The highly anticipated rematch of this year’s biggest boxing upset is set to take place this Saturday in Diriyah. Headlining a colossus night of Heavyweight boxing, will we see revenge or repeat in ‘The Clash on the Dunes’?
Majidov vs Little
British Heavyweight Tom Little kicks off this Heavyweight night of boxing, in an attempt to spark a career that has never got going against the recently turned exciting Azerbaijani Magomedrasul Majidov.
In 2018, Tom Little was just getting fed to heavyweights, either for a name on their record or as a way to get back to winning ways. Last time out (almost a year ago), he was controversially stopped by likeable scouser David Price, who was coming off the back of 2 losses and prior to that Little was stopped by probably the two most exciting prospects in the heavyweight division. Filip Hrgovic and Daniel Dubois respectively.
3-time amateur World Champion Majidov (beating Anthony Joshua in the final of the 2011 tournament) has only recently turned professional with an impressive TKO win against American Ed Foutain, a man who has gone the distance with the likes of Lenroy Thomas and unbeaten southpaw Mike Bologun.
Prediction: I feel Eddie Hearn is putting this bout on to almost ‘show off’ his latest heavyweight signing Majidov on the world stage and I believe he is going to bulldoze through Little in a couple of rounds.
Hrgovic vs Molina
Unbeaten Croatian prospect Filip Hrgovic steps in with Eric Molina in the next bout of the Heavyweight night.
Hrgovic is an unbelievable prospect and one I believe is going to be going head to head with Daniel Dubois for No. 1 spot in years to come. 9-0-0 (7ko’s) so far in his professional career and it should be said that one of the men that took him the 8-round distance was the American ‘king of surviving’ Kevin Johnson.
Eric Molina is often ridiculed by many boxing fans, but it has to be said, baring his debut he has only lost to a certain level opposition in the form of the likes of WBC World Champion Deontay Wilder, former unified Heavyweight Wold Champion Anthony Joshua. Last time out though, he ambled to a decision win against Nick Guivas.
Prediction: Whenever Molina steps up he get knocked out and I believe his fight with Hrgovic will be no different, Hrgovic within 6.
Povetkin vs Hunter
I am excited for this. Both of these fighters are more often than not are very exciting, win or lose.
Alexander Povetkin looked in great shape last time out, easing to a decision win against Hughie Fury. Prior to that he was stopped at Wembley Stadium against bill topper Anthony Joshua.
Michael Hunter has been a different and more ferocious fighter since he stepped up to Heavyweight after losing his Cruiserweight world title attempted against Pound4Pound to 5 fight Oleksandr Usyk.
Prediction: Although the bookies seem to have Hunter slight favourite, since his move to heavyweight he hasn’t been in with a fighter close to the class of Povetkin and with that being said I think Povetkin might just be too much for Hunter at Heavyweight.
Whyte vs Wach
The penultimate fight in Saudi is the return of the ‘body snatcher’ Dillian Whyte, as he takes on over-the-hill Pole Mariusz Wach.
Dillian Whyte has had 5 months of controversy since his impressive decision win over Oscar Rivas. The controversy came when Whyte tested positive for a banned substance. He was cleared to fight and although the results of the ‘B’ sample haven’t been released, I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt and if he is allowed to fight, I will support him unless I am given the ‘B’ sample results and they prove Whyte to be a cheat. Until then innocent until proven guilty.
Mariusz Wach is coming off the back of 2 wins in a row, albeit against opponents with a combined record of 8-35, prior to that he was stopped by Martin Bakole after losing to Miller and Szpilka respectively before Bakole.
Prediction: Easy work for Whyte, early stoppage.
Ruiz Jr vs Joshua II
Main event time. ‘The Clash on the Dunes’ is a rematch the boxing world has been waiting for. The rumours, the conspiracies and the questions will all be answered this Saturday in Diriyah.
Ruiz Jr was phenomenal in the first fight. Coming in 11-1 underdog, Ruiz had a nightmare start getting dropped and hurt within the first minute of round 3. But the Mexican American was not going to throw in the towel the way Joshua’s previous opponents had and when Joshua came bombarding in for a routine knockout win, Ruiz slipped and dropped Joshua almost immediately. Towards the end of the round, Ruiz Jr caught Joshua with the shot that in hindsight was the beginning of the end, a hook high on the head of the Brit. From that point on Joshua never got his legs back and was eventually dropped for the 4th and final time in the 7th round and after spitting out his gumshield and turning his back, the referee had no choice but to stop the fight.
Prediction: I have always stuck to my view of immediate rematches pretty much always go the same way, that coupled with the fact I believe Ruiz Jr’s style is just all wrong for Anthony Joshua, I believe we are going to unfortunately see the same outcome. I have no doubt Joshua has the ability, power and size to beat Ruiz Jr but I’m not sure where he is mentally after the first fight and whether he has had enough time to re-evaluate a game plan and a style that will be the shorter, faster and technically better man.
Written by Bobby Gunn (SimBoxx)
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