The Final Word - #4
Opinions and picks for all the combat action this weekend.
Morning all!
Firstly, sorry for the delay in getting this edition out.
I ran into a few technical problems last night but we have solved it all now and here we go!
Liverpool
Boxing takes centre stage this week and we have got three decent cards from Liverpool, Paris and the USA.
Firstly, I will be attending the show in Liverpool and although the Callum Smith fight fell off, we still have a few good prospects and a few decent fights to get stuck into.
In the main event, I am really looking forward to watching Diego Pacheco. He takes on Jack Cullen who we all know is a solid domestic fighter but I think this is a perfect opportunity for Pacheco to announce himself to a wider audience.
The M&S Bank Arena won’t be packed but scousers appreciate good boxers and it will be good for Pacheco to put on a show in front of them.
I don’t think Cullen is a lost cause here and he will always give his all but if you look at the stoppages he has suffered, it’s hard not to predict Pacheco to replicate those.
The one that stands out is the Sadjo loss. He was actually boxing well there before taking a brutal body shot and Team Pacheco will have an eye on that.
This will start fast but I expect Pacheco to get a finish within five rounds.
Undercard
It isn’t the deepest undercard in the world, but there are a few fights to keep an eye on.
Firstly, Robbie Davies Jr vs Darragh Foley has the potential to be a really good fight.
Robbie Davies has always had a big reputation in Liverpool and you can see how highly regarded he is down at Shane McGuigan’s gym. The problem in recent years has been activity.
He has always put his hand up for fights but for whatever reason, Eddie hasn’t delivered them often enough.
This is a really good opportunity to setup a big year for himself and I think he will take it.
Darragh Foley is a solid fighter and a bit of a character but every time he has come up to this sort of level against the likes of Akeem Ennis-Brown and Tyrone McKenna, he has fallen short.
I do actually think this could be fight of the night but I expect the class Robbie Davies Jr to pull through.
Foley is a tough man but I fancy Robbie Davies Jr to get this done by decision.
One man to keep an eye on is former Team GB star, Peter McGrail.
McGrail was an outstanding amateur and although his professional career has gone under the radar so far, he has now signed with Eddie Hearn and I expect Matchroom to give him a huge push over the next twelve months.
He takes on Nicolas Botelli who is overmatched but a tough man in his own right. He gave a decent account of himself against Sultan Zaurbek and I expect him to do the same tonight.
McGrail is the class act in the fight but Botelli can hopefully take him a few rounds and let the scouser put on a bit of a show for his home crowd.
McGrail wins this and sets up a huge 2023 but I think he may get some invaluable rounds in the process.
I fancy this to be over 3.5 rounds.
Paris
Promotional outfit Boxxer make a surprise trip to Paris this weekend and put on an all french heavyweight clash between Tony Yoka and Carlos Takam.
It annoys me talking about Tony Yoka because he has been guilty of failing drug tests and I think you all know my view on that by now.
Yoka, who won gold at the Olympics in 2016, despite clearly losing the final turned over as professional with a lot of hype but that has quickly been watered down.
The failed drug tests, under par performances and a loss last time out to Martin Bakole have left most people doubting whether he is actually a world class prospect.
I find it strange that they have chosen Carlos Takam to face after a loss to Bakole but I think that says more about where Takam currently is rather than the faith Team Yoka have in their charge.
Takam has been a brilliant heavyweight and given us some brilliant fights but he is now 42 and coming off the back of a battering at the hands of Joe Joyce.
Early in that fight Takam was actually taking the fight to Joyce but like he does to everyone, Joyce dragged him to the later rounds and stopped him.
I think that fight might have taken a lot out of Carlos Takam and he will be under pressure tonight.
In his prime, Takam would beat Yoka but timing is everything in this sport as we know and that’s why Yoka by stoppage interests me.
I suspect it may be late but with youth on his side, Yoka might just overwhelm this version of Takam.
British Interest
Dan Azeez is our main representative on the French undercard and he is gaining fans with every passing fight.
Despite missing weight on Friday (he made it at the second time of asking) Azeez is travelling to Paris to try and claim the famous blue European strap.
He is a proper throwback fighter who has done things the traditional way.
Southern area title.
English title.
British title.
European title?
He has a throwback style, too.
Under the watchful eye of Buddy McGirt he is making real progress and if he wins here, he sets up a potential world title shot or a huge domestic fight with the likes of Anthony Yarde or Joshua Buatsi.
It’s hard not to warm to Dan Azeez and this looks like a really good opportunity for him, on paper.
Thomas Faure is a solid enough boxer but his record looks padded.
He has had really close fights with fighters who would be way below the level of Dan Azeez and to me, this looks like a huge step up for the Frenchman.
The style of Azeez is very difficult to handle and Faure will be shocked by the sheer pressure Azeez brings.
I expect Faure to start confident but be quickly put in his place and the under 7.5 line appeals to me.
Fight to keep an eye on.
On the Liverpool undercard, Paddy Lacey takes on James McCarthy in a local derby.
Lacey is a former footballer turned boxer but he brings a huge amount of fans and can punch harder than his record suggests.
McCarthy is a game fighter but he has been stopped multiple times and is taking this on short notice.
This is a big opportunity for Paddy Lacey and I expect him to take it with both hands.
McCarthy won’t shy away from trading but that, in my opinion, will be his downfall.
Under 4.5 rounds is my prediction.
UFC
A bit of a quieter card for the UFC this weekend but the main event is an absolute banger.
Former bantamweight champion Petr Yan takes on Merab Dvalishvili and I am really struggling to call the winner.
Yan, who is somehow on a two fight skid, was once looking like the dominant force in this bantamweight division.
When he stopped Aldo a few years ago, many were predicting he would dominate this division for a long time.
Since then, he has been disqualified against Aljamian Sterling for an illegal knee and two split decision losses against Sterling in the rematch and then Sean O’Malley.
Now for context, I don’t think he lost against O’Malley but officially he did and he know finds himself searching for a win.
On the other hand, Dvalishvili is a fighter with serious momentum.
His last win against Jose Aldo was really impressive and his wrestling base will bring serious problems for Yan.
It remains to be seen how he will handle five rounds and that would be my big worry but there is a lot of pressure on Yan now and Merab has looked very confident all week.
I honestly don’t know how this fight goes so I am just going to enjoy a UFC main event…for once!!
One fight that does catch my eye is Sedriques Dumas vs Josh Fremd on the prelims.
Dumas is a very interesting character, to say the least.
He has had multiple run ins with the law and by all accounts, came through a very similar ‘street fighting’ scene to Jorge Masvidal.
He is a good fighter despite being a pretty questioanable character and this looks like a good opportunity for him in his offical UFC debut.
Josh Fremd has lost his first two UFC fights but he deserves another chance to put that right, I just think he is going to be under pressure in every department here.
The UFC look like they want to build Dumas and I expect him to get a finish and perhaps a bonus in his first official UFC outing.
Sedriques Dumas by KO/TKO/Submission is the offical picks.
Official Picks
Sedriques Dumas by KO/TKO/Submission
Under 4.5 rounds in Paddy Lacey vs James McCarthy
Under 7.5 rounds in Dan Azeez vs Thomas Faure
Tony Yoka to win by KO/TKO
Over 3.5 rounds in Peter McGrail vs Nicolas Botelli
Robbie Davies Jr to win by decision
Diego Pacheco to win in rounds 1-5
Conclusion
Firstly, I am actually working with someone now who is going to build us a tracking system for our bets above. I am really conscious about responsible gambling and I want us to have COMPLETE transparency on all of our picks, so that will be done soon.
In the meantime, PLEASE GAMBLE RESPONSIBLY on the above. None of these bets are worth huge stakes, they are for fun.
When the system is in place, you will be able to see my stakes directly.
Secondly, thank you all for the feedback regarding the audio side of The Combat Club.
That is also in the works and I know that will be good news to a lot of you.
Please remember to comment, share and like all these posts. It really helps me.
Catch you all on Monday!