Shinny Bayaar v Ashley Sexton
British fight fans may have their eyes on Amir Khan and Kevin Mitchell this weekend as they fly the Union Jack on the global scene, but Friday fight-night throws up an equally exciting prospect in the form of Ashley Sexton. The young flyweight makes his first claim for a notable belt when he challenges champion Shinny Bayaar, who is making his first defence of the British strap.
Sexton is one of the most exciting boxing prospects in the country.
“Flash Ash” is blessed with tremendous hand-speed and phenomenal power considering he falls into the 112lb class.
If you’re not familiar with Sexton he is another in the Khan lightning-fists mould. An exciting talent the little man boasts a fantastic knockout punch in his arsenal and stalks his opponents around the ring like a pit-bull working for MI5.
Anyone who saw his first-round KO against Usman Ahmed will be in awe of the strength he can get in his shots. That has to go down as one of the knockouts of the year so far, a pulverising right hook catching Ahmeed so sweetly on the jaw that he went down cold. It was both stunning and horrific at the same time, landing that sort of punch in only his ninth fight shows what a special talent Sexton is.
It may come as a shock to some that Mongolian-born Bayaar is the current British champion. He only received his British citizenship last year and took the title almost straight away. However he has been living in Oldham for so many years he would most likely prefer a hotpot than a traditional Mongolian dish like mutton in yak milk any day of the week.
Bayaar is an awkward southpaw who at 32 is an older head than Sexton but surprisingly has only fought 11 more fights, despite making his debut some eight years before the Chesunt fighter. He’s a tough, sturdy customer who is always happy to trade off and he can take a shot or two as he demonstrated when he took the belt off of Chris Edwards, although that victory was far from convincing.
In contrast Sexton’s problem is that his victories have been too emphatic. His five knockouts mean that he has only gone six rounds twice his whole career and tonight he has to last 12 against the British champion. It’s a big ask for the 22-year old.
There might be genuine fear in Sexton’s camp that he’s bitten off more than he can chew. The youngster has looked like a whirlwind in his early bouts and great things are expected from him. He will need to be on his toes tonight, try to stick to a game plan, prepare for the full 12 rounds, choose his shots carefully and don’t go windmilling in because Bayaar will just pick him off.
Lining him up against the British champion who is 10 years his senior in his first 12-rounder is a huge step up and it is a very risky move for the unbeaten rising-star.
Flash Ash may have lighting in his hands, but he’s going to need a bit of thunder tonight as well if he wants to take his first title home.
Prediction: Sexton split decision
Sexton gets the benefit of the doubt here; his best hope is an early knockout. He has the power and speed to shock Bayaar, but the Mongolian born champion is a tough-cookie and Sexton won’t have things his own way all night. He should land the higher ratio of punches, but if he doesn’t pace himself he could be in serious trouble as the fight wears on. If Flash Ash gets his tactics wrong then he is starring down the barrel of his first ever defeat, Bayaar will be more than prepared to school the young prospect and this should be tight bout.
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