Boxing News – June 27, 2019

http://www.boxingnewsonline.net JUNE 27, 2019 lBOXING NEWSl 33

done this weekend. Promoter Eddie
Hearn has said that a clash with the
pound-for-pound-listed WBC boss Juan
Francisco Estrada is “very likely next”
for the undefeated Brummie, should he
overcome Jimenez. Yafai cannot afford
to slip up.
The stakes are also high for Jimenez,
who has had to wait four-and-a-half
years for a second shot at a world
championship. His first bid – on away
turf in Tokyo – ended in a split draw with
then-WBA ruler Kohei Kono. This remains
the 28-year-old’s sole appearance outside
of his home nation.
Jimenez’s ascent to the position of
No. 1 contender in the WBA ratings
is rather difficult to justify. Yes, he has
won nine fights in a row since the Kono
bout, but none of these wins have come
against notable opponents. In fact, there
isn’t a single standout success on the
Villa Duarte resident’s record. It is true,

though, that he hasn’t lost in over eight

years. Bizarrely, all eight of his defeats

occurred within his initial 11 outings.

Against Kono, Jimenez was awkward

and evasive, often getting on his bike in

an effort to frustrate his adversary. He

was also happy to use spoiling tactics and

dirty tricks in order to gain an edge, as

well as taunting and goading his rival. He

will enjoy height and reach advantages

over Yafai, but doesn’t possess the

Englishman’s pedigree.

A 2008 Olympian and 2010 European

silver medallist as an amateur, Yafai

is a quick, sharp and precise puncher

who moves intelligently and exhibits

impressive variety. His stinging jabs allow

him to create openings for punishing left

hooks both upstairs and down. Although

he has not been as defensively adept

as usual in recent run-outs, he is still

heavily favoured to come out on top

here. Jimenez has suffered four inside-

schedule losses, yet the last came way

back in January 2011. With this in mind,

the pick is for Yafai to triumph over the

long route.

The official main event sees unbeaten

local favourite and two-weight world

title-holder Demetrius Andrade,

27-0 (17), put his WBO middleweight

strap on the line for the second time

when he takes on Poland’s 28-1 (11)

Maciej Sulecki. The contest marks

Andrade’s first-ever matchup in his

hometown.

WBO No. 2 Sulecki, 30, is a solid

contender whose only setback has

come against the highly regarded Daniel

Jacobs. He was unanimously outscored

by the American 14 months ago, but

gave a good account of himself. Most

recently in March, the Warsaw native

claimed a unanimous decision over

the battle-scarred Gabriel Rosado in an

action-packed encounter. The 31-year-

old Andrade, meanwhile, is coming off a

12th-round stoppage of the tough Artur

Akavov in January.

A fast-fisted southpaw who shone

brightly in the unpaid ranks, Andrade

pumps out long jabs followed up by

accurate attacks to the body. Like Sulecki,

he has been floored in the past, though

his defence is generally tighter than the

Pole’s. The challenger throws effective

one-twos and keeps busy, but lacks the

technical skills of Andrade. Expect the

champion to win on points and remain

in the running for a lucrative September

date with Mexican superstar Canelo

Alvarez, who holds the other three world

titles at 160lbs.

Fresh off signing a promotional deal

with Matchroom Boxing a month ago,

New Zealand’s ex-WBO heavyweight

titlist Joseph Parker, 25-2 (19), meets

veteran Australian and former world title

contestant Alex Leapai, 32-7-4 (26), in a

12-rounder between two men of Samoan

descent. Parker should prevail inside the

distance.

THE VERDICT A high-profile

unification bout likely awaits Yafai,

if he can deal with Jimenez.

TALE OF THE TAPE

KAL YAFAI NORBELTO JIMENEZ

@iam_yafai –

Jun 11, 1989/30 DOB/AGE Feb 26, 1991/28

Birmingham HOMETOWN Villa Duarte

English NATIONALITY Dominican

5ft 4ins HEIGHT 5ft 6ins

64 1/2ins REACH 68ins

25-0 (15) RECORD 29-8-4 (16)

Orthodox STANCE Orthodox

Jul 7, 2012/23 DEBUT/AGE Feb 25, 2010/18

60 KO PERCENTAGE 39

5 WORLD TITLE FIGHTS 1

COME AND GET ME:

Andrade is chasing

one of the big names

at middleweight

THE

ITALIAN

JOB

THIS Friday

(June 28),

Belgium’s

FRANCESCO

PATERA, 21-3

(7), and

Northern

Irishman

PAUL HYLAND

JNR, 20-1 (7),

collide at the

Allianz Cloud

in Milan, Italy,

with Matchroom

Boxing and

OPI Since 82

co-promoting.

Sky Sports

Action (UK)

and DAZN (US)

televise. The

link between

these two men

is Newcastle’s

Lewis Ritson,

who lost a

vacant European

lightweight title

fight to Patera

via split decision

in his hometown

in October

last year. Four

months prior to

this unexpected

defeat, Ritson

had dropped

Hyland three

times en route

to an opening-

round stoppage

win in defence

of his British

crown, also on

Tyneside. Two-

time EBU champ

Patera, 26,

possesses poise

and energy,

while Belfast’s

Hyland jabs well

and has a nice

rhythm to his

work. However,

the 29-year-old

did hit the deck

in his last outing

in February and

he doesn’t boast

the seasoning of

Patera. The Genk

resident, whose

parents emanate

from Italy,

can retain his

European belt

on points with

his eye-catching

flurries.

Photo: ED MULHOLLAND/MATCHROOM