Boxing Predictions
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Pacquiao vs Spence
This is a scintillating match up. Although now well past his prime it wasn’t long ago that Pacquiao beat the hitherto undefeated and rated Keith Thurman. The ‘Pacman’ may not be the explosive beast he once was but he still has very decent speed, power, plenty of skill and perhaps most of all experience.
Errol Spence is rightly the favourite but will need to be on his A-game to beat the seasoned legend in front of him. If Spence is truly the fighter that many claim he is then he absolutely has to win; although I see him being tested and having to dig deep to do so. Pacquiao will bring all his guile and experience to the table, he will set traps for Spence and test every facet of his boxing ability and character. Having watched Pacquiao over the years I have learnt not to write him off.
Prediction: Errol Spence by points (although don’t be surprised if Pacquiao does a number on him).
Joshua vs Usyk
This is also an intriguing and exciting match-up. Usyk is young, hungry and unbeaten. He has good boxing ability, boxing IQ and likes to take his time to break down his opponents. However, I would question whether he carries the power and/or is as effective at heavyweight (he just about beat an ageing Chisora in his last match-up). If in-order to compensate for this he comes in heavier, this may make him slower and more cumbersome in his movement.
AJ on the other hand is at his peak, and like a seasoned pro is now also taking his time in the ring, using his boxing skill, IQ and educated aggression to break his opponents down. I feel he will have too much for Usyk, his power being the telling factor.
Prediction: AJ by KO in the latter rounds
Fury vs Wilder
Unless Wilder can bring something to the table that he hasn’t to date then I see this fight going very much the same way as the second. Wilder is a pretty limited boxer, he has a fast snappy jab but in the main seeks to land his powerful right cross which invariably put his opponents to the canvas. As perhaps the most powerful of the heavyweights you can never count him out but except for the ‘punchers chance' I feel as Mike Tyson says Fury ‘has his measure’.
The manner in which Fury defeated Wilder last time- by counterintuitively attacking him- has I feel deeply wounded him and will play on his mind. The longer the fight goes on the more I suspect we might see Wilder ‘losing the plot’ and playing into Fury’s hands.
