James Irvin: I Just Don’t See Myself Losing
Kevin Iole’s latest Yahoo! Sports article highlighted James Irvin, whose highly anticipated meeting with top ranked Anderson Silva is but a mere week away. “The Sandman” shared a bit of his strategy for the upcoming bout, which will apparently attempt to exploit his opponent’s perceived lack of punching power:
“I just don’t see myself losing,†Irvin said. “I’m expecting to take a lot of damage. I’m expecting to eat a lot of his shots, but I’ve sparred and trained with guys who hit a lot harder than he hits. I’d rather take three or four of his punches than fight someone like Quinton Jackson, who will just knock you out with either hand.
I don’t think he has that kind of knockout power. I really don’t think he does. I’m not taking anything away from him, because he’s so well-rounded, but I don’t think he has that heavy handed punching power that someone like Scott Smith or Quinton Jackson does.â€
Strong words from the underdog, but Irvin seems to remain grounded and grateful as well:
“Irvin was working out on the day the fight offer came, but he’d been ignoring his phone as it rang incessantly. Finally, a friend came into the news with the word he had an offer to fight Silva. But Irvin had the wrong Silva in mind.
“I thought it was Wanderlei, someone we’ve asked for ever since he’s come here,†Irvin said. “He’s a guy I’d been really wanting to fight. I thought my style would match up real good with his. I never imagined it would be Anderson. He seemed so far out of the picture. I don’t really deserve a shot against that guy right now. He’s pound-for-pound the greatest fighter on Earth right now. I’m going to make the most of my moment. I’m going to make the most of July 19 and I’m going to bring the best James Irvin I can that night.”
You have to give it to “The Sandman.” His confident yet modest persona coming into UFN 14 definitely helps sell this fight for the UFC, who are doing everything in their power to ensure that the casual fan tunes into UFC Fight Night 14 and not Affliction come the 19th.
Tags: James Irvin
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“He’s(Anderson Silva) pound for pound the greatest fighter on Earth right now.” -James Irvin
So true.
it is true but i dont think we can discount irvin just yet the guys got sick power and it should make for an interesting fight that in no way shape or form do i see goin to decision lets just hope when silva eats a shot like he does in every fight(he gets hit shakes his head and comes back like a demon possessed every fight) it isnt one thatll send him crumbling to the mat
HAHAHAHAHA HE WILL LOSE AND IT WILL MAKE ME LAUGH
I have Irvin winning this, like I have been saying all along!
It’s kind of a no-win situation for Irvin. If he pulls off the win, people will just say that Silva doesn’t belong in the LHW division. However, the “pound-for-pound greatest fighter on earth” shouldn’t have a problem moving up one weight class and beating a middle-of-the-road striker.
mburtoni i totally agree the credit wont be as great as he thinks it will be good for him but no sure how good. anderson will probably win but who knows
pound for pound best fighter in the world fighting on july 19th?? i dint no BJ PENN was fighting? anyway im with fixXeR on this one i see james winning by brutal KNOCK OUT
I am hoping that Irvin wins but I honestly don’t see it happening.
This is not a win win for Silva. I see it as lose lose.
I think Irvin see’s Silva as the fast track to a title shot!
Silva tko round 2
From all of the interviews Irvin sounds very confident, but I almost think he is putting too much weight on himself. He has said that he is fighting not just for himself but the entire division.
He needs to fight his fight, take some shots to land 1. That is the only way he can win. He has to land the strong punch on the button.
If he wins it def puts his name in the hat as a contender.
GUYS….. remember how easilt Bonnar took down Irvin and submitted him??????? Well, I think Silva’s ground game is at least the equal of Bonnar’s. I think Irvin has a better shot at winning than anyody in the 185 lb. division, but come on…..
I think Hendo can beat Silva if he fights his own gameplan.
That’s the thing about great fighters, they take you out of your game plan. Hendo had his best shot at Silva when we were all making the most of that fight as the best MMA match up short of Penn/GSP.
Hendo is still (perhaps) the best of the rest at MW, though Marquardt might have something to say about it. If he plays his cards right he could get another shot. But he’s already had two shots in a row at UFC titles. Perhaps his best days are behind him.
We’ll have to wait and see. IMO, Hendo needs to fight Marquardt or Franklin to solidify who is #2 at MW.
Has anyone heard anything from Hendo lately, it has been awhile since he has been in the news…
i see anderson getting a first round ko
Anderson will win. Irvin is in BIG trouble. Irvin is going to get hurt. He knows it.
bj peen is the p4p best fighter in the world. he dominates his weight class and without even trying has dominated the upper wieght class to his own.aderson wins this one on paper but im puting my money on the sandman.bonner beat him because of size and thats what silva is lacking.james is not a scared puss like rich in the second fight and hendo in the second round.hendo could have put all this talk to shame but he gave up in the second round wich blew me away.dont get me wrong i luv the hell out of the spider and have paid money to go and train with him but hes the mw champion and if someone stands up to him he might not be that to much longer.to many people on here talk nonsense cuz they like someone way more or hate the other.
I think Silva wins by submission. Triangle or something. Irvin is going to get over zealous and too excited. They both will end up on the ground. We know what happens from there….
Here we go sandman you win this and youll be one win awya from a title shot….james irvin is gonna destroy anderson…..of course im biased cause he is my fav. fighter!…but i really dont see james losing this fight either!
silva is my favourite fighter, but I always doubt him. Like the fight with Henderson, I thought no way Silva is gonna be Hendo. Same with this fight, I just don’t see Irvin losing but the Spider will always come out on top and prove the people who doubt him wrong.
I am stating here and now that I predict James Irvin winning this fight. If I am wrong I will admit it openly on this thread. I challenge all of those doubting souls that are counting James Irvin out to do likewise if Silva loses. Any takers?
i think james said it best-dont bet against him and im not.i luv silva but i think hes confussed him self with bj penn.i think rich and hendo can beat him if there were as mentaly sound as he is and when he fights someone that is,and at a bigger wieght class,he might be in trouble. in my ufc fantasy im pickin james but if silva wins i wouldnt be surprised or upset cuz hes worth every win he gets and deserves all the praise but theres only one p4p best fighter and its bj or maybe fedor.i would like to see fedor start fighting more offen and tuffer oppenents,and stop with the circus acts.
new age if anyone is the best P4P fighter its anderson he has empty’d out a once talent filled weight class into a small talent pool of competition…bj is good but you said earlier that he has dominated his weight class with no troubles and thats not true sean sherk gave him a little trouble…bj just didnt come out and destroy him! but ask just about any fighter and ill bet theyll say the spider is p4p the best fighter in the world!
After reading this I have some newfound respect for Irvin. You have to be confident for your fight. You have to believe that you can beat your opponent, or there’s no need for you to show up.
With that said you also have to respect that opponent. Even if he’s a never-was. In this case he’s fighting the best. And it seems he knows and respects that…..
johnboy,
agree that bj is p4p best. not so much with irvin winning this one. he’s a tough guy and a good striker but anderson is a great striker. and to say that he doesnt think anderson has ko power? rich franklin is a very tough guy, so is leben you know that guy has a chin, and he walked right through them.
should be a fun fight though
if you dont like my oppinion then dont read it turdslinger.i dont like your post but i dont chase your wack ass around b1tchin.piss off
every article i go to. stop calling people douche bags and people wont piss you off!!
confucius got a bit riled
just the turd slinger.he follows my posts around and b1tches.wow, he must be realy bored.
i like the word douche bag cuz there only good for one thing wich has to be done.
4 the record bj peen is the best p4p fighter. the dude fights at all wieght classes including the great lyoto.he didnt train properly and beat the greatest ww of all time.he lost a split dec to gsp when he wasnt 100% in the fight game and hes had belts in two wieght classes.when silva gets another belt or fights in a more deeper wieght class like bj[ww-lw]then he can be the p4p best.mw is the second weakest next to hw.silva has dominated his class 4 sure but hes no bj.
thats pretty similar to randy couture aswell, HW,LHW, and dan henderson LHW,MW
did randy last in bolth classes?did hendo do that against the stacked ufc classes?
Let’s all remember, this is MMA. Anyone can be beaten anyday by anyone. Did anyone expect Jardine to KO Forrest? Did anyone expect Alexander to KO Jardine? Hell, did anyone expect Serra to beat GSP the first fight? This whole “world’s best pound for pound fighter” title that Silva is carrying around is a marketing tool being used by Dana White. When people say that Silva is the world’s best pound for pound fighter, it makes me thing of someone walking around humming the tune from a tampon commercial.
* think * Sorry
Irvin is right he won’t see himself lose because that’s usually what happens when you get Knocked out! you never see it coming…sorry sandman but Anderson is just at the top of his game and your gonna be another notch in his belt.
James should get the next title shot if he can pull the Ryo Chonan inside 1 minute of the first…
James Irvin,
Most people think you are un underdog all people agree that if you lose you will have the best vantage point to see it…
un=an
US public schools education at its finest…