At this time it all about staying safe, but it is important to have elite sport still being shown on television to give people something to think about other than the US elections or the Coronavirus headlines which have been with us for so many months now.
I remain hopeful that 2021 is going to be a much, much better year all around for everyone I know, but for now I am just trying to tick along like so many others.
Last weekend was a wonderful one for Boxing fans around the world with some special fights in the United Kingdom and the United States and the chance to see some of the very best in the sport. Competitive bouts is the only way you can keep Boxing relevant and we have seen some of those with more to come before the year is out.
This week is perhaps not of the level of the last one, but there are some big names getting ready to make a move in their respective Divisions and also the return of King Kong Luis Ortiz who is looking to find his way into one more shot for a World Title having come up short against Deontay Wilder twice before.
A big Matchroom United States card will potentially set up some big Heavyweight fights down the line and also the return of Devin Haney in what is a red-hot Division that has been brought alive by the likes of Teofimo Lopez and Gervonta Davis over the last month.
Filip Hrgovic vs Rydell Booker
Later this year Anthony Joshua is going to be clearing his latest IBF mandatory, but that won't be discouraging Filip Hrgovic from forcing his way into that position after Kubrat Pulev.
He will continue on his path up the World Rankings and is a very, very strong favourite to beat Rydell Booker on Saturday on the Devin Haney undercard.
Filip Hrgovic has changed his nickname to Stone Man, but El Animal has been vicious in the ring and opponents have simply not been able to stand up to the obvious power he possesses. Eleven straight wins have been earned and nine of those have come via stoppage, while the last four opponents since Kevin Johnson have not made it out of the Third Round.
Both opponents who have managed to escape the Fourth Round have gone the distance with Hrgovic so there is a question of whether his power remains strong into the later stages of a bout.
Rydell Booker has shown he is resilient, but at 39 years old his best days are clearly behind him.
Despite that, Booker did manage to hear the final bell in his last bout twelve months ago and that was against the aforementioned Pulev, although the veteran American was well beaten on the cards.
Another unbeaten Heavyweight, Jermaine Franklin, also beat Rydell Booker on the cards in 2019 and you do have to respect the fact that the veteran could have enough wiles and resistance to at least get through what is likely to be a very early onslaught from the favourite and heavy handed Croatian.
It's 'only' a Ten Rounder so you do wonder if Filip Hrgovic is going to have to go to the cards for the third time in his career, but I do think Rydell Booker will find it hard to cope with the pace set by the younger man. Another year in the body makes it difficult and I think Booker is going to be worn down in this one, although I do believe he is capable of getting through the early stages before that happens.
He may go into survival mode fairly early, but I do think Filip Hrgovic has to be looking to put his foot on the gas and make a statement by becoming the first man to stop Rydell Booker. James Toney put him down in the second half of his bout with Booker back in 2004 and I do think Hrgovic hits harder than both Franklin and Pulev who were taken to points by the veteran.
Looking for Filip Hrgovic to perhaps put enough together to get the referee taking a second look is the call here, but I do think this may be the latest stoppage the Croatian has been able to secure in his professional career. Much depends on how much resiliency Booker has left, but I do think there will be enough to hear the bell for the Sixth Round, although I don't believe he hears the final one.
Zhilei Zhang vs Devin Vargas
There are a number of Heavyweights who are looking to position themselves in the World Rankings to earn a World Title shot when the picture is a lot clearer in a year from now.
Assuming Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury do get it on for two bouts for the majority of the belts, fighters like Zhilei Zhang are hoping to remain unbeaten and then move in line to take on one of the big names in the Division.
Already we have seen a lot of talk of Zhang potentially headlining a Heavyweight Championship bout in his homeland in China and he would love that to be against Anthony Joshua. Fighting under the Matchroom banner makes things much easier for that bout to be eventually made and it could be a filler if the Tyson Fury fight does not materialise for AJ.
For now Zhang is looking to tick along as he faces Devin Vargas- the veteran American has been beaten when he steps up his level and in his six defeats, five have come by stoppage.
The majority of those have come early as Vargas looks to trade with opponents and I do think that is what we are going to see here. Zhilei Zhang has shown he has the power to beat someone like Devin Vargas having produced sixteen stoppages from his twenty-one wins.
I fully expect Zhang to make a big statement here and I do think Devin Vargas is someone who will play ball by not being hard to find. This one should end relatively early.
Luis Ortiz vs Alexander Flores
It has been a little under twelve months since we last saw King Kong in a ring, but Luis Ortiz still insists he can win a World Title.
One punch ended his second bout against Deontay Wilder and once again it was Ortiz staring up at the lights. The fight had been going his way before that, but at 41 years old the Cuban still believes there is enough in the tank to challenge the best in the Division.
His best hope may be that the belts will fracture over the next twelve months as those World Titles are going to be tied up by Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, but Ortiz can't worry about that and instead has to show that his hasn't gotten too old.
Some will suggest he is considerably older than the 41 years that he admits and a fighter like Alexander Flores is much younger and looking to put himself in a position to earn some big money in the years ahead. Beating King Kong would set Flores up for at least a couple of nice paydays, but this is a Boxer who has come up short when facing Charles Martin and Joseph Parker.
Both of those former World Champions have gotten Flores out of there before the end of the Fourth Round and that has to be the target for Ortiz.
Motivation can sometimes be questioned for Luis Ortiz and we have seen him produce some inconsistent performances. I do think he will understand the importance of looking good and I he is capable of the shots to finish this one relatively early, but there will be some early ring rust to get through.
I do think Alexander Flores is short of the top level, but much will depend on how much he is willing to get through to try and earn the most significant win of his career. I don't think that happens though and a small interest in Luis Ortiz getting this done in the Third or Fourth Round to match the achievements of Parker and Martin is the play.
Devin Haney vs Yuriorkis Gamboa
Teofimo Lopez, Gervonta Davis, Luke Campbell and Ryan Garcia could set up some huge fights in this Division for Devin Haney, but that will all be for nothing if the American is not able to return from a long lay off with a win on Saturday.
The WBC World Title in the 135 pound Division is on the line and Devin Haney is back for the first time in twelve months. Some of the momentum has been lost with the injuries and the impact the other big names in this Division have made, but Haney can take that back with a big win.
He is a considerable favourite to see off the veteran Yuriorkis Gamboa who has only lost three times before and two of those to Gervonta Davis and Terence Crawford. We have yet to really know if Haney is up to that level, but all of the Gamboa defeats have come via stoppage and at 38 years old he is going to struggle to keep his younger, fresher, stronger opponent off of him.
I do expect it will take time for Devin Haney to warm up to the task, but eventually I expect him to begin to land some spiteful, hurtful shots.
Yuriorkis Gamboa has shown tremendous heart in getting to the Twelfth Round in his defeat to Gervonta Davis, especially as he tore his Achilles in the Second Round. The Cuban has been down a number of times throughout the latter stages of his career and he was down numerous times in the defeat to Davis too.
You do have to feel that he is going to have to suffer some punishment in this one, but Devin Haney should find the punches to eventually crack through the defences for good. It is likely going to happen in the second half of the bout as Haney looks to better what Gervonta Davis was able to do against Gamboa.
MY PICKS: Filip Hrgovic to Win Between 6-10 @ 2.50 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Zhilei Zhang to Win Between 1-5 @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Luis Ortiz to Win Between 3-4 @ 3.75 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
Devin Haney to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.70 William Hill (1 Unit)
No comments:
Post a Comment