Boxing 11/5 - 11/13

[Oddessa]

Tszyu-Mitchell: Round-by-Round - 11/6/2004
by Live from Phoenix from InsideFighting



Live from Phoenix, it's time for Kostya Tszyu and Sharmba Mitchell for the World Jr. Welterweight Title. This is a rematch of their 2001 bout that saw Mitchell retire on his stool at the end of the seventh round after suffering a serious injury to his left knee. Mitchell believed he was winning that fight. Tszyu and the judges disagree. Tonight, all questions will be answered.

The fighters are entering the ring. Sharmba Mitchell is entering to "The Big Payback" by James Brown. Tszyu enters second accompanied by Larisa Dolina signing "Something Worth Fighting For," which is his traditional entrance.

Round 1
Fighters come out with Mitchell throwing the triple jab and circling to his right. Mitchell looks sharp. Mitchell lands two lead left hands. This is classic Sharmba Mitchell. Fighters tie up at the halfway point. Tszyu scores with some dirty boxing. Mitchell comes back with the lead left at the restart. They tie up again. Tszyu pounds him again. A pattern develops with Mitchell scoring at will from the outside and Tszyu winning the clinches. Tszyu lands a good right hand to end the round. Tszyu is bleeding above his left eye from a clash of heads. Mitchell 10-9

Round 2
The fighters tie up almost instantly. Tszyu is really hitting him with effective punches during the clinches. Tszyu lands a big right hand at the 2:10 mark. Mitchell is hurt. Tszyu is all over him. Mitchell is down. He beats the count, and comes out firing. Mitchell decides to stand and fight, which means he's hurt. He lands a big left. Tszyu walks through it and continues pressing. With a minute to go, Mitchell looks like he has his legs back. He is jabbing and working out. There is a lot of wrestling going on in the last 30 seconds. Tszyu rocks him again with a right hand behind the jab and lands a left hook that hurt him as the bell sounds. Dominant round for Tszyu. Tszyu 10-8
Round 3
Tszyu drops Mitchell almost immediately with a straight right hand. Tszyu presses to finish him and there is 2:30 remaining in the round. Mitchell is backed into a corner and fights out with good jabs. Tszyu now relaxes and goes back to a measured pace. Mitchell is looking to circle and jab, but Tszyu lands another right hand. One minute left. Tszyu rocks him with a left hook above the ear after a clinch. Mitchell is very wobbly with 40 seconds to go. Tszyyu lands another right hand. Mitchell is against the ropes. Tszyu pounds the body. Mitchell goes down again. He beats the count. 16 seconds left. Tszyu jumps all over him. Mitchell goes down again and the referee stops the fight with 12 seconds left.

Kostya Tszyu by technical knockout at 2:48 of round 3 to retain his World Jr. Welterweight Title.

 

[Oddessa]

Suprising day. I never expected Viet to clean Brewers clock and after Kosta's layoff the fashion in which he disposed of Mitchell was even more suprising. Good day for boxing and a day full of suprises.

 

[Oddessa]

Look at the knot on Mitchell's right temple. Those shots had to hurt.

 

[BOXLOCKS]

Suprising weekend as Jason Cook was stopped by Aldo Rios who only had 7 ko's in 41 fights going in!

Veit had won his last 7 fights by decision going into this weekend!

 

[BOXLOCKS]

Joey are trying to rub it in???

 

[Oddessa]

I forgot about the Cook bout. Mayorga Fan liked the dog there a bit, not so much b/c Rios was good, but Cook didnt impress him.

Oddly enough Viet said in every interview he would run and box Brewer. I figured him for dead meat if he stood in front of him. Go figure, the unexpected. Unless Brewer gets a exstremely undeserved break like Sheika, IMO he should retire or go on to 8k paydays on ESPN.


HERE IS REALLY INTERESTING HINDSIGHT ON A 10/28 POLL

TOTALS: MITCHELL 44 / TSZYU 33
28 Oct 2004
BOXING EXPERTS PICK TSZYU VS. MITCHELL II
STERNBURG COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
"COMING TO YOUR PROGNOSTICATIONAL RESCUE!"

THE LATEST POLL ON MITCHELL vs. TSZYU!

PHOENIX, AZ ? George Gallup and Lou Harris may have polls concerned about Election Day on November 2, which will determine who will be the President of the United States, but the poll everyone is talking about concerns November 6, the day IBF interim champion SHARMBA MITCHELL and IBF champion KOSTYA TSZYU finally duke it out in their SHOWTIME-televised rematch (9 P.M. ET / 9 P.M. PT) to determine the TRUE junior welterweight champion of the world! Who will win? Read on and see if you can spot a trend in the ultimate junior welterweight debate.

"Tszyu is coming off all the injuries and a long layoff, while Mitchell has been very active and is eager to avenge the loss. Still, I have to take Tszyu. If he is healthy, he is still one of the best 140-pounders in the world." - Carlos Arias, Orange County Register

?Father time and inactivity finally catch up with this former great champion. Overcoming age and continuous injuries make this task too hard at this stage of his career. Better preparation and regular ring time hold the keys for Sharmba Mitchell. Mitchell by points decision.? - Kevin Barry, Professional Trainer

?Tszyu by mid to late round stoppage. Kostya knows how to fight slick southpaws.? - Dan Birmingham, Professional Trainer

?Kostya Tszyu TKO9 Sharmba Mitchell. While the outcome of their first meeting was somewhat inconclusive, this time, Tszyu will provide the closure we've been seeking. Kostya walks Mitchell down in nine." - Ted Bodenrader, The Ring

?Tszyu by TKO 9.? - Ron Borges, Boston Globe

?Tszyu is rusty because of the long layoff from the ring. Despite the fact that he and Mitchell are the same age, the Aussie is down the hill. Therefore, Mitchell should win by decision.? - Oscar Borras, 20 de Mayo

?My Australian contacts tell me the break has done Tszyu good, he is looking dynamite in training and to expect a KO. However, I think Mitchell will improve on their previous encounter and Tszyu will have to settle for a decision victory.? - Mark Butcher, SecondsOut.com

?An in-shape, motivated Tszyu had difficulty dealing with Mitchell's slick style two years ago. A mixture of the champion's inactivity, increasing slowness of hand and foot and his challenger's superior momentum lead me to believe Mitchell will pull off the upset with a comfortable decision victory. Tszyu's best chance is an early blow-out, because Mitchell is going to be too wily to allow himself to get ground down in the later rounds. Mitchell on points.? - Dominic Calder-Smith, UK Boxing News

?With only two fights over the past 30+ months, Kostya Tszyu will come into this fight with his hands full and will not be able to work through his rust with such a skilled fighter. Sharmba Mitchell has been more active and will take a close decision win.? - Luke Callahan, TalkingBoxing.com

?Mitchell by decision. Lack of activity could leave Tszyu rusty, and a revenge-motivated Mitchell knows how to win rounds.? - Dave ?The Thermometer? Cokin, ESPN Radio-Las Vegas

?Kostya looks rusty; wins a unanimous decision.? - John Cotey, St. Petersburg Times

?Sharmba by decision.? - Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press

?Tszyu TKO 9.? - George Diaz, Orlando Sentinel

?I like Sharmba on this one. While I do believe that he may just now start to be on the decline, it's nowhere near as evident as that of Tszyu. Couple that with Kostya's inactivity (last fight nearly two years ago, and he didn't exactly light the world on fire in that fight, against Leija) and I have no choice but to go with Sharmba. No knockdowns in this fight, as I see Sharmba fighting a smart fight, and boxing circles around Tszyu en route to a unanimous decision and the consensus Light Welterweight championship." - Jake Donovan, Fightworld.US

?Mitchell will win the fight via UD. He is going to put a lot of pressure from beginning to end, which will favor Mitchell and will put Tszyu at a disadvantage.? - Jose Duarte, Puroboxeo.com

"It's a difficult fight to predict because Tszyu has effectively been retired for so long. But Mitchell hasn't looked too hot in his 'marking time' fights either. Unless Tszyu comes back shot, he should be able to catch up with Mitchell for a late stoppage or close points decision." - Anthony Evans, SecondsOut.com

?Mitchell on points. It's no longer happening at the Tszyu. I do believe it's true.? - Steve Farhood, Showtime

?Tszyu has been inactive for a long time, making for layers of ring rust to be scraped away, and Mitchell has been active. That should add up to a points nod for Sharmba.? - Bernard Fernandez, Daily News (Philadelphia)

?Kostya Tszyu by decision. Despite his long layoff - and barring some kind of crazy injury during the fight -Tszyu will win a close one, like he was doing in their first fight when Mitchell's knee went out. He has too many gifts.? - Rick Folstad, IBOPBoxing.com

?There's been more silence than thunder from Down Under since Koysta Tszyu's victory over Jesse James Leija on Jan. 19, 2003. Felix Trinidad was gone for a couple of years before his brilliant comeback over Ricardo Mayorga. But Trinidad, unlike Tszyu, wasn't coming off a shoulder injury. Sharmba Mitchell by decision.? - Norm Frauenheim, The Arizona Republic

?Mitchell (Points) - It's hard to see how Tszyu's 22 months out the ring won't be a factor with Mitchell having kept active during that same period. Sharmba will avenge his defeat in their first meeting by earning a split decision.? - Scott Fyfe, Sunday Post - Scotland

?I'll take Mitchell by a split decision because Mr. Tszyu has been out of commission for a long time and not everyone can pull a Felix "Tito"Trinidad and dominate after a long period of inactivity.? - Ron ?G-man? Gerrard, American Urban Radio Networks / Straightjab.com

?Kostya hits like the devil. But he's been off too long and Mitchell is hungry and talented. Mitchell stops him in eight.? - Ivan Goldman, The Ring / KO Magazines

?Kostya Tszyu by decision. I doubt Tszyu?s inactivity will damage his performance.? - Ramiro Gonz?lez, La Opini?n

?Mitchell by unanimous decision. Tszyu has not fought in 22 months and in that same period Mitchell has fought 8 times and is 8-0. This will be his 4th fight this year. I think the ring rust will show on Tszyu and Mitchell will outbox him.? - Butch Gottlieb, BoxinginLasVegas.com

?There is plenty of uncertainty surrounding Kostya Tszyu and what he has to offer after a nearly two-year layoff. We were wondering the same thing about Felix Trinidad a couple weeks ago. Sharmba Mitchell's recent activity will help him immeasurably in closing the gap. But Tszyu still should be too powerful to lose this matchup. Tszyu TKO-9.? - Tim Graham, Buffalo News

?I believe Sharmba Mitchell will win a narrow decision. Tszyu coming back after nearly 2 years, at 35, will find it too high a mountain to climb.? - Colin Hart, The Sun (London)

?Tszyu has been out a long time, but if he is back to his normal self, I see him winning again. He has such great balance in his stance and footwork and that gave Mitchell a lot of trouble in the first fight.? - Jay Heater, Contra Costa Times

?I like Mitchell on a very close decision. Tszyu's inactivity will hurt him a little. Also if Mitchell had not gotten injured in their first fight he might have won.? - Jack Hirsch, Ring Sports Magazine

 

[Oddessa]

?Tszyu by TKO-10. This is a tough one to call because Mitchell has been so active and Tszyu so inactive lately. But Tszyu's power should catch up with Mitchell's speed as the rounds accumulate.? - Michael Hirsley, Chicago Tribune

?Mitchell by decision.? - Richard Hoffer, Sports Illustrated

?I've got to go with Mitchell. Sharmba has remained active and if he can perform anywhere near the level he did against Ben Tackie, he should be able to keep off Tszyu. Even before he was injured and began his long layoff--during which time he didn't get any younger--Tszyu looked vulnerable against Jesse James Leija. The injuries, the layoff, his age and a busy Mitchell spell one result: Mitchell via 12-round unanimous decision.? - Mike Houser, Nevada Appeal

?Despite inactivity I think Tszyu can catch up with Mitchell in the second half of the fight and pull out a close decision.? - Graham Houston, Boxing Monthly

?Mitchell by unanimous decision. Though Trinidad proved two years away isn't too much for a gifted champion, Mitchell's speed and ambition to prove his knee injury was the primary reason for losing to Tszyu in their first fight will be the foremost factor in the rematch.? - Keith Idec, Herald News

?Kostya Tszyu W12: Gary Shaw's on a winning streak and his luck has to end sometime? - Kevin Iole, Las Vegas Review-Journal

?Tszyu by KO in middle rounds, 6-7-8.? - Jim Jenkins, Sacramento Bee

?Mitchell by decision. Tszyu is one of my favorite fighters, but he has just two bouts in the last three years. Trinidad he is not. Mitchell has been more active, and the motivation to redeem his loss in the first fight will carry him to victory.? - Michael Katz, The Detroit News

?Mitchell by decision.? - Max Kellerman, Host of FOX SportsNet?s ?I, Max?

?I like Sharmba by decision. I think he's been the more active fighter and that will play a big role in his winning? - Steve Kim, MaxBoxing.Com

?Tszyu by KO 10.? - George Kimball, Boston Herald

?I think Mitchell will out-box him since Tszyu has been out of action for a long time. Mitchell by decision? - Jeff Lacy, undefeated IBF Super Middleweight Champion

?Tszyu by KO in round seven.? - Franz Lidz, Sports Illustrated

?I'm looking for a tough, tactical fight in which a rusty Kostya Tszyu will find Mitchell a difficult challenger. Sharmba will win the early rounds, but as the fight wears on, and the rust wears off Tszyu, Kostya will start finding success. Kostya Tszyu will take it by close decision.? - Rich Marotta, TV Boxing Analyst / KFI & XTRA Sports Radio

?It's time for a change in this division. As we have seen, age catches up with everyone, ask Roy Jones but not Bernard Hopkins. Mitchell's hunger and skills should win a decision against the one-dimensional Tszyu.? - Joe Maxse, Cleveland Plain-Dealer

?Tszyu could've had this fight anytime. It didn't happen until now because he didn't want it, and now we see why. Mitchell by decision.? - David Mayo, The Grand Rapids Press

?Mitchell takes the rematch by decision. Tszyu's chin is the only reason this fight goes the distance, though Mitchell's punching power has improved of late.? - Franklin McNeil, Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ)

?Mitchell will take this by decision. It'll be a case of ring rust for Tszyu early, Mitchell building a lead and winning on the judges scorecards? - Larry Michael, WestwoodOne Radio /Ballroom Boxing

?Not a good betting match. Tszyu gets my vote - just. He's technically and mentally stronger. The only knock against him is his long absence from the ring and he didn't look that good last time out. On the other hand, Mitchell some times is too concerned with looking good. He won't have that luxury this time.? - Kevin Mitchell, The Observer UK

?Tszyu by narrow decision? - Robert Morales, Los Angeles Daily News Group

?I am not one of those who felt that Mitchell was giving Tszyu an especially hard fight first time around; and although Mitchell had legitimate knee problems, it does seem clear that he quit in that bout. Normally, I would think that Tszyu would have his number. The X factor, though, is Tszyu's inactivity and signs of decline. He didn't impress against Leija and that was almost two years ago. Mitchell, meanwhile, has been busy and successful if not spectacular. So I pick Mitchell to build up an early lead and withstand a late rally to squeak out a points verdict. Tszyu retires, and Mitchell loses the title to Ricky Hatton in his first defense.? - Kieran Mulvaney, BoxinginLasVegas.com

?Mitchell via 12-round decision. Mitchell was holding his own against Tsuyu until he was injured last time, and Tsuyu can't be a better fighter now.? - Steve Nelson, Kuffler News Service

?Sharmba Mitchell has had five fights since we last saw Kostya Tszyu. And while the opposition hasn?t been the stiffest, you have to know give him the edge over Tszyu in this bout - especially since it is being fought on neutral turf. Even in their first bout, Mitchell was more than holding his own before suffering a serious knee injury. In Tszyu's last bout - he was struggling with James Leija before another injury ended it in the sixth. Mitchell is motivated and wants revenge. Although it?s always hard to pick against a puncher when he is facing a fighter with a questionable chin, the call here is Mitchell W12.? - Mike Nosky, RealBoxing.com

?Tszyu by unanimous decision.? - Jorge Ortiz, San Francisco Chronicle

?Tszyu by decision. I still thing he has Mitchell's number.? - Tony Paige, WFAN Radio

?Kostya's inactivity, plus the great showing Sharmba was making before he injured himself in their first fight, point to a clear cut decision win for Mitchell this time.? - Jorge P?rez, El Nuevo D?a

?Tszyu by a very close decision. Mitchell?s activity and style should present serious problems for the champion early, but gut feeling here is that Kostya?s edge in power and ability to take risks will help him pull out the duke. If Tszyu wants to win, he needs to avoid headhunting and pile up body punches to make a late charge down the stretch. Mitchell should give him a great fight and I wouldn?t be surprised at all if Sharmba wins, but power and aggression could influence the judges enough.? - Jason Probst, MaxBoxing.com

?Just like predicting the outcome of fights that starred Joe Louis and Ray Robinson and Ali, you stick with the best until somebody proves they can be beaten. Tszyu by decision, with the caveat that I was paid to write, not to be right.? - Pat Putnam, Sports Illustrated Emeritus

?Mitchell W12. The layoff will be a factor Tszyu won't be able to overcome.? - Dan Rafael, USA Today

?Mitchell W 12. When this fight was scheduled for February '04, I leaned toward Tszyu, but two things have changed my mind: Tszyu's extra nine months of inactivity, and the fact that the fight won't be in Russia or Australia. It'll be in the U.S., which could translate into a swing of a couple of points in a close fight.? - Eric Raskin, The Ring

?How can I not pick Kostya Tszyu? It's taken me three years just to spell his name right! Tszyu will win a unanimous decision.? - Sharon Robb, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

?Tszyu in eight.?- Michael Rosenthal, San Diego Union-Tribune

?Sharmba Mitchell is hungry and determined and has been nursing a resentmentto do the job against this man since his loss. Zab Judah made fun of him on national television for 'crying,' after the loss. I think you will see Mitchell at his finest. Mitchell may have to survive some scary moments, but he'll do it and win a decision.? - Lem Satterfield, The Baltimore Sun

"Sharmba has been more active and I have a hunch his confidence will be better than it appeared to be in the first fight. The leg injury, of course, didn't help matters. I like Sharmba, but -- I kid you not -- to win by TKO because of a cut or something!? - John Scheinman, Ballroom Boxing / The Washington Post

?Tszyu by decision. Tszyu might be rushed, but Sharmba is slipping.? - Ed Schuyler, Associated Press Emeritus

?Kostya will outbox the speedy Mitchell,and eventually drop him with body shots. I feel Sharmba was intimidated in the first fight, I don't expect that will happen in this fight, but Tszyu is one of the best ever, and just like an aging Bernard Hopkins, until I see age catch up with him first hand, I'll have to go with Kostya Tszyu the winner by late round TKO.? - ?The Colonel? Bob Sheridan, CMXsports.com Commentator

?Mitchell by decision. Tszyu's long layoff and Mitchell's active schedule in 2004 make a difference. Tszyu's timing will be off and Mitchell will be sharper.? - Tim Smith, Daily News (New York)

?Mitchell by decision.? - Paul Spadafora, former IBF lightweight champion

?I predict the fight does not happen. Tszyu will postpone again with another excuse, er, injury.? - Steve Springer, Los Angeles Times

?I am taking Mitchell in this one. He has been much more active as of late, and he will outbox Tszyu in a close but Unanimous Decision. Sharmba Mitchell is getting better with age, and Kosta Tszyu is just aging.? - Julius Stecker, TalkingBoxing.com

?The first time these two fought, an ankle injury separated Mitchell from victory over the Tszyu. This time, not even the entire menagerie can help Kostya. Mitchell, KO in the eighth.? - William Stickney, Houston Chronicle

?Kostya by TKO in 5.? - Tim Struby, ESPN the Magazine

?Mitchell by close 12-round decision. I think Tszyu's inactivity will count against him in this one.? - Tom Thompson, Tigerboxing.com

 

[Oddessa]

?Mitchell TKO9 - I think this will be a difficult fight, and both have the talent to win. Bottom-line, though, is that Mitchell has been busier, and I think he'll be patient and gradually pound away at Tszyu and wear him down.? - Trae Thompson, Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

?While Kostya Tszyu has been out injured for nearly two years, Sharmba Mitchell has been active and successful. The consensus would normally be to pick the speedy American southpaw. But I have always seen Tszyu as more like Bernard Hopkins than Roy Jones Jr. The undisputed champion is dedicated to the gym and has lost none of his power in training. He has undervalued boxing skills and technique, which he can rely on even if he is a whisker slower at the age of 35. Just as Felix Trinidad showed a few weeks ago, great fighters can come back from a long time away and still perform very well at the elite level. Tszyu KO4." - Paul Upham, SecondsOut.com

?Mitchell by decision.? - Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News

?Jeff Fenech KO 3.? - World Famous Jack Welsh, World Famous Columnist

?Tszyu is the big unknown. Is he 100 percent healthy? How much will his two-year layoff hurt? Mitchell has all the motivation, based on their earlier meeting. But I like Tszyu by TKO in the 10th.? - John Whisler, San Antonio Express-News

?Tszyu KO 10. Mitchell should be too fast, has been too active and is much more confident. The minute Tsyzu touches him, however, I think he'll render those advantages academic.? - Johnnie Whitehead, The Ring / KO Magazines

?Mitchell by TKO 10. Hungrier, sharper fighter will prevail.? - George Willis, New York Post

TOTALS: MITCHELL 44 / TSZYU 33

 

[Oddessa]

BL-Not rubbing anything in. You take stuff too personal. I was just making a point that not too many people felt Kosta would beat him. I opened Kosta -130, so it shows that I had the same line of thinking. In a sense I was pointing out that the unexpected happened this week. Sorry if I offended you.

 

[BOXLOCKS]

I was just playing around, responding to the write-up and pictures you posted. The fact that you opened Tszyu at -130 shows you weren't rubbing it in.

However, you say that not too many people thought Tszyu would beat Mitchell but after you opened Tszyu at -130 the line ended up around -200. I'm getting mixed signals here.

 

[gardenweasel]

i was a little surprised that raul caiz ,after being alerted by mitchell`s people,still let tszyu rough him up in the clinches....caiz was very reluctant to step in and break them and let alot of ,let`s say,"not so clean stuff" go on....tszyu with rabbit punches and mitchell started hitting low after awhile....

tszyu did a lot of roughhousing early on and i honestly beleive that mitchell was very much thrown off his game.....

imo,although mitchell got hit with some shots,he`s not the most courageous guy i`ve ever seen in the ring....

not that he out and out quit.....i just think he was discouraged enough not to try and fight his smartest fight,which would have been to use lateral movement and box....

i honestly think that things got to rough for mitchell and he lost his "edge"(translation=nerve)....

he knew that if he stood in front of tszyu,he had little chance...but sometimes it`s easier to capitulate and let the inevitable happen rather than hang in their with your best stuff and go 12 really hard rounds and possible take a severe beating........but giving yourself a shot to win....

not all of tszyu`s shots were landing cleanly,but mitchell`s legs still looked like rubber...

impressive night for tzsyu...an embarrassment for mitchell...

anybody that fights mitchell from this point on,should really rough him up....he doesn`t like to get his trunks wrinkled.......

 

[MayorgaFan]

......

......

The mixed signals he is giving you is because there were mixed signals on this fight. If you look at very many boxing forums a lot of people were picking Mitchell. When Joey opened the fight as he did I was on Tszyu very quickly. ANyways, that's what the mixed signals are there for because while a lot of people thought Mitchell would win on the forums, not so many were confident to back it up with $$$.

 

[PAWAQATSI]

"I learned in the last fight that Tszyu cannot beat me." - Sharmba Mitchell

"I don't like to talk. What I do in the ring speaks for me" - Kostya Tszyu

 

[Oddessa]

I opened the number around the last week of September. The 'predictions' I posted were all from last week of October. They honestly would not have had much affect upon the number , becuase none of those people bet, or very few of them anyway.


The 1st time they fought, Kosta opened -550 and they bet Sharmba and the line went down. With all the variables surrounding this bout it was difficult to make a solid number on this bout. I didnt expect this bout to go over -150, go figure. It was then moved aggressively untill Sharmba wagers started coming in.

As Mayorga hinted above, the experts rarely back their opinions with their money. And expert opinion as opposed to 'gambler's' opinions are entirely different things. You would go broke following Emanual Stewards picks yet you would be hard pressed to find a guy that knows more about the sport of boxing.

I imagine an analogy can be made with a football coach that never played in the NFL and a Player. One can be brilliant 'about' the game while the other can be brilliant 'IN' the game.

My posts were just meant to show that there were reasonable arguements supporting your plays depite the outcome. I was shocked at the early KO. I leaned to Kosta, but only slightly and by late KO with Mitchell fading late. However, when it hit -200 I felt Sharmba was a bit of a play on value. So much so, that I felt a scalp was the only way to bet this fight had one taken Kosta early like Mayorga. I was wrong and I'm glad he didn't listen to my advice. Kosta is back.

Next week is gonna be a monster, hoping no one gets hurt and the card stays intact.

 

[gardenweasel]

the truth is that no matter how sharp you think you are,nobody really knew how the layoff would affect tszyu...nor the 2 surgeries he had......

i`ve seen more fighters negatively affected by long layoffs than vice versa.....trinidad and tszyu won`t change my opinion on that...

i`d say more times than not,you look at the previous fight as the solid indicator on the next bout....more times than not,they hold true to form...

other issues do factor in........


just my opinion...