FOLLOW THE BEAR

THERE comes a time in every fighter’s career when he realises his best days are behind him. Usually it manifests physically, and more often than not, it leads to defeat. For Matt Skelton, though, it was a little different. It happened en route to one of the best wins of his career, and during a performance in which he looked as physically formidable as ever.

What Father Time had blunted in Skelton was not his reflexes, durability or strength, but rather his killer instinct.

“I could see he was hurt,” says Skelton of Paolo Vidoz, whom he stopped in a December 2008 European heavyweight title challenge. “He didn’t want to be there. I was looking at him in his corner between rounds and he couldn’t breathe properly. His head was slumping down. I’d broken him, but his pride made him carry on.”

Vidoz had been ground down by Skelton’s trademark unrelenting aggression and was in survival mode by the ninth round. Exhausted and demoralised, the Italian appeared ready for the taking, but instead Skelton held back and implored referee Robin Dolpierre to intervene. He did not,