Immortals New York Presents:

Editorial by Marcus Crassus

INY 47 Wauler vs Huxley

Hayashi’s Lounge, New York City

December 22, 2012

155lb World Title

Wauler vs Huxley

Wauler makes the 1st defense of his world title, one he won from future Hall of Famer Vladdy Van Kirkland via majority decision, only 3 months ago. This excellent boxer will need his world class chin more than any other time in his career when he faces arguably the hardest puncher in the lightweight division.

This will be a war, Huxley has defeated both Corey Smith and Joe Saunders in his last 2 fights. Huxley outslugged Smith, Smith had never lost by KO to a striker to this point, and then he forced Saunders into tapping out through strikes, and Saunders prided himself on his durability!

Wauler has faced Van Kirkland, Cunha, McGuire and Hall, so he has competed and won consistently at a higher level than Huxley.

Wauler has only ever been beaten by grapplers and Huxley has only been beaten once and then by a grappler, so one of these fighters is going to taste defeat to a striker for the first time.

Who will prevail? Wauler has the pedigree, but Huxley has hands of stone so on December 22nd we will witness something spectacular!

170lb World Title

Bennett vs Monroe

Erik Bennett is on a roll, an 8 fight win streak, in contention for INY Fighter of the Year, and the current World Welterweight Champion. Bennett began his career as a wrestler but has developed his striking skills immensely. He became the first man to KO Tari Cunha, and used his striking skills to secure a unanimous decision last time out against Santa Cruz.

The challenger is none other than former 170lb champ Jon Monroe who took the title from Kirk Hall nearly two years ago but he relinquished it in his first defense to Cunha. Since then he has KO’d Davies and Lee, and drew with the fearsome Kharlamov last time out. Monroe is 8-1-1 compiled by using his world class boxing skills, and predominantly boxing his opponents at range.

I don’t see Monroe changing for Bennett, the question is whether Bennett who has preferred to keep fights standing of late, elects to utilize other skills at his disposal. I would expect him to mix things up, take the fight into the clinch, take Monroe down and grind it out.

This is a high quality match up, a genuine World Class World Title fight and I have Bennett starting a slight favorite.

170lb - The Fight for the Right

Stewart vs Kharmalov

Stewart 9-5 has fought anyone who is anyone at 170, having taken wins against Bennett, Cunha, Davies, Uesugi and Haley. Unfortunately he has never got the win that gets a title shot, so this fight, a rematch against a fighter who beat him convincingly nearly a year ago, is the most important of Stewart’s action packed career.

Kharmalov, 4-1-1 looks incredible when he takes guys down and pounds on them. He sets up his takedowns with a great clinch attack and good boxing skills, and his camp will be disappointed that he isn’t fighting in the main event for the title. Kharmalov’s ground and pound attack devastated Stewart when they last fought, which given Stewart’s wrestling base and BJJ skills was shocking. He will come to the cage full of confidence and I expect him to believe that serving up the same dish as last time will overwhelm Stewart once again. The Melton camp haven’t faired so well against The Janne camp, and Team Melton will have to raise their game if they are to get that elusive title shot.

155lb Division

Khan vs Saunders

When this fight was made Khan, who has incredible boxing skills and credible clinch game looked a fighter on the up. He had just decisioned former champ Cerezo and was looking to use Saunders as a stepping stone to the top. However, with his management team, a co-operative of hoodlums from Bolton England embroiled in a bitter drug war with a rival gang from Salford, Bolton born Khan hasn’t heard from his team for weeks.

Saunders is from the excellent Davey Jones camp, is always in great condition and ready to go to war. Saunders has been in with some good fighters such as Pintor, Wellman Jnr, and Huxley, but he hasn’t managed that breakthrough win. A capable boxer with credible power, he also has decent ground skills, and has only been stopped once in 13 outings. Khan hasn’t been tested by a puncher, and hasn’t shown any real power himself, so if Saunders can rough Khan up in the clinch he might find Khan caves. This is a hard fight to call, a real even fight for the purists.

185lb Division

Grohl vs Gustin

Grohl 4-5 has lost his last two fights by KO to strikers and faces a younger but very promising striker in Gustin. Gustin is 3-0 (3 stoppages) trains in the Evil Empire private gym, has excellent skills for a young fighter, and an abundance of KO power. Gustin should come through this fight with relative ease, and get the job done inside the 1st round.

155lb Division

Cold vs The East

Cold is 7-6 (0-4 INY) and his management have run out on him so this dude looks ready to be beaten for a 5th consecutive fight come Saturday night. Fortunately for the ill prepared Cold, he is facing a fighter with a 5-7 record called the Beast from the East. Beast is 1-7 from his last eight fights, was stopped last time out but usually gets beat by decision.

One of these guys will at least get a W, and I hope its Beast because his manager at least supports his fighter.

265+ Division

Hunt vs Heisman

Hunt 4-3 has heavy hands, can box as well as takedown and work for submissions. He has scored wins by submission and beaten guys up in the clinch, but he does cut and this could be a problem in this fight.

Heisman is 1-0 1KO and is a former amateur boxing star, who has become notorious among strikers in his gym for being able to take a great shot. This is worrying for Hunt who will either have planned to try and catch Heisman with a haymaker or go all out for the takedowns and hope for the submission. I’d chose the latter.

205lb Division

Martin vs Buhler

Martin is 5-6 well rounded with his losses of late coming as a result of being overwhelmed when facing specialist grapplers, a defense you would be expecting him to have developed at this stage of his career. Buhler is another exceptional wrestler so unless Martin has finally worked on this takedown defense and wrestling, then the Assasi camp will be celebrating another successful night in the INY.

205lb Division

My Face vs Froglegs

Two veteran journeymen meet with one of them getting a much needed win. My Face is heavy handed, can box and likes to shoot for takedowns, though he seems largely ineffective in every facet of MMA. Froglegs has decent all round skills, can box and has capable ground skills. He throws way too many power combos and needs to tighten up on his accuracy and see if he can start putting some wins together. Froglegs can win this, let us hope his camp have him prepared for a victory.

170lb Division

Barera vs Von Hammer

Barera is, to be brutally honest, a complete sack of shite, next to no skills worth a mention, a 5 fight losing streak, 5 of his 6 losses by KO and the other by submission, he is a dream opponent. Facing him is Von Hammer who hasn’t won for nearly 2 years, since he scored a big KO against none other than the walking can he faces once again on Saturday night. Von Hammer by KO 1st round.

Enjoy the night Immortals Fans!

Article views: 267
» Donate to this author