They'd ask how I predicted both events this week. They'd wonder if there really is seriousness to the science of combat that I'm always talking about. Well, now they should know the truth.
I don't talk crap just to talk. I also don't guess, and hope that I'm right most of the time. That's the stupid thinking of my detractors. There is a reason that I can play out a fight mentally usually at or before the weigh-ins. This weekend was no exception. I watched very little training footage for the Rios vs Alvarado fight, and for the Gustaffson vs. Johnson fight. So I watched lead ups, recent fights, and payed attention to the weigh-ins. But there's a funny twist here. If you read some of my thread posts on youtube, you'd ask, "But Jason, we saw you predict these fights way before the weigh-ins. How'd you do that if you didn't see much training footage?" The answer is touched on somewhat in previous blog posts. For the Rios vs Alvarado fight, it was more of a psychological analysis that I made. If you watched the first two fights they had, you know that Rios has an advantage in a brawl, and Alvarado usually has an advantage with strategic boxing. However, I watched Brandon in the gym around the time this fight was announced. I made a comment about Brandon that I probably wouldn't have many years ago. I said that Brandon has a hidden ability to box and win rounds that people aren't aware of. I was one of the people who ragged on him a bit long ago. I always felt he was a great fighter, but felt he refused to box too much, and it angered me because he has the height, reach, and ability. However, I felt that in this fight, Brandon's ability to box would show in some way, and it did. I watched a short video of Alvarado warming up and talking to media. He seemed loose, but very underconditioned, and confident in being able to rely on boxing Rios. I knew that was a false security. Even though Brandon, in this fight, knocked Alvarado out in the 3rd round in this fight, boxing did play a part. He punched in combinations, with power from many angles, and used excellent footwork to cut off countering opportunities for Alvarado, which I'm sure Alvarado didn't see coming. I heard about him protesting afterward, but I knew long before, that he wasn't ready for this fight, and Rios had a very passionate and inspired look in his eyes. You know that he's usually a clown, but for this fight, even Robert Garcia- his coach, looked at him in awe during his interviews and at the weigh-in, because of the unusual composure and articulate responses. He was on his game.
In the Gustaffson vs. Johnson fight, I saw even less video. But I did see some gym footage of Johnson as well as previous fights for both fighters. I felt that the last KO's of Anthony Johnson didn't really show all that he has in store. The media and public didn't even think Johnson existed. He was even less than a pause before the Jones vs Gustaffson rematch. I laughed at that, and clearly stated on youtube, that people will regret that, and I picked Johnson to ragdoll Gustaffson badly. Well, once again, Jason's annoying stupidity shows itself to be something else yet again to the dismay of some. The people who flamed my comments on youtube have to sit back and wonder now. How did I pick that one? I must have just guess on it right? Nope. This particular fight goes back to my previous blog post where I discussed body types and how fighters utilize their strengths and weaknesses. In the Stiverne vs Wilder fight, I knew that with the body types considered, Stiverne had the edges he needed to topple Wilder, but it was any man's fight. We came to find after a Wilder UD victory, that Stiverne had rhabdomyolysis, which is essentially muscle cell death and release into the circulatory system, which can be fatal. He overtrained, and I watched footage of him killing it in the gym. At the pre-fight conference, I remember when he said that he and his team had been ready for a month already, waiting for Deontay to sign the fight contract. I was concerned at that, and it appears that was for a reason. I felt odd seeing him never hook off or let go of punched during the fight, and I knew something was wrong. But the advantages remain the same. In the Johnson vs. Gustaffson fight, Johnson had the same compact advantages and power advantages. Watching his development and his kicks and hand speed carry over into light heavy weight, I knew he would be a problem for Gus. He came in at the opening bell, and crushed Alexander Gustaffson with a hard overhand right, just like he said he would. His aim was to make every punch hurt. The fight could have been stopped very early, but he rode Gus and devastated him with shots from back mount, much like Hendo did to Fedor. Not only did Gus not have an answer for the power, as his head and body were rocked back with every punch, but Johnsons speed was too much for him to get around and line up, which a tall fighter has to do to beat you. Deadly combination, and I knew he had it. And now Johnson has the focus that he needs to dominate further. I saw before the fight, a new champion, and I said specifically that the Johnson train is going to start, and he has all of the pieces to be a figure at the top of the division. This is before the weigh ins. I was confident in my predictions because I know when a fighter is ready, uninjured, and at an advantage. The reason I didn't yell out a prediction for the Wilder vs. Stiverne fight was because I couldn't. Wilder was more fired up than Stiverne, yet Stiverne had the experience and certain advantages. I just knew it could be explosive. I also had in the back of my mind the extra month of training that Stiverne had, and that impresses me most- the fact that I took that factor serious, and it ended up being serious.
So, as you can see, the free fight sites are being shut down systematically. Regardless, I don't really care. I'm content if I can catch highlights, because I can see the fight, one way or another. Until next time.
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