Don King’s latest fight card has gotten a little smaller, yet heavyweight Jonathan Guidry benefits in as much as, for the first time in his career, he will be the main event fighter on a big (ish) stage. The January 21 card set for Miami at Casino Miami, Jai Alai, will be shown live on FITETV and was to have been headlined by WBC cruiserweight champ Ilunga Makabu defending against Noel Mikaelian, in what might have been a lively affair.
That fight is now off, with no reason put forward, so it leaves the once-beaten Guidry to headline, this in his fight with former WBC heavyweight champ Bermane Stiverne. 91 year old King’s card is, as far as we know, still dubbed “Let Freedom Ring! Clash of the Champions!”
Guidry is a champion of sorts, the man from Houma, Louisiana having picked up the NABA gold heavyweight belt with his June 2022 stoppage win over Dacarree Scott, this a pretty impressive win for the 33 year old. And Guidry is aiming to make the most of the spotlight he will enjoy later this month.
“I’ma try for a late rounds KO,” Guidry said when asked for a prediction.
Guidry, 18-1-2(11) should win the fight, and he should get himself a stoppage. 44 year old Stiverne has been inactive for a number of months and he is 1-5 in his last six outings. We can only guess what kind of shape Stiverne will be in as he enters the ring to face Guidry. King’s latest card marks a significant fall from grace compared to the all-mighty fight cards the Hall of Fame promoter used to put on on a regular basis, but at the same time it’s good to see the hard-working Guidry getting himself some exposure.
Again, we can only hope Stiverne turns up in shape for the fight. Either way, look for Guidry to get the stoppage win some time around the half-way stage of the fight. Who knows what plans King has in mind for Guidry after this fight? Guidry told the writer he would love to come over to the UK for a fight.
Bermane Stiverne To Face Jonathan Guidry January 21st In Miami
Straight from the ‘is he still fighting?’ files, comes news that former WBC heavyweight champ Bermane Stiverne will face Jonathan Guidry in Miami on January 21st. The heavyweight match up will act as chief support to the WBC cruiserweight title fight between defending champ Ilunga Makabu and challenger Noel Mikaelyan. This is Don King’s latest show, and the 91 year old has called the event “Let Freedom Ring! Clash of the Champions!”
It’s surprising to many that King is still going, but it might come as an even bigger surprise to some fans that Stiverne is still going. It sure seems a long time ago now when the Haitian was twice defeating Chris Arreola to first earn a shot at the WBC title and then winning it in the return. Stiverne, 25-5-1(21) is 1-5 since the Arreola rematch win, and he was last seen being stopped late by Trevor Bryan. Now aged 44, Stiverne may well lose again when he fights Guidry.
Guidry, 18-1-2(11) and never stopped, is coming off an impressive KO win over the unbeaten Dacarree Scott, who the 33 year old from Louisiana beat in his first fight back after pushing Bryan hard over 12 rounds. Guidry has not had the benefit of expensive training camps and he has not had that much ring experience. But Guidry can fight – all 5’11” of him. It’s not clear how much Stiverne has left, nor is it clear what kind of shape he will come in at for the January fight.
On paper, this is no great shakes of a fight, at all. Yet sometimes these type of match-ups can surprise us, and provide us with good action. Guidry will be in shape, as he works hard (in and out of the ring; his other job being that of a shrimping boat worker and crab fisherman), and if Stiverne turns up ready to rock and roll, who knows, we might get an entertaining heavyweight scrap.
King, who says his main eventers are “the two best cruiserweights in the world,” is using up anything that there is left of Bermane Stiverne in this one, surely Stiverne’s last ring appearance should he lose again. King’s show is not an elite event, but fans should see a couple of knockouts in Miami.