Gustafsson on avoiding Rumble's punching power...

[Got GOAT]

[YT]Jw3vY64dDJs?start=100&end=124[/YT]​

Alex is very confident that Rumble won't land his punches, or at least confident in no big punches/haymakers landing. Manuwa wasn't able to land a single haymaker cleanly in his last fight and he's imo even more explosive than Rumble is, and Jimi certainly has good hand speed.

Based on something else I read, Gustafsson sounds like he'll have his hands up higher with his guard for this one, likely because he doesn't really have to worry too much about Rumble's wrestling and due to his power. It seems to me that he's been working a lot on his defense and the gameplan will utilize his hands held up higher, a good bit of lateral movement to turn him (Rumble) and staying on the outside as usual until he's tired him out, chipped away at enough, and/or is able to counter him before leading too aggressively / going in for the kill after he's hurt or cornered where he wants him.

 

[bob]

tbh.. rumble is pretty unorthodox and unpredictable in the way he strikes. it will be harder for gus to avoid than against jimmy M.

 

[Git rekt]

These are the kind of fight. Im hype for it and theres not even smack talk, Both dudes respect eachother strengths and weaknesses and are training hard.

I keep saying it but i i love this fight because you know its going to be good and regardless of who wins the next fight is guranteed to be good too.

 

[bob]

gus's ears never cease to amaze me...

 

[Puss]

Can't wait for this fight!

 

[Bokelj]

But but but what about the uppercut of doom??

Kidding, yes Rumble has looked stellar but let's not call him the second coming of a striking deity. I expect an amazing match, I wonder who goes for the oh shit takedown first

 

[Got GOAT]

tbh.. rumble is pretty unorthodox and unpredictable in the way he strikes. it will be harder for gus to avoid than against jimmy M.

Well, with Jimi he had to be cautious with that big leaping lead left hook, overhand right, and if changing levels then uppercuts from him too. It'll be interesting to see how well he can avoid Rumble's so that they don't land clean if at all. I have little doubt he'll taste his glove more than once though.

 

[Bokelj]

gus's ears never cease to amaze me...

Before or after landing?

 

[melvinj0]

The way Rumble shut down Davis was very impressive, but I could see Gus using his striking to set up takedowns and fuck Rumble up on the ground. I'm pulling for Rumble though, I hope he manages to put Gus out.

 

[Theproof]

Can't wait until Gus get's knocked out so I can stop hearing about how this guy is the answer. Oh and btw, Manuwa is overrated. Struggled with Ryan Jimmo.

 

[Got GOAT]

Can't wait until Gus get's knocked out so I can stop hearing about how this guy is the answer. Oh and btw, Manuwa is underrated. Put away Ryan Jimmo.

*Fixed*

 

[Nelly]

Gus can win by decision, KO, or sub while Rumble can only win by KO and maybe decision. It's hard to see Gus getting KO'ed because of his chin and I know it can happen but I doubt it.

 

[IBeLurkin]

Put Jimmo away? Did you watch the fight?

 

[bob]

Before or after landing?

sorry?

 

[JayElectra]

I think Rumble is a lot more dangerous for Gustafsson than Manuwa. Manuwa is physically gifted and not much more. Rumble, while certainly not a technical marvel, actually has some fundamentals and has shown some understanding and variation when setting his work up. Manuwa is all flash and power from the outside which is fine against strikers devoid of talent, but not against someone who actually has some defensive ability and can see the punches coming a mile away. The grappling element isn't the same as the Manuwa fight, as well. Manuwa feared the takedown whereas Gus had no fear of it. In this fight, Rumble will fear Gus' grappling a whole lot less and have some threat of his own (though, I see neither fighter having much success getting the other down).

Gus does have the talent to outbox Johnson and break him down over time (and that's the most likely outcome as far as I'm concerned), but I will say that Gustafsson isn't always completely airtight defensively or always in top form, and Johnson, as far as I'm concerned, is clearly the best boxer that Gus will have faced to date. I think Gustafsson will have to show more of the toughness that he showed in rounds 4 and 5 against Jones in order to come through. I don't think I see this as easy work for Gus, and we could see something of a war here. His toughness has been proven in the past, though, and I'd favour him in the category of stamina, as well, so I think he is certainly capable of doing well even if the fight goes to the trenches.

 

[bob]

I think Rumble is a lot more dangerous for Gustafsson than Manuwa. Manuwa is physically gifted and not much more. Rumble, while certainly not a technical marvel, actually has some fundamentals and has shown some understanding and variation when setting his work up. Manuwa is all flash and power from the outside which is fine against strikers devoid of talent, but not against someone who actually has some defensive ability and can see the punches coming a mile away. The grappling element isn't the same as the Manuwa fight, as well. Manuwa feared the takedown whereas Gus had no fear of it. In this fight, Rumble will fear Gus' grappling a whole lot less and have some threat of his own (though, I see neither fighter having much success getting the other down).

Gus does have the talent to outbox Johnson and break him down over time (and that's the most likely outcome as far as I'm concerned), but I will say that Gustafsson isn't always completely airtight defensively or always in top form, and Johnson, as far as I'm concerned, is clearly the best boxer that Gus will have faced to date. I think Gustafsson will have to show more of the toughness that he showed in rounds 4 and 5 against Jones in order to come through. I don't think I see this as easy work for Gus, and we could see something of a war here. His toughness has been proven in the past, though, and I'd favour him in the category of stamina, as well, so I think he is certainly capable of doing well even if the fight goes to the trenches.

well put mate.. i was watching rumbles wsof fights... guys a freak.. and i cant see gus risking sitting down on any of his punches to finish rumble untill the last rounds... gus via stamina if he does indeed win.

 

[IBeLurkin]

[YT]Jw3vY64dDJs?start=100&end=124[/YT]​

Alex is very confident that Rumble won't land his punches, or at least confident in no big punches/haymakers landing. Manuwa wasn't able to land a single haymaker cleanly in his last fight and he's imo even more explosive than Rumble is, and Jimi certainly has good hand speed.

Based on something else I read, Gustafsson sounds like he'll have his hands up higher with his guard for this one, likely because he doesn't really have to worry too much about Rumble's wrestling and due to his power.

So once again, people are confusing Rumble with Manuwa. Manuwa is not a top tier talent. He hasn't shown that in any way.

Alex saying Rumble won't land is pretty funny. The biggest knock on Gus is that he gets hit. Slow ass hobbled Shogun hit him plenty with telegraphed haymakers. Jones hit him repeatedly with head kicks, and we all know Jones isn't a good striker, especially at distance.

But according to Alex, now he won't get hit by a better striker, with MUCH better kicks? Good thing you read somewhere that he said he'd keep his hands higher this one time

 

[TheViking]

Rumble is getting finished by tko imo. He's to slow and plodding. Alex will probably land that nasty uppercut or frontkick and hurt him.

 

[Got GOAT]

Put Jimmo away? Did you watch the fight?

Yes, Jimmo's leg was tenderized and gave out. He couldn't continue.

So once again, people are confusing Rumble with Manuwa. Manuwa is not a top tier talent. He hasn't shown that in any way.

Alex saying Rumble won't land is pretty funny. The biggest knock on Gus is that he gets hit. Slow ass hobbled Shogun hit him plenty with telegraphed haymakers. Jones hit him repeatedly with head kicks, and we all know Jones isn't a good striker, especially at distance.

But according to Alex, now he won't get hit by a better striker, with MUCH better kicks? Good thing you read somewhere that he said he'd keep his hands higher this one time

That fight was a little over 2 years ago (the Shogun fight). In his last couple fights Alex has looked much better than he did in that performance. He made a ton of mistakes in the Shogun fight and is lucky he didn't get knocked out, ie., backing straight up while standing tall with his hands down and chin up. Since that fight his defense has looked better and he's used his range better, staying more on the outside and not letting guys in as easily. Manuwa has fast, powerful hands and didn't land a single haymaker cleanly. That's not saying that Rumble can't but he'll need to be in range to do it and catch Alex with something slick or cut him off and tee off on him, and I don't see that happening because Alex has better footwork and will likely be moving a lot laterally. He seems very confident in Rumble not landing punches so it probably means he spent more time on his defense, at least on defending Rumble's best punches that he regularly has success with.

 

[ruckingfetard]

While Rumble is a powerful striker with good fundamentals, he has a pretty slow and flatfooted footwork which mainly consists of stalking and walking down his opponents. This is a style that doesn