Ilunga Makabu-Badou Jack To Take Place In Saudi Arabia On Feb. 26 – Jake Paul-Tommy Fury To Headline
It’s a sign of how things have changed in the sport of boxing when a legit world title fight has to play second fiddle to a fight featuring a very famous YouTuber going up against another boxer of limited experience. But this is what we will get on February 26 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as the WBC cruiserweight fight between champ Ilunga Makabu and challenger Badou Jack will be the supporting feature to the on/off/on again Jake Paul-Tommy Fury fight.
Set to go out on P-P-V for $49.99, the Paul-Fury fight, think of it what you will, will almost certainly pull in big numbers, the hype surrounding this one substantial. Boxing fans who make the purchase will no doubt be doing so due to the intriguing Makabu-Jack clash.
Makabu, 29-2(25) and the WBC cruiserweight champ since January of 2020, will be making the third defence of his belt. The 35 year old has been in some great action fights and also some close scrapes. Last time out, a year ago, Makabu won a split decision in defending his title against Thabiso Mchunu. Makabu hasn’t been an active champion but he is a tough guy and against Jack, who is four years the older man, Makabu may prove to be the fresher fighter.
Former WBC super-middleweight and former WBA light-heavyweight champ Jack has won his last five yet he was extremely fortunate to have gotten the decision in his last fight. It was in Jeddah, last August, where Jack, 27-3-3(16) was awarded a split decision win after his hard night’s work with Richard Rivera, this in a fight that seemed to favour the younger man known as “Popeye the Sailor-man.” The fight also had a round that somehow overran by something like full minute.
Jack looked slow, tired and every bit of his 39 years in the Rivera fight, and if he shows up in similar shape against Makabu, he could be in big trouble. But Jack still has a ton of heart, he carries power and like Makabu he has plenty of experience. This one could be a darn good cruiserweight scrap. The pick here is for Makabu to grind out a decision win.
For those who are pumped up over the Paul-Fury fight, the big news is how John Fury, father of course of Tyson Fury and Tommy, has vowed to force his son to retire from boxing if he loses on February 26. Hopefully, this, shall we say, ‘special attraction’ bout will prove to be entertaining and worth paying to see.
