Gavin McDonnell chases super bantamweight glory in Hull against heavy-hitting Rey Vargas
Undefeated across a seven year professional career, McDonnell has won 16 of his 18 bouts, with two draws against Josh Wale and Ashley Lane
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Your support makes all the difference.The 2017 City of Culture becomes a lights-out location tonight as the Hull Arena hosts Gavin McDonnell’s attempt to become the new WBC super bantamweight champion. McDonnell’s twin brother Jamie currently holds the WBA bantamweight title, and Gavin is aiming to create multiple magic against the current champion Rey Vargas.
Undefeated across a seven year professional career, McDonnell has won 16 of his 18 bouts, with two draws against Josh Wale and Ashley Lane. At 30, McDonnell is approaching the prime of his career considering the lower weight class he competes in, but he faces a hugely difficult task to become world champion against an unbeaten Mexican who carries sensational power.
The 26-year-old Vargas has a perfect 28-0 record as a professional, with 22 wins coming via stoppage. Vargas tends to stop fighters early, which should worry McDonnell who has experienced slow starts in fights against the likes of Wale and Leigh Wood. McDonnell rallied in both of those bouts, but he may not have a chance to in this one if the heavy-hitting Vargas manages to find his range early.
Both fighters made weight comfortably, and McDonnell may be buoyed by fighting in front of a crowd near his native Doncaster. Vargas has only fought outside of Mexico once, and only recently completed the full 12 championship for the first time. McDonnell has significant experience in long range fights, having fought all 12 rounds five times in his career.
Considering his heart, doggedness and grit there is a belief that the Englishman can get the job done on points, but it’s hard to look past the ruthless elegance that Vargas exhibits so cleanly inside the ring. Mexican fighters often excel in Britain because the noise of the crowd reminds them of home, so it remains to be seen whether the audience in Hull can unsettle a man who is seemingly impervious to pressure.
The bookmakers are favouring Vargas as a ½ favourite, while McDonnell is a 2/1 underdog. If you anticipate the Mexican to add McDonnell to his list of stoppage victims, you can find relatively generous odds of 11/10, but if you want significant value look for the 7/2 bet for under 5.5 rounds.
Home favourite and London 2012 Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell tops the undercard in Hull against 21-6 Jairo Lopez, who competes outside of Mexico for the very first time.
Former Luke Campbell foe Tommy Coyle fights Rakeem Noble, while highly rated bantamweight Ryan Burnett also features on the card.
Deontay Wilder vs Gerald Washington, 1am, Sky Sports 1
An all-American heavyweight world title scrap also takes place tonight in Birmingham, Alabama, when WBC champion Deontay Wilder takes on Gerald Washington. The 37-0 Wilder competes for the first time since last July following a shoulder injury, but he should make easy work of his comeback opponent.
Washington is undefeated across 19 fights, but has not yet excelled against a genuine world class heavyweight. The 34-year-old most recently defeated 45-year-old Ray Austin last July, while he couldn’t finish the smaller Eddie Chambers three months before that. Washington also fought to a draw with Amir Mansour in October 2015, who was in his forties at the time.
A man who struggles to cleanly finish fighters is putty for Deontay Wilder, who though flawed, carries a significant equaliser into any fight via his ferocious punching power. Wilder has stopped 36 of his 37 opponents, with only Bermane Stiverne able to offer any resistance in January 2015.
The stoppages have been coming later and later for Wilder, however, with his last five opponents all making it past the seventh round. Prior to those fights, no Wilder opponent had gone past the fourth. With huge opportunities on the horizon against the likes of Anthony Joshua, David Haye or Tyson Fury, Wilder will want to make a statement tonight in Birmingham.
Wilder to finish the fight in the first round offers intriguing 8/1 odds, but a more sensible bet could be the third at 12/1. On the undercard, Jarrett Hurd and Tony Harrison fight for the vacant IBF light middleweight title, while heavyweights Dominic Breazale and Izuagbe Ugonoh meet in a crossroads fight.
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