The boxing weekend is sparse but there will be two world title bouts, one on Friday, the other on Saturday, and both on ESPN+.
Friday morning from Sydney, Australia, Janibek Alimkhanuly will defend his IBF middleweight title against Andrei Mikhalovich in a fight that was scheduled earlier in the summer but was postponed when Alimkhanuly was unable to make the weigh-in due to severe dehydration.
Alimkhanuly also holds the WBO championship but that title is not on the line as that organization does not rank the unknown Mikailovich, who hasn't beaten anyone that I've heard in his twenty-three wins without a defeat.
Alimkhanuly hasn't fought in a year since stopping Vincent Gualtieri in six rounds last October to add the IBF title to the WBO belt that he held entering the match.
Alimkhanuly has impressed in his title reign but this is a difficult fight to really choose because we know nothing about Mikhailovich, who is Russian-born, fights out of New Zealand but has fought often in Australia, for this undeserved opportunity.
It's not unusual to see boxers who have fought in obscurity to make a spectacular world debut, so while Alimkhanuly deserves to be a prohibitive favorite, I'd be hesitant to give Mikhailovich zero chance due to the unknown factor.
Saturday's title battle is from Liverpool, England where Nick Ball will defend his WBA featherweight title for the first time against veteran Ronny Rios.
Ball almost won the WBC title earlier this year from Rey Vargas in a fight scored a draw in March but rebounded in winning the WBA title in June in a sensational battle by a split decision over Raymond Ford and could cap a terrific year with a defense over Rios.
Rios has fought only one time since he was stopped in the final round by Murodjon Akhmadaliev in an attempt to win the IBF junior featherweight title in 2022.
Rios has been knocked out in three of his four losses but always has shown grit, so this should be entertaining for as long as it lasts.
Boxing Challenge
TRS: Alimkhanuly KO 6
Vince Samano: Mikhailovich Unanimous Decision
TRS: Ball KO 9
No comments:
Post a Comment