Alverez v Rhodes

How'd we see this one going in a couple of weeks?

Obviously Alverez didn't look great against Hatton but i think he has more than that tbh. Hopefully Rhodes doesn't show any ageing signs in this fight as its likely to be seriously hot in Guadalajara which might not suit him.

I personally think Rhodes on form will take Alverez down in the late rounds providing he can get the decent dig through enough early. Good chance for Rhodes this & best of british to him.

Seems a tough ask, away in Mexico against Goldenboy's Goldenboy. Alvarez had a fairly comfortable win last time out against Matthew Hatton in a peashooter vs cannon contest, but one in which his was outboxed for large periods, and only seemed to fight one minute of each round. A big knockout of Baldomir proved he does have some power, and his questionable defence has shown his chin to be good. Not the most rounded boxer, but makes good use of his physicality and is a good bodypuncher. Ryan's fight against Messi had people thinking he may be back to his best, but I believe was slightly overrated against a solid but not exactly dangerous opponent. Ryan had a quick blow out against Rocky Junior last time out (didn't catch it), but 2 rounds in a year has me wondering if he may suffer from ring rust, against an active boxer with 36 rounds under his belt in the same time.

Should be a exciting fight, you don't have to look for either so it should be a tear up from the start. I expect Ryan to have success in the same way Hatton did, but without the size advantage Canelo enjoyed his punches wont have the same effect and he will have to be more wary of the return fire. Alvarez to up his activity from that bout and fight full rounds to a 2-4 round points win in a competitive fight, in which I wouldn't be surprised if he suffers a knockdown.

This one may come back to bite me a week on Monday but am tipping Rhodes for this one. Was speaking to someone who knows him well the other day and he is apparently in terrific shape and seriously fancies this job. He is not in anyway going over for a payday. I am yet to be convinced by Alvarez he is obviously not without talent but he does not seem too easy to hit and he was all over the place against Cotto's brother who is far from a light middle. Think in Rhodes he is meeting a well rounded fighter with a decent dig at the weight who still carries enough of the Ingle awkwardness to throw some shots from unusual angles. If Matty Hatton could land so much on Saul have to question what will happen if Ryan can land as much.

However he is not going to get too many favours of the judges over there and he can sometimes fight at a relatively easy pace and this could be his undoing as if he leaves any rounds open to interpretation he won't get the nod. However he is smart enough to know this and I personally think we will see him fight a decent pace and maybe stop Saul late on. Here's hoping as Rhodes is a fighter I really like.

I think alot probably depends on where Rhodes is at. As you say scott, his activity has been minimal and he will be well and truly up against it over there.

If history is anything to go by then this is the point Rhodes will falter but this being his last chance & Alverez being open to getting tagged i think Ryan is in with a good shout. The Moore fight showed Rhodes can slug it out and really go to war if needed but from what i gather Alverez is also is the shape of his life training at big bear.

Head says Alverez may well be too active & wear Rhodes down but heart says as a fellow Yorkie Rhodes can get through with his damaging shots to hopefully take alverez down 8-10.

I'm picking Rhodes late 7-9 KO, I don't buy into Alvarez as a world beater, and a 40 year old balomir being his only win of note. The KO was impressive, but I just see Rhodes having too much skill, style and power for him.
I really think its a case of Alvarez (and the WBC risking their cash cow) not knowing what they have let themselves in for. If Rhodes fights anything like he did against moore then Alvarez is in all kiinds of trouble.

Rhodes has been in a rich vain of form since, and for me its only father time that could lose him this fight.

Disclamer: Normally when I am this certain of an outcome of a fight, I am completely wrong.

Does anyone know the odds for this fight. Don't normally bet on fights but might have a couple of quid on Rhodes if he is a decent price and I can't access such stuff at work, cheers

He's 4/1, seems quite long.

PTS: 12/1
Rounds 1-12: 13/2.

Sometims with fighters, especially prospects, its difficult to read much into performances.

The Hatton fight would be an example. Alvarez defence wasnt great but once a fighter realises his opponent cant hurt him it changes the whole dynamics of a fight. Alvarez could just opt to walk through Hatton and neglect defence.

I think Rhodes will give this a go early but fully expect Alvarez to take control after the first couple of rounds.

I still see Alvarez as slightly reckless and a bit less measured so I think Rhodes best chance is to frustrate him and not allow him develop any kind of rythm. Try to make Alvarez reckless and then pick him off. I think the difference and class will tell though and Im just hoping Rhodes doesnt freeze on the big stage in the hostile environment and can have a go.

Going back to the days when he was everyone's next golden boy at middleweight/light middleweight and was under Ingle's tutelage, I have never been 100% convinced about Rhodes' chin against an opponent who is anything like a banger. I don't say that he's chinny, exactly, but rather that he can seem vulnerable in that department. Perhaps I'm doing him an injustice, but it is my impression.

I therefore think that this is not the greatest match-up for him. Don't get me wrong, I reckon that Alvarez is eminently beatable and far from the superstar that Golden Boy are touting him to be. I also believe that Rhodes has the boxing ability to do a number on him. As has been observed, though, I'm not sure that Ryan can knock him out, and 12 rounds will be a long time for Rhodes to keep his chin out of harm's way against someone who, whatever his other faults, can definitely hit.

I can see Rhodes making Alvarez look foolish at various points, but can also see Alvarez finding a pay-off punch and scoring a stoppage around the 7th. Hope I'm wrong, because I thoroughly admire the way in which Rhodes resurrected his career and expanded his repertoire. However, it's the Mexican inside the distance for me.

Rhodes is 9/2 with Billy Hills

Cheers Scott, looks worth a punt at that.

You can get 6/1 with bwin

Worth joining up to a new betting site if you don't bet often Jeff, you can get matched bets of about £25 free I think with W.Hill for example.

So if you can afford to bet £25 on Rhodes, you'd get £250 back for the win.

6/1?! Haven't used that site.

You may have a point re the chin Captain but think at light middle Rhodes looks a little stronger and has filled out physically to hold a punch a little better at the weight. He has been over before but the Matthews ko was at middle and whilst he was not world class by any stretch Matthews carried genuine power and still think it was a mixture of over confidence and the weight that did for him in that one (I was there).

Think also he is a far more rounded fighter than in his youth and will go into this with respect for Saul's power and will not take anything too silly hopefully

Scottrf wrote:6/1?! Haven't used that site.

Neither have I, but (using the same logic as the sales girl in Comet when I bought my new fridge the other week :- "Its Samsung, and they sponsor Chelsea so it must be good quality"), its bwin and they sponsor Real Madrid / AC Milan so they must be good.

I think Rhodes simply has to stop him to win.

Mexican Golden Boy of boxing fighting in Mexico defending his Mexican based WBC belt, which was gifted to him by Jose Sulaiman, need I say more!

I think if Rhodes wins 9 out of the 12 rounds he'll get a draw.

Anyway, I think Alvarez will win a deserved UD but the scorecards will be way out of reality.

Alvarez to me seems like a fighter who performs better when his opponent is better an he knows how to step it up. He knew how much work he had to do to win the rounds. He didn't respect hattons power so didnt try as hard as he could.

Rhodes has a fantastic chance though. He the only natural middleweight canelo has fought, hits the hardest, has the most slippery and really wants it. I see a very close fight, moore-Rhodes like but canelo won't run out of gas. I'll say about 116-112, the fight alot closer than the scorecards suggest

Valero's Conscience wrote:I think Rhodes simply has to stop him to win.

Mexican Golden Boy of boxing fighting in Mexico defending his Mexican based WBC belt, which was gifted to him by Jose Sulaiman, need I say more!

I think if Rhodes wins 9 out of the 12 rounds he'll get a draw.

Anyway, I think Alvarez will win a deserved UD but the scorecards will be way out of reality.

Gotta say I agree with this - unless there's a knockout I simply can't see Rhodes winning a decision in Alvarez's backyard. I reckon Rhodes has the skills and experience to defeat Alvarez, but there'll be hairy moments along the way.

I personally think Rhodes on form will take Alverez down in the late rounds providing he can get the decent dig through enough early. Good chance for Rhodes this & best of british to him.
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Rhodes will be destroyed imo, he looks terrible at the weight as though he struggles, and has been destroyed at domestic level when i've seen him in the past, he was good against Moore to stop him but was getting beat imo, however i expect Alvarez to get rid of him in 8 rounds and see that freak dave coldwell protest the stoppage.

He has never been beaten at light middle, all his losses have been up at middleweight.

If this fight was taking place anywhere except Mexico then I would fancy Ryan's chances. I do not rate Alvarez at all but I think the climate will have a huge impact on the outcome of this. I expect Rhodes to have his moments early on then wilt around the 10th.

If this was over here or even in Las Vegas I would fancy Ryan to cause a bit of upset as the only name fighters that Alvarez has fought have been above their best weight and way past it. Apart from the blow out of Baldomir (who in reality was a club fighter who got lucky one night against Judah) he has looked anything but the next big thing in these fights and no matter the outcome in this one I believe we will have more questions than answers about his future

rhodes is on talksport shortly

i wish Rhodes all the best and lots of people seem to think he can do it. But to be honest he has to KO Alverez and thats a big ask, remember Canelo may be hyped but he is easily the best figther Rhodes has fought with the 2nd being Moore who never really mate it either. It will be a grand fight tho either way IMO. Rhodes wont go down easily thats for sure.

stated before on another thread that although on paper it has alverez UD all over it, im picking from the heart on this one (call it a hunch) and going with rhodes (a fellow sheffielder)

Rhodes is a better boxer than Hatton and he hits harder than Hatton. He will land more punches and do far more damage to Alvarez than Hatton did. I think he has a great chance of pulling this off. He may need to take it out of the judges hands but he is more than capable of doing so.

STC wrote:Rhodes is a better boxer than Hatton and he hits harder than Hatton. He will land more punches and do far more damage to Alvarez than Hatton did. I think he has a great chance of pulling this off. He may need to take it out of the judges hands but he is more than capable of doing so.

Agreed STD....

Alvarez's whiskers were tested by a blown up el fatty lightweight, be interesting to see if Rhodes can land and land clean. Certainly packs enough clobber to buzz him should he be able to get his shot(s) off.

He's gonna literally have to bury him alive to get the nod though, and even then it'll probably be called a technical draw or something by the judges in his backyard! Thinking about it even more the ref will probably DQ him for hitting Alvarez too hard after he's just knocked him into next week.

Still fancy Alvarez by pts/late stoppage though, won't be having a bet on it either as i'm not sold on the ginger minger

Just hoping that after over a decade of waiting for his opportunity, Rhodes doesn't freeze up on the night. Gonna be a big ask for him and as a younger man I think he might have been overawed by the hostile crowd, but he's older and wiser now so hopefully he can keep his focus as he definitely has a great chance here.

You never know, if he puts up a decent showing, maybe GBP will reward him with another title shot like they did Matthew Hatton...even though Ryan doesn't have a famous brother with affiliations to Golden Boy Productions!!!!!!!

You never know, if he puts up a decent showing, maybe GBP will reward him with another title shot like they did Matthew Hatton...even though Ryan doesn't have a famous brother with affiliations to Golden Boy Productions!!!!!!!
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Who did they give Hatton a 2nd shot against?

He has never been beaten at light middle, all his losses have been up at middleweight.
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i watched him one night against Jamie Coyle, he was absolutely awful, i just don't think he's world class, not in a month of sundays. Good luck to him though, he's from not far from me and british!

Young_Towzer wrote:You never know, if he puts up a decent showing, maybe GBP will reward him with another title shot like they did Matthew Hatton...even though Ryan doesn't have a famous brother with affiliations to Golden Boy Productions!!!!!!!
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Who did they give Hatton a 2nd shot against?

They "promised" Hatton a World title shot back down at WW after his showing against Alvarez. Suffice it to say, they've yet to make good on that promise. Maybe is was a decision taken when Oscar was off his face!

They "promised" Hatton a World title shot back down at WW after his showing against Alvarez. Suffice it to say, they've yet to make good on that promise. Maybe is was a decision taken when Oscar was off his face!
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what would be the point, any top 10 fighter or world holder would beat him, he's a bum. Clottey would murder him and he's not a champ, just an ex champ

I didn't say there was any point, I said GBP were so pleased with Hatton's performance they said they'd give him a shot at the WW title. I didn't say I believed them, my comment was tongue in cheek.

As for him being a bum, your boy Saul couldn't shift him so either A/ Hatton's less of a bum than you seem to think or B/ Alvarez is nowhere near as good as you seem to think.

"Clottey would murder him" - course he would, Clottey's known for being a murderous puncher who throws 900 punches around and destroys everything in front of him, his showing against Manny highlighted that to perfection, didn't it? No, wait a minute.....

Young_Towzer wrote:They "promised" Hatton a World title shot back down at WW after his showing against Alvarez. Suffice it to say, they've yet to make good on that promise. Maybe is was a decision taken when Oscar was off his face!
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what would be the point, any top 10 fighter or world holder would beat him, he's a bum. Clottey would murder him and he's not a champ, just an ex champ

He's quite clearly not a 'bum'.

IBF champ Zaveck is a Euro level fighter with a world title and is very beatable. WBA champ Senchenko could very well be at the same level as he is yet to fight a top world class opponent. Hatton could quite conceivably beat these guys and become a world champion.

STC i think it would take some real managing to get those fights but i agree they are winnable & Matty Hatton holding a couple of world straps would propel him. That said he would be in real trouble with any of the real big guns at the weight. Dont think Hatton gets near 'great' but also nowhere near being 'a bum' either.

whotobeA wrote:STC i think it would take some real managing to get those fights but i agree they are winnable & Matty Hatton holding a couple of world straps would propel him. That said he would be in real trouble with any of the real big guns at the weight. Dont think Hatton gets near 'great' but also nowhere near being 'a bum' either.

I agree that's a very fair assessment.

I actually think either Zaveck or Senchenko could be tempted to take on Hatton as he could generate some revenue from tv audiences, more than they're probably used to getting anyway, and I'm sure both would fancy their chances against him too. So the risk/reward factor for them is fairly good.