TYSON FURY VS FRANCIS NGANNOU - UNDERCARD PREVIEW
Image source: Queensberry Promotions
All eyes turn to Saudi Arabia this weekend as the current WBC heavyweight champ Tyson Fury welcomes former UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou into this crazy world we call boxing.
Fury was highly touted to face Oleksandr Usyk in a battle for undisputed in the summer, and while negotiations fell through, it now looks as though that particular fight could potentially take place on December 23 or early next year .
Away from this weekend’s main event is a card packed full of intriguing heavyweight clashes, along with a 154lbs contest to open the event, and that’s where our preview begins.
JACK MCGANN VS ROBERTO DURAN JR
The only non-heavyweight clash on the card, Liverpool’s undefeated super-welterweight prospect Jack McGann faces off with Alcibiade Duran, the son of the great Roberto Duran.
McGann claimed the IBO European title last time out with a fifth-round stoppage and, aside from a draw in his second professional bout, the former MMA prospect has been faultless in his nine-fight career to date.
Having turned professional at the age of 29, Duran didn’t have time to enjoy a proper boxing apprenticeship, meaning it’s no real surprise he has lost three of his first 15 fights, all at the hands of relatively average opposition.
This is undoubtedly a big step up for both and given the fact they are fighting on a huge global stage, they will be looking to make a statement and steal as many headlines as possible.
Expect fireworks.
MOSES ITAUMA VS ISTVAN BERNATH
One of the biggest prospects in the heavyweight division, Moses Itauma takes on the 10-1 Hungarian Istvan Bernath.
Only 18, Itauma has made quite an impression since turning professional in January with five straight wins, including three by stoppage as he chases Mike Tyson’s record of becoming the youngest heavyweight world champion.
An experienced amateur, Bernath has fought the likes of Tyson Fury, Joe Joyce, Tony Ioka and Ivan Dychko. After going unbeaten in his first 10 outings, he was stopped by Terrell Jamal Woods last time out.
With Bernath almost twice the age of Itauma, the Brit is certainly the fresher of the two and you can expect him to continue his quest to make history with another explosive performance.
ARSLANBEK MAKHMUDOV VS JUNIOR ANTHONY WRIGHT
Standing at 6’6”, you can’t miss Arslanbek Makhmudov, and the 17-0 Russian will be looking to maintain his unbeaten record when he takes on the former cruiserweight world title challenger, Junior Anthony Wright.
Makhmudov has claimed stoppage wins over the likes of Erkan Teper and Mariusz Wach, along with a convincing points victory over Carlos Takam. While undoubtedly heavy handed, his hand speed is very underrated. The fact he is ranked in the top 15 of every governing body, including #3 in the WBC, a crack at a world title is looming, but only if he gets past the challenge of Wright.
With a modest record of 20 wins from 25 professional contests, Wright has fallen short in his biggest fights to date after suffering stoppage defeats at the hands of Beibut Shumenov and Rakhim Chakhkiev. However, with a record of 6-1 at heavyweight, including five stoppages, this isn’t a complete mismatch.
Expect Makhmudov to start fast and attempt to make a statement. Wright will need to use all of his experience to survive the early rounds and make his move later in the fight. That, though, is much easier said than done.
JOSEPH PARKER VS SIMON KEAN
Former world champion Joseph Parker takes on Canada’s Simon Kean in a contest which fight fans will not want to miss.
After claiming the vacant WBO world title back in 2016, Parker made successful defences against Razvan Cojanu and Hughie Fury, before suffering back-to-back defeats to Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. He then went on a six-fight win streak, which included two wins against Derek Chisora, before once again coming unstuck at the hands of a GB Olympian as Joe Joyce stopped the New Zealander in emphatic fashion.
A fairly underwhelming victory over Jack Massey followed before he blasted away Faiga Opelu in the first round in May. That was the Parker of old, and the version we will need to see on Saturday if he’s going to pass the test provided by Kean .
A 2012 Olympian, Kean has flown under the radar as a professional, winning 23 of his 24 contests so far, with that one defeat coming against Dillon Carman, who he went on to stop inside three rounds less than a year later. This is a man who, on paper, carries power with 22 of those 23 wins coming by way of stoppage.
So, why is this such an intriguing fight? Well, it’s ultimately the element of the unknown with a heck of a lot of questions to be answered. Is Parker back to his best? Is Kean as powerful as his record suggests? We will find out very soon in what could be an absolute cracker.
MARTIN BAKOLE VS CARLOS TAKAM
Without wishing to tempt fate, this is a contest which looks set to deliver.
Martin Bakole has lost just once in his 20-fight professional career, back in 2018 against Michael Hunter,, and while victories against the likes of Maruisz Wach, Sergey Kuzmin and Tony Yoka have caught the eye, the fact he has frequently been used as a sparring partner by both Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua suggests this is a man with genuine quality.
His opponent on Saturday is widely regarded as a ‘world level gatekeeper,’ having fought multiple heavyweight contenders from Frans Botha to Joshua, and Michael Sprott to Arslanbek Makhumudov. Takam has seen it all.
After suffering back-to-back stoppage defeats to Joshua and Chisora, he embarked upon a four-fight win streak before once again suffering consecutive losses to Joe Joyce and Arslanbek Makhmudov. However, he did show there is still life in his 42-year-old legs with a dominant points victory over Tony Yoka last time out.
Bakole has been vocal of late, calling out just about every heavyweight in the top 10, and if he is to secure those bouts, he will need to make a statement against Takam.
FABIO WARDLEY VS DAVID ADELEYE
As chief support bouts go, this one is a cracker, and history will be made as this is the first time a British title will be on the line in a fight staged outside of the UK.
With no love lost between the two fighters, and the British heavyweight title up for grabs, don’t take your eyes off this one.
Defending his crown is the 28-year-old Fabio Wardley,who learnt his trade on the white collar scene. The Ipswich-born boxer was signed by fellow heavyweight Dillian Whyte following a sparring session between the pair and it’s fair to say that since then, his career has blossomed.
After signing with Matchroom Boxing after his fourth professional fight, Wardley has stopped all of his 12 opponents since, and claimed the British title with another devastating knockout against Nathan Gorman last November.
Still raw, this is a young man who has come from nothing but is coming for everything, including David Adeleye’s 0.
At the opposite end of the spectrum to Wardley in relation to amateur experience, Adeleye won the ABA’s as both a junior and senior, before taking the plunge and turning professional in 2019.
Signed to Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions before his debut, Adeleye has been faultless in 12 fights in the paid ranks since, although he did have to overcome some adversity against Kamil Sokolowski in early 2021 when he claimed a controversial points win over the Pole.
To his credit, Adeleye has improved significantly since, deservedly working himself into a position to challenge for the British title in just his 13th fight.
The bookies have Wardley a 1/3 favourite, which is probably based on the fact he’s been in with better opponents. However, as seen at their pre-fight press conference, Adeleye is an angry young man with a point to prove on the big stage.
Whoever manages to control their emotions best is likely to prevail in what is potentially the fight of the night.