxy]

I just don't see how Kirkland's chin will hold up to Angulo. His only hope is to go right at Angulo and try to spark him early.

Bute - Johnson is interesting. Pressure has trouble Bute in the past, and there's no one better at it than Johnson, but I think Bute learned a lot from the Andrade fights and he should come through here.

I don't think Kirkland will see it any differently, and he does have a shot of taking Angulo out early imo although I doubt it'll happen, this will basically be a street fight. I know Cintron has real power and managed to hold it together and outbox Angulo, but that fight made me wonder how much confidence Angulo really has in his own ability to take punishment. He never quite threw caution to the wind and went after Cintron once he fell behind, as one might have expected him to given his supposed toughness and Cintrons lack of. Of course Kirkland can't really take anything else from that fight as he can't box for shit, but it's something.

I seem to remember Cintron buzzing ANgulo a couple of times as well, so maybe Kirkland can get to his chin.

Your right, might be a case of who gets there 1st, cause Kirkland can definitely bang!

[OumaFan]

I picked Kirkland by second round TKO in the prediction contest. Its a bit of a longshot, and Angulo most likely gets to him at some point. A well thought out pick obviously.

I don't think Kirkland will see it any differently, and he does have a shot of taking Angulo out early imo although I doubt it'll happen, this will basically be a street fight. I know Cintron has real power and managed to hold it together and outbox Angulo, but that fight made me wonder how much confidence Angulo really has in his own ability to take punishment. He never quite threw caution to the wind and went after Cintron once he fell behind, as one might have expected him to given his supposed toughness and Cintrons lack of. Of course Kirkland can't really take anything else from that fight as he can't box for shit, but it's something.

Totally agree with this, thought the same thing when I was watching.

[OumaFan]

Kirkland was buzzed pretty bad by Allen Conyers in the first round of their fight. I think he stopped him that round. Not that that matters a whole lot here as Conyers isn't Angulo, but he seems to have first round issues (or maybe he just has chin issues). I didn't see the fight he got knocked out in. Maybe I should have watched that before I made my pick.

I don't think he comes out to box though. I'm not sure he can really, and I don't think he wants to. Hopefully he just comes out bombing and we see how long it lasts.

[Spicoli]

I am still picking Angulo by demolition...think taking a hammer to wet cardboard like demolition.
But one thing sticking out to me is while Kirkland has been shaken badly it was mostly from what I recall guys equally concerned about moving away at the time as they were getting a punch in..."fast" punches that buzz and short circuit. A few things about Angulo are certain...he is not a fast like puncher or mover...he 'rolllls' punches in and mixes body head. He WILL be there for return should Kirkland hold up off initial thumps. I could actually see Kirkland playing the step out boxer and look to have Angulo run into some leather rather than predictable face first attack. I certainly don't see Kirkland having stamina or keeping fluid legs as he's built like a brick shit house but my only pause is Angulo knows no backfoot, he knows improved combinations and isn't shy at getting tagged. This should be a shoot out while it last, don't blink.

[captainanddew]

Kirkland was buzzed pretty bad by Allen Conyers in the first round of their fight. I think he stopped him that round. Not that that matters a whole lot here as Conyers isn't Angulo, but he seems to have first round issues (or maybe he just has chin issues). I didn't see the fight he got knocked out in. Maybe I should have watched that before I made my pick.

I don't think he comes out to box though. I'm not sure he can really, and I don't think he wants to. Hopefully he just comes out bombing and we see how long it lasts.

there is boxing writers who have stated that they were told that Kirkland had chin issues before he ever got dropped in a fight. I'm assuming they had heard about some issues seen in sparring. Couple that with what we have seen in the ring and he doesn't have a good chin.

[Tam Seddon]

Angulo should handle him in an entertaining fight whilst it lasts. I was so suprised when he lost in the first round I really didn't see that coming at all. He has shown that if someone can stand up to him he is limited. Somebody of angulos quality with the power that he has is going to cause Kirkland a lot of problems. Kirklands only chance is to stop Angulo so that's why this fight won't go the distance and I believe Angulo will stop in the early rounds.

Bute will win a UD against Johnson. Johnson doesn't have the stamina to win a championship level fight anymore and although he will make it competative in the early rounds, Bute's boxing ability will win him rounds and earn the points decision.