By: William Holmes
On Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada the Lineal Heavyweight Champion of the World, Tyson Fury, will make his return to the Mecca of boxing.
Tyson Fury will be taking on undefeated challenger Otto Wallin on ESPN+. This bout will be promoted by Top Rank Promotions in association with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. Tyson Fury was fighting in Las Vegas in his last bout and has made a quick return to the ring.
The co-main event of the evening is a WBO Junior Featherweight Title Bout between Emanuel Navarrete and Juan Miguel Elorde. Other boxers on the undercard include a junior welterweight bout between Jose Pedraza and Jose Zepeda and a junior bantamweight bout between Carlos Cuadras and Jose Maria Cardenas.
Photo Credit: Top Rank Boxing Twitter Account
The following is a preview of the co-main event and main event of the night.
Emanuel Navarrete (28-1) vs. Juan Miguel Elorde (28-1); WBO Junior Featherweight Title
Navarrete exploded into the scene with his back to back victories over former champion, Isaac Dogboe, in convincing fashion.
On Saturday he’ll be facing the grandson of a Filipino Legend, Flash Elorde, in the co-main event of the evening for his WBO Junior Featherweight Title.
Navarrete will be giving up about one inch in height to Elorde, but he will have a significant age advantage as he is eight years younger. Navarrete will also have the power advantage as he has twenty four stoppages on his resume, while Elrode only has fifteen.
Both boxers have been fairly active. Navarrete fought twice in 2019 and four times in 2018. Elrode fought once in 2019 and three times in 2018.
Navarrete has beaten the likes of Francisco De Vaca, Isaac Dogboe (twice), Jose Sanmartin, Glen Porras, and Luis Bedolla Orozco. His lone loss was early on in his career, in 2012, to Daniel Argueta by decision.
Elorde has spent almost his entire career fighting either in the Philippines or Malaysia. He fought once in the United States, and lost to Jerry Guevara in 2011.
Elorde has no big name wins on his record. But his most notable victories include Shohei Kawashima, Ratchanon Sawangsoda, Likit Chane, and Terdchai Doungmontree.
This fight should be an easy victory for Navarrete. Elorde brings a well known name in the boxing community into the ring, but there’s nothing in his resume that indicates he should be a tough fight for Navarrete.
Tyson Fury (28-0-1) vs. Otto Wallin (20-0); Heavyweight Division
Tyson Fury competed in one of the most exciting fights of 2018 when he fought to a draw with Deontay Wilder. Since then he has looked to be in tremendous shape and completed dedicated to the sport of boxing and keeping his undefeated record intact.
However, he has chosen an opponent that not many give a chance at giving Fury the first loss in his career.
Wallin has spent most of his career fighting in Europe and Saturday will be his second fight in the United States.
Fury will have about three and a half inches in height in Wallin and about seven inches in reach. Both boxers have been fairly active recently, Wallin fought once in 2019 and twice in 2018, while Fury fought once in 2019 and three times in 2018.
Wallin does have an edge in age, as he is three years younger than Tyson Fury, who is thirty one.
Wallin doesn’t have a notable amateur career while Fury is a former Gold Medalist in the European Union Junior Championships.
Fury has defeated the likes of Tom Schwarz, Francesco Pianeta, Sefer Seferi, Wladimir Klitschko, Christian Hammer, Dereck Chisora, Steve Cunningham, and Kevin Johnson.
It should be noted that Fury didn’t fight for nearly three years after defeating Klitschko.
Wallin doesn’t have any notable victories on his resume. His biggest wins were against Adrian Granat, Raphael Zumbano, Osborne Machimana, and Irineu Beato Costa Junior.
Fury has possible big money fights against either Deontay Wilder or Anthony Joshua in the future. It doesn’t appear that Wallin will stop those fights from happening.
