Knockout fights, big hitters... it’s almost like the good old days
IT’S almost like old times, two huge title fights across the pond and a cracker in Munich to get the party started.
The World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight final between IBF champion Yuniel Dorticos and Mairis Briedis is beautifully set.
Our up-and-coming cruiserweight Chris Billam- Smith sparred with Briedis in an earlier camp and attests to his strength and stamina.
That will be central to taking down Dorticos, who is a ferocious puncher. Briedis hits hard to the body and the head, has a tight defence and when Chris was in camp sparred even though exhausted.
Both have lost only once – Briedis dropping a decision to the great Oleksandr Usyk and Dorticus falling to the then unbeaten Murat Gassiev. That defeat provides the template for Briedis. Gassiev blocked his way to the later rounds and dropped Dorticos in the last when he had blown himself out.
Interestingly, Dorticos has looked better since, beating Mateusz Masternak and Andrew Tabiti to win the vacant IBF crown.
Like many big hitters, Dorticos is all about the quick checkout. You stand and trade with him at your peril. Gassiev did him with an uppercut, a punch Briedis likes to throw.
I expect this to follow a similar pattern, Briedis taking Dorticos deep while trying to stay clear of
SERGIY DEREVYANCHENKO the hammer. Over in Connecticut, Jermall Charlo defends his WBC middleweight crown against Sergiy Derevyanchenko while Jermall’s identical twin, WBC super welterweight champion Jermell, takes on WBA/ IBF supernova Jeison Rosario.
Derevyanchenko is coming off two close defeats against Daniel Jacobs and Gennady Golovkin. The former was a split-decision loss and he gave Triple G all he could handle last time out.
Derevyanchenko is formidably tough and fought at the highest level as an amateur. If there are any chinks in Jermall’s game they will be exposed by this guy.
The duel at super welterweight could be the fight of the night. Rosario has come from nowhere
MAIRIS BRIEDIS
JEISON ROSARIO to stake his claim as a serious player. A heavy loss to Nathanial Gilmore in 2017 and a laboured draw against Mark Hernandez 10 months later did not suggest a star was born.
But a change of trainer and the crushing defeat of double world champion Julian Williams in January have thrust him into a different orbit. Jermell has the greater pedigree but is vulnerable to the off night as he showed in losing his crown to Tony Harrison.
He avenged that loss and is favoured to shine tonight. But if Rosario’s improvement can be trusted he is in for another long night.