The thread about Boxing

Clem_Snide said:

That is a disgraceful stoppage. There were 5 seconds left in that round. Absolute joke.

Radostanradical said:

If Usyk vs Rico 2 happens it end in 3/4 rounds to Usyk. 

Carter said:

bobmunro said:

Radostanradical said:

Chris_from_Sidcup said:

Radostanradical said:

Leroy Ambrose said:

Radostanradical said:

CafcSteve said:

Hutchinson had a little back/forth with Simon Jordan on Talksport in the week.

Jordan said that he’d lose tonight.

Hutchinson said that he was allowed an opinion on boxing, as had never boxed.

Tbf boxing is one of the very few sports I will say if you have never boxed your opinion is more than likely irrelevant.

What?

Boxing is one of the few sports that if you have never actually boxed your opinion is likely irrelevant.

To be fair if you're going to go really deep into it, you could probably say this about any sport.

How can someone have an opinion on whether Kaminski is any good if you've never faced a shot in front of 20k fans?
How can someone criticise an England batsman for crumbling in the Ashes if you've never faced a ball in front of 100k at the MCG?
How can someone comment on an F1 driver if you've never driven wheel to wheel at 200mph at Silverstone?
How can someone talk about a tennis player if you've never tried to return a serve at 135mph?

Thats true and as I mentioned to another a poster after my reply to you, I should of revised my reply to say that the opinion of someone who has never boxed is not likely to be as informative as someone who has.

What I will say about your examples is one key difference, most people have played football, cricket, tennis at some level so have some level of knowledge, the vast majority of people have never boxed let alone even sparred.

If you had said that in your first post I wouldn't have said 'Absolute bollocks', because I would generally agree with that statement. I would argue that as someone who has followed boxing with a deep passion for over 50 years my opinion is valid most of the time, but not from someone who has no real understanding who says things like 'take his head off' or 'he's too chinny'. Take Amir Khan as an example - people who just say he was chinny is not a valid argument if they have never been hit with an uppercut from a heavy handed boxer. But to say he is too square on with little defence with his chin exposed is valid if you understand boxing technique/style. Or 'he should use his back hand more' when he's facing a brilliant counter puncher with a viscious right hook. 

Would you say that the opinion of the greatest sports journalist (especially but not only boxing) in my lifetime was likely not to have a valid opinion? Hugh McIlvanney, like me, never faced a punch in his life! People I talk about boxing with regularly have valid opinions I greatly appreciate, and there are posters on here that I feel the same - Carter being a prime example.

The problem with former competitors in any sport is they are mainly elite at whatever they did. Football, boxing, whatever but not so great at expressing opinions or explaining what's going on. Fee examples of very good ex pros who are also excellent co-commentators and pundits. George Groves, Carl Frampton, Andrew Ward, Carl Froch, Antonio Tarver, Roy Jones, Sunny Edwards, Barry Jones. Some are great or interesting personalities such as Johnny Nelson, David Haye, Tony Bellew, Naz. Some are good at talking but less good at accurately describing what's going on or offering anything more than soundbites. Darren Barker, Barry McGuigan, Glenn McCrory. 

Listening to a good boxing journalist or commentator like Steve Bunce, Tris Dixon, Mike Costello, Colin Hart (although he used to get up my nose), Ian Darke is a joy. 

In relation to your post about Simon Jordan he is a shock jock, he throws a lot of shit at the wall hoping some sticks and his opinion on boxing regardless of how much I think he should have been hit is as invalid because its utter bollocks half the time. Its more about seeing and understanding what's going on in the ring, its really kind of Bobmunro to say as I really value his opinion on the sport too. 

Generally I disregard the opinion of anyone who raves about Connor Benn, Eubank junior, Anthony Joshua after they flatten a patsy. 

For the record Amir Khans chin was never the problem, it was his brain and concentration. If Danny Garcia hits a cow flush on the whiskers they are going down, same for Prescott and definitely Alvarez. He put himself in positions and switched off mentally