Boxing

Keys to Victory: What points will decide Michael Zerafa against Alejandro Ortiz?

DAZN

11, Aug

Keys to Victory: What points will decide Michael Zerafa against Alejandro Ortiz?

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Battle-tested enough to have accrued rich ring savvy, Michael Zerafa is still holding onto his dream of becoming a world champion.

The 34-year-old Australian faces a stern test today by taking on dangerous knockout artist Alejandro Ortiz at The Star Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, and live on DAZN.

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Zerafa (34-5, 22 KOs) is coming off a controversial no contest against Nikita Tszyu in a January bout that ended when an accidental headbutt clouded the former’s vision. This marks his debut fight under Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing promotional banner. To be successful in it, Zerafa will need to avoid the power of Ortiz (26-1, 25 KOs) who counts all but one of his victories by the way of knockout.

Will Zerafa launch his last-ditch effort to become a world titleholder with fireworks? Or will Ortiz spoil those plans with his heavy hands? DAZN News analyzes the Keys to Victory for both fighters in this middleweight matchup which serves in chief support to the heavyweight tilt between Teremoana Teremoana and DeAndre Savage.

Michael Zerafa’s Keys to Victory

Show ring generalship

As a fresh restart in making his Matchroom Boxing debut, Michael Zerafa must show ring generalship — especially against an Alejandro Ortiz who is nine years his junior and void of worldly experience.

This means establishing an educated jab, going to the body and not leaving himself vulnerable to the Venezuelan fighter’s power via a lackadaisical guard that Zerafa has a penchant of keeping at chest level.

It also means knowing when to pounce and provide the eye candy judges need to see to swing close rounds and producing adjustments that keep him in control.

If this is genuinely going to be a clean slate for the ‘Pretty Boy,’ he must show he can still dazzle without running into unnecessary static.

Sneak in the uppercut

Zerafa has a slick right uppercut when he chooses to deploy it. The weapon has some nice slashing action to it on the inside where the Australian can catch an unsuspecting Ortiz by surprise, adding to it with power-punch combinations that also hit their marks.

Lean into experience edge

Zerafa has a major experience edge, having fought former world champions such as Kell Brook and Jeff Horn, and current WBA middleweight titleholder Erislandy Lara.

With those rounds comes invaluable ring savvy that Zerafa must lean into against an Ortiz who has competed in his native Venezuela — against inferior opponents — for all but one of his 27 professional bouts.

Alejandro Ortiz’ Keys to Victory

Take educated chances

Fight footage on Alejandro Ortiz shows the Venezuelan fighter has a disciplined guard that he inexplicably abandons more as mental lapses than mechanical ring tactics.

If Ortiz is going to upset Zerafa, he must take educated chances with his power in not providing the Australian with open lanes for retorts following blatant misses and mistakes.

Mix in the left hand

Whether early on against Nikita Tszyu or his knockout loss to Erislandy Lara, Zerafa has shown vulnerability to a left hand to the point where Ortiz ought to shoot his shot with the weapon himself.

This can come within the fighting flow of the Venezuelan’s offense, making sure to work a left hand — other than a jab — into the mix of his punches. It also also be utilized on the countering end via a check left hook.

Don’t get blinded by the bright lights

As aforementioned, Ortiz has nearly 30 fights to his professional ledger with nearly all taking place in his native Venezuela. In addition, his ring resume lacks the big names that Zerafa has gone against.

This could be a positive or negative, depending on how one views it. It could be a benefit in the sense that Ortiz boldly fights his fight undeterred and surprises Zerafa with his power. On the other hand, the biggest stage of Ortiz’ career might reveal a major lack of experience that Zerafa can take advantage of with sweet science tactics.

All being said, Ortiz must try his best to not let the scale of the moment overcome him. Staying composed as possible should help.

Who has the edge in Zerafa vs. Ortiz?

Analysis: DAZN News’ Mark Lelinwalla

Judging off the eye test alone, I think Alejandro Ortiz can not only produce turbulence for Michael Zerafa, but shock him in spots. However, losing in his Matchroom Boxing debut would spell doom for the Australian whom I anticipate to make the scrappy in-ring adjustments needed to emerge as a points winner and launch this next phase of his career.