November 2024 boxing predictions

The October Report

• Andrei Mikhailovich put up one of the gutsiest performances boxing has had in a while. Badly hurt at the end of the second, it looked certain that the referee would wave things off but he rightfully let the fight continue. The fighter and/or the corner should be allowed to make the call on their own terms and the referee should only intervene if the fighter's safety is being ignored. Given how long Mikhailovich had to wait for this opportunity he deserved to fight beyond 2 rounds and he admirably did so. Janibek must move up to 168 now.
  • Prediction: Alimkhanuly by KO/TKO in the middle rounds
  • Result: Alimkhanuly by TKO 9
• If you listened to how the TNT commentators told it, you'd think that Ball's nose was bleeding from the sheer dominance of landing 100% of the punches thrown between either fighter. Even the referee was so blinded by his brilliance that he believed Ball's scored his second knockdown without even landing a punch. Rios did well to carry on that long given the circumstances. Not entirely surprising that they skipped playing UK national anthem in Liverpool, but it was odd that nobody has remarked on it.
  • Prediction: Ball by KO/TKO in the second half of the fight
  • Result: Ball by TKO 10
• Which way is tomorrow?
  • Prediction: Yabuki by KO/TKO in rounds 1-3
  • Result: Yabuki by TKO 9
• It wasn't how much punches Massey could take, it was how many his corner were willing to let him take.
  • Prediction: Opetaia by KO/TKO in the first half of the fight
  • Result: Opetaia by TKO 6
• So Artur Beterbiev becomes the first undisputed light-heavyweight champion since Roy Jones Jr. over 22 years ago. Not that he earned it. If you gave him the benefit of the doubt in a few close rounds, you could maybe argue it was a draw. But two cards being 8-4 and 7-5 to Beterbiev was frustrating to see even as a card-carrying Bivol-hater. I had Bivol up two rounds but with camera angles being what they are, it was difficult to see which punches were blocked or landing.
  • Prediction: Beterviev by KO/TKO in the final three rounds
  • Result: Beterbiev by majority decision
• If the doctor would've let him, Rosales would've lost a 12-round decision.
  • Prediction: Teraji by unanimous decision
  • Result: Teraji by TKO 11
• I expect commentators to not do a good job calling fights, the referee not doing anything about the blatant rabbit punch was an injustice though.
  • Prediction: Iwata by KO/TKO in the first half of the fight
  • Result: Iwata by TKO 3
• His third fight and third win of the year, I can't wait to see how long he keeps this up.
  • Prediction: Yuri Akui by unanimous decision
  • Result: Yuri Akui by split decision
• A bizarre spectacle. After Gonzalez received a minor cut from an accidental headbutt in the opening round, the words exchanged between him and the referee resulted in the fight being waved off. And stranger still, it wasn't ruled a TKO until two weeks later even though Gonzalez essentially threw in the towel.
  • Prediction: Olascuaga by KO in the middle rounds
  • Result: Olascuaga by TKO 1 (originally NO DECISION)
• Of all the correct predictions I've made this year, this is the one where I've most impressed myself.
  • Prediction: Cafu by split decision
  • Result: Cafu by split decision
• Every belt at bantamweight is now held by an undefeated Japanese fighter. And Nakatani Junto has more knockouts (22) than the other 3 belt-holders combined (17) despite being the youngest of the bunch. Exciting times at 118lbs in Japan if they can put on some unification bouts next year, Nakatani is looking the most likely to match Naoya Inoue's achievement.
  • Prediction: Nakatani by KO/TKO in the first half of the fight
  • Result: Nakatani by TKO 6
• Close fight. I felt like it might have been a bit cheap for me to hedge my bets but I think it was fair to predict a toss-up.
  • Prediction: Scull by unanimous decision
  • Result: Scull by unanimous decision
• A very damaging loss for Tszyu, both physically and career-wise. He said it himself after the fight that there are no excuses. I overlooked Murtazaliev and he used his height, reach, and accuracy to dominate with relative ease.
  • Prediction: Tszyu by KO/TKO in the first half of the fight
  • Result: Murtazaliev by TKO 3

Somehow I (and the schedules I looked at) missed that Takuma Inoue was fighting as well. He lost and let the record show that I would've predicted he would lose no matter what. Not sure if I should count this as having made a prediction in advance but will leave it out for now and figure it out some other time.

November schedule

Nov. 2nd - Robson Conceição vs. O'Shaquie Foster, WBC @ 130lbs

With Jah's providence, I correctly predicted that Conceição would win the first fight. There were a lot of close rounds where Conceição was swinging wildly and, though he missed often, some got through. Those scoring shots like the jab to the body counted for something when they infrequently manifested. Foster missed a tricked by not making his opponent pay after good sequences of rolling and blocking flurries of punches. My controversial opinion is that it was not a controversial decision or a robbery. You don't win fights by not throwing punches. I'd be amazed if Foster makes the same mistake twice.

Prediction: Foster by unanimous decision

Nov. 8th - Brian Norman vs. Derrieck Cuevas, WBO @ 147lbs

Cuevas has a very good left hook and I expect he'll land it against Norman with some success. However, Norman is a game fighter, the younger fighter, and is on his third fight of the year versus Cuevas's first.

Prediction: Norman by KO/TKO in the second half of the fight

Nov. 9th - Jaron 'Boots' Ennis vs. Karen Chukhadzhian, IBF @ 147lbs

Boots beat the Ukranian Chukhadzhian in a shut-out performance at the start of 2023, there's no reason to expect anything different. Just like there's no reason to expect his matchmaking to be much better in 2025.

Prediction: Ennis by unanimous decision

Nov. 9th - Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez vs. Pedro Guevara, WBC @ 115lbs

I underestimated Rodriguez last time out. Once bitten, twice shy. Guevara's age disadvantage could mean it's only a matter of time before he's stopped. On the other hand, he's only 35.

Prediction: Rodriguez by unanimous decision

Nov. 15th - Mario Barrios vs. Abel Ramos, WBC @ 147lbs

Dagnammit. It didn't occur to me that the Netflix circus would've put an actual fight on the undercard. And of course it's the WBC behind the farce. I was planning on skipping this card entirely but I fear they've suckered me in.

Prediction: Barrios by unanimous decision

Nov. 16th - Oscar Collazo vs. Thammanoon Niyomtrong, WBA/WBO @ 105lbs

I'm still not over 'Knockout CP Freshmart' scoring a knockdown in his last fight. But Collazo is a step up from the Aussie that Niyomtrong faced in early September.

Prediction: Collazo by unanimous decision

Nov. 16th - Gilberto Ramírez vs. Chris Billam-Smith, WBA/WBO @ 200lbs

Latino Night will be the sophomore card of Riyadh Season this year and, to be fair, it was never going to be as illustrious as the Four Crown Showdown of Bivol-Beterbiev. Billam-Smith will be having his first ever fight outside of Britain, and although British fans have been loyal pilgrims in the past I wonder how many will make it for this card. It's easy to imagine that fewer still will travel from the New World. Ramírez is the better fighter and has fought the better quality opposition, so while it's a shame there won't be much home support at his performance, at least this card will be broadcast for free to Latin America and presumably beyond. It would be a pretty big upset for the Mexican to lose on Latino Night.

Prediction: Ramírez by unanimous decision