Bradley-Campbell & Witter-Alexander Picks
Once again I’m plodding along at the back of the field when posting up my picks for tonight’s quality Showtime light welter double header, I have a horrible habit of wanting to see what kind of nick the fighters are in at the weigh in before making up my mind, however I have to start posting up earlier in fight week to make it worthwhile, slack work Harrison, slack work (a familiar teaching sentiment uttered throughout the classrooms of my youth…….sniff).
I have to say, I’ve been inspired by friends of the site Tim and Dave making the official media picks list, currently posted up on Ringtv.com, well done there fellas, top work.
Talking of old teachers, *tenuous link in the pipeline* I always remember, errrmm for the sake of not wanting to sound like a complete turnip, ‘some kid’ who was pretty handy at maths, clever but lazy in a classroom full to the brim of kids who committed each and every waking second in their quest to master the art of numbers.
Anyway, old teach took this kid aside one day and explained to him why he felt the boy was wasting this talent he had for adding and subtracting and explained thus, “some of these kids here will work every hour god sends and can never achieve the highest grade, you son, you can, quite easily, but you probably won’t, because you probably won’t work”…………and so said student, completely missing the attempt from old teach to motivate him sufficiently, dutifully obliged, his result being trumped by the more studious and hard working kids.
Which kind of links even more tenuously to my Bradley-Campbell pick. Bradley is a quality fighter, however his quality comes from the fabulous work ethic, conditioning and dedication to the sport he possesses. He doesn’t do anything great for me but he makes up for that by being a workhorse, dedicated to the max, a real credit to his profession, Bradley really lives the life.
Campbell on the other hand is the talented guy here, talent in shovel fulls actually and he’s more than capable of pulling off an upset in this one. He isn’t lazy like the maths kid, he’s probably just in the wrong classroom if you catch my drift, I don’t see him as a genuine 140 pounder and I think he’s a little shopworn from his previous exploits. He’s way more talented than Bradley, it’s just that talent in this one won’t be enough. I can see him being heartbreakingly outworked here by the younger, fresher fighter, who at this stage probably has the greater hunger; look for Bradley to take it over the distance with a clear cut points decision altough I wouldn’t entirely count out a late stoppage for ‘Desert Storm’.
As for the intruiging Junior Witter-Devon Alexander battle on the undercard (why the hell is this not on UK tv? grrrrrr) I’m strongly tipping ‘The Hitter’ for this one. I haven’t admittedly seen a lot of Alexander, but what I have seen from this young, quick handed boxer makes me think Witter can ‘old man’ him to use an old boxing parlace. It all depends how Junior approaches the fight, he clearly isn’t sure what he has left in the locker, despite his confident swagger. Soundbites such as ‘I’m gonna fight my fight’ and ‘do my thing’ make me feel Witter, back up in class for the first time after the Bradley defeat, is hoping he still has it more than knowing he does.
This will be tough, Alexander will take rounds with his work ethic and quickness and the Wincobank fighting style Witter employs is tough to pull off the older a fighter gets, much of it reliant on quick reflexes and speed. I remember the wonderful switch hitting whizz, Herol Graham managing to completely bamboozle the unbeaten Chris Johnson back in 1997 and almost managing to do the same to Charles Brewer the following year (Johnson was also 18-0 at the time-good omen?). Graham was the master of this technique, often mercurial in his performances, Witter doesn’t quite have that, but he has more power than Graham did.
I go for Junior, again over the distance, to outfox the young fighter, in a similar manner he did with DeMarcus ‘Chop Chop’ Corley when he first got his mitts on the green title belt he hopes will be on the line (there’s much confusion between the bureaucrats). It will be tighter on the cards than it should be, Witter may even need a knockdown or two, but I take him to win on points also, like Bradley.
Those fancying a flutter, the odds are thus with William Hill:
Bradley 4/9 Campbell 13/8
Witter 6/4 Alexander 1/2
I’m gonna take a punt on Witter, the odds for a double probably aren’t worth the risk, simple mathematics really!!
4 comments on “Bradley-Campbell & Witter-Alexander Picks”
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Completely agree with your analysis Haz. If this fight was decided on natural talent then Campbell would win this hands down. It’s just a shame he’s so damn unreliable. Just when things start going right for him, he inevitably finds a way to shoot himself in the foot. And unfortunately that seems to be the way he is out of the ring as well.
Bradley, as you’ve mentioned, is unremarkable but he’s a smart, busy fighter who studies his opponents and looks for weaknesses that he can exploit. I think the safe bet is Bradley on points.
I like the look of Alexander, but I think at this stage of his career he’s just a tad too green to beat a guy with the experience of Witter. The fact that Alexander has home advantage does worry me a little, especially if it’s close contest. But I think Witter, knowing that he’s in the proverbial last chance saloon, will leave nothing to chance and claim a well deserved points victory.
Now all I have to do is find a place to watch the thing!
Ah bugger it, nice one Junior!! I bet on the double after all and he dropped me in the clarts. Anytime I put hard earned corn down on a boxing bet, it’s guaranteed not to come in!! So that’s Ward’s chances ruined in the super 6, he’ll probably get knocked out in his warm up fight before it starts, slightly weird him and kessler doing that, this is boxing, no-one is nailed on to win in this game, imagine one of them was kayoed?
Talking of the super 6, have Froch-Dirrell tickets gone on sale yet? Booked tickets and flights for Rogan-Sexton last night (based on the Rogan’s outburst at the presser, brilliant stuff!!) and was hoping to catch ‘The Cobra’ the following weekend.
I still haven’t seen last night’s fights but I’m pretty sure no-one will have predicted those strange endings.
Bit of a changing of the guard at light welter, especially if you discount Manny who I doubt will bother with the likes of Bradley, Khan, Alexander or Maidana.
Yeah, Rogan looks to be really pissed at Sexton and I don’t think it’s all for the cameras either. There should be fireworks at that one. Witter was pretty pathetic last night, even before he shamefully quit. What goes through that man’s mind?
What’s your opinion on Froch v Dirrell, Haz? The American is arguably the most naturally talented of the lot, but Froch is a HUGE step up from the level he’s been fighting at. I’ll go with Froch, but Dirrell could well be the surprise package of this tournament.
I remember on 606 back in the day, there were folk who accused Ricky Hatton of running from Witter, wonder how they feel after that performance? Remember the Judah one? Deary me.
Mmmm Froch-Dirrell, that’s a tricky one. I haven’t seen squat on Dirrell, similar thing to Witter-Alexander and look how that pick went!!
I think Froch’s there to be outboxed but whether Dirrell is the man to do it, I’m not sure, I need to do a bit more homework on him before shooting myself in the foot again. Like Prince Naz all those years ago, I think Froch genuinely believed a couple of fights ago he was a master boxer. Realisation dawned in the Pascal fight and more so in the Taylor fight that he was far from it, at times Taylor was boxing his ears off. He’s somehow evolved in two fights into a rugged and relentless tough guy, I don’t think even he knows how!!
Watching him fight really nags away at me, his stance looks awful, he’s wide open to be tagged, it’s frustrating viewing. Can’t fault his heart and guts though, his last two fights have been cracking-I’m becoming a fan.
I think if someone sticks to shooting straight punches at him however and fights a disciplined fight, they can outpoint him, can’t see him being stopped though.
I have a fancy Dirrell or Ward could have a good shout in this one, the winner needs to be fresh and without much wear and tear, the schedule is ridiculously demanding. I’m betting on Ward-I think he can improve throughout and nick a few decisions.