Phenyo Molefe

Close Quarters: Canelo vs. Golovkin

Close Quarters: Canelo vs. Golovkin

It is a bout we have speculated about for many months, some even years, a bout celebrated before its own crowning. It served as our foundation, bolstering our bias that the Mayweather- McGregor circus was merely a heist impairing the pockets of Boxing and MMA fans alike. This was a bout brought upon by boxing purists. I lined my bets with my primary broker as many of you did; I had already picked my winner with unwavering confidence. Tonight’s action has long been on our hearts and tongues and while disappointment flew far from our minds.

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Chapter 3 The Gift of Adjustment – Ward vs Kovalev

Chapter 3 The Gift of Adjustment – Ward vs Kovalev

We have brought conclusion in a manner their earlier engagement did not offer us, in its bitter end. I was rather disappointed to see the fight end earlier than what I thought it should have been allowed to end. I pulled through a replay a bout to further assess the low blows which the Kovalev camp has raised to attention.

As expressed in some of my prefight analysis and commentary this fight was designed to leave better conclusion in casting light on the deserved winner. It called for further improvements to be made in their second encounter to allow the winner greater margin than what was evident in their earlier bout. I see their abilities as being well matched and the winner would be separated by the evolutionary advancement made in learning from their first engagement and applying adjustment to their revised strategy inside the fight.

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Kovalev vs Ward: Chapter 2 -The Rematch

Kovalev vs Ward: Chapter 2 -The Rematch

The rematch has been set and as we count the final moments before the opening bell, we stand at the cusp of seeing the rightful king exalted. Although we may reflect upon their first encounter in the hopes of extrapolating tonight’s result such analysis alone may not yield the answer. The fighters in Sergey Kovalev and Andre Ward may not be the same fighters who faced each other in November late last year. Although we stand with the hopes of continuing the fight as if igniting the 13th round; evolution may offer us greater refined results.

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Ward vs Kovalev – Chapter I – Bitter End

Ward vs Kovalev - Chapter I - Bitter End

Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev delivered a remarkable performance; one which I believe has drawn a great debate in its conclusion. All sides present justified facts for the reasons supporting their account of what was one of 2016’s most exciting bout. The fighters and their respective camps have equally been charged in their testimony of all that which took form in their first encounter.

The 19th November 2016 bore the finding narration of the highly engaging battle paired with an equally disputed resulted. It was a rather closely matched fight; I am not fooled into the polarizing debates which argue that the winning margin was greater than that which we saw manifested. The difficulty in their understanding has taken further strain as mutual agreement and respect has been evasive. This has cemented merit for further engagement to determine who truly should stand as an exalted king.

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Seat of Disappointment: Kell Brook

Seat of Disappointment: Kell Brook

It is hard to consume defeat, even the loss incurred in placing a bet on the losing fighter, in this case Kell Brook. However such loss is trivial in comparison to the path a boxer is forced to travel in digesting a loss.

Like many of you I found myself engaged throughout the bout and the various turns it took in its making. My immediate reaction was one of anger and frustration in what I perceived as a fighter walk away from a bout; a fight where he displayed his brilliance and imposed himself on the rising star in Errol Spence. There is no doubt that Spence is worth every credit that has been afforded to him both before their bout and in the aftermath of supreme victory.

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See them fight: Brook vs Spence

See them fight: Brook vs Spence

A fight dawns on us, both men continue to fight to prove their worth. Brook and Spence are both in the bright spotlights engaging in what may be the most exciting bout of the year.

I have spent much time, analysing Kell Brook and the contribution he brings to the fighting art. I have often sat in his corner a detractor, aligning with the belief that the Special One was not as remarkable as his more charismaticrivals. Kell Brook has heart; he stepped into the ring against one of boxing most feared executers, Gennady Gennadyevich Golovkin. I do not think many analysts gave Brook a great chance against the lethal GGG. However what I witnessed in the second round of their contest had me redefining my stance. To see the smaller Brook dishing out punishment to GGG that I have rarely seen him have to absorb. Brook lost the bout, but in that bout he proved so much; He has a remarkable jaw, in round five he swallowed some GGG laced bombs in such a manner that we have not seen any other stand up to.

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Upon his throne: Anthony Joshua

Upon his throne: Anthony Joshua

A new king has made himself known to boxing and those beyond our doors. Joshua assured us that this day would come, even going in to wage war against a man who graces the list of the effective heavy weight boxing champions. 2017 is a year Joshua will always remember in this phase and those yet to come. It was the year he exhibited the components that has seen him hailed the division’s new king, promising to dominate the division with sheer devastation and tactical brilliance that those before him have inspired.

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