Hearn insists Bohachuk’s style suits Ishmael Davis: a “tailor-made” fight?

Promoter Eddie Hearn claims former WBC interim junior middleweight champion Serhii Bohachuk is “tailor-made” for his fighter Ishael Davis in their 12-round main support fight on the Turki Alalshik undercard in Riyadh . Bohachuk vs. Davis are fighting at the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk 2 event at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

Bohachuk vs. Davis

The Bohachuk-Davis fight is seen as the best on the card, but it may not be if Davis performs like he did in his loss to Josh Kelly and in his previous fights. Ishmael is what is called a “hit and grab” fighter. He throws single shots, then dives into a clinch and grapples. It’s not entertaining to watch.

Hearn says that although Davis (13-1, 6 KOs) lost his last fight to Josh Kelly by split decision over 12 rounds on September 21, Bohachuk’s “straight” style suits him better and he believes he can win.

Ismael, 29 years old, very muscular, has a low blow style in which he follows his opponents, throws a jab, then a single shot followed by a clinch. Repeat this pattern over and over without variation.

He does a lot of grappling and striking in the clinch. It’s an ugly style. He would retreat when attacked Shakur-style, and fights would end with poor performance due to his constant movement and squeezing. Surprisingly, Davis is being used as a replacement opponent after Israil Madrimov left the fight. Turki should have found someone to make it entertaining because Ismael holds up and moves a lot.

For a PPV card, having Ishmael Davis in the co-main event is poisonous. He has no chance of beating Bohachuk. That’s not even up for debate. Davis would lose to Bohachuk’s last four opponents. The important thing is that a quality opponent is being used for Bohachuk due to the high visibility of the card, and Davis is so horrible to watch between the striking, grappling and movement style he uses.

Hearn says Ishmael Davis can win this fight and become WBC mandatory champion Sebastian Fundora. That’s not happening, but Hearn can’t be blamed for defending his fighter. Davis cannot win this fight or beat any of the top 15 contenders. His loss to Josh Kelly last September says enough about him. Add Ismael with one of Bohacuk’s recent victims, Brian Mendoza, Patrick Allotey or Nathaniel Gallimore; He’s not winning against any of them.

When Davis approached Kelly, he would throw a punch and grab him. It was either that or retire when he was attacked by Kelly, who is not a big puncher.

Ishmael Davis’ ring IQ is not there and his style is extremely boring. He fights like it doesn’t make sense in his head. He doesn’t think about the ring. If this was Hearn’s choice, he ruined Turki.

The entire card is terrible, but Davis makes it worse. Bohachuk is the only good thing on the card, but he faces a bigger version of Shakur without his skills and more decisive.

Hearn’s ‘tailor-made’ claim

“This is another level in terms of that type of opposition,” Eddie Hearn told Boxing in the match room on Ishmael Davis going from losing a close 12-round split decision to Josh Kelly to now facing former WBC interim junior middleweight champion Serhii Bohachuk this Saturday night in Riyadh.

“Although Josh (Kelly) is a good fighter, this is a different style (Bohachuk). Josh Kelly’s style didn’t really suit Ishmail Davis. This Bohachuk style is actually custom made for Ishmael Davis, but it’s world-class.

“So I see it like that. ‘First of all, it’s a payday you can’t turn down,’” Hearn said of Ishmael Davis fighting Bohachuk on Saturday night. “’Number two, I like the look on you. Number three, you are a quality fighter.

This is surely a payday for Ishamel Davis who will face Bohachuk in the co-main event of the Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk 2 rematch in Riyadh. Davis will get a nice payday, but it’s not a fight he can win.

“’On your night, you can compete with anyone. Number four, if you beat this guy (Bohachuk), you’ll be the mandatory for (WBC junior middleweight champion) Sebastian Fundora, and you’ll earn a seven-figure payday (over a million dollars). So, let’s fucking do it.” That’s how I see it,” Hearn said of Davis.

On Ismael’s best night, he could get lucky and win a decision against a marginal-level contender because he has a way of neutralizing his opponents’ offense by throwing and grabbing them immediately. With that punching and grappling style, it’s difficult for fighters to get a shot off before being pinned by Davis. A good referee will penalize Davis if he uses this style all night because he uses it to stop the fight, but he can’t beat a world-class fighter like Bohachuk using that negative style.

“It’s not about being brave. It’s about being smart, calculating, strategic, and that’s all aligned with this decision (Davis fighting Bohachuk),” Hearn said of Ishmael. “We are not launching any English champions at world level. Ismael has potential and I think he is already at the British and European level. “He has the ability and the potential to be a world-class fighter,” Hearn said of the 29-year-old Davis.

“Imagine if he had done it. It’s against that, but the style. Bohachuk is a straight line. It’s relentless. “He’s a very good fighter, but I can’t wait for that fight,” Hearn said.

Davis is not going to win this fight, even with his grappling. Bohachuk will catch Davis as he lunges forward to clinch and will hurt himself. Bohachuk needs to be aware of all the grappling and grappling that Davis will do because he will have to fight in the clinch to land his shots.

Davis will use that style as his primary defensive tactic, as he tried to do unsuccessfully against Josh Kelly. Bohachuk will hurt Davis with something and knock him out at some point in this fight.