OLEKSANDR USYK VS TYSON FURY 2 - FULL UNDERCARD PREVIEW
All eyes will be on Riyadh this Saturday night as Oleksandr Usyk faces off with Tyson Fury for a second time. Before that, however, there’s an action-packed undercard featuring some of the hottest prospects in world boxing.
Serhii Bohachuk (24-2) vs Ishmael Davis (13-1)
Originally set to be Serhii Bohachuk versus former WBA world champ Israil Madrimov, "Mr. Show-saver" Ishmael Davis has stepped in on late notice once again after Madrimov was forced to withdraw due to acute bronchitis.
Bohachuk was once regarded as one of the most dangerous men in the 154lbs division, with 18 wins via stoppage in his first 18 fights. However, he suffered a setback when he was stopped by Brandon Adams in 2021.
He bounced back, winning five of his next six fights by stoppage, though his last bout ended in a controversial loss to the undefeated Vergil Ortiz.
Davis may not have the pedigree of Madrimov, but he showed his mettle in his last fight. On a week’s notice, he took Olympic standout Josh Kelly to the wire, losing a majority decision but nearly stopping him in the final round.
Bohachuk is the heavy favourite, but if anyone can pull off an upset, it’s Ishmael Davis.
Moses Itauma (10-0) vs Demsey McKean (22-1)
Now to the heavyweights, as the promising Moses Itauma takes another step up against Australia’s Demsey McKean.
Widely regarded as one of the biggest prospects in the heavyweight division, Itauma has been flawless in his 10-fight professional career, with eight wins coming by stoppage.
A southpaw with incredible hand speed and immense power for his age, it’s easy to see why he’s surrounded by so much hype.
McKean, however, has nothing to lose. The 6’6” Aussie southpaw had no amateur experience but went unbeaten in his first 22 professional fights before suffering a stoppage loss to Filip Hrgovic in his last bout.
These two have sparred before, so don’t expect a “feeling-out” process. Look for Itauma to start fast and utilize his height and reach advantage.
If the young Brit can secure a stoppage quicker than Hrgovic, it will make a strong case for him as he eyes an English title clash with David Adeleye in the near future.
Peter McGrail (10-1) vs Rhys Edwards (16-0)
A fight made on a weeks notice after McGrail’s original opponent Dennis McCann returned an ‘adverse finding’ in his VADA test, this could well turn out to be the fight of the night.
Olympian McGrail has lived up to all expectations so far in the pro ranks, aside from a minor blip against Ja’Rico O’Quinn a year ago.
He’s bounced back from that defeat in emphatic style firstly outpointing Marc Leach and then stopping the tough Brad Foster inside of two rounds in his last outing.
Welshman Edwards has been on some journey of his own.
He’s cruised to 14-0 with his two best performances coming in his last two fights against Brad Foster once again and the talented Thomas Patrick Ward.
It was recently announced that he’d be facing Leon Woodstock on Jan. 11 but on a weeks notice, he steps into the fire in what will be his toughest test to date.
Both of these lads were very good amateurs, more so McGrail, so expect him to show his levels here but with the fight been made on such late notice, it’ll likely be a more mental challenge for McGrail and Edwards will know that so expect the Welshman to cause the Olympian some real problems but McGrail SHOULD just have too much in the end.
Either way, it’s great to see a fight of this quality made at such short notice so full credit to both fighters.
Johnny Fisher (12-0) vs Dave Allen (23-6-2)
Few fights embody the term “crossroads bout” better than this one, as Johnny Fisher faces the always-reliable Dave Allen in his 13th professional fight.
These two share a friendly history, with Allen being the first pro to spar Fisher when he was still an amateur. Since then, their careers have taken different paths.
Fisher boasts an impressive 12-0 record, with 11 wins by stoppage, while Allen has struggled with inactivity, fighting just four times in nearly three years.
“The Romford Bull” powered through Alen Babic in his last fight, making a statement. Meanwhile, “The White Rhino” will look to derail Fisher’s momentum.
On paper, this is another opportunity for Fisher to showcase his potential and readiness for tougher challenges. For Allen, it’s very much a last-chance saloon. His performance will likely depend on how much desire he brings to the ring.
Isaac Lowe (25-2-3) vs Lee McGregor (14-1-1)
Now to the featherweight division, where Isaac Lowe faces Lee McGregor in a heated clash.
This fight comes with genuine bad blood, as the two have been trading barbs on Twitter. On Saturday night, they’ll finally settle their differences in the ring.
Lowe, a former Commonwealth champion, has yet to fully deliver on his early potential. However, his two career losses came against Nick Ball and Luis Alberto Lopez, both of whom have since become world champions. There’s no shame in those defeats.
McGregor also showed early promise, winning British, European, and Commonwealth titles. However, inactivity stalled his momentum, and he suffered a shock defeat to Erik Robles Ayala last year. Since then, he has rebounded with two stoppage wins.
This fight may hinge on who can stick to their game plan. Both fighters are capable of boxing intelligently but often get drawn into brawls. If Lowe can frustrate McGregor and turn this into a mental battle, it could steal the show as a fight-of-the-night contender.
Andrii Novytskyi (13-0) vs Edgar Ramirez (10-1-1)
The WBC International Heavyweight Title will be on the line as Andrii Novytskyi takes on Mexico’s Edgar Ramirez.
Novytskyi, a former sparring partner of Zhilei Zhang, has flown under the radar despite a 13-0 record with 10 knockouts.
Ramirez lost in his second pro fight but has since gone unbeaten in 10 contests, claiming the WBC Latino title in his last outing.
This could be competitive early on, but if Novytskyi is as good as advertised, he should handle Ramirez convincingly.
Daniel Lapin (10-0) vs Dylan Colin (14-0)
An integral member of Team Usyk, 6’6” light-heavyweight Daniel Lapin will look to make a statement against Frenchman Dylan Colin.
Lapin went without a stoppage in his first six pro fights but has since scored four consecutive knockouts, averaging just 2.5 rounds per fight.
Colin, a former French 175lbs champion, is relatively unknown with no marquee wins. Hopefully, he provides a test that will prepare Lapin for a potential title shot in the near future.
