This fight between Kim and Amir is a tough one for me to call. There's a lot of uncertainty for me simply because time after time I've watched Amir get smacked around only to pull something out of his arse to win the fight. And I can see Kim beating him down, only to get tired in the third round and lose the fight. People have alluded to Kim's conditioning as the key to this fight and I find myself going along with that notion.
Now I'm going to have to disagree with you about Kim's fight with Mike Brown. I've been watching that fight quite a bit in the past couple of days and the conclusion that I've come to is that Brown tried execute a plum clinch on Kim but it didn't work. Moreover, he shouldn't have even tried to use that technique on Kim in the first place.
Simply put Brown was the smaller fighter and you do not use that clinch (dirty boxing or the plum clinch) in a fight against a taller, stronger opponent. With the plum clinch you have to move your hands from your opponents neck to a spot that's almost to the top of his head. If you're fighting someone the same height or even better someone shorter than you it's a great weapon to use. You're using leverage, not just strength, to force the head down by pulling at a 45 degree angle. Against a taller fighter, it gets increasingly difficult to move your hands into the correct position, the taller he is the more your arms get extended. You lose your leverage by reaching. If there's no leverage then there's no head control, and you can forget about the knees.
If you watch round one, Brown tries for the plum clinch and knee but Kim not only sees what was coming he was able to power out of it. Brown tried shifing to rabbit knees to the body but Kim countered, trapped a knee, and took him down. Kim turned it into a grappling match and Brown's was focused on defense.
This Saturday night, if both guys come into the fight healthy, I think Kim's got the size and strength advantage. And if they clinch early in the fight, Kim's going to get underhooks, pin Amir up against the fence, and eventually take him down to the mat. If Amir does decide to clinch and grapple with Kim, he's got get belly to belly or go for a single leg. Kim has a tendency to give up the single leg quickly in hopes of catching the opponent with a wizzer. If Amir can do that, then he can transition to using knees and elbows off a clinch. Or he could release, get some distance and force Kim into a standup fight.
Kim's ground and pound is good but it's still pretty raw, he looks to strike if he's got top position, and at times he does get over extended. Amir's guardwork has proceeded to a point where he could tap Kim with an armbar. At the very least, he should be able to keep many of Kim's strikes from getting through.
Still what we could see is a fight where much of it is spent up against the fence, or where Kim takes Amir down numerous times, unable to finish, but grinds out the decision. Or maybe a fight where Kim has early success only to gas which allows Amir to take over with his stand up and get a tko or even a split decision. And I find myself switching back and forth between those scenarios.
I'm left asking the question: how is Kim's conditioning?
Now I'm going to have to disagree with you about Kim's fight with Mike Brown. I've been watching that fight quite a bit in the past couple of days and the conclusion that I've come to is that Brown tried execute a plum clinch on Kim but it didn't work. Moreover, he shouldn't have even tried to use that technique on Kim in the first place.
Simply put Brown was the smaller fighter and you do not use that clinch (dirty boxing or the plum clinch) in a fight against a taller, stronger opponent. With the plum clinch you have to move your hands from your opponents neck to a spot that's almost to the top of his head. If you're fighting someone the same height or even better someone shorter than you it's a great weapon to use. You're using leverage, not just strength, to force the head down by pulling at a 45 degree angle. Against a taller fighter, it gets increasingly difficult to move your hands into the correct position, the taller he is the more your arms get extended. You lose your leverage by reaching. If there's no leverage then there's no head control, and you can forget about the knees.
If you watch round one, Brown tries for the plum clinch and knee but Kim not only sees what was coming he was able to power out of it. Brown tried shifing to rabbit knees to the body but Kim countered, trapped a knee, and took him down. Kim turned it into a grappling match and Brown's was focused on defense.
This Saturday night, if both guys come into the fight healthy, I think Kim's got the size and strength advantage. And if they clinch early in the fight, Kim's going to get underhooks, pin Amir up against the fence, and eventually take him down to the mat. If Amir does decide to clinch and grapple with Kim, he's got get belly to belly or go for a single leg. Kim has a tendency to give up the single leg quickly in hopes of catching the opponent with a wizzer. If Amir can do that, then he can transition to using knees and elbows off a clinch. Or he could release, get some distance and force Kim into a standup fight.
Kim's ground and pound is good but it's still pretty raw, he looks to strike if he's got top position, and at times he does get over extended. Amir's guardwork has proceeded to a point where he could tap Kim with an armbar. At the very least, he should be able to keep many of Kim's strikes from getting through.
Still what we could see is a fight where much of it is spent up against the fence, or where Kim takes Amir down numerous times, unable to finish, but grinds out the decision. Or maybe a fight where Kim has early success only to gas which allows Amir to take over with his stand up and get a tko or even a split decision. And I find myself switching back and forth between those scenarios.
I'm left asking the question: how is Kim's conditioning?
, best writeup I've seen from you Charib, We'll talk about this later tonight, I'll do a short write-up after I rewatch the Brown fight ...... I need my sleep for the Dream event
