This is a fight weekend for the ages. Specifically, age 46, which is how old Manny Pacquiao will be when he fights 30-year-old Mario Barrios. And age 38, which is how old Oleksandr Usyk will be when he defends his three heavyweight world titles against 27-year-old Daniel Dubois.
Is it better to be young or experienced? We’ll soon find out.
Pacquiao has fought 72 times compared to 32 fights for Barrios, who was not born when Pacquiao made his pro debut in 1995. Usyk has fought 123 times as an amateur and a pro, which is 99 times more than Dubois has fought.
Then there’s a rematch between Sebastian Fundora and Tim Tszyu. Which, based on Fundora’s victory in the bloodbath last year, is the kind of fight that, unlike boxers, never gets old.
Expert predictions for Pacquiao, Usyk cards
Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios
A popular narrative: Mario Barrios is the ideal opponent for Manny Pacquiao because Barrios’ aggressive style and flawed defense make him vulnerable to Pacquiao’s creative combinations. Perhaps. But that minimizes other important issues. At 6-0, Barrios will be the tallest opponent the 5 ½ foot Pacquiao has ever faced. Pacquiao has not fought professionally in almost four years. Furthermore, Barrios is 30 and Pacquiao is 46. It’d be great to have the Pac-Man back for more than one fight, but don’t count on it. Prediction: Barrios by TKO in the 10th round.
Oleksandr Usyk beats Daniel Dubois
Almost two years have passed since Oleksandr Usyk beat Daniel Dubois in their first bout by ninth-round KO. Dubois has incredible power and showed as much when knocking down Anthony Joshua four times on his way to a fifth-round TKO victory last year. Yet in the final seconds of that fight, Dubois left himself open and took a hard shot that could have swung the fight. Dubois won’t be able to make the same mistakes against Usyk, whose technical soundness and elusive defense are superior. Prediction: Usyk by TKO in 11th round.
Sebastian Fundora vs. Tim Tszyu
Last year, Tim Tszyu was winning their first fight when a headbutt in the second round opened up a cut that bled into his eyes and affected his vision for the rest of the 12-round bout. It turned the bout into a bloodbath Fundora won by split decision. Without the headbutt, would Tszyu have prevailed? Perhaps. But the 6-5 ½ Fundora wields impressive power, and he can exploit the 8 ½-inch height advantage over Tszyu. Prediction: Fundora by KO in Round 9.