A Matchroom promoted card takes place at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio this Saturday evening, and in the main event, hometown hero Montana Love is showcased, as he attempts to take the WBA Intercontinental super lightweight title from Australia’s Stevie Spark.
DAZN televise Love vs Spark live.
Love (18-0-1, 9 KOs) has been stepping up in class in his last few fights, and the only blemish on his record is a 2018 eight round draw with Kenneth Sims Jr.
The 27-year-old was out four times in 2021, with the highlight an August seventh round retirement win against former IBF world champion Ivan Baranchyk, and ‘Too Pretty’ claimed his first title in his most recent fight, securing the vacant IBF North American strap in a tight points win against Gabriel Valenzuela on the undercard of Canelo’s loss to Dmitry Bivol in May.
Spark (15-2, 14 KOs) will definitely come to test Love’s chin, with only one of his wins out of 15 going the distance.
The 26-year-old Australian has two defeats on the slate, the most recent a third round stoppage at the hands of Tim Tszyu last July in a bid for the Commonwealth title at super welterweight.
’The Viking’ has dropped back down two weight divisions, and won three on the spin since, all inside schedule, with the last a third round stoppage of former world title challenger Apinun Khongsong in June.
Prediction: Love looks a talent, and Spark looks like he is a carefully selected opponent for the American to look good against here. The American should do what is asked of him, and after an entertaining opening few rounds, he can get the job done by the halfway mark.
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Remaining Undercard
Puerto Rico’s Christian Tapia (15-0, 12 KOs) defends his WBC Continental Americas super featherweight title for the first time, and he should have too much for Thomas Mattice (19-3-1, 15 KOs), with a stoppage win the likely outcome.
Richardson Hitchins (14-0, 6 KOs), who is gunning for a fight with Love, can take the vacant IBF North American super lightweight title left behind by his rival with a decision win against Yomar Alamo (20-1-1, 12 KOs), while Raymond Ford (12-0-1, 6 KOs) should make a successful defence of his WBA Continental Americas featherweight title, but will likely need the cards to defeat Sakaria Lukas (25-1-1, 17 KOs).
In six rounders, Love’s brother Raynell Williams (13-1, 7 KOs) can take a points win in his super featherweight outing against Ryizeemmion Ford (8-2, 6 KOs), while at super welterweight, Nikoloz Sekhniashvili (7-1, 5 KOs) can return to winning ways with an early win against David Rodriguez (6-0, 2 KOs).
The final six round contest comes at light heavyweight, where Khalil Coe (3-0-1, 2 KOs) should overcome Bradley Olmeda (5-0, 3 KOs) on the scorecards.
The sole four rounder is at super featherweight, where Beatriz Ferreira should secure a debut points win against Taynna Cardoso (5-0, 1 KO).
