This is a good match up between two top 10 guys in the Light heavyweight division. Eleider Alvarez is coming off a good win versus Michael Seals though before that did lose his rematch with Sergey Kovalev. Joe Smith Jr is coming off one of the best wins of his career versus Jessie Hart where he performed well.
Eleider Alvarez is a very skilled champion who has good technical skills. He is patient and doesn’t throw massive amounts of punches. When he does let his hands go his punches are accurate and hurtful. All of his punches have a purpose to them and he doesn’t just throw a punch to throw a punch. He’s shown he has a good chin as he’s gone 12 rounds with multiple big punchers including Kovalev and Jean Pascal. He has a good gas tank and seems to be quite a young 36 without too many miles on the clock. He has had a few injuries recently but he’s fully recovered now and should be fit for this fight.
Joe Smith Jr normally fights on the front foot and pressures his opponents with constant activity. He’s not technically the best and has shown he can be out-boxed by skilled fighters like Dmitry Bivol. He has decent foot speed but not the best footwork and if he could improve this he could cut the ring off much better. He does have huge power and if he connects cleanly he’ll likely put his opponents down. His one big moment in the Bivol fight was when he rocked him right at the end of a round and if that round hadn’t ended then he could have potentially stopped Bivol and became world champion. His defence isn’t great but its not horrible and he has a good chin.
I think Eleider Alvarez will win this fight by decision because he has the better technical skills and will be able to out-box Joe Smith Jr. I believe Smith can win if he can keep his pressure up for 12 rounds and Alvarez shows he’s on the decline but otherwise I see Alvarez winning. It goes without saying that Joe Smith Jr could win by knockout as he’s got the power to stop anyone in the division in my opinion.
This should be a bit of a tune up fight for Shawn Porter compared to how hard his recent run of fights has been. Porter is coming off a close loss to Errol Spence Jr who most people feel is the number one guy in the division. Formella is coming off a defence of his IBO world title which he originally got from beating Thulani Mbenge which is his best win to date in his career.
Shawn Porter is a rough fighter who normally likes to come forward and make things uncomfortable for his opponents. He does have good technical skills however and I think his boxing abilities are underrated. He has a very good chin and also an amazing gas tank. He’s mixed it with the best of the welterweight division for years now and always gives a good account of himself even if he loses.
Sebastian Formella is 22-0 but hasn’t faced the level of competition that Shawn Porter has. His biggest win is arguably a fight he should have lost and he hasn’t looked great in his recent fights. He mostly boxes on the back foot and moves around a lot. He may be one of the few boxers to attempt a marathon while fighting in the ring. His jab isn’t anything special but it is decent and he will use it sometimes before he raids in with a few punches before going back to circling around the ring. His defence isn’t world class in my opinion and I don’t think his stamina will hold out over 12 rounds versus Porter.
I think Shawn Porter will win by stoppage because of his experience and that I don’t think Formella will be able to keep Shawn Porter at range meaning Porter can implement his game plan and win. Formella isn’t a bad fighter he’s just facing a top 6 Welterweight when he’s more of a top 25 guy himself who doesn’t have the experience of competing against top 10 guys in the division.
The first fight was great and of course controversial which is why we are getting a rematch now slightly over a year since the first fight. Katie Taylor has won a world title in the weight class above since that fight while Delfine Persoon fought at a catch weight below the lightweight limit and also tried to qualify for the Olympics.
Katie Taylor is one of the best technical boxers in Women’s boxing right now though she didn’t show it in her fight with Persoon. She has very good footwork and honestly does everything pretty well. Her defense isn’t bad but she is hittable because she gets into wars too much. She has very fast hands and good combinations. She normally has good stamina but did slow down and almost got stopped at the end of the fight with Persoon.
Delfine Persoon is a come forward pressure fighter that like Katie Taylor is coming to the end of her career. She’s big for the weight class and has a great gas tank. She throws one punch to get into range and then throws combinations of 3 or 4 punches and if her opponents don’t move she just doesn’t stop punching. She’s very physically strong and should be able to bully Taylor if she can drag her into another war. Her defence isn’t great and she’s no where near as technical as Katie Taylor. She plods forward and doesn’t have the greatest footwork in the world though she cuts off the ring well enough.
I think Katie Taylor should be able to win a competitive decision as I think she’ll stick to her boxing this time and won’t get drawn into a war. With there being no crowd I think it’ll play to her advantage because the fans won’t goad her into trying to entertain. Katie Taylor will also be able to adjust her style after sharing 10 rounds with Persoon while I think Persoon is stuck with her style which to be fair to her she does well with.
This is a good step up for Fundora and if he wins he can be regarded as a contender in the 154 pound division rather than a prospect. For Nathaniel Gallimore it’s a chance too shoot himself back into contention for big fights.
Sebastian Formella is huge for the 154 pound division as he stands an insane 6 foot 5. I think this is the record for the tallest 154 pounder which is incredible. He’s a good fighter with decent fundamentals. His defence isn’t great and I think a lot of it relies on his opponents not knowing how to deal with someone so tall. His biggest flaw is that he doesn’t really use his height and likes to fight at close range instead of keeping his opponents at range with a jab. I think this will hurt him in the future.
Nathaniel Gallimore is a veteran who’s fought some of the best at 154. He has good power and while not a great defence its good enough. He has solid fundamentals and good physical strength which he uses when he comes forward and backs his opponents down. He has lost a few of his recent fights and while some people think he’s slightly past his prime I think its down that and also him fighting very good competition.
I think Gallimore will knock Fundora out because he’s got very good power and Fundora doesn’t have a great defence and likes to fight up close which will suit Gallimore. This is also Fundora’s biggest test so far and based on how he’s looked in recent fights I don’t think he’s ready. If Gallimore is truly washed then Fundora can win.
Canelo Alvarez is one of the biggest names in the sport and so for him to sign a long term contract with an App that at the time no one knew about required a lot of one thing…money. Now that the pandemic has hit the world and effected everyone’s finances Dazn no longer want to pay Canelo what they promised him in their contract. However they also won’t approve most opponents for Canelo and we’ve seen this again today where its been reported that they won’t approve him to fight Yildrim for the vacant WBC 168 pound world title even if he takes a pay cut for that fight.
Right now it seems the only person they are willing to approve him fighting is Callum Smith but they still want him to take a pay cut even though it’s a fight against the number one guy in the Super Middleweight division. I think the people at Dazn need to employ more people that know boxing and business in general because they need Canelo to fight to kick start their platform again after the pandemic. Right now all they’ve done is delay him coming back to fight and started to sour the relationship between them because of how awkward they are being.
Hopefully this can get resolved soon as its painful too see the fighter that most people see as the face of boxing sit out because a few people in suits that have no idea what they are doing are making things difficult not just for him but for themselves as well.
This is a really good step up fight for Babic who is 3-0 with 3KO’s. Winters is coming off of a loss to Joseph Parker who is a former world champion so if Babic can win this fight then it will shoot him into the boxing public’s eye.
Allen Babic is a come forward fighter who is relentless with his attacks. He mostly throws hook after hook but does sometimes jab as well. I’m not sure how good his defence or stamina is as neither have been tested in a pro fight but I presume they are decent as he’s been in camp sparring Dillian Whyte. This is his first major step up and test so he may fight a bit more cautiously than he has in the past.
Winters is a natural Cruiserweight who has gone up to heavyweight a few times to try and spring upsets and he’s had varying degrees of success. He doesn’t have the best defence but he does have decent power and his right hand has some pop behind it. He landed a few good uppercuts on Joseph Parker when Parker was leaning on him but I doubt he can use that tactic in this fight. He is 39 and I thought he was slowing down in the Parker fight even before he got brutally KO’d. I think he’s coming in on short notice so you have to wonder how fit and prepared he’ll be.
I’m going to predict Babic will win a decision as he’s had a decent camp with Whyte and seems hungry to make it to the top. He also has a decent amateur background and from what I’ve heard has put on some weight so is a real heavyweight now while Winters is a blown up Cruiserweight who just performs well at heavyweight.
This is a good match up between two top 10 fighters in the heavyweight division. The fight will be contested over 12 rounds for a few meaningless WBC belts and a mandatory spot for the winner of Wilder versus Fury 3. Neither boxer looked great in their last performance but Whyte has the best chance to improve because his was due to being overweight while Povetkin is down to him being old and having a long career.
Dillian Whyte should be in his prime right now and in his last few fights has certainly shown that. He’s mixed it with world class fighters and not only shown he can compete with them but that he can beat them. This is remarkable considering before and after the Joshua fight most people felt like he would remain a domestic heavyweight with that being the best he could get out of his talent. Whyte has a good jab and as the promotional videos keeps saying a good left hook. He’s one of the most active(punches per round) heavyweights which may be why he sometimes fades late in fights. He’s not hard to hit but he does have a good chin as it takes a lot to put him down and especially to keep him down. One of his biggest assets is his toughness and his willingness to out dog his opponents through sheer will or roughhouse tactics. He’s certainly not the most technical fighter in the division and I think most people would describe him as a technically awful fighter which I think is a bit harsh. I think he has in the past been dragged into wars which he could have won by simply using his jab like he did in the Rivas fight.
Alexander Povetkin won gold at the 2004 Olympics and has had a stellar pro career since then. At this point however he is 41 and in his past few fights has shown he is well past his prime. He is a very technically good boxer and has a great left hook which he has finished a lot of fights with. I think he has a good chin and has only been stopped once and that was against a big puncher in Anthony Joshua. I think his stamina is on the decline because he looked exhausted in both the Hunter and Hughie Fury fights. He clearly has some power left but it’s nothing like he used to have 6 or 7 years ago though if he connects cleanly then it can still put people out. I think his defense is solid enough though he did get caught cold by Hunter early on in their fight but still managed to stay on his feet. I think if Whyte landed with the same punches Povetkin would have been KO’d though Hunter does have quicker hands than Whyte. Povetkin showed good recovery skills in that fight and he does have a wealth of experience. Povetkin has a great overhand right which he disguises very well. If Whyte throws a lazy jab Povetkin will be able to catch him with the overhand right and this could work for him all night as Whyte throws a lot of jabs.
I think Whyte will win by late stoppage because I think Povetkin is past his best and Whyte looks to have had a great camp. I think Whyte’s jab will keep Povetkin at bay for most rounds and as time goes on Povetkin will start to tire and Whyte can finish the fight. I wouldn’t be surprised if Povetkin timed Whyte’s jabs and stops him though as he has the pedigree and timing to still be able to do that at 41. With Povetkin being smaller his hooks will land first if they get into exchanges and Povetkin is good at jumping in and landing that left hook. If Whyte doesn’t stay disciplined and tries to go hook for hook with Povetkin I don’t think it will end well for him.
This is a 10 round fight between the two best lightweights from Russia. Abdullaev is coming off a TKO loss to Devin Haney and is looking to get back in a big way by taking a risky fight. Pavel Malikov used to be a decent prospect but after a loss to Daud Yordan he has struggled versus mostly domestic competition.
Zaur Abdullaev clearly has a good amateur background as his foot work is decent and he finds his range in fights very quickly. He normally keeps his hands high and is defensively responsible however the longer the fight goes on the more he drops his hands presumably because he starts to get a bit tired. He does however have good stamina and even in fights that are fought at a good pace doesn’t noticeably get exhausted or start to crack under pressure. He uses feints well and has a good jab that he throws to both body and head. His jab is meant to hit and hurt his opponents, not as a range finder or to control the distance like other boxers use their jabs. He will sometimes pull back in straight lines but this isn’t a major flaw as he doesn’t do it every time he backs out.
He’s a combination puncher that uses educated pressure on the front foot with a focus on body work to wear down his opponents. He can fight on the back foot but I think he prefers to be on the front foot. He doesn’t throw a lot of straight punches with most of his punches being hooks or screw shots to the body. He’ll occasionally throw uppercuts as well but its rare to see him throw a straight 1-2 compared to other punches. He’s hard to hit clean but he’s not hard to hit otherwise as he takes a lot of punches on the gloves while pressing forward with upper body feints and jabs. I think he could cut off the ring a bit better as sometimes he follows his opponent around instead of forcing them into a corner. He’s willing to get into short exchanges but mostly pulls out if his opponents punching and then throws his own punches back when he finds a bit of distance. He has a good chin and as far as I’m aware hasn’t been down as a pro or amateur. I think he has good power but nothing special like a Virgil Ortiz and I don’t know if he can knock people out at world level though I do think he’ll have success with his power in this fight.
Pavel Malikov is a 34 year old Lightweight from Russia who has been a pro for 10 years now. He has an average jab but it doesn’t hit the target all that much and he’s not always consistent with it. He does sometimes double or triple it up to try and get into range however. He throws a lot of single shots and when he does throw in combination its almost always a right then left hook and then repeats that again if the exchange carries on past the first flurries from both boxers. He doesn’t mix up his shots to the boy and head as well as Abdullaev and mostly head hunts. He doesn’t have great head movement and doesn’t consistently use feints especially beyond the first couple of rounds. His foot work isn’t terrible but he does find himself stuck in corners or on the ropes versus fighters that aren’t as good as Abdullaev. I don’t think his defence is very good and his chin is average at best as he’s been dropped multiple times in his career. He is very tough however as almost every time he’s been dropped in a fight he’s survived to the end and won a decision. He’s willing to get into exchanges but leaves his chin very exposed when he throws hooks because he drops his opposite hand when he throws a hook instead of keeping it next to his chin. He has been stopped before in an entertaining fight with Daud Yordan.
He has some success countering off the back foot with hooks that he times correctly so that they land first. I think he has a nice short right hook and Abdullaev will have to be careful not to fall in when he backs Malikov into corners as this could lead to him being caught by a short hook he doesn’t see coming. I don’t think his stamina is great and after 3 or 4 rounds he can’t move around the ring very well as his legs seem worn out. This could be due to his age and hard career and it wouldn’t surprise me if he is quite a bit past his prime at this point.
I think Abdullaev willl stop Malikov in the 8th or 9th round because he’ll be able to land his jab at will and his body work will leave Malikov exhausted which will allow the openings that Abdullaev needs to stop him.
This should be a good competitive fight which will show people whether Vega will be able to compete at Light Fly with the same success he had at minimum weight. For Saul Juarez this gives him another chance to spring himself closer to a title shot after recently suffering back to back defeats.
Saul Juarez isn’t a bad fighter but he’s not quite good enough to beat top contenders or be competitive with world champions. He is extremely tough which honestly is his best asset. I don’t think he has fast hands for the division and lacks the foot work that most of the champions and contenders have in his weight classes. At this stage in his career he’s become a gatekeeper and if you want a title shot at Light Flyweight then beating him is a good start.
Axel Aragon Vega normally fights at minimum weight but is moving up in this fight though I don’t know if the move is permanent or not. From the limited footage I could find he mostly fights off the back foot and jumps in with overhand rights or just right hooks. He always seems to throw in combination once he gets on the inside and I like how short his hooks are when he gets in close. He has nice uppercuts and a decent jab to the body but he doesn’t throw it very often and beyond that seems to lack a jab. His hands are high and he keeps a tight guard while circling the ring which shows he’s defensively sound. He’s only 20 as well and has had a lot of experience already including a world title shot where he arguably should have won the fight.
I think this will be a harder fight for Axel Aragon Vega than people think and it wouldn’t surprise me if he lost. I do think he’ll do enough to win however as he did show in his last fight that he’s capable of being a world class fighter and most world class fighters beat Saul Juarez.
This is a 10 round fight between former world champion Sergio Martinez and Jose Miguel Fandino who is a domestic level fighter in Spain. This is the first fight that Martinez has had since his one sided loss to Miguel Cotto six years ago where he looked terrible. Fandino is coming off the best win of his career when he knocked out Sergio Fernandez after losing to Fernandez on a split decision early in 2019.
Sergio Martinez was an elite fighter in his day but even six years ago you could tell he was past his best. His knee’s effectively didn’t work anymore and I don’t see why they would be much better now. I’m not going to go too much into his skill set as we don’t know how it will look now that he’s coming back off such a long lay off. He is a southpaw however and I think that will help him in this fight.
Jose Miguel Fandino getting knocked out
Jose Miguel Fandino is an average domestic fighter in Spain who’s had mixed results versus mostly other domestic fighters. He has fought a notable name in Esquiva Falcao where he was stopped in seven rounds. He isn’t very good defensively and is without being mean open to every punch that’s ever been invented. I think he’s especially open to left hooks as he keeps his right hand very low. I think he lacks a good jab though he does try and throw one it just doesn’t land very often. He’s not hugely active in the early rounds but starts to ramp up the activity as the fight goes on. He sometimes over extends when he tries to lunge in with one or two punches. When he does lunge in he’ll normally throw one to the body and one to the head, I think he punches well to the body and has decent uppercuts when he gets on the inside. Sometimes his hooks are too wide but this is mostly when hes lunging in otherwise his hooks aren’t overly wide.
Jose Miguel Fandino
I think even a past his best Sergio Martinez will beat Jose Miguel Fandino as Fandino has a terrible defense. He’s especially open to the left hook and that plays perfectly into Martinez’s hands because he’s a southpaw and has a great left hand. I’d be very surprised if Martinez doesn’t win by stoppage and if he fails to do so I’d like too see him go back to retirement whether he wins or loses. I hope that this fight is just about Martinez wanting to end his career on a win and he doesn’t think he can win another world title as going down that route won’t end well for him.
Boxing Fulcrum 