Former WBO featherweight champion Shakur Stevenson battles Namibian policeman Jeremiah Nakathila in a twelve rounder for the WBO interim title at 130 pounds. Stevenson, age 23, is coming off an impressive wide unanimous decision victory over Toka Kahn Clary, while the 31 year-old Nakathila is coming off an early knockout victory over Emmanuel Amos in Namibia. Nakathila has one loss, in 2016 by majority decision in Russia. I see the younger, faster, and more slick Stevenson outclassing Nakathila to win a unanimous decision. I can envision scores of 120-108 and 119-109 (twice).
Jose Pedraza vs. Julian Rodriguez (junior welterweights)... Prediction: Pedraza by decision
Former two-division champion Jose Pedraza battles the unbeaten Julian Rodriguez in a ten round junior welterweight bout. Pedraza is coming off a clear unanimous decision victory over Javier Molina, while Rodriguez is coming off an early knockout victory over Jose Lopez. I see Pedraza, who has been in the ring with Vasiliy Lomachenko and Tank Davis and won four other world title fights, using his experience at the top level to his advantage to get a unanimous decision victory. I can envision scores of 97-93 and 96-94.
Jeremias Ponce vs. Lewis Ritson (IBF junior welterweight eliminator)... Prediction: Ritson by decision
Former IBO junior welterweight champion Jeremias Ponce takes on the battle tested Brit Lewis Ritson in a twelve rounder that will be an IBF junior welterweight final eliminator. This is a tough fight to pick because Ponce is coming off a close unanimous decision victory over Jonathan Jose Eniz, while Ritson is coming off a controversial split decision victory over Miguel Vasquez that many criticized as home cooking. Still, I see Ritson using his come forward style to his advantage to get a unanimous decision victory. I envision scores of 115-113, 116-112, and 117-111.
Thomas Patrick Ward vs. Edy Valencia Mercado (featherweights)... Prediction: Ward by decision
In the DAZN co-feature from England, unbeaten Brit Thomas Patrick Ward faces the battle-tested Mexican Edy Valencia Mercado in a ten rounder in the featherweight division. Ward is coming off a disappointing technical draw to 10-6 Thomas Essomba, while Mercado is coming off a split decision victory over Jose Ramon Olmeda who was 16-0 at the time. Despite some recent upsets by Mexicans in England, I see Ward using his footwork and hand speed to get a unanimous decision victory winning about seven to nine of the scheduled ten 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 5: Results for week: 4-1; Overall: 24-7
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
Jose Carlos Ramirez vs. Josh Taylor (Four-belt world junior welterweight championship)... Prediction: Taylor by majority decision
ACTUAL RESULT: Romanov by decision.
Nkosinathi Joyi vs. Ayanda Ndulani (IBO minimumweight championship)... Prediction: Joyi by decision
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
