Tavoris Cloud-Yusaf Mack Looks Good To Go June 25th – Get Ready For An Explosive Fight!

By James Slater: The word is (according to Steve Kim and Dan Rafael), IBF light-heavyweight boss Tavoris Cloud could well wind up making the next defence of his title against the useful Yusaf Mack on June 25th, as part of the Devon Alexander-Lucas Matthysse card in Saint Louis.

As good a fight as the light-welterweight match-up looks, the 175-pound encounter could well end up stealing the show. The unbeaten, 29-year-old Cloud, 22-0(18) has yet to be involved in anything other than an entertaining fight, and the same could also be said of the 31-year-old Mack, 29-3-2(17). Both guys always come to fight as they let the punches fly. Looking like they were going to collide a couple of years or so ago, the two warriors are close to getting it on now. Who wins if they do meet?

Cloud, a fighter possessing an incredible, won’t-take-no-for-an-answer aggressive attack, will be making the third defence of the title he won by beating Clinton Woods in August of 2009, and he has, in his reign, seen off the great Glen Johnson. Sure to be looked at as the favourite if and when he defends against Mack, Cloud last fought Fulgencio Zuniga, decking the Colombian twice on the way to a wide 12-round UD. That win came in December, and now fans look forward to the attacking fighter’s next battle.

Mack, beaten by Johnson in an IBF eliminator in February of last year (TKO by 6), bounced back this March to beat Otis Griffin in another eliminator for the strap Floridian Cloud holds. The Philly crowd-pleaser has only been beaten by Johnson when competing at 175, as he was a well-ranked super-middleweight for a large part of his pro career. Always hungry, always a handful for his opposition, Mack may well enter the June 25th fight as a man who is as dangerous as a fighter who knows he is having his last chance at reaching the top can be. As such, Cloud will be best served to take his challenger very, very seriously.

Not that the always immaculately-conditioned Cloud takes any foe for granted. Some people (myself included) thought Cloud would go right through Zuniga last time out, but when I asked Cloud about the fight, he said he was expecting a hard night and was preparing for such. His camp paid off and he overcame a spirited effort. Cloud may have to do the same thing in June, and then, assuming he wins, the consistent thriller will hopefully move on to the big fights he both craves and deserves.

Cloud wants the best: be it Hopkins, Dawson, Pascal or any other light-heavyweight you care to mention. To get to the big, defining fights, Cloud must get past Mack – in impressive, exciting style if possible. For my money, Cloud will not disappoint.

Look for Mack, the taller man, to give his all as he wins a couple of early rounds of a “fun” fight, before the sheer strength, power and youth of the hugely determined Cloud takes over. I go for Cloud to win in around eight action-filled rounds.