Mike Perez vs. Darnell Wilson

This is taking place on Thursday and is maybe the week's 3rd best fight despite being a non-televised mismatch 8-rounder. :!:

(there is a WBC 105lb title clash - Moonsuree vs. Galero - in Thailand on Thursday morning, and Mora vs. Han in a 160lb title eliminator Friday night...and fat lot of nothing of note on Saturday)

This is a stay-busy tuneup for Perez in anticipation of a date with Povetkin in a few months. This will be his debut under Roberto Garcia's tutelage, having separated from Adam Booth after the loss to Bryant Jennings.

For the heavy-punching but undersized Wilson, a 40-year-old and well-worn former Cruiser who snapped a 5-year skid losing eleven of twelve (and that could've been 12 losses straight; I had Wilson vs. Gomez I scored for JCG) with his kayo of hyped unbeaten David Rodriguez in 2013 but failed to gain any momentum off that, spending a year away from the ring and getting stopped by Glazkov - this will probably be his last opportunity to beat a ranked heavyweight. Expect him to swing for the fences, and perhaps look to exploit some of the occasional stamina issues Perez has shown.

If on form and gelling with Garcia well, I can't see any outcome here but a dominant Perez victory. He's simply too big, too young, too slick and talented and too strong for Wlison at this point.

 

Joseph Parker never fought Ding. :huh

 

Odds are super wide considering how little faith lots of fans have in Perez these days. (supposedly being "ruined" by the Abdusalamov battle and its aftermath, physically and mentally)

Perez 1/33
Wilson 12/1

Another case where the bookies know better than prevailing group-think.

 

Yeah, never even dropped him.