Promoter Eddie Hearn claims former WBC interim junior middleweight champion Serhii Bohachuk is “tailor-made” for his fighter, Ishael Davis, in their 12-round chief support fight on Turki Alalshik’s card in Riyadh. Bohachuk vs. Davis are fighting on the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk 2 event at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.
Bohachuk vs. Davis
The Bohachuk-Davis fight is viewed as the best on the undercard, but it may not be if Davis performs as he did in his loss to Josh Kelly and in his previous fights. Ishmael is what you call a ‘punch-and-grab’ fighter. He throws single shots, then falls in for a clinch and wrestling. It’s not entertaining to watch.
Hearn states that although Davis (13-1, 6 KOs) lost his last fight to Josh Kelly by a 12-round split decision on September 21st, Bohachuk’s “straight ahead” style is more suited to him, and he thinks he can win.
The heavily muscled Ishmael, 29, has a low punch output style in which he follows his opponents around, throws a jab, then a single shot 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-esque manner, and fights ended up with low output due to his movement and constant clenching. Surprisingly, Davis is being used as the replacement opponent after Israil Madrimov dropped out of the fight. Turki should have found someone that make it entertaining because a lot of holding and moving from Ishmael.
For a PPV card, having Ishmael Davis in the co-feature is poisonous. He has NO chance at all of beating Bohachuk. That’s not even up for debate. Davis would lose to Bohachuk’s last four opponents. What’s important is that a quality opponent is being used for Bohachuk due to the high visibility of the card, and Davis is so awful to watch between the punch, grab, and move style he uses.
Hearn says Ishmael Davis can win this fight and become the WBC mandatory for champion Sebastian Fundora. That is not happening, but you can’t blame Hearn for going to bat for his fighter. Davis cannot win this fight or beat any top 15 contenders. His loss to Josh Kelly last September says enough about him. Throw Ishmael in with one of Bohacuk’s recent victims, Brian Mendoza, Patrick Allotey, or Nathaniel Gallimore; he is not winning against any of them.
When Davis would get close to Kelly, he’d throw a punch and grab. It was either that or retreat when attacked by Kelly, who is not a big puncher.
The ring IQ of Ishmael Davis 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 pick, he messed up Turki.
The whole undercard is terrible, but Davis makes it worse. Bohachuk is the only thing good about the undercard, but he’s matched against a bigger version of Shakur without his skills and more of a clincher.
Hearn’s “Tailor-Made” Claim
“This is another level in terms of that kind of opposition,” said Eddie Hearn to Matchroom Boxing about Ishmael Davis going from losing a close 12-round split decision to Josh Kelly to now facing former WBC interim junior middleweight champion Serhii Bohachuk this Saturday night in Riyadh.
“Although Josh [Kelly] is a good fighter, this is a different style [Bohachuk]. The Josh Kelly style didn’t really suit Ishmail Davis. This style from Bohachuk is actually tailor-made for Ishmael Davis, but it’s at world level.
“So, I look at it like this. ‘First and foremost, it’s a payday you can’t turn down,’” said Hearn about Ishmael Davis fighting Bohachuk on Saturday night. “‘Number two, I like the style for you. Number three, you’re a quality fighter.
This is a payday for sure for Ishamel Davis going up against Bohachuk in the co-feature bout on the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk 2 rematch in Riyadh. Davis will get a nice payday, but it’s not a fight that he can win.
“‘On your night, you can compete with anyone. Number four, if you beat this kid [Bohachuk], you’re going to be the mandatory for [WBC junior middleweight champion] Sebastian Fundora, and you’re going to make a seven-figure [$1 million+] payday. So, let’s f*** have it.’ That’s how I look at it,” said Hearn about Davis.
On Ishmael’s best night, he might get lucky and win a decision against a fringe-level contender because he has a way of neutralizing his opponents’ offense by throwing and grabbing them immediately. With that punch-and-grab style, it’s hard for fighters to get a shot off before being held by Davis. A good referee will penalize Davis is he uses this style all night because he’s using that to stall the fight out, 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, calculated, strategic, and that’s everything aligned with this decision [Davis fighting Bohachuk],” said Hearn about Ishmael. “We’re not throwing some English champion at world level. Ishmael has the potential, and I believe he’s British and European level already. He has the ability and potential to be a world class fighter,” Hearn said about the 29-year-old Davis.
“Imagine if he done it. He’s right up against it, but the style. Bohachuk is a straight line. He’s relentless. He’s a very good fighter, but I can’t wait for that fight,” said Hearn.
Davis is not going to win this fight, even with his holding. Bohachuk will nail Davis when he dives forward to clinch, and he will get hurt. Bohachuk needs to be aware of all the holding and wrestling that Davis will do because he will have to fight in the clinch to get his shots off.
Davis will use that style as his main defensive tactic, as he tried unsuccessfully to do against Josh Kelly. Bohachuk will hurt Davis with something, and knock him out at some point in this fight.
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