Boxing News – July 04, 2019

36 lBOXING NEWSlJULY 4, 2019 http://www.boxingnewsonline.net

A vast audience will see Oubaali’s first

WBC title defence, writes Paul Wheeler

PLAYING TO

THE CROWD

TEN-THOUSAND people are expected

to attend MTK Global’s event at the

Barys Arena in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan

on Saturday ( July 6), as Frenchman

Nordine Oubaali, 15-0 (11), puts his

WBC bantamweight belt on the line for

the first time in the headline attraction.

Challenging the undefeated southpaw

is Filipino Arthur Villanueva, 32-3-1

(18), who has contested the IBF super-

flyweight strap in the past. The show

will be broadcast live on iFL TV (UK) and

ESPN+ (US).

Double Olympian Oubaali, 32,

picked up the vacant WBC title in

January by unanimously outscoring

former WBA champ Rau’shee Warren

in an entertaining tussle. Villanueva, 30,

meanwhile, is coming off a majority draw

with the unheralded Carlo Demecillo in

November last year – hardly a result that

warrants a shot at world honours.

Villanueva (Bacolod City) is a

seasoned, well-travelled fighter who has

a considerably longer reach than his

adversary. However, Bagnolet’s stocky

and robust Oubaali [below] has looked

pretty formidable so far in his pro

career. A fierce puncher, especially when

connecting with compact hooks, he can

retain inside schedule.

★★ OUBAALI-VILLANUEVA

★★ FRANK-KIBAZANGE stoppage success. Prior to this, he hadn’t

been considered a puncher. Like Frank,

Kibazange has a low knockout ratio,

with just one of his 12 victories coming

via KO (against three defeats and two

draws). The Dar-Es-Salaam resident has

only made one appearance outside of

his home nation. That was in September

in the Philippines when he was halted in

three rounds by Carlo Caesar Penalosa of

the famous fighting family.

Boasting a six-inch height advantage

over his diminutive 5ft 1in opponent, the

energetic Frank can soften Kibazange up

with solid jabs before finishing him off

inside the distance.

AFTER winning the vacant
Commonwealth super-flyweight title at
the Ponds Forge Arena in his hometown
of Sheffield in March, Tommy Frank
makes his first defence this Friday ( July
5) at the same venue. Opposing the
unbeaten 25-year-old on this Dennis
Hobson promotion, live on FreeSports,
is Tanzania’s Jemsi Kibazange, 23.
When claiming the Commonwealth
crown, Frank, 10-0 (2), caught the eye
by dropping the gritty Luke Wilton
four times en route to a fourth-frame

Frank returns to the scene of his Commonwealth coronation, writes Paul Wheeler

HAPPY HUNTING GROUND

PREVIEWS

★★★★★ OUTSTANDING ★★★★GOOD ★★★ FAIR ★★ DISAPPOINTING ★ RUBBISH

The star ratings indicate how well the writer believes the fighters match up, the fight(s)’ contextual significance, and how good the fight(s) will be

BORN FEARLESS:

Frank poses with

his Commonwealth

belt alongside

ex-SAS trooper

Phil Campion

Photo: JOE CAMPOREALE/USA TODAY SPORTS