Jon Fernandez returns to his homeland this Saturday as he looks to overcome former world champion Jezreel Corrales at the Fronton Bizkaia stadium in Bilbao, Spain. In a stacked super lightweight division, Fernandez will hope that a statement performance in front of a partisan crowd will edge him towards a massive domestic scrap with Sandor Martin.
A number of Spanish prospects populate the undercard of Saturday’s event, including another Bilbao-based talent in Jokin Garcia. Although the undefeated 24-year-old is continuing to hone his craft against journeymen, he is a fighter that has been touted for future world title contention.
Jon Fernandez vs Jezreel Corrales
American audiences are well aware of the talent that Jon Fernandez possesses. The Spaniard has crossed the Atlantic frequently in his career to roll the dice in step-up fights. Losses to Michel Rivera and O’Shaquie Foster suggest that the 28-year-old’s ceiling is just below world title calibre, however, he has earned a number of rounds against quality opposition.
Perhaps the biggest criticism of Fernandez is his steadfastness in countering without leading. That is to say Fernandez tends to bide his time and wait for the perfect opportunities to present themselves, rather than manoeuvre an opponent’s guard and lay traps. He is an exceptionally clean boxer with a traditional upright style, but, he has to show more layers beyond timing his crisp left hook.
How far has Jezreel Corrales regressed from his former glory days as WBA super featherweight champion in 2016? The Panamanian is no stranger to succeeding on the road – after all, he stripped Takashi Uchiyama of his title in Japan via a second-round knockout. The 32-year-old appears to have declined physically, however, and a year long stint on the side-lines won’t have helped. Albert Batyrgaziev landed at will on an immobile Corrales last February, eventually forcing a corner stoppage in the ninth round. Despite criticising Fernandez’s one-dimensional game, there is reason to believe that his left hook land with ease on Saturday night.
Fernandez vs Corrales Prediction: Fernandez Decision
Jokin Garcia vs Ezequiel Gregores
News flash, Jokin Garcia will win – most likely on points, although journeyman Ezequiel Gregores has spent nearly two years out of the ring since his last fight. Instead of offering a preview in a deeply uncompetitive match-up, there are areas of Jokin Garcia’s game that should be highlighted ahead of his fight.
The good news is that Garcia is an aggressive, front-foot pressure fighter cut from a similar mould to Campbell Hatton. The bad news is that the Spaniard is a poor man’s Campbell Hatton, who in turn is a poor man’s Ricky Hatton. Garcia is enjoyable enough to watch when given the freedom to fall over his feet and throw with heavy volume, but he will be held back by his lack of fundamentals. Most infuriating is his obsession with switching stance in the range of an opponent, yet, most criminal, is Garcia’s failure to cut off the ring against humble opposition.
Garcia vs Gregores Prediction: Garcia TKO Round 3
Rest of the Undercard
Diego Krasimirov vs Nelson Altamirano Prediction: Krasimirov TKO Round 1
Fran Mendoza vs Stefan Nicolae Prediction: Mendoza Decision
Jessica Brunet vs Florencia Villarreal Prediction: Villarreal Decision
Bruno Macho vs Giammarco Baccani Prediction: Macho Decision
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