Five vs Five, Queensberry vs Matchroom
The Saudi money has been rolling into Boxing and these two companies are the biggest beneficiaries so far.
With that in mind, the Saudi officials called for a Frank vs Eddie card to back up the expected main event featuring Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
Unfortunately another injury suffered by Beterbiev has pushed that Undisputed fight back to later this year, although Bivol will remain on the card. However, that means the Queensberry vs Matchroom bouts are now the headliners and you have to be pleased with the fights we have.
Dmitry Bivol should be a comfortable winner in his bout, but the focus will be on those promotional fights with the winning team picking up a three million dollar bonus.
First up is Willy Hutchinson vs Craig Richards and there has been plenty of needle between the fighters this week.
This is a big step for Willy Hutchinson who has been Stopped dramatically once before, but bounced back in his move back up to Light Heavyweight. However, he has not taken on anyone of the calibre of Craig Richards, who has only come up short against Dmitry Bivol and Joshua Buatsi in recent times having given both plenty to think about.
It is a level that deservedly makes him a favourite, although Richards has been relatively inactive in recent times.
He did return with a Stoppage of Boris Crighton in February and I do think Craig Richards can weather an early storm and potentially finish off Willy Hutchinson late on. Spider has more power than his Stoppage rate would suggest and Hutchinson has yet to show he can step up to this level so another for Craig Richards and adding two points to the Matchroom slate looks the likely outcome.
One of the best looking fights on the card is between Nick Ball and Raymond Ford and it should really be a Unification at Featherweight.
Nick Ball will feel he did enough to beat Rey Vargas in March, while Ford was coming from behind for a late Stoppage win to earn a title of his own.
It is a short turnaround for both, which could be a factor, but this has the makings of a quality contest with the styles likely to gel very well.
My gut feeling is that Nick Ball might be able to drag Raymond Ford into a fight and that could see him edge this one, but the American showed his own grit and character in the win over Otabek Kholmatov.
This is a bout that I am very much looking forward to.
Next up is Queensberry Captain Hamzah Sheeraz with double points on the line for the British Middleweight contender.
As with many of the Saudi cards, Sheeraz is in a tough fight against unbeaten Austin Ammo Williams and both fighters have shown a supreme amount of confidence about their chances of winning. The victorious party will be heading into a likely World Title bout next in one of the most open Middleweight Divisions we have seen in a long time.
There is absolutely no doubt that both fighters are taking a step up against one another and with similar resumes behind them.
Confidence is not lacking, but the Hamzah Sheeraz size and power could be the telling factor.
He is a very good boxer who will use the jab to set things up and the feeling is that Sheeraz will keep that ramrod of a shot going to end up timing Ammo Williams onto something big.
The American will be slick and look to counter and poses a real threat, but Sheeraz has looked really strong at the weight and he can come through with an impressive win.
Daniel Dubois vs Filip Hrgovic does not have the full IBF World Title on the line as expected, but they have been given an Interim Belt which may be upgraded before we get to September 21st when the winner of this one is expected to headline against Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium.
At 26 years old, Daniel Dubois has time on his side, but a third loss would hurt.
He is facing an unbeaten, confident Filip Hrgovic who has taken a lot out of sparring beatdowns he used to give a much younger Dubois. The Croatian also feels that Daniel Dubois has shown too much 'quit' and that he will wear him down and break him down mentally and physically.
However, Filip Hrgovic has not really impressed in recent bouts and the win over Mark De Mori means absolutely little in all honesty.
Prior to that he could have lost against Zhilei Zhang and the Points win over Demsey McKean is not going to have impressed too many.
Prior to that he could have lost against Zhilei Zhang and the Points win over Demsey McKean is not going to have impressed too many.
So there is some pressure on El Animal at 31 years old to show that he is ready to move to the next level.
It brings some intrigue, but the feeling is that Filip Hrgovic's ability to take a big shot may prove to be a difference maker.
Riding out what is likely to be an early Daniel Dubois storm, Hrgovic may feel he can get on top of this one and wear down the British fighter when things begin to feel like they are getting away from him. Beating down Jarrell Miller for a late Stoppage will help the Daniel Dubois confidence, but Filip Hrgovic is a different animal, pardon the pun, and may just close the show before the judges scorecards are needed.
The final fight on this card is a crossroads bout in the Heavyweight Division and may end up deciding which of the promotional companies come out on top.
Deontay Wilder is not only the surprise name lining up behind Eddie Hearn, but has been selected as Captain by Matchroom which means double points if he can come out of this one with his hand raised.
The former WBC World Champion looked very different in a comfortable loss to Joseph Parker back in December and admitted he was tentative in letting his hands go. Some believed Wilder had become softer, but the American is adamant he has rediscovered himself as he looks to potentially move into another big fight with Jared Anderson in August.
He is opposed by another of Joseph Parker's recent victims in the form of Zhilei Zhang who managed to show a bit more than Wilder in that defeat. He put Parker down twice, but the near 300 pounder ran out of gas and was beaten on the cards with his lack of activity in the fight proving to be costly.
There is no doubt that Zhang hits plenty hard, but Deontay Wilder has shown an ability to absorb big shots and much will depend on how much he has left in his own tank when it comes to willingness to detonate his right hand.
Big Bang is certainly capable of taking a shot, but you do have to wonder if he will have the same resistance throughout this fight.
We have seen Deontay Wilder carry his power into the late Rounds and it may be as much to do with fatigue as the actual shot that puts Zhang away in this one.
After his last performance, it may be hard to believe in Wilder, but he may just have found something to get back on the horse and looks a big price to stop Zhilei Zhang and push him to the back of a pretty long queue.
MY PICKS: Craig Richards to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.75 Sky Bet (1 Unit)
Hamzah Sheeraz to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.25 Sky Bet (1 Unit)
Filip Hrgovic to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.75 Sky Bet (1 Unit)
Deontay Wilder to Win by KO/TKO @ 3.25 Sky Bet (1 Unit)
Boxing 2024: 22-35, + 15.17 Units (80 Units Staked, + 18.96% Yield)
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