Dan Hardy column: Mark Hunt's knockout power sets him apart ahead of fight with Stipe Miocic

Power meets precision this weekend as Mark ‘Super Samoan’ Hunt collides with skilled boxer, Stipe Miocic, in Adelaide, Australia. Hunt, known for his wrecking-ball power, will look to close the Octagon down and not allow Miocic to use his speed and footwork to turn it into a chase. If Miocic can find space and keep Hunt in pursuit, his crisp boxing and Division 1 wrestling background will give the Samoan tank a lot of problems. A Golden Gloves champion, Stipe, an American of Croatian descent, has scored big wins over the likes of Roy Nelson, Gabriel Gonzaga and Fabio Maldonado.

Using his hand speed, Miocic hits his opponents with multiple heavy punches, chaining combinations together to keep them on the back foot. His conditioning is also impeccable, in a division of hulking athletes that often move slowly and work sparingly, he brings a pace that few can handle. His opponent, although undersized in stature for a heavyweight at 5’10”, tips the scales at a hefty 119kgs (262lbs). With a wealth of kickboxing experience, Hunt crossed over to MMA and has excelled.

There are many things that stand out about the New Zealander Hunt. His granite jaw, his incredible determination and his humbleness outside of the Octagon to name a few. Above all though, it is his unique knockout power that sets him apart. His ability to generate earth-shaking punches from any angle has helped him score some of the most impressive knockout wins in heavyweight history. Known for his signature walk-off, he will connect with the conclusive blow before confidently turning and walking away, leaving the referee to step in and confirm the knockout.

Coming off a loss in a bout for the interim heavyweight title, Hunt will be looking to score big this weekend and lay Stipe Miocic out on the canvas to get back in the picture. It will be a test of his patience and Octagon control, as he tries to avoid a straight boxing match with Miocic whilst closing the distance to utilise his legendary power. In Miocic’s case, he would be wise to use his wrestling skills and wear Hunt down. In the later rounds his conditioning will come into play and he can test the stand up game, as long as he doesn’t stand still for too long!

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In the co-main event we see another New Zealand native, Robert Whittaker, facing his toughest test to date. His opponent, Hawaiian scrapper, Brad Tavares, will try and put Whittaker under a lot of pressure. With Tavares ranked #14, a win here for Whittaker would push his career to another level. But to do that he will have to give his best performance yet. Tavares, a veteran of 11 UFC fights, is coming off a big win over Nate Marquardt. He likes to push his opponents conditioning and transitions seamlessly from striking to grappling and back.

Much like the main event, if Whittaker can stick and move he may be able to frustrate the Hawaiian standout and expose an opening to get the finish. He will put the middleweight division on notice if he can secure an impressive win over Tavares. Also, don’t miss the battle of undefeated prospects, as 9-0 Jake Matthews takes on the 6’3” Texan, James Vick. A great night of fights. Tweet at me if you are watching live - @danhardymma