Friday's Final World - #11
The Best vs The Best.
Evening all,
What a weekend we have in store across both MMA and boxing but just to provide some clarity, we ran into some audio problems with last weekends review show so I have spent the week getting that sorted and the good news is that the audio show will go live this Sunday.
Perhaps it’s a blessing considering how much amazing action we have coming up this weekend.
In recent times, the sport of MMA has embarrassed boxing when it comes to making the big fights but despite the incredible UFC 291 card this weekend, boxing will have it’s moment as the long awaited matchup between Errol Spence Jr vs Terence Crawford finally goes ahead.
THE BEST VS THE BEST.
All The Marbles…
With the four major belts on the line, this fight will tell us who is the best welterweight on the planet and perhaps the best fighter…period.
In the last 7/8 years, the welterweight division has always thrown up competitive fights but this is the only one boxing fans have ever craved.
Without being disrespectful towards either fighters achievements, their legacy depends on what happens this Saturday in Las Vegas.
I understand how harsh that is but that is the brutal truth of elite sport.
The stakes couldn’t be higher.
That is why I believe we will see the best version of both Errol Spence Jr and Terence Crawford.
Some will argue that Errol Spence can’t be the same fighter after almost dying in a car crash in 2019 but in the fights we have seen since he has looked good and Terence Crawford has been faultless for almost 40 fights.
When you get two fighters this good competing, the temptation is to try and ‘look between the lines’ to try and be the person that finds the one little edge that nobody has ever seen.
I don’t think that exists between these men.
When that opening bell rings on Saturday and they stare at each other across the ring, both fighters will know they have never faced anyone as talented, driven or dangerous.
When you consider the have 67 professional fights between them you could view that as a negative but this is the elite level, how do you find worthy challengers for two of the most talented boxers in recent history?
How Does It Play Out?
Like I mentioned above, I don’t think anybody really knows.
There is no sample to use and form a solid opinion. They haven’t fought anyone close to as good as each other.
If rumours are true, it was the fighters that made this happen.
They contacted each other, hashed it out and made sure no promoter, advisor, manager or broadcaster could scupper the fight.
That’s real boxing and tells us both men are prepared to risk EVERYTHING to get a win this weekend.
That’s why I think this fight comes down to who wants it more and not ability.
All the measurable skills we know, they cancel it each other out.
Both southpaws.
Brilliant jabs.
Fight ending power.
Elite defensive skills.
High boxing IQ.
At this level, they both have all the fundamentals needed to win any fight so what provides the separation?
It’s the intangibles.
The will to win.
When it comes down to that, I believe Terence Crawford is the man who emerges victorious.
That is not a slight on Errol Spence, in fact I think he is probably the more talented of the pair but Crawford has a unique talent of finding a way...and usually by stoppage.
Spence will often settle to win fights by decision, Crawford doesn’t.
Crawford has risked defeats many times, just to rubber stamp a victory with a knockout.
When it gets deep in the fight this weekend, I believe Crawford is the man who will want to keep going.
I can understand those that will say ‘a win is a win’ but in a fight this close, it’s the fine margins that matter.
Whatever way it goes, the names of Errol Spence Jr and Terence Crawford will be linked forever but this weekend one of them will separate themselves and solidify their status as the greatest welterweight of this generation and I believe that is Terence Crawford.
Official Pick: Terence Crawford to win
UFC 291
From Las Vegas to Salt Lake City and the UFC have yet another ridiculous card for us to enjoy.
On any other weekend, this card dominates every single conversation.
The main event speaks for itself.
If you haven’t watched the first fight between Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje, enjoy highlights below.
These men could fight 12 times a year and there would be a different winner.
Two warriors, cut from the same cloth.
In another life they would be best friends.
So…
Who Is The Real BMF?
The Baddest Motherfuc*er In The World Title.
In the UFC there can only be one champion. Unfortunately (or fortunately if you look at boxing) that means fighters like Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje will find it very hard to claim a title at any point of their career.
Now, there is a fine line between this and just awarding decent fighters with belts.
That is something we all criticise in boxing but as long as these fights are kept for very specific circumstances, like this, I am all for it.
Before Justin Gaethje fought Rafael Fiziev in London, I would have had no problem picking Poirier here.
He showed in the first fight he is the better fighter but Gaethje showed the type of growth against Fiziev that I just didn’t think he had.
We all know he is a good wrestler from a good background but has never wanted to use it.
He is the KILL OR BE KILLED guy.
The man who takes you out or goes down swinging.
That’s why we love him.
But in London he showed patience, IQ and variety.
But the problem now is will he sustain that?
Or will he revert to type.
Will he be drawn in to all the BMF hype and just want to have a war with Poirier?
I suspect he will and that’s why I favour ‘The Diamond’.
Porier has shown us many times that he can slug it out.
Gaethje first fight.
Michael Chandler.
But he has shown us he can be a cool head in a hot kitchen, too.
Look at the McGregor fights.
Dustin Poirier can put his ego in a box and fight to a plan and that is what separates him from Justin Gaethje.
The evidence is there from the first fight and I actually believe Poirier is better now.
I expect another war but the same outcome.
Official Pick: Dustin Poirier to win inside the distance.
The Support Cast
The co-main event is so intriguing.
Alex Pereira makes his long awaited debut at light heavyweight and it doesn’t get more difficult than taking on former champ, Jan Blachowicz.
Blachowicz has played this role before.
In 2021, Adesanya tried to come up and treat him as a soft touch and got humbled very quickly.
If Blachowicz done that again, I wouldn’t be surprised. He has a huge experience advantage but despite coming back from a knockout loss, Alex Pereira could still be improving.
After all, he is less than 10 fights into his MMA career.
All those hours training with Glover Teixiera have to be improving him and when you consider Glover made easy work of Jan, is that an advantage?
I could argue both ways all night but whoever wins, I think it is inside the distance.
The three fights rounding out the main card are all worth talking about.
First up, Stephen Thompson takes on Michel Pereira at welterweight.
Thompson needs no introduction but at 40, he is reaching a point where people begin to wonder how long is left.
He is a model athlete and epitomises professionalism but at some point, he has to slow down.
Up to this point, he has only come up short against the elite and without disrespecting Pereira, he isn’t that.
With a 6-2 record in the UFC, he has shown glimpses of real quality but also massive holes in his game.
When you have been fighting the likes of Niko Price, Andre Fialho and a faded Santiago Ponzinibbio it’s a huge step up to Stephen Thompson.
The age gap does concern me but I think there is a gulf in class here.
Pereira is unpredictable but I expect ‘Wonderboy’ to use his experience over three rounds here.
Official Pick: Stephen Thompson by decision.
The one fight I don’t like is Tony Ferguson vs Bobby Green.
Plain and simple, Tony Ferguson shouldn’t be competing.
Without commenting on his personal life, he is 0-5 since 2020 and looking worse with every passing fight.
He has been saying during fight week that he believes he is in his prime, comments like that worry me even more.
It’s uncomfortable watching this version of Ferguson as pre 2020, he would be a huge favourite against Bobby Green but here we are…
I fully expect Green to win. Any way he wants.
Rounding out the main card, the ever entertaining Kevin Holland takes on Michael Chiesa and has a real chance to get himself back in the win column.
Outside of all the messing around, Holland is very talented.
Yes, he plays up to the cameras a lot but when it all comes together he is a dangerous man at welterweight.
As is Michael Chiesa. That’s why the will open the main card!
But skill for skill, there is more upside with Kevin Holland.
He will need to respect the ground game of Chiesa but if he can keep it standing, he will find opportunities to finish this.
It’s easy to look at Holland’s defeat to Chimaev and think he hasn’t got any wrestling/grappling defence but he has.
He just fought a freak that night.
A focused Kevin Holland is a problem and everything we have seen this week suggests that he is on it.
Official Pick: Kevin Holland to win inside the distance.
Rounding off…
On a weekend of such ridiculous action, we don’t have one fight to keep an eye on in particular.
In boxing, I do think Jason Cunningham vs Liam Davies will catch fire. I rate Davies.
In the UFC, the one that catches my eye is Roman Kopylov vs Claudo Ribeiro on the prelims. Two very well matched fighters there.
Remember, please get involved in the comments, shoot me a DM on social media and share with anyone that you think might enjoy The Combat Club.
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Catch you all on Sunday when my audio works perfectly!!
Can’t wait for another massive weekend, do you still think wonder boy fight is still going ahead, if it does will the weight make a difference? And as cringy as BMF belt is I’m all for it tomorrow I thought gaethje looked a bit drained but we’ll see later. I cannot fucking wait for it