Boxingtalk prognosticator
Mike Borao, Jr. went 7-3 last week, but he learned a valuable life lesson on one of his misses. After doing his research and watching fight clips, the fourteen year-old Borao originally tipped Nonito Donaire to regain championship glory against then-reigning WBC bantamweight title holder Nordine Oubaali. Sadly for Mike Jr., he was talked out of the pick by his dad, boxing attorney and manager Mike Sr. Apparently Dad thought Donaire, age 38, was too old to get the job done. The dutiful son changed his pick to Oubaali by decision and has regretted it ever since. Moral of the story: Mikey, you took the L on this one, but you gained some important knowledge: if you've done your homework and have a strong feeling, don't let the so-called experts talk you out of it. Here are the picks for Friday, with more to come tomorrow:
Former WBA regular super middleweight champion Fedor Chudinov hosts the seasoned South African Ryno Liebenberg in Chudinov's home country, Russia. Chudinov is coming off a draw with Isaac Chilemba, while Liebenberg is coming off an upset over apreviously unbeaten Rowan Campbell, so this fight is not a sure thing on paper. However, I see the younger, stronger, and faster Chudinov defeating Liebenberg with ease by unanimous decision. A late stoppage isn’t out of the picture, but since Liebenbeg has only been stopped twice in his seven defeats, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and say he will lose by scores in the range of 117-111 through 120-108.
David Lemieux vs. David Zegarra.. Prediction: Lemieux by early KO
Former IBF middleweight champion David Lemieux takes on the veteran David Zegarra (34-4) in a ten-round super middleweight bout in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Lemieux is coming off a mid-round knockout victory over Francy Ntetu, whilst Zegarra is coming off a mid-round knockout loss against Stefan Haertel. I see Lemieux winning this fight just based on his sheer power, and experience at the top level that Zegarra does not have. Lemieux should stop Zegarra inside the first five rounds.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Fourteen year-old Michael Borao, Jr. has been around the boxing business before he could walk. His Youtube channel, MB BoxingOfficial is off to a big start, so Boxingtalk invited Borao to share his predictions for major fights. We'll keep track of the results.
WEEK 4: Results for week: 7-3; Overall: 20-6
Nordine Oubaali vs. Nonito Donaire (WBC bantamweight championship)... Prediction: Oubaali by decision
WBC bantamweight world champion Nordine Oubaali defends his title for the third time against the former three-weight champion and future hall of famer Nonito Donaire. Oubaali is coming off an impressive unanimous decision victory over Takuma Inoue, whilst Donaire is coming off the 2019 fight of the year, a unanimous decision defeat to Naoya Inoue in the World Boxing Super Series bantamweight final. In my opinion this is a 50/50 fight, and I can most likely see the outcomes of Oubaali on points or Donaire by stoppage. In a close call, I’m edging Oubaali by a slim margin based on the fact that he’s a very slick and well-skilled southpaw, and Donaire might not be the same fighter at 38 years old, coming off close to a two-year layoff. I believe that Oubaali will successfully defend his WBC bantamweight world title, winning a split decision. I can envision scores of 115-113 Oubaali (twice) and 116-112 Donaire.
ACTUAL RESULT: Donaire by early KO
Devin Haney vs. Jorge Linares (WBC regular lightweight championship)... Prediction: Haney by late KO
Unbeaten WBC regular lightweight world champion Devin Haney makes yet another step up in competition as he faces the former three weight world champion, and current top ten lightweight Jorge Linares. Although Linares is an elite lightweight, I don’t see him giving Haney serious problems. I think Linares will make it somewhat competitive early on before Haney runs away with the fight, scoring a knockout from rounds eight to round twelve.
ACTUAL RESULT: Haney by decision
Gary Antuanne Russell vs. Jovanie Santiago... Prediction: Russell by unanimous decision
The brother of current WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr. abd a former Olympian in his own right, Gary Antuanne Russell takes on his toughest test as a pro in the tough and rugged Jovanie Santiago of Puerto Rico. Santiago is coming off a controversial decision loss to former four-division champion Adrien Broner. Russell is coming off a first-round knockout over the unknown Jose Marrufo. This should be an entertaining fight, and a great test for both. I see the fight being very competitive, ultimately leading to Russell winning a close unanimous decision. I predict scores of 97-93 and 96-94 (twice).
ACTUAL RESULT: Russell by mid-round stoppage
Chantelle Cameron vs. Melissa Hernandez (WBC junior welterweight championship)...Prediction: Cameron by decision
Current WBC female 140-pound champion Chantelle Cameron makes her United States debut as she defends her title for the first time against the thirty-three fight veteran Melissa Hernandez. I see the younger, faster, and stronger Cameron winning a wide unanimous decision. I can envision scores of 100-90 (twice) and 99-91.
ACTUAL RESULT: Cameron by mid-round stoppage
Subriel Matias vs. Batyrzhan Jukembayev (IBF junior welterweight eliminator)... Prediction: Matias by mid-round KO
Subriel Matias and Batyrzhan Jukembayev will battle on Showtime in a twelve rounder for the IBF mandatory spot at 140 pounds. Since losing to Petros Ananyan in a major upset, Matias has gotten an impressive knockout victory over Baltimore’s own Malik Hawkins. As for Jukembayev, he is coming off an early knockout victory over Ricardo Lara. On paper, this is a 50/50 fight, and I can see either fighter getting a stoppage victory. I’m edging Matias here by a slim margin just based on the fact that he carries tremendous punching power in both hands. I see Matias stopping Jukembayev somewhere between rounds six to ten.
ACTUAL RESULT: Matias by mid-round KO
Martin Joseph Ward vs. Azinga Fuzile (IBF super featherweight eliminator)... Prediction: Fuzile by mid-round stoppage
Super featherweights Azinga Fuzile and Martin Joseph Ward battle in a twelve rounder for the IBF super featherweight world title eliminator. The South African Fuzile is coming off a knockout defeat against Shavkatzhon Rakhimov and looks to get back into the winning circle, while the British Ward is coming off a wide unanimous decision victory over Jesus Amparan. I see this fight being very close and competitive with either man ahead before Fuzile scores a knockout from rounds five to round eight.
ACTUAL RESULT: Fuzile by mid-round stoppage
Shane Mosley Jr. vs. Jason Quigley (middeweights)... Prediction: Mosley by unanimous decision
Shane Mosley, Jr., the son of the former three-weight champion Shane Mosley, takes on the battle-tested contender Jason Quigley in a ten rounder. In my opinion this is a 50/50 fight, and I can see either fighter getting the victory. I'll go with Mosley Jr outboxing Quigley, winning a close but clear unanimous decision. I can envision all three judges scoring the bout 96-94.
ACTUAL RESULT: Quigley by decision
Artur Spilka vs. Lukasz Rozanski (heavyweights)... Prediction: Rozanski by early KO
Artur Spilka, a former Deontay Wilder victim, faces the unbeaten power punching Lukasz Rozanski in a ten rounder. Spilka is coming off a majority decision victory over the 7-5 Serhiy Radchenko, whilst Rozanski is coming off an early stoppage victory over journeyman Ozcan Cetinkaya. Although Spilka is the more experienced of the two, I believe that his chin will not be able to take Rozanski’s power. I see Rozanski stopping Spilka inside the first five rounds.
ACTUAL RESULT: Rozanski by early KO
Carlos Canizales vs. Esteban Bermudez (WBA regular light flyweight championship)... Prediction: Canizales by mid-round KO
WBA regular light flyweight champion Carlos Canizales defends his title for the third time against number ten ranked Esteban Bermudez Salas. I see this being a dominant performance for the Venezuelan Canizales. I don’t think that Salas will pose much of a threat and Canizales will win almost every round leading up to a stoppage from rounds six to round ten.
ACTUAL RESULT: Bermudez by mid-round KO
Justis Huni vs. Christian Ndzie Tsoye (heavyweights)... Prediction: Huni by early KO
Huni, the unbeaten Australian heavyweight champion who is just 3-0 with 3 KOs is set to defend his title against unknown Cameroonian Christian Ndzie Tsoye (5-3-2 with 4 KOs). Although Tsoye has never been stopped, Huni is a huge prospect and I just don’t think Tsoye will be able to handle the sheer strength of Huni. Huni will break down and stop Tsoye inside the first five rounds. ACTUAL RESULT: Huni by decision
WEEK THREE: Result: 4-2; Overall: 13-3.
Jose Carlos Ramirez vs. Josh Taylor (Four-belt world junior welterweight championship)... Prediction: Taylor by majority decision
In a battle for the undisputed world 140-pound championship, WBC and WBO hampion Jose Carlos Ramirez takes on the WBA and IBF champion Josh Taylor. I see this fight being very competitive in the first half, but in the second half I can see Taylor winning the majority of the rounds using his accurate and precise punches to win a majority decision. I can envision scores of 114-114 and 115-113 (twice). ACTUAL RESULT: Taylor by decision
Carlos Molina vs. Same Eggington (middleweights)... Prediction: Eggington by unanimous decision
Former IBF 154-pound champion Carlos Molina travels from Mexico to take on the battle-tested Brit Sam Eggington in a twelve rounder in the middleweight division. I see this fight being an interesting clash of styles and a competitive fight that sees Eggington winning unanimously on all three judges' scorecards. I predict scores of 115-113, 116-112, and 117-111. Remember, this fight is in the UK, Eggington's home. ACTUAL RESULT: Eggington by unanimous decision
Jose Zepeda vs. Hank Lundy (junior welterweights)... Prediction: Zepeda by mid-round stoppage
In the Ramirez-Taylor co-feature, two former title challengers Jose Zepeda and Henry Lundy, go head to head in a ten rounder. Zepeda is coming off 2020s fight of the year against Ivan Baranchyk whom he stopped inside five rounds. Lundy is coming off a clear unanimous decision victory in a lower-level boutt against over 30+ fight veteran Ezequiel Victor Fernandez. I see this fight being a dominant showcase for Zepeda’s technicality, speed, and power leading up to a knockout victory from rounds four to round eight. ACTUAL RESULT: Zeoeda by decision
Elvis Rodriguez vs. Kenneth Sims Jr. (junior welterweights)... Prediction: Rodriguez by decision
Unbeaten Dominican knockout artist Elvis Rodriguez will take on Kenneth Sims Jr. (15-2-1) on the Ramirez-Taylor main card. The official prediction is Rodriguez dominating Sims and getting a wide unanimous decision. I can also see a late stoppage, but since Sims has never been stopped in 18 pro fights and this is an eight rounder, not a ten, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. ACTUAL RESULT: Sims by decision
Dmitriy Kudryashov vs. Evgeny Romanov (WBC bridgerweight eliminator)... Prediction: Romanov by early stoppage
In one of the first major bridgerweight fights, I think the unbeaten Evgeny Romanov will be able to handily beat the former cruiserweight title challenger Dmitry Kudryashov. Although Kudryashov (who appeared in one fight in the World Boxing Super Series) has tremendous punching power, I think his chin will be his downfall. I see Romanov stopping Kudryashov inside the first five rounds. ACTUAL RESULT: Romanov by decision.
Nkosinathi Joyi vs. Ayanda Ndulani (IBO minimumweight championship)... Prediction: Joyi by decision
In a battle of South Africans, I think the older and more experienced IBO minimumweight world champion Nkosinathi Joyi will be able to defeat his challenger Ayanda Ndulani. Joyi is a 38 year-old minimumweight who has shown a questionable chin in the past, but I don’t think that will be a problem here considering that Ndulani has only three knockouts in his ten victories. Similar to Joyi’s last fight (a decision win over Joey Canoy), I can see him winning a comfortable unanimous decision. I can envision scores in the neighborhood of 117-111, 118-110 and 119-109. ACTUAL RESULT: Ndulani by early knockout.
***
WEEK TWO: Result: 6-1; Overall: 9:1
ACTUAL RESULT: Charr by early KO
Joshua Buatsi vs. Daniel Blenda Dos Santos (light heavyweights)... Prediction: Buatsi by mid-round KO
ACTUAL RESULT: Buatsi by mid-round KO
ACTUAL RESULT: Figueroa by mid-round KO
Daniel Roman vs. Ricardo Espinoza Franco (super bantamweights)... Prediction: Roman by decision
ACTUAL RESULT: Roman by decision
Xavier Martinez vs. Juan Carlos Burgos (junior lightweights)... Prediction: Martinez by decision
ACTUAL RESULT: Martinez by decision
BONUS ROUND: little-known heavyweights
Jacek Piatek vs. Viktor Vykhyrst (heavyweights)... Prediction: Vykhyrst by mid-round KO.
ACTUAL RESULT: Vykhyrst by first-round KO.
Demsey McKean vs. Kiko Toa Leutele (heavyweights)... Prediction: McKean by late KO
ACTUAL RESULT: McKean by decision
***
WEEK 1: Result: 3-0
ACTUAL RESULT: Alvarez by mid-round KO.
Elwin Soto vs. Katsunari Takayama (WBO junior flyweight championship)... Prediction: Soto by decision
ACTUAL RESULT: Soto by premature stoppage
ACTUAL RESULT: Sanchez by mid-round KO when Aguilera claims he was fouled
