By: Shane Willoughby
Yesterday’s staredown between Dillian Whyte and Oscar Rivas at the press conference was as fierce as it gets. Both fighters looking deep into the other’s eyes.
Which reminded me of one unspoken variable that may play a massive part in this fight. How are Rivas’ eyes?
For those who don’t know Oscar Rivas has had a long and gruelling career and hasn’t really gotten his break out fight. That’s not down to lack of ability but misfortune.
Throughout his career, he has been wriggled with eye injuries. He has been denied a licence from commissions in the past for this exact reason, and up until last year, the majority of his fights were in Canada. As that’s the only place he could get licenced.
In 2016 his fight with Gerald Washington was cancelled as he failed an eye exam and California state athletic commission refused him a licence for a damaged retina.
With that said the Colombian has fought since then, in New York earlier this year against Bryant Jennings and had no problem getting licenced or winning the fight.
Ahead of this fight, this had to be a worry for team Rivas, as the BBBOC is a commission known for being extremely strict and this is definitely Rivas’ chance at the big time.
Despite the possible concerns, Rivas passed all the BBBOC tests and is eligible to fight this Saturday.
With that, said how does his eye’s hold up? Many fighters over the years have passed eye exams with the BBBOC, but have had problems with their vision during the fight.
Oscar Rivas didn’t appear to have any problems with his eyes in the last bout against Jennings. However, he wasn’t hit flush with any good punches.
It would be a massive surprise if he could go throughout the entire fight without getting hit cleanly by Whyte. And if he does get hit by one of the body-snatches big punches what effects will it have.
We have seen fighters in recent years like Anthony Ogogo and Kell Brook suffer stoppages due to dangerous eye injuries in the middle of fights. Could this be the case for Rivas?