This should be a good one. Saturday night in San Antonio, the second fight in the first round of the cruiserweight half of the World Boxing Super Series will take place between two big power punchers in Yunier Dorticos of Cuba and Russia’s Dmitry Kudryashov. This is the best matchup in the first round of either tournament. It is guaranteed to bring fireworks as much as any fight can be.
Dmitry Kudryashov (21-1, 21 KOs) is one of the biggest punchers in the sport, if he isn’t the single biggest. I say this with no hyperbole. If there are other fighters that can punch as hard as the Russian destroyer, there are very few of them. Kudryashov brings power with both hands, but his left is particularly devastating. If he lands it early, fights are over.
Yet, here is the truth about power that we fail to consistently acknowledge. It isn’t half as useful as it is fun. Power fades with stamina. Stamina fails naturally over time, or as a result of over-exertion in a short window, or as a result of accumulated punishment. Power also doesn’t mean anything at all if a fighter can’t land it cleanly.
As hard as Dmitry Kudryashov hits and as much as that has made him a dark horse in this tournament, he isn’t near as good of a fighter overall as Yunier Dorticos (21-0, 20 KOs). Now don’t get me wrong here. Dorticos has already been dragged into a war with a crude opponent in Youri Kalenga last time out in May. If that happens again, he might end up asleep. I am working under the assumption that Kudryashov’s reputation with keep Dorticos more focused.
Even if it doesn’t, however, Dorticos throws the shorter, more technically sound shots. He can counter or lead while Kudryashov can only lead effectively. Dorticos is much more mobile around the ring compared to the heavy footed Russian slugger. He also hits damn hard himself and Kudryashov has been stopped by less power. Who wins the boxing match? Dorticos. Who wins the brawl? Probably Dorticos too.
I don’t see this as likely to be a particularly competitive fight. Yet, as much as I dismiss Dmitry’s absolute epic power, it still exists. All it might take is one left hook. Will he land it before Dorticos gets to him? I doubt it. Could he? Absolutely. There in lies in the fun of Dmitry Kudryashov.
The fight is also for a secondary version of Denis Lebedev’s WBA belt that he shouldn’t have to begin with, but that is a whole other can of worms at this point.
I am not sure the exact start time, but the World Boxing Super Series has been airing these fights on their website for the US audiences despite weirdly not advertising doing so. Former pound for pound elite Filipino Nonito Donaire (37-4, 24 KOs) returns on the undercard in a featherweight contest against Mexican Ruben Garcia (22-2-1, 9 KOs) in the co-feature. Donaire is definitely on a rapid downswing, but that is still a fight he should win.
