February 6, 2025

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A busy month of February for UK boxing

A busy month of February for UK boxing

By Gav Duthie: January is constantly a comparatively peaceful month in boxing, and the BBBoC took even more methods to ban boxing in the initially calendar month because of to a surge in conditions of the Coronavirus Omicron variant in the Uk.

Make no miscalculation, nevertheless. This will make February two times as excellent as we hit 2022 with a bang on British shores. Sky Athletics are going intense with their new glance involving Boxxer promotions, and we have a title combat on a Sunday night at the again conclusion of the month with DAZN. Right here is a preview of the most important fights in the cards with predictions.

5 Feb (Cardiff)

Sky Athletics and Boxxer promotions are beginning 2022 with a bang with two very good cards in February.

Chris Eubank Jnr 31-2 v Liam Williams 23-3-1

The initial is a significant grudge match between Chris Eubank Jnr and Liam Williams. It is a good domestic dust-up that generally sells properly in the United kingdom, but each fighters have ambitions beyond domestic accomplishment.

Eubank and Williams have had a single failed title shot each individual from George Groves and Demetrius Andrade, respectively. They will the two feel that a gain gets them closer to one more shot.

Prediction

It actually relies upon on how Liam Williams decides to combat. He can outbox Eubank Jnr, but he enjoys a fight, and that usually takes him into Eubank territory.

Eubank can still only fight 1 way, in this writer’s impression, inspite of the affect of Roy Jones Jr. If he can near the length, he will outwork Williams. I really don’t believe Williams will be capable to continue to be disciplined for 12 rounds, so Eubank really should get a close but exciting decision.

Eubank MD 12

Claressa Shields 11- v Ema Kozin 21–1

Boxxer promotions have worked wonders persuading Shields to signal for a United kingdom promoter in the hope of matching her up with stablemate Savannah Marshall 11- (9) later in the 12 months.

Shields failed adventure into MMA has created her recognize her spot is in boxing, and Marshall is the most effective combat out there.

1st up, however, there is Ema Kozin, who has 2 times the total of expert fights as Shields, has been a environment winner herself, and is undefeated.

Prediction

Make no blunder, despite 22 pro fights of Kozin to 11 of Shields the latter is the much extra knowledgeable fighter. Kozin is a capable southpaw with excellent ft and a strong entire body puncher at close array.

Shields is just much better in each and every office. The American doesn’t get several knockouts, but Kozin is a pressure fighter and will be strolling into pictures all working day extensive. I feel Shields stops her in the late rounds.

Shields TKO 9

Chris Jenkins 22-4-3 v Julius Indongo 23-4

This card gets a true go as there are 3 very good fights on it. This struggle could easily headline a tiny demonstrate in the Uk. Indongo is a unified champion and fought for the undisputed title in 2017. All Jenkins’s losses have arrive at the domestic stage, but the matchmaking for him is best in this occasion.

Prediction

The 37-12 months-previous Indongo seems fully shot. He is absolutely however battling only for cash. He has shed 4 out of his very last five fights and seemed awful in getting stopped early in opposition to Prograis, Yeleussinov, and Mwakinyo. Jenkins, nonetheless, has continue to been boxing very well lately, and I be expecting he can gain this one particular on details.

Jenkins UD 10

12 Feb (Alexandra Palace)

Daniel Jacobs 37-3 v John Ryder 30-5

A little bit of a random a single but interesting nevertheless. The initial combat at the Ally Pally as its dubbed in the Uk considering the fact that Audley Harrison v Michael Sprott and it requires an American Daniel Jacobs.

Amir Khan, Chris Eubank Jr, Daniel Jacobs, Josh Taylor, Kell Brook, Lawrence Okolie boxing photo and news image

Hearn said he owed the two men an possibility. Jacobs is a two-time middleweight champion, and Ryder is on the form of his existence with 6 wins from his final 7, with his reduction a highly disputable a single from the then-unbeaten Calum Smith.

Regardless of some converse that both equally would battle at mild heavyweight upcoming (Bivol v Ryder was near), the contest will consider place at the super middleweight of 168lbs. Most boxers in this fat course will just be hanging all-around until eventually Canelo Alvarez relinquishes the 4 belts he has amassed.

Prediction

Of class, hunting at the job achievements of these two, it appears to be like like an easy earn for Daniel Jacobs. Ryder retains overachieving, nevertheless, and Jacobs seemed bad in his SD win over Gabriel Rosado on his last outing, which was about a calendar year back.

Nevertheless, I would have to decide Jacobs by selection with a spirited effectiveness from Ryder, but the American requirements to up his punch output.

Jacobs UD 12

19 February (Manchester)

Amir Khan 34-5 v Kell Brook 39-3

It is challenging to imagine this struggle is actually heading to happen. Crafting these two names collectively would normally only be noticed on a British boxing wish list.

It seemed to promoters and analysts that this battle was effectively past its market-by date, but the celebration bought out in 10 minutes.

Each have seemed semi-retired but will have no problem getting up for a contest compared to their greatest rival. It’s truthful to say on the entire world stage, these males are much from applicable, but the fight is still enormous in the British isles simply because we have always needed it.

Khan was very last a environment winner in 2011 around ten a long time ago, and Brook missing his from Errol Spence Jnr in 2017.

Amir Khan, Chris Eubank Jr, Daniel Jacobs, Josh Taylor, Kell Brook, Lawrence Okolie boxing photo and news image

Irrespective of their rivalry, they only have one particular shared opponent in Terence Crawford. Despite the fact that Crawford dispatched Brook in a single less round than Khan, the Sheffield gentleman gave a substantially superior account of himself in conditions of boxing capability.

Prediction

This is a private impression, but I’ve generally felt Brook wins this at any place in their careers. Khan has hand pace he is a person of the speediest of all time but has always struggled in opposition to very good timing. Khan will have his times, but Brook will get as a result of with punches that Khan will not see coming, and that could be his undoing.

Brook KO 8

Frazer Clarke debut

Just as a facet be aware, Boxxer/Sky Sporting activities have signed the following major factor in heavyweight British boxing. The Bronze medalist put in ten a long time in the GB Amateur squad and was the team’s captain for the 2020 Olympic team.

He was a sluggish starter in the amateurs and turns pro aged 30, but he is solid, intense, and undoubtedly extra suited to specialist boxing. As of but, his opponent is unnamed, but he must be a person to enjoy.

26 February (Glasgow)

Josh Taylor 18- v Jack Catterall 26-

Exceptionally inspite of Taylor’s extensive edge in encounter, he has fought 8 fewer fights than Catterall. They have 1 shared opponent in Ohara Davies, and whilst this serves as Catterall’s most effective get, it barely registers in Taylor’s top 5.

Frank Warren is superior at guiding his fighters to required positions with the WBO, and Jack is a extremely capable fighter. For most, this feels like a homecoming struggle for Taylor, even though.

His first fight in Scotland because choosing up his 1st environment title from Ivan Baranchyk in 2019. It is a contest for Taylor to demonstrate off his belts and his techniques. Catterall, of course, is below to spoil the party.

Prediction

Equally southpaws and both look to get within when they can. They are in fact really identical fighters, but Taylor is just much better at executing the same points.

There is no evidence to propose at this position that Catterall can be stopped as he has never been down ahead of, but Taylor need to be capable to split him down in advance of he suggests goodbye to 140lbs and chases the valuable welterweight fights.

Taylor TKO 10

27 February (02 London)

Lawrence Okolie 17- v Michal Cieslak 21-1

What is going on in the cruiserweight division? Extra individuals are talking about the likes of Canelo and Jake Paul than the division’s real champions.

At the again of the end of very last calendar year, Mairis Briedis promoter Kalle Sauerland stated they ended up likely to force for a struggle with Lawrence Okolie in an IBF/WBO unification contest.

Since the start out of the 12 months, however, Okolie has signed to facial area Cieslak, and Briedis is calling out Jake Paul with a tattoo inscribed ‘Jake’s undesirable karma.’

Cieslak only has 1 loss against WBC winner Ilunga Makabu in a competitive but relatively dominant win for the Congolese fighter. It is a great stepping stone to a combat with Briedis prior to transferring up to heavyweight.

Prediction

Okolie has come on a lot not too long ago. I definitely didn’t believe much too a lot of him in his fights against Isaac Chamberlain and Matty Askin in domestic fights.

He was not making use of his sizing and attain and experienced very little comprehension of distance. He was a excellent beginner, but if you enjoy him get battered all over the ring by Erislandy Savon, you really don’t really see a upcoming world champion.

Due to the fact his gain towards Yves Ngabu and his swap to trainer Shane McGuigan, he is seeking considerably greater. I be expecting him to beat up Cieslak to established up the Briedis showdown for the summer months.

Okolie KO 7

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