Undefeated WBO featherweight champion Sergio Chirino will face second-ranked (WBO) Sergio Chirino at the BleauLive Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada.
(Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Position)
The game consists of battles between two heroes who are determined to seize victory by any means necessary; they will leave everything in the ring.
Espinoza is making his first title defense since his stunning victory over Robeisy Ramirez last December. For Chirino, it’s a chance to fulfill his lifelong dream of taking a world title.
Rafael Espinoza (24-0, 20 KOs) is the tallest featherweight champion in history at six feet and an inch. He has a tough first defense against a hungry fighter with a strong novice background who is technically sound and has decent power.
Espinoza has a 6.5-inch reach advantage, and he’ll use it during the game. To be truly successful he needs to be targeted and use his jab at long range throughout the match, Espinoza tends to ignore it and fight on the inside instead.
If he does, he will be giving Chirino a chance to box him inside. Espinoza is an orthodox fighter, and this is his strength; sometimes he chooses to switch to a southpaw stance to give his opponents a different look.
In his match against Robeisy, his change of form cost him dearly, as he was hit hard on the ankle. He could have lost the match at that point, but Espinoza dug deep, finished the match, and captured the victory.
Espinoza threw nearly 1,000 punches in that game and said in Wednesday’s press conference that he had a full camp, feels good, and is determined to surpass that punch count this time around.
Chirino will have to limit Espinoza’s high output rate to succeed. Chirino’s average output of 47.3 punches per round is significantly lower than Espinoza’s average of 77.4 punches (Compubox).
In defense, Chirino will have to catch, duck, and block Espinoza’s punches and target Espinoza’s big body offensively to slow him down.
Sergio Chirino (22-1, 13 KOs) tends to like to box on the outside as he often has the opportunity to reach his opponents. At 5’9, he’s a featherweight with good size. In this game, he will have to fight from the inside to succeed. This is a strategy that will not be difficult to find since Espinoza likes to fight from the inside.
Chirino said he felt he could drop Espinoza, as others have done in the past. This will not be an easy task, as Espinoza’s size and strength can cause difficulties. Only four went the distance with Rafael.
This game could be a battle where the winner will be the one who can withstand the 36 minute battle. Neither will give in, and both are willing to sacrifice everything to capture the victory.
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