KidKruger

Jeremy - point I was trying to make is that Floyd doesn't 'grow' as much after official weigh-in, Alvarez does, massively. It may be a typical fight-night weight for a middlewight (160lb), but Avarez fights at '154lb' and mayweather fights at 147 lately, so BEFORE rehydration, Alvarez is already 7lbs ahead. With Alvarez's capacity to grow 20 pounds, compared to Mayweather's 4-6 pounds, there's a distinct weight difference. If Alvarez weighs 172 he's fighting at/near LHW (he may grow even bigger for this fight) - it's not my viewpoint, that's what he weighed when he fought Trout !! ..One thing that's interesting now I think about it, Floyd has said 152lbs weigh-in catchweight. This would mean that Alvarez has a slightly more difficult task than usual in boiling-off the extra 2 pounds (and Alvarez is lean at weigh-in, so that may be a challenge), also, after rehydration, you can suffer the effects of weakness and reduced stamina. I saw an interesting point someone had made that Floyd knows the fight is inevitable so he calculated he'd better take it now because he's not getting younger and while Alvarez hasn't fixed his suspected stamina struggles. However, I agree that Floyd should box circles around Avarez. Only last week I was up at the Sikh shop by the Plough discussing this topic and I said I couldn't see Floyd being silly enough to take this fight on ! Ooops !!

It looks like Floyd Mayweather has finally agreed to fight Saul (Canelo) Alvarez, but at a catchweight of 152ibs. Floyd, 35, usually fights at 147 (WW) these days, though he has been up to 154 (LMW) to fight De La Hoya. Alvarez usually fights at 154 (LMW) however, he has an ability to weigh-in at a boiled-down 154 then rehydrate to 172lbs or even heavier. This means that on fight night he ia a Light Heavy-Weight, when his opponents are maybe touching 160 (because the ability to grow/shrink so dramatically is unusual [and some say only done through drugs]). Alvarez, 22, has a reputation for fighting (140lb) LWW or even (135lb) LW boxers who have come UP to 154 (LMW) for the first time, this means he outsizes and dominates them. Some say this has meant an easy run for Alvarez, and it looks like he's taking these advantages into the Mayweather fight. There was gossip about Mayweather insisting on a 'rehydration limit' for fight night, so that Mayweather doesn't end-up fighting someone 20+lbs heavier than himself, this would entail them both being weighed just before the contest and either being fined per lb (ie. ?1million) overweight, no fight for a belt (as in the case of Martin Murray recently against Sergio Martinez at MW) or even a disqualification. But SUPRISINGLY Mayweather has not pressed this in the negotiations, so there is NO rehydration limit ! Alvarez is I believe something like 42-0 (30 or so KOs), so no mug. This will be a huge fight, on Sept 14th, a key date in the Mexican calendar. So we're looking at Mayweather coming in around 55lbs and Alvarez near 75lbs. I have to say that takes balls from Mayweather. He took a bit of a hiding from Cotto, who was heavier than him (though not as heavy as Alvarez). The accusations that Mayweather's a ducker surely have to subside for a while now (I have no view on this either way). This is, weight-wise, like Khan agreeing to fight Carl Froch or Andre Ward. I think Mayweather is crazy. If he gets caught a couple of times buy a guy who's 2/3 weight divisions heavier than him, it's going to be a problem. However it's a MASSIVE fight financially and it could break Mayweather's PPV record. Mayweather is extremely clever in selecting opponents and I believe he already has his win worked-out (in his belief, anyway). He'll have to move non-stop, which he's the best in the world at. He'll have to tire Alvarez out (Alvarez has questionable stamina). What do you think ?!

"As long as it's clear to drivers that mandatory doesn't mean cyclists *have* to use them, which still seems to cause confusion." And that's exactly it, this is an educational issue and should be approached as such. At least for an initial period. NOT as a cynical money-making exercise where many drivers are likely to earnestly be surprised and upset they have received a fine, to be doubled in 2 weeks time if not paid by then. It's a bit like the dropped kerb lines suddenly painted in ED streets a few years ago with no warning. Residents woke up one morning, and for weeks afterwards, with parking infringement tickets under their window wipers, having parked no differently than previous years. No leafleting in the area to inform people, just fine them - coincidentally the mechanism that will generate maximum possible income. Sitting ducks. Lazy, opportunistic answer to an education issue. It would be too much effort to consider methods for informing of the imminent proposals, giving people the opportunity to adjust their behaviours of their own accord, before being jumped for cash.

Shouting In The Air - Johnson Mountain Boys

The term lodger, though perhaps unintended, is loaded. It implies a strong emphasis of 'you are here staying in MY house' as opposed to 'hey let's have a houseshare in my house'. The former (for me) smarts of the lodger sneaking back up to his room every evening to eat his dinner on his lap while watching DVDs on his laptop, the latter more of sharing the space and being able to put up some of his/her ornaments/pictures, supporting the sharing spirit. If you're not minded to share your space as per when you're housesharing, then you may find it hard to find someone willing to live on the fringes of your domestic life, playing 2nd fiddle on all the decisions in the household etc. I've let rooms before when I first got my house but it was always a straight househare, we shared lounge kitchen etc. and agreed on shifting some of my clutter for common areas to make room for their clutter. There were spare bed rooms that they had no business going in (because they were not for rent) but otherwise it was all up for grabs/negotiation.

Ward's the man at SMW, nobody disputes that. Regarding a Froch v Ward rematch, I think in UK only, Froch/Hearne are right. More interest, more money. It just doesn't fly in the US - Ward isn't just not popular, he's UNpopular. He couldn't fill a stadium with 18,000 fans, he has no belts, his style is boring and at times his style is (against Kessler) cheating. He never has left the US. Froch doesn't need him at all. If everyone is so sure that Ward will beat Froch easily then clearly it's a foregone conclusion, therefore a mismatch, which nobody likes to see, right ? Froch should take Steiglitz, then the winner of the Bika fight (the WBA belt which Ward was stripped of), so he holds 4x belts. Then he's got Groves, or he could move up to LH and face Cleverley. Ward has few quality options, he is best at his weight but stinks stadiums out and is dirty and awkward. I see Ward moving to LH, which is where he fought as an amateur (and Olympics I believe). There he could face Hopkins and retire him, then Cleverley, Shumenov, Pascal maybe.

I must confess I'm shocked by the 79 year-old gentleman being attacked and killed by an animal in Liverpool yesterday. I wonder if what happened is reasonable, whether society should accept a number of maulings and deaths per year to maintain pet owners' rights to keep animals with the power to eat humans alive and expose the public to them. Or do we draw a line ? A line which significantly reduces the danger to the public and owners, based on an animal's capability to inflict damage. For me it's the fact that these events happen that matters, the reason (bad training, sick animal, felt threatened) is sort of superfluous - if the animal is minded to attack, from that point it's down to the bottom line of what the animal is physically capable of. This is about any animal, because after all, if you're about to die from being mauled by a tortoise or a stick insect, you won't really care what animal it is. No, I'm not anti-dog, so park that BS right now, in fact I'm on the cusp of considering owning a dog myself.

Another older guy (drumner I think) said something like "when I met him first time he was a great guy, but he was very f*cked-up !". First impressions etc...!

Watched the Five Years doco on iPlayer this evening and learned a lot about this genius Bowie, so glad he didn't go over the edge in L.A.

Can you PM me the link ? However I already mentioned you to him by text from the pub last night - but if I can pass on the link pls that'll be useful.

Good show by Froch, he controlled the distance between himself and Kessler pretty good. I'm surprised so many media sources are calling it a close-run contest - my impression was Froch bossed the show, with a couple of successful attacks from Kessler. I think I gave Kessler one round all night, so I agree with the 118-110 judge. Good to meet some of the EDFers at last !

Blimey - half the pub'll be wearing that !

All for dated decor, don't need the latest overly-sized monochrome wallpaper (on one wall only), crap art and matching palette decor. Quirky and a bit Fawlty-esque is more original by default, doesn't affect the food, more genuine. I'm no interior decorator tho, either !

Shout if you get down there I'll say hi !

Steveo - I turned up for an 8pm booking last night, so I turned-up a coupla mins beforehand. Y'all enjoy tonight there. If I'd k own about the place, there's certainly a few functions and parties is have put on there (darn !).

I think is shuts this weekend, that's why this thread was re-started from years ago, someone was warning of imminent closure.

Went there this evening and we had good beef dishes and reasonable wine. Wish I'd dined there previously, but thanks to this forum I at least found out they're closing, allowing me to squeeze-in a meal beforehand. Love the decor and first time the other patrons waved goodnight as we left !!

You gotta watch the fight on YouTube, Lebedev is a very brave gentleman. Froch isn't on BoxNation so I'll be heading to Rose I expect. Will look upbKones and see what else he's done. Chad Dawson is fighting Adonis Stevenson soon, dangerous fight for Dawson against the KO artist.

Has anyone been recently / is it still knocking-out decent food ?

ironjawcannon - see what's on section, it's all listed there.

PM'd you.

It's a proper shiner ain't it I'd also heard of Guillermo in the background, never quite coming to my attention fully. The name rang a bell, but now I'll start looking at his old fights. If you get a chance watch the above contest on YouTube (or BoxNation repeats). Buncey reckoned it was a fight of the decade, not just fight of the year. Lebedev is showed huge heart. Jones is massive compared to him.

All fighters like that though ! Even Audley. One good contest at the weekend, though dissapointing for me, was Denis Lebedev v Guillermo Jones. Guillermo had been a champion-in-recess (or something like that) for a couple of years, who was getting back into the mix. What a gifted boxer. He wounded Lebedev quite early on to the Right eye and the swelling got so bad that by Rd11 Lebedev could not see out of it and the ref stopped the contest, so TKO. I think Lebedev was winning the fight overall, despite being dropped in Rd1 or 2, but the swelling was monstrous and many say the contest should have been stopped earlier. The contest also showed how gifted Lebedev is, he was fighting a huge man in Guillermo Jones and was heavily out-weighed. Guillermo got the LHW world title and is definitely one to watch, if he gets in better condition I think he run sthe cruiserweight division and will beat even Marco Huck (who robbed Lebedev in Germany 2 years ago).

Yes exactly, if Froch wins this (and convincingly), there's a strong case for a trilogy. Kessler and Froch fill stadiums, it's a no-brainer financially. Ward can only dream of that kind of popularity. He's the best SMW but no-one wants to watch him. He's complaining about Froch/Kessler should be fighting him, but that's been done and it stank, both times.

On paper, Froch has accomplished more in the intervening years since their first fight. Kessler has had a LOT of fights, albeit many walk-overs and surely this takes a toll. In terms of pure boxing I think Kessler is head and shoulders in front, because he keeps his form and doesn't brawl. Some say Kessler was never the same after Ward, it was a tough defeat and he basically got head-butted to Stitchesville, Tennessee, so the ref had to stop it. I have no idea why Kessler would say that if he loses he will retire - saying that, for me, is very negative and means you've all but decided your career's over ! If Kessler was fighting a 3rd tier fighter I could understand that sentiment, but not in a unification bout ! He's no. 2/3 in the world as a SMW, why talk about retiring ?! I think it's a genuine 50-50 fight. However, Froch has proved more, and more consistently. So I reckon Froch either points win or stops Kessler through cuts. So here's another Brit backing Kessler.