Stolze vs Gooden Analysis and Prediction
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Niklas Stolze (12-4) vs Jared Gooden (17-6)
Welterweight (170)
Niklas Stolze
German prospect, Niklas Stolze, isn’t a fighter to get too hot on just yet. A take one to give one style is only really fun to watch when the fighter owns wicked power. Still, Stolze can be marketed as an ‘honest counter-puncher’ if we are to be polite. With a clear kicking advantage, Stolze loads up on the calf while waiting for opponents to walk into boxing range. While possessing decent grappling, scrambling effectively against Ramazan Emeev, his offence on the mat has yet to be showcased against UFC calibre opposition. If Stolze was to stay busier on the back-foot, probing with his jab more regularly, he would bleed fewer rounds and force opponents to walk onto counters.
Jared Gooden
Jared Gooden is a big, big boy. A physical specimen with long limbs, Gooden is surprisingly vulnerable to eating damage. Perhaps it is Gooden’s tendency to lead with a right straight, but the American is regularly hurt in fights. Thankfully, Gooden’s lightning-fast recovery and heart ensure he continues to wade into phone booth brawls. A defensive savant, Gooden is not. Keeping his head on the centre line and hands low at range, Gooden banks on landing first in exchanges.
Predicted Result: Stolze Decision
This fight could easily boil down to Gooden aimlessly chasing Stolze all night as the German attempts to set up hard counters. While Stolze can operate behind the take one to give one style, it is only really viable when a fighter owns wicked power. If Stolze was to stay busier on the back-foot, probing with his jab more regularly, he would bleed fewer rounds and force opponents to walk onto counters. Big boi, Jared Gooden, is a powerful striker but ridiculously susceptible to being wobbled. Keeping his head on the centre line and hands low at range, Gooden banks on landing first in exchanges.
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