Heavyweights headline Fury-wilder undercard bouts
It was only two weeks after the second fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder that Adam Kownacki suffered the first loss of his career.
Kownacki, heavily favored to beat journeyman Robert Helenius, was stopped in the fourth round of their Barclays Center main event. Nineteen months later, Kownacki will have a shot to exact his revenge as one of the centerpieces of a loaded undercard Saturday night at T-mobile Arena.
“I’ve been training very hard for this fight, and it’s a do-or-die fight for me,” Kownacki said this week. “I’ve got to win this fight to prove last time was just an accident at work.”
Here’s a quick rundown of what to expect on the most anticipated fight card of 2021. The pay-per-view undercard, featuring exclusively heavyweight fights, will start at 6 p.m.
Frank Sanchez vs. Efe Ajagba
The fact that this fight is even happening should be celebrated. In Saturday’s co-feature, two undefeated heavyweight prospects will go head-to-head. Like the main event, the matchup pits a Top Rank fighter (Ajagba) against a Premier Boxing Champions fighter (Sanchez).
Sanchez (18-0, 13 knockouts, 1 no-contest), who trains with Eddy Reynoso’s loaded stable that also includes Canelo Alvarez, Ryan Garcia and Oscar Valdez, is the slight favorite. The Cuban is a smooth puncher who probably will win rounds with his boxing ability. If the fight hits the scorecards, chances are he’ll have his hand raised.
Ajagba (15-0, 12 KOS) is an exciting knockout artist, famous for scoring the fastest win in boxing history when his opponent, Curtis Harper, walked out of the ring right after the opening bell.
He’s also shown serious vulnerabilities, having been knocked down by Iago Kiladze in their 2019 bout before getting up to eventually stop the Georgian.
Robert Helenius vs. Adam Kownacki
Before their first fight, Kownacki (20-1, 15 KOS) was being lined up as a potential foe for Wilder. He throws a high number of punches and seems generally disinterested in defense.
That’s exactly what caused him problems against Helenius, who was no more than a professional opponent for Kownacki. After absorbing punishment for a few rounds, Helenius (30-3, 19 KOS) turned up his offense and repeatedly hurt Kownacki, stunning the crowd in Brooklyn.
The rematch has been delayed time and time again, but the two finally will run it back Saturday night.
Jared Anderson vs. Vladimir Tereshkin
Boxing fans will get another up-close look at Anderson, perhaps the best current American heavyweight prospect. Tereshkin (22-0-1, 12 KOS), though, represents a step up in competition and should make for an intriguing style clash.
Anderson (9-0, 9 KOS) is coming off a highlight-reel knockout of Jeremiah Karpency in April, while Tereshkin has not fought in nearly two years.