Ivan Baranchyk vs Petr Petrov - Most overlooked fight of the weekend?

Barthelemy has all the ability and skill in the world and should cruise to a more comfortable points decision this time, as I don't feel Relikh could do anything to improve on his great performance from the first fight where as Rances can definitely adjust and make things easier for himself.

Rances needs to know where to stop with this weight climbing nonsense however. He's clearly already found his ceiling, he was extremely competitively matched with Relikh last time out and needs to get dragged into less of a brawl this time.

Garcia similarly needs to know when to stop his weight jumping, and I feel like Lipinets could give him a much harder match than he anticipated. The bookies have that one so wide that you almost want to just stop looking into any possibility of an upset but I can't erase the feeling that Lipinets is fresh, primed and well rounded enough to be a real issue for Garcia, unless he himself is razor sharp and on top of his game. He needs a better performance than what he put in his time out against Broner. Lipinets is not going to sit back and fight like that.

 

He did look great for a few rounds against Frampton, but that's the thing... those are the only few rounds he's ever looked that good against a live body. Outside of that, his entire career is a lot of soft and weary competition. The Kiko Martinez win was nice, but that was years ago and Martinez was well past his sell by date.

Valdez has the ability to improve in my opinion, we haven't quite seen his best yet but I feel we will. He has real fight changing power, and that's a serious fight changing asset that Quigg does not possess. I don't feel like Scott has the ability to improve at this point in his career, like I said I think changing trainers is actually a big impediment to himself at this point in his career. He's also unlikely to get any love on the cards.

All reasons why I think Valdez should be a moderate favorite. All just my opinion however.

 

Lipinet's loves being on the front foot and even if you shell up and try to block his incoming he's a devastating body puncher. I think Garcia should assert himself early without being overly aggressive, but definitely keep Lipinet's on the back foot.

 

Yeah, but I hope I don't have to see it. I like Lipinet's quite a bit. He's the type of fighter who won't give up and will go out on his shield, which probably isn't a particularly good idea against Garcia...

 

Quigg caught the very slow starting Kiko with a beautiful uppercut from the outside, a shot I believe they said they had been perfecting in training before that bout.

Cruz didn't knock out Martinez as early, but that fight was the type of battering that people look back on in 50 years and go "Oh, that's when the CTE" occurred. Terrible one sided beating. Just because Martinez was out on his feet catching abuse for a few more rounds with Martinez meekly returning fire doesn't mean Martinez gave Cruz hell or anything. He was just being Martinez and went out on his shield.

Warrington is always going to be in close bouts with consistent pressure fighters, as his hands are quite literally feathers.

 

I agree, it is possible. I don't find Quigg poor, just underwhelming. He so rarely finds that big "money punch".

Did you see him against that mexican journeyman, I think his name was Centeno or something? Did him with dozens of flush, head snapping punches and finally found the perfect shot to disconnect him from his senses late in the fight. I feel like he found that money punch against Kiko early. His entire career averaged out however... I'm just not blown away. More impressed by the Marriaga fight than I am anything Quigg has done recently, Marriaga truly fought an inspired and brave fight that night. Like I said, that was an under the radar classic.

 

Just read in a B-Scene article that Petrov was in training for another fight when they called him up to be the replacement, meaning he should be in shape and sharp.

This will be Ivan's first 12 round contest. His last bout was inexplicably an eight rounder. Not exactly doing himself any favors, then again I don't think he has the greatest training or management team behind him to begin with.

 

Just had a peek at the weigh in photos... Petrov does not look to be at any kind of a side disadvantage, which I suppose isn't a surprise as IB didn't strike me as a weight drainer. Ivan himself was dwarfed by Ramos just a few fights ago, and Petrov fought at 140 years ago before grinding down to 135, so it all makes sense when you think about it.

Encouraging signs for the upset, all the same. Should be a barn burner!