Titan
4th June 2008, 03:42 PM
I came across this link to an interview with Gary Shaw:
http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/06/03/elitexcs-gary-shaw-an-early-stoppage-is-never-detrimental-to/
There are two things he says that sticks out. On the question about where Kimbo fits in among the top heavyweights in MMA (MMA, not EliteXC), he says:
I don't know. He's still in the learning process. He needs to work on his cardio a lot more. In his stand-up game, he is probably number one. I don't think on the ground he's in the top 10. As a striker, he's probably number one.
I hope it didn't sound the way it reads when he said it. I hope he meant striking is his number one skill, and not that he's the number 1 striker of all heavyweights. On the stoppage in that same fight Kimbo vs Thompson and whether he thinks it was a bad stoppage, he says:
No, I really don't. I watched the match several times. James Thompson's eyes were glassy, his ear was bleeding profusely. I've had a fighter die in the ring in fights I've been associated with, and I care for the health and safety of the fighter. And I'd rather see a stoppage come one punch too soon than one punch too late. The referees did a spectacular job the entire night. Gus Johnson's entitled to his opinion and I respect his opinion, but the referee is right in front of the fighter, is looking in the fighter's eyes, and has a much better viewpoint of whether to stop the fight or let it go.
I don't think that same argument of stopping a fight one punch too soon sits well when considering Kimbo being trapped in the second round receiving elbow after elbow without the referee being able too see if his eyes were glassy.
In short, probably nothing said there is something you believe more than I do.
http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/06/03/elitexcs-gary-shaw-an-early-stoppage-is-never-detrimental-to/
There are two things he says that sticks out. On the question about where Kimbo fits in among the top heavyweights in MMA (MMA, not EliteXC), he says:
I don't know. He's still in the learning process. He needs to work on his cardio a lot more. In his stand-up game, he is probably number one. I don't think on the ground he's in the top 10. As a striker, he's probably number one.
I hope it didn't sound the way it reads when he said it. I hope he meant striking is his number one skill, and not that he's the number 1 striker of all heavyweights. On the stoppage in that same fight Kimbo vs Thompson and whether he thinks it was a bad stoppage, he says:
No, I really don't. I watched the match several times. James Thompson's eyes were glassy, his ear was bleeding profusely. I've had a fighter die in the ring in fights I've been associated with, and I care for the health and safety of the fighter. And I'd rather see a stoppage come one punch too soon than one punch too late. The referees did a spectacular job the entire night. Gus Johnson's entitled to his opinion and I respect his opinion, but the referee is right in front of the fighter, is looking in the fighter's eyes, and has a much better viewpoint of whether to stop the fight or let it go.
I don't think that same argument of stopping a fight one punch too soon sits well when considering Kimbo being trapped in the second round receiving elbow after elbow without the referee being able too see if his eyes were glassy.
In short, probably nothing said there is something you believe more than I do.