Anderson vs Merhy, Ajagba vs Vianello will be broadcast live on ESPN+ beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
Heavyweight contender Jared Anderson predicts a dominating performance against little-known Ryad Merhy in their 10-round headliner this Saturday night live on ESPN at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Anderson (16-0, 15 KOs) and Merhy (32-2, 26 KOs) met today for their final press conference to discuss their fight. It was interesting to see the two fighters being low-key in promoting their fight.
Who in the World is Ryad Merhy?
There wasn’t much drama to speak of. Anderson looked detached the entire time, as his mind was elsewhere. That’s not a good sign.
It’s unclear who Merhy, 32, is and why he’s been picked out as the opponent for the 24-year-old Anderson rather than a top-tier guy. Fans have no clue who Merhy is and why he was chosen for this event.
This is a backward move for Anderson to fight this level of opponent, but his terrible performance against Charles Martin may have scared Top Rank away from putting him in with better opposition. It could have sent Anderon’s promoters scrambling to find a safe bet.
YouTube Critics: Anderson’s All Hype, No Heart
People on YouTube doubt that Anderson will ever capture a heavyweight title, believing he’s ‘not mentally strong and will eventually quit in one of his fights when the going gets tough.
It’s not a good sign that Anderson recently talked about how he could retire without ever fighting for a world title and that he would make his money just fighting opposition the way he’s been doing.
Top Rank is putting Anderson in headliner spots on ESPN, so he’s got to be making decent money regardless of whether it’s just soft opposition. Who needs a world title when you’re picking up those sweet paychecks headlining shows?
Big Statements, Bigger Questions
“Expect the best version of me. Expect to see me shine. Expect to see me dominate and show why I belong here,” said Jared Anderson during today’s press conference.
“Merhy has a different level of experience. But, everything from my amateur pedigree and what I’ve always done to everyone, whether they have experience or not, will play a different role.”
It might be up to the co-feature fight heavyweights Efe Ajagba (19-1, 14 KOs) and Guido Vianello (12-1-1, 10 KOs) to create interest on Saturday night.
