Fight Pick & Preview – Huck vs. Afolabi III:
On June 8, WBO Cruiserweight Champion Marco Huck renews his rivalry with Ola Afolabi for their third encounter. This is Huck’s 11th defense of his title with two of those challenges coming from Afolabi. Their first fight in 2009 was a close unanimous win for Huck, while the two fought to a draw in their 2012 rematch.
Afolabi is certainly a crafty and tough fighter. He gave Huck two close fights, but what can change now? Perhaps Huck will grow complacent and become bored with the challenge of Afolabi, thus entering the ring in diminished form. Something like that could open the door for Afolabi. But if he were meant to beat Huck, it would have happened before now. The judges aren’t likely to start seeing his work more clearly and Huck isn’t likely to start phoning it in at this point.
- Date: June 8, 2013
- Site: Max Schmeling Halle, Berlin, Germany
- Weight Class: WBO Cruiserweight Title (200 Pounds): 12 Rounds
Marco Huck, 35-2-1 (25 KOs), Berlin, Germany, WBO Cruiserweight Champion
vs.
Ola Afolabi, 19-2-4 (9 KOs), London/Los Angeles
I worry a little bit about Huck getting stale. Though only 28, he is a veteran of 13 world title bouts dating back to 2007 and he didn’t look great against ancient Firat Arslan in his last fight in November, beating the 42-year old by two scores of only 115-113. If Huck is losing his touch, then Alofabi is a guy who can sneak up on him.
The London-born Alofabi has had an interesting career, with a 19-2-4 (9 KOs) record that dates back to 2002. He lost a light heavyweight 4-rounder to Allan Green back in 2003. I was at ringside when he beat spent former champion Orlin Norris in 2005–which strangely led to a 2.5-year hiatus. Since then, he’s posted wins over unbeaten Eric Fields, Enzo Maccarinelli, and some decent fodder from Europe, where he fought in his last 8 appearances.
Afolabi is not an easy assignment at 6’3.” He’s angular, cagey, and a really slippery guy. As evidenced by his close decision loss and draw to Huck, he matches up well with the less-refined champion. Huck isn’t very slick, in fact, he’s quite raw for a fighter of his stature. What he lacks in smooth boxing skills he makes up for with physical strength, a robust fighting spirit, and the mental make-up to really go after it.
With 4 draws and the close decision loss to Huck, Afolabi perhaps lacks that extra gear. He can hang with fighters like Huck, but he can’t really turn the corner and establish any clear separation. He also seems to lack a clear vision of the fight and what he needs to do. In both Huck fights, there were times where he needed to be moving his hands in close rounds where there was little to choose from for the judges. He couldn’t bring himself to do it. At 33, is that going to change for the better?
Afolabi is likely to provide another tough night of work for Huck, but if he couldn’t get the benefit of the doubt from the judges in the first two fights, which were also in Germany, how is going to get better in Berlin–where The Serbian-born Huck is based? There has perhaps been too much backlash against judges in Germany. While there have certainly been some German-based fighters who have received gift-wrapped decisions in their favor in the recent past, is that much different than how the sport works in other parts of the world?
Visiting fighters facing domestic championship-fighters know the score right out of the gate. Don’t go to into a favorite’s backyard and expect the home fighter to not get at least a little benefit of the doubt. You’re not going to be able to edge a hometown champ and get the nod. That seems to be the ceiling for Afolabi. You can make a case for him deserving the decision, but something more emphatic is required in these situations. In two previous fights, he hasn’t shown he is able to create that much, if any, real separation from Huck.
Huck vs. Afolabi Prediction
I thought Huck deserved to win the first fight fairly clearly. The second one could have gone either way, but Afolabi was hardly “robbed.” The only way this one will be different is if one of them hit a wall and I don’t think that’s the case. I suspect Huck might be nearing the end of his prime, but he still has enough assertiveness to win 7-8 rounds from the talented, but non-insistent Afolabi. I’ll take Huck by decision.
Prediction: Marco Huck by unanimous decision.
