Promoter Eddie Hearn claims former WBC interim junior middleweight champion Serhii Bohachuk is “tailor-made” for his fighter, Ishael Davis, in their 12-round main support fight on the Turki Alalshik card in Riyadh. Bohachuk vs. Davis fight at Tyson Fury vs. Alexander Usyk 2 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.
Bohachuk vs. Davis
The Bohachuk-Davis fight is considered the best on the undercard, but it might not be if Davis plays like he did in his loss to Josh Kelly and in his previous fights. Ishmael is what you call a ‘hit and grab’ fighter. He throws single punches, then goes into a clinch and a grapple. It’s not fun to watch.
Hearn says that while Davis (13-1, 6 KOs) lost his last fight to Josh Kelly via a 12-round split decision on September 21st, Bohachuk’s straight forward style suits him better and he thinks he can win.
The heavily muscled Ishmael, 29, has a low striking style in which he follows his opponents around, throws in a jab, then a jab, followed by a clinch. He repeats this pattern over and over without variation.
He does a lot of holding and clubbing in the clinch. It’s an ugly style. He retreated when attacked in a Shakur-like fashion, and fights ended with low performance due to his movement and constant squeezing. Surprisingly, Davis is being used as a replacement opponent after Israil Madrimov pulled out of the fight. Turki should have found someone to make it fun because he is holding back and moving on from Ismail a lot.
For a PPV card, having Ishmael Davis co-feature is toxic. He has no chance of beating Bohachuk. That is not even up for debate. Davis would lose his last four opponents to Bohachuk. What’s important is to use a quality opponent for Bohachuk because of the high visibility of the card, and Davis is so awful to watch between the style of strikes, grappling and movement he uses.
Hearn says Ishmael Davis can win this fight and become the WBC mandatory for champion Sebastian Fundora. It’s not happening, but you can’t blame Hearn for going to bat for his fighter. Davis can’t win this fight or beat any of the top 15 contenders. His loss to Josh Kelly last September speaks volumes for him. Throw in Ishmael with one of Bohachuk’s recent victims, Brian Mendoza, Patrick Alotti or Nathaniel Gallimore; he doesn’t win against either of them.
When Davis got close to Kelly, he would throw a punch and grab. It was either to back off when Kelly attacked him, which isn’t a huge blow.
Ishmael Davis’ IQ is not there and his style is so boring to the extreme. He fights like he has no sense in his head. He doesn’t think in the ring. If this was Hearn’s spade, he messed up Turki.
The entire undercard is terrible, but Davis makes it worse. Bohachuk is the only good thing on the undercard, but he’s fighting a bigger version of Shakur without his skills and multiple clinchers.
Hearn’s “tailored” claim.
“This is another level in terms of that kind of opposition,” Eddie Hearn said Matchroom Booking on Ishmael Davis going from a 12-round split decision loss to Josh Kelly to now facing former WBC interim junior middleweight champion Serhii Bohachuk this Saturday night in Riyadh.
“Even though Josh (Kelly) is a good fighter, this is a different style (Bohachuk). Josh Kelly’s style didn’t really suit Ishmael Davis. This Bohachuk style is actually tailor-made for Ishmael Davis, but it’s world-class.
“So I look at it this way. “First and foremost, it’s a payday you can’t turn down,” Hearn said of the Ishmael Davis vs. Bohachuk fight on Saturday night. “’Number two, I like the style on you. Number three, you are a quality fighter.
This is sure to be a payoff for Ishamel Davis who will take on Bohachuk in the co-headlining match of the Tyson Fury vs. Alexander Usyk 2 rematch in Riyadh. Davis will get paid handsomely, but it’s not a fight he can win.
“On your night you can compete with anyone. Number four, if you beat this kid (Bohachuk), you’ll be mandatory for (WBC Junior Middleweight Champion) Sebastian Fundora, and you’ll earn a seven-figure ($1 million+) payout. So let’s get her.’ That’s the way I look at it,” Hearn said of Davis.
On Ishmael’s best night, he might get lucky and win a decision against a marginal opponent because he has a way of neutralizing his opponents’ offense by immediately throwing and grabbing them. With that strike and catch style, it’s hard for fighters to land a strike before Davis holds them down. A good judge will punish Davis if he uses this style all night because he uses it to delay the fight, but he can’t beat a world class fighter like Bohachuk using that negative style.
“It’s not about being brave. It’s about being smart, calculating, strategic and that’s all in line with this decision (Davis fighting Bohachuk),” Hearn said of Ishmael. “We are not going to throw out an English world champion. Ishmael has potential, and I believe he is already at British and European level. “He has the ability and the potential to be a world-class fighter,” Hearn said of the 29-year-old Davis.
“Imagine if he did that.” He is against it, but the style. Bohachuk is a straight line. He is relentless. “He’s a very good fighter, but I can’t wait for that fight,” Hearn said.
Davis is not going to win this fight, even with his demeanor. Bohachuk will catch Davis as he lunges forward in the clinch, and he will get hurt. Bohachuk needs to be aware of all the holds and grappling that Davis will do, as he will need to fight in the clinch to make it work.
Davis will use that style as his main defensive tactic, as he unsuccessfully tried to do against Josh Kelly. Bohachuk will hurt Davis with something and knock him out at some point in this fight.