Wasserman promotions have set-up a Friday night treat for boxing fans as Sam Eggington bids to become a two-time European super welterweight champion when he faces Abass Baraou at the Telford International Centre, in Telford, United Kingdom. The Midlands scrapper picked up the belt back in 2017 when he stopped Spaniard Ceferino Rodriguez in ten rounds, but after suffering a series of setbacks, Eggington is finally primed to reclaim the strap seven years later.
Our co-main event features undefeated prospects, Andrei Dascalu and Joe Jackson-Brown, clashing for the vacant Southern Area super middleweight title. Romanian, Andrei Dascalu, will look to pick up the first title of his professional career, having successfully transitioned from an amateur background that boasts a win over Michael Henessey Jr.
Abass Baraou vs Sam Eggington
At the start of 2020, Abass Baraou was one of the hottest names at super welterweight. The German had just stopped John O’Donnell in six rounds at the 02 Arena, dominating the former Commonwealth champion with ease and forcing referee Victor Loughlin to intervene. Unfortunately for Baraou, a split decision loss to fellow German Jack Culcay would exile the then 25-year-old back to small hall shows. Last year’s wins on the road against Hugo Noriega (Orlando, USA) and Ferenc Katona (London, UK) has thrust Baraou back into the 154lb limelight.
Baraou’s amateur pedigree is visibly stark in the professional ranks, gluing his right hand to his jaw and instead working opponents with his lead hand. The 29-year-old is active with the jab, but regularly shifts the angle from which it is thrown – often dipping at the hips to fire upwards through his opponent’s static guard. Once he has an opponent pressed against the ropes, Baraou unleashes his trademark liver shots that either stop an opponent or drop their guard to open up room for the right hand.
Tactics be damned when Sam Eggington is in the opposite corner, however. The Savage was once the ‘meme fighter’ of UK boxing, having finished the corpses of Frankie Gavin and Paulie Malignaggi in the mid-2010s. A crushing fifth-round loss to Liam Smith in 2019 looked to be the end of Eggington in the squared circle. While it remains true for his role at the upper echelons of the division, the Brummie has consistently put on domestic and European barnburners – continuing to develop as a surprisingly technically astute operator in the pocket. I expect nothing less on Friday night, with Eggington’s experience in the championship rounds giving him the edge.
Baraou vs Eggington Prediction: Eggington Decision
Andrei Dascalu vs Joe Jackson-Brown
Romanian-cum-Londoner, Andrei Dascalu, looks to be the Wasserman brother’s next hot prospect. The 6’2″ super middleweight cuts an imposing frame on fight night, dominating the centre of the ring and forcing opponents to overcome his natural length. Despite a perfect 9-0 start to his professional career, Dascalu remains an unpolished talent – exemplified by his tendency to chase opponents when they are wobbled, rather than more methodically cutting off the ring.
Not that such deficiencies should matter much against Joe Jackson-Brown. While the 31-year-old also owns a perfect professional record (7-0), the Oxford fighter’s style is not suited to his physical gifts. In his last outing against the 2-3 Damian Szewczyk, Jackson-Brown was clipped regularly in the pocket in part due to his low hands approach. It is an inappropriate style to adopt for a fighter with concrete feet as he often finds himself rooted in the pocket, unable to counter or defend against a moving target.
Dascalu vs Jackson-Brown Prediction: Dascalu Decision
Rest of the Card
Sultan Zaurbek vs Carlos Daniel Cordoba Prediction: Zaurbek TKO Round 6
Dan Toward vs Frank Madsen Prediction: Toward TKO Round 3
Gully Powar vs Angelo Turco Prediction: Powar Decision
Ryan Kelly vs Ioan Alexandru Lutic Prediction: Kelly Decision
Elliot Whale vs Fernando Mosquera Prediction: Whale Decision
Matty Harris vs Amine Boucetta Prediction: Harris TKO Round 2
Tom Welland vs Esteban Troetsch Prediction: Welland TKO Round 3
Nick Leahy vs Jake Osgood Prediction: Leahy Decision
Leave a Reply