With action on both sides of the pond, here is our biggest take away’s after watching all of the fights.
Breazeale is Tough
Most thought Dominic Breazeale would not last more then four rounds with IBF Heavyweight Champ Anthony Joshua and in the opening round that looked to be the case. But his heart and chin kept him in the fight for seven rounds before he could take no more. While skill may not be a championship level yet, the heart he showed not to quit was and makes me want see how he rebounds from his first defeat and him grow as a fighter going forward.
Hurd Adds His Name in 154 Mix
Jarrett Hurd popped up on most our our radars last year after his TKO win over fellow prospect Frank Galarza. Saturday night he threw thunderous blows in stopping yet another prospect undefeated in Oscar Molina. The steady improvement Hurd has shown each fight shows that he can can a legit threat to others in the stacked 154 lbs. division for some time to come.
Groves Isn’t Washed
A lot of us wondered if the loses to Carl Froch ruined George Groves. He looked far from elite last September in his defeat to Badou Jack, which left many wondering if he was washed up. He silenced those critics in fighting a smart and calm fight against heavy handed Martin Murray. His defense seemed tighter and his held up fine when he was hit clean. Groves looked like a man over the mental hurdle of defeat and like a contender again. The win got him right back in the title hunt and possible fight for the WBA Super-Middleweight belt later this year.
PBC Has Life
While the TV rating numbers are not official as we post, this all early signs are that PBC had hit on their hands with the “Showtime on CBS” card. The production was on point, the commentating from Sho Sports crew was awesome as always and all Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter did was put on one of the better fights of the year so far. Porter did phenomenal job of cutting off the ring and leaving Thurman no real room it work of his jab from a distance and roughing him up with the inside fighting. While Thurman used Porter’s aggressiveness against him , landing counter shots that rocked him at time during the fight. In the end Thurman won a narrow unanimous decision, but PBC and the sport of boxing won as well knowing that these two gentlemen could indeed be the faces of the sport for years to come.
