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FIGHT WEEK
Oleksandr Usyk will defend his heavyweight titles towards Anthony Joshua on Saturday in a rematch of Usyk’s unanimous choice victory final September.
OLEKSANDR USYK (19-0, 13 KOS) VS. ANTHONY JOSHUA (24-2, 22 KOS)
- When: Saturday, Aug. 20
- Time: 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT (primary occasion later in present)
- The place: Jeddah Superdome, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- TV/Stream: DAZN pay-per-view
- Division: Heavyweight (no restrict)
- Rounds: 12
- At stake: Usyk’s IBF, WBA and WBO titles
- Pound-for-pound rating: Usyk No. 3
- Odds: Usyk 2-1 favourite (common of a number of shops)
- Additionally on the cardboard: Callum Smith vs. Mathieu Bauderlique, gentle heavyweights; Filip Hrgovic vs. Zhang Zhilei, heavyweights; Badou Jack vs. Richard Rivera, cruiserweights
- Prediction: Usyk UD
- Background: Usyk scored a major upset when he outboxed Joshua to win a convincing decision and take three of the 4 main heavyweight titles despite the fact that he was outweighed by practically 20 kilos final September in London. The previous undisputed cruiserweight champion stepped again from boxing after Russia invaded his native Ukraine however he was inspired to defend his belts. He’s 3-0 as a heavyweight, with victories over Chazz Witherspoon (TKO 7), Derek Chisora (UD) and Joshua. Joshua is perhaps in a do-or-die state of affairs. Again-to-back losses to Usyk and three setbacks in 5 fights can be tough to beat for the one-time king of the division. After all, he bounced again from disappointment prior to now. The Londoner was stopped by Andy Ruiz Jr. in seven rounds to lose his titles in June 2019 solely to simply outpoint him within the rematch six months later. Joshua stopped Kubrat Pulev in 9 rounds in December 2020, his solely battle because the second assembly with Ruiz. The winner of Usyk-Joshua II can be in place to face Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship if Fury doesn’t retire.
EMANUEL NAVARRETE (35-1, 29 KOS) VS. EDUARDO BAEZ (21-2-2, 7 KOS)
- When: Saturday, Aug. 20
- Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (primary occasion later in present)
- The place: Pechanga Enviornment, San Diego
- TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN+
- Division: Featherweights (126 kilos)
- Rounds: 12
- At stake: Navarrete’s WBO title
- Pound-for-pound rating: None
- Odds: Navarrete 10-1 favourite (common of a number of shops)
- Additionally on the cardboard: Giovani Santillan vs. Julio Luna Avila, welterweights; Nico Ali Walsh vs. Reyes Sanchez, middleweights
- Prediction: Navarrete KO 10
- Background: Navarrete can be making the third protection of the 126-pound title he received by outpointing Ruben Villa in October 2020. The indefatigable quantity puncher from Mexico, a former 122-pound champ, adopted the victory over Villa with a 12th-round knockout of Christopher Diaz the next April and a large decision over Joet Gonzalez final October. The protection on Saturday would be the 27-year-old’s fourth consecutive battle in the USA. His solely loss got here in a four-rounder towards journeyman Daniel Argueta in 2012, the 12 months he turned professional. Baez, additionally a 27-year-old from Mexico, rebounded from a majority choice setback towards Ra’eese Aleem by defeating Enrique Vivas by a majority choice in his most up-to-date battle this previous March. Baez is an effective, sturdy fighter with restricted punching energy.
OMAR FIGUEROA JR. (28-2-1, 19 KOS) VS. SERGEY LIPINETS (16-2-1, 12 KOS)
- When: Saturday, Aug. 20
- Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (primary occasion later in present)
- The place: Seminole Arduous Rock Lodge & On line casino, Hollywood, Florida
- TV/Stream: Showtime
- Division: Junior welterweights (140 kilos)
- Rounds: 12
- At stake: No main titles
- Pound-for-pound rating: None
- Odds: NA
- Additionally on the cardboard: Alberto Puello and Batyr Akhmedov, junior welterweights (for vacant WBC title); Roger Gutierrez vs. Hector Garcia, junior featherweights (for Gutierrez’s WBA title); Brandun Lee vs. Will Madera, junior welterweights
- Prediction: Lipinets UD
- Background: Figueroa was alleged to have fought Adrien Broner however Broner pulled out Monday to are inclined to his psychological well being wants, after which Lipinets agreed to step in. The older brother of Brandon Figueroa is coming off consecutive losses, a large unanimous choice towards Yordenis Ugas in July 2019 and a sixth-round stoppage against Abel Ramos in Could of final 12 months. The one-time 135-pound titleholder mentioned that he has had his personal psychological well being challenges however is now in an excellent place. The 32-year-old Texan can’t afford one other loss if he hopes to stay a related fighter. Lipinets additionally can be making an attempt to bounce again from a setback, a sixth-round knockout against rising sensation Jaron Ennis at welterweight in April. That adopted a draw with Custio Clayton the earlier October. The 33-year-old from Kazakhstan hasn’t fought at 140 kilos since he misplaced his IBF title to Mikey Garcia in 2018. He mentioned he has been in coaching the previous three months in case a chance offered itself.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
SATURDAY
- Ruben Torres vs. Cristian Baez, lightweights, Corona, California (Thompson Boxing Fb and YouTube)
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