Better late than never I suppose, vacation was nice and my extended break has kept me lazy enough to not get around to finishing my post on the November schedule. Closing the month are two London area heavyweights who carry undefeated records and 90% knockout ratios ahead of their November 28th clash. As a heavyweight fan I really like this fight and at a time when boxers are said to be protected this has a throwback feel. Daniel Dubois is 23 and stands 6’5″ while weighing around 240 he looks the part. So far he has ran through his competition knocking out 14 of 15 with 10 of those in the first 2. He was taken the 10 round distance by Kevin Johnson in 2018 which was the only real test he has received as far as going rounds. He has faced a lot of opponents with nice records 3 undefeated and 5 once beaten foes against no losing records. On paper it is nice to see a prospect coming up on guys who are not the usual suspects on other prospect’s records used to pad KO records and build hype. That said the guys he has faced are mostly unknowns even to hardcore boxing fans. While it is great to see him not feasting on guys who have been stopped constantly these wins have not told us much about his intangibles outside of his offensive firepower. Sure he hasn’t had any Efe Ajagba moments where he got put on the canvas but he has largely done what he was supposed to thus far. This fight with Joe Joyce is the first real test of his career not just a Kevin Johnson this guy will drag you the distance kind of test but a I’m not sure who is going to win here type of test.
Joe Joyce goes by the ring name “juggernaut” which is fitting given his 6’6″ 255-270 lb. stature and his 10 knockouts in 11 professional fights. He also carries the experience of a decorated amateur boxing career that culminated in a 2016 Olympic Silver Medal. Working against him is a late start as a pro debuting the same year as Dubois but being 12 years older. Joyce debuted on a fast track as he opened his career with a scheduled 10 rounder and has faced more proven opposition. He stopped former WBC champion Bermane Stiverne in 6 rounds and stopped WBA title challenger Alexander Ustinov. His best win would be one time title challenger Bryant Jennings whom he defeated in an entertaining 12 round decision. Against Jennings he showed some weaknesses but overall he outworked and out lasted Bryant in a unanimous decision. I think what Joyce has going against him is his lack of speed and open defense. He is certainly hittable and will be slower and less explosive than Dubois. However, he is an imposing and brutish type of fighter who can grind down Dubois. I expect 2 possible outcomes here: 1) Dubois blows out Joyce in a fire fight 2) Joyce takes a beating for about 5 rounds and shifts the tied to win a tight decision or late stoppage.
Victory here is likely to lead to a WBO title fight. Usyk is the mandatory challenger but it is likely that the WBO will be vacated so Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury can meet next.
Wanheng Menayothin chases 55-0
Thai WBC Minimum Weight Champion Menayothin enters the ring for the 55th time in his career this upcoming Friday. He has the longest active winning streak in boxing and has held his title since 2014. He retired briefly on social media earlier this year when his US debut was cancelled. The 35 year-old Thai champion makes his 13th title defense, he is currently 13-0 with 5 knockouts in his championship contests and boasts a 5-0 record against former world champions. He faces 29 year-old Thai challenger Panya Pradabsri who enters with a record of 34-1 and 22 knockouts. Breezing through his list of opponents I see a checkered resume all at home except for his lone loss in China and including several debut opponents, guys with losing records and one unknown. I’ve never seen that on a fighter’s record before, not at least in the modern era. For what it is worth he is 14-1 in regional title contests with 12 stoppage victories.
Badou Jack returns on Tyson vs Jones Jr PPV
Halloween was last month but I thought I would sneak this gruesome photo into this post. Jack has really been a hard luck fighter with 2 draws in title fights, a controversial loss in his last fight and the above picture from another title fight loss. Jack is 37 and making a final run in his career and faces undefeated 13-0 career cruiserweight Blake McKernan. McKernan served 3 years in Iraq, spent 6 years in the amateur ranks and worked in the mortgage industry before turning pro. He talks a big game and has an imposing physique but nothing he has done in the ring shows any signs of him being anywhere near Jack’s level. Jack is chasing Jean Pascal whom he lost a controversial decision to in their WBA light heavyweight title fight last December and he claims is dodging the rematch. He has called McKernan a club fighter in the lead up to their 8 rounder on the PPV undercard. Oddly enough Jack is supporting his second circus event following the Mayweather vs McGregor show. It’s really amazing how many top fighters Jack has faced and how many tough fights he has been in. Jack has been shocked before, he suffered a first round stoppage early in his career and can sometimes fight to the level of his opposition and has a tendency to do just enough to not win. An upset here would be shocking but boy would it just pile on to the bad luck he has had in the ring.
Jersey George's Boxing Blog 