Boxing: October/November/December 2018

[opole]

Martin Bakole vs. Michael Hunter

=> Michael Hunter ML @ 2.35 The Greek Stake: 5/10

Hunter was a very successful amateur. Between 2006 and 2012 he won numerous national and international titles. Won the 2006 bronze medal in Morocco at the U19 WC, won the national championship in the US in 2007 and 2009 and he also won the National Golden Gloves in 2011 (Deontay Wilder four years earlier). In addition he is a former Olympian and competed at the 2012 London Olympics. There he had to fight in the first round vs. Artur Beterbiev and lost a razor close decision 10-10+. On Wikipedia you will read Hunter ost by KO, which is however a mistake and not correct. Beterbiev then went out against Usyk in round two. So Hunter had a long and good amateur career, then he turned professional in March 2013 and was very, very active with 12 fights in the first three years of his pro career. This has changed a bit in the last two and a half years. Since his first good win over Isiah Thomas in May 2016 he has only fought three times. 2017 against Usyk and this year against the solid journeyman Terrell Jamal Woods and former cruiserweight Iago Kiladze. Woods is very solid despite of his poor fight record, he was a good test for many top prospects because he has a good chin and is very experienced. Kiladze, of course, is always a good win although he is slowing down and his chin is troubling him too as he got knocked out cold three times in a row now but still vs. very solid opponent (Kownacki, Hunter, Joyce). If you compare the three guys in terms of how they managed to beat Kiladze i think you can see that the level of Hunter is quite solid as Kownacki and Joyce are both currently top 15/20 HWs. 

I saw the fight against Kiladze and that was a very, very strong performance from Hunter. I've rewatched at the fight against Usyk too. Hunter lost in April 2017 by decision. The fight was really close. Hunter was 5-4 rounds up for me after nine rounds but Usyk was very, very strong in the last three rounds and really did a great job and Hunter had to take some heavy flush shots and was ruled down once in the 12th round, a TKO was close to happen but Hunter did a great job and survived the round. Good sign, I think he has not just given up, his chin seems to be very solid one and the will was enormous. Had Usyk up 115-112 in the end because of the knockdown, but overall, if you let the last three rounds out of your picture this was a super tight fight and if Hunter wouldn't have gassed out badly he might even beat Usyk on my card. Here you can see the biggest strength of Hunter. Hunter is just a super strong and intelligent boxer who moves very well and can keep up with the elite like Usyk by his speed and ring iq. 

The fight against Bakole here is of course a different matchup because first Hunter is fighting here against a current heavyweight and on the other side Ilunga has massive power. 11 wins, 8 by KO. Ilunga is considered a top prospect, but I do not really know what to think of it. His balance sheet is padded because his opponents were first-rate glass cannons most of the time. After 11 fights he has fought opponents who together have a fight record of 90 (W) -160 (L) -18 (D). Obviously his wins are looking solid as the cross-comparions with prospects like Tony Yoka, Nathan Gorman or Daniel Dubois are looking really good but still he has only fought some bums. This is without a question a big step up for Bakole and we have to see how he deals with such a good and smart boxer like Hunter. I would say it like that: If Bakole is for real then it's a pick em fight 50/50, but if Bakole isn't for real and we do not know it right now then Hunter should be seen as the clear favorite with odds around @ 1.5.

[opole]

5 hours ago, opole said:

Martin Bakole vs. Michael Hunter

=> Michael Hunter ML @ 2.35 The Greek Stake: 5/10

Hunter wins by TKO