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The Fight Team
October 20, 2023
Welcome to this week’s edition of The Fight With Teddy Atlas Newsletter, your one stop shop for all things combat sports related, brought to you by Teddy and The Fight team.
Every Friday We Bring You:
A combat sports news digest with all the headlines you need to know from Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts.
Highlights from the podcast and across the fight world.
Fight times and information you need to know ahead of time.
How to’s and tips for Boxing from Teddy himself.
Fight News From Around The 🌍
Uncrowned Champ vs Former Champ
Jack Catterall should really be coming into this fight with at least one light-welterweight title wrapped around his waist.
It wasn’t to be for the Manchester, UK-based fighter, as he was very controversially robbed of the undisputed crown in a decision against the then-champion Josh Taylor.
Tomorrow, he’ll take on a man who knows what it’s like to hold world titles in multiple weight classes in Jorge Linares, who at 38 years old, will hope he has one more run at world honours left in him after an illustrious 20+ year career.
Catterall bounced back from his disappointing loss to Taylor by soundly outpointing Darragh Foley in May, but Linares represents his springboard back into the world title conversation at 140, a conversation he feels he should already be a part of.
Linares hasn’t won a fight since February 2020, with three losses in a row since then, one of them being a UD loss to Devin Haney.
It’ll be a tough ask for him to pull it off against the younger and sharper Catterall, but the Venezuelan is unbeaten against British fighters on their own turf so far in his career, so there is always a chance.
“El Gato” remains the overwhelming favourite, but a fighter’s last thing to go is his will, so don’t count Linares out just yet.
What to look for in the fight:
Power. Catterall’s KO % doesn’t really do him justice as a puncher. He’s put down 4 of the last 5 opponents he’s beaten and if he’s looking to make a statement by stopping Linares, look for him to finish the job if he hurts the former champion.
Down the middle. Linares still has good speed for the first few rounds, and his straight right hand is his sharpest punch. Look for him to set this up this against the southpaw Catterall.
New Opponents? New Possibilities
In another universe, the UFC 294 card would have been cancelled.
Paulo Costa and later Charles Oliveira’s injuries jeopardised the two biggest fights of the night, and there was every chance the Abu Dhabi card would be postponed.
Thankfully, we live in a universe where the world Champion is taken very seriously. In stepped two champions Alexander Volkanovski and Kamaru Usman to save the card and guarantee us a night of phenomenal action
In the main event, Islam Makhachev meets his toughest opponent to date for the second time, as Volkanovski looks to grab an unexpectedly quick second chance at double champ status with both hands.
Their first fight was razor close, with arguments to be made for either fighter to have been victorious. Of course, the late notice won’t be in Volkanovski’s favour, but UFC gold has been won on short notice before, and if there is any champion on the roster that can pull it off, it’s Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski.
The co-main event is just as enticing, as former dominant welterweight champion Kamaru Usman takes on the phenom Khamzhat Chimaev at middleweight, with the former making his debut at 185 lbs.
Chimaev has been an absolute wrecking ball during his UFC career thus far, beating all but one of his opponents within the distance. He’s built a cult fanbase off the back of his confidence in his own abilities, coupled with undeniable talent.
The one opponent who took him the distance, Gilbert Burns, was one of the relatively recent scalps of Usman when he was still champion. MMA maths isn’t an exact science, but Chimaev can expect a long night against the former pound-for-pound #1 if he was having issues with Burns.
Usman will be out to prove himself in his new division, and beating Chimaev puts him in a great position to challenge the newly crowned champion Sean Strickland (who he has already beaten down at 170 lbs).
Also on the card:
Magomed Ankalaev vs Johnny Walker
Said Nurmagomedov vs Muin Gafurov
Tim Elliott vs Muhammed Mokaev
Fight ⏰ for this weekend
Boxing: Catterall vs Linares (Saturday 21st/Sunday 22nd)
🇺🇸 Full Card: 3pm Eastern/12pm Pacific | Main Event: 6pm Eastern/3pm Pacific
🇬🇧 Full Card: 7pm | Main Event: 10pm
🇦🇺 Full Card: 6am/ 4am Western | Main event: 9am Eastern/ 7am Western
MMA: UFC 294 (Saturday 21st/Sunday 22nd)
🇺🇸 Full Card: 3pm Eastern/12pm Pacific | Main Event: 6pm Eastern/3pm Pacific
🇬🇧 Full Card: 7pm | Main Event: 10pm
🇦🇺 Full Card: 6am/ 4am Western | Main event: 9am Eastern/ 7am Western