Carl Frampton vs Josh Warrington
IBF Featherweight Title
This is one of the better fights to be made in the featherweight division, England’s undefeated champion (Warrington) vs Northern Ireland’s champion (Frampton). The talk of this fight started after Warrington upset Lee Selby to win the world title. That was his biggest and best win. Frampton has been involved in some of the biggest fights in the division over the past several years including two against Leo Santa Cruz and also Nonito Donaire.
This is an interesting fight to predict. Warrington is 27-0 but has only six knockouts. Normally you would think that with a record like that he must be a real slick boxer. But that is not really the case either. He is just a gritty guy who fires back when he gets hit, is very tough and in great shape. His win against Selby was impressive because Selby has very good skills and Warrington roughed him up and took him out of his rhythm.
Frampton is one of the best in the division and has been for a couple of years. He is a very good skilled boxer with a good chin who has decent but not great power. He can box very nice but if he has to stand his ground he can do that as well. To be honest though, ever since he lost the Santa Cruz rematch he has not been the same. His win against Donaire was an exciting fight and a solid win but Donaire is a little past his prime and Frampton got hit a lot in that fight and seemed to have lost a step. In his last fight he beat an undefeated but untested boxer and while Frampton looked impressive I think part of that was because he was boxing against a guy who was a step down in skill level than his last couple opponents.
I am tempted to pick an upset here. The slight decline in Frampton and Warrington coming off a career best win could be the perfect storm to see Warrington become a star overseas. But I just can’t do it. Frampton still has a high level skill set even if it has dropped a tad and Warrington, while tough and gritty, seems a little too basic to beat a guy like Frampton. If Frampton boxes and moves a little I think he will win a decision. If he stands in front and turns it into a street fight Warrington might have a better chance.
Prediction
Frampton by Decision
Saturday December 22 Showtime
Dillian Whyte vs Derek Chisora
This is one of the more interesting heavyweight fights of the year in a year where there were a lot of good heavyweight fights. This is a rematch from 2016 where Whyte won a split decision. Two guys who throw big punches, have great chins but also very good power. Whyte is a legit top 10 and probably top 5 heavyweight and Derek Chisora is coming off a big KO win of former title challenger Carlos Takam and has also given tough fights, although losses to Tyson Fury twice, Vitali Klitschko and David Haye along with the first Whyte fight. These guys know each other well and I expect the action to kick off early. Since their first fight Whyte has gone on to have big wins against the likes of former titlist Lucas Browne and former titlist Joseph Parker. As I stated earlier Chisora is coming off a great highlight reel KO of tough Carlos Takam.
I see this fight playing out similar to their first fight which is good for the fans. Both guys landed bombs in this fight and both were stunned several times. But as in most rematches the guy who won the first will usually win the second. And I think it will be a tad easier the second time. Whyte has improved enough that this one may not go the distance although if there is a stoppage I think it will be late.
Prediction
Whyte by TKO in later rounds
Saturday December 22 Fox 8 pm ET
Jermall Charlo vs Matt Korobov
WBC interim middlweight title
Charlo was originally supposed to face former title challenger Willie Monroe until Monroe failed a test for PED’s and was pulled from the fight. Luckily for the fans Korobov was training for a fight on the undercard and he was immediately moved into the main event and a much bigger opportunity. And I think Korobov will make for a better fight. A former amateur star from Russia he is a once beaten lefty who has very good skills and can punch. His best win was a decision over current super middle titlist Jose Uzcategui and his lone loss was by stoppage to former middleweight title holder Andy Lee in a fight that Korobov was winning until he got caught.
Charlo is an extremely talented fighter with very good skills and power. He is coming off three straight knockout wins against good competition, the best of the bunch being Julian Williams. It seems he is one or two wins away from a huge fight against a name such as Canelo, GGG or Danny Jacobs.
While I think Korobov will make for a better fight against Charlo than Monroe I still don’t think he has enough to win. Charlo is a special fighter and the only thing he his missing is a signature win against a top name fighter. A knockout win here could put him into that fight. In Korobov’s lone loss he was stopped by Andy Lee in a fight where he was not able to recover from getting hit with Lee’s big hook. Charlo is a better fighter and a harder puncher than Andy Lee.
Prediction
Charlo by KO
Jermell Charlo vs Tony Harrison
WBC junior middleweight title
Jermell Charlo, like his brother Jermall, is an extremely talented fighter who is not far away from a very big fight, preferably against 154 pound all action champion Jarett Hurd. He is coming off a close points win against Austin Trout and that was the first fight in a while where he showed just a little vulnerability. Before the Trout fight he reeled off a couple highlight KO’s against undefeated Erickson Lubin and 26-1 Charles Hatley.
Harrison at 27-2 is a fighter who came very close to being a world champion. He was ahead on points to Jarett Hurd when they fought for the title but couldn’t hold on and was stopped late. His only other loss was similar in that he was leading on the cards when he was stopped in the last round against fringe contender Willie Nelson. Harrison has good size and reach and good knockout power but seems to have stamina and chin problems late in fights.
I think Harrison is skilled enough and dangerous enough to make Charlo be cautious in the beginning. He could possibly win some early rounds and with his power is always one punch away from a KO win but I do not think he will be able to put it together enough to pull it off. Like his previous two losses I expect him to get stopped late in a fight he will probably be competitive in but unlike his other two losses i don’t think he will be ahead at the time of the stoppage.
Prediction
Charlo by TKO
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