INACTIVITY has hampered the professional career of Ivan Dychko. Regardless, he is finally making the step up to the world level on Saturday, when he collides with Jermaine Franklin on the Canelo-Crawford undercard. There, it is likely that Dychko will need a stoppage to win.
Dychko, 15-0 (14 KOs), twice claimed Olympic bronze as an amateur, at both London 2012 and Rio 2016, and also medalled thrice at the World Amateur Championships. His amateur career ended with a stellar record of 181-18.
Yet, despite numerous triumphs over the highly regarded Bakhodir Jalolov, and victories over Filip Hrgovic and Zhilei Zhang, Dychko has been moved extremely slowing since his professional debut in 2017, fighting just six times since 2019 with a total of 17 rounds.
Of those outings, a 10-round decision triumph over Kevin Espindola accounts for the majority of the rounds in which the 6’9” Kazakh has participated. That is the only occasion in his professional career in which he has fought beyond the third round.
As a result, the gas tank of the now 35-year-old remains unproven and ahead of a major step up in opposition, there is a sense that Dychko could be exposed if the bout is prolonged.
Across the ring awaits Michigan’s Jermaine Franklin Jr, 23-2 (15 KOs), best remembered for his efforts in the two defeats of his professional career, when he lost decisions to both Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua on UK soil.
The ‘989 Assassin’ impressed on each of those occasions but his reputation as a potential banana skin opponent has restricted further opportunities on the big stage for the 31-year-old.
Here, the crafty and tough American will believe that he is capable of surviving the early onslaught from his towering dance partner and capitalising on Dychko’s inexperience beyond the third round to either claim a points victory or close the show down the stretch.
IVAN DYCHKO VS JERMAINE FRANKLIN FIGHT PREDICTION
As his extensive amateur record may suggest, Dychko boxes behind his long jab and utilises his side to keep out of range and score regularly with the 1-2.
However, Franklin showed that he is capable of closing the distance and taking those shots away from high-level fighters in Whyte and Joshua. The fact that Franklin has taken his last 10 fights into the second half must surely be a concern for Dychko.
Staying on Dychko’s toes and using his superior speed, Boxing News believes that Jermaine Franklin will secure a breakthrough win on Saturday night, either by late stoppage or on the cards.
