Yusaf Mack optimistic on defending USBA light heavyweight title against Omar Sheika – Boxing News
Yusaf Mack, the former NABA and NABF light heavyweight champion, is ready to defend his USBA light heavyweight title against fellow countryman Omar Sheika, the former WBC super middleweight contender, in a 12-round bout which will be televised live on April
27, 2012.
The duo will headline the event jointly promoted by Nedal Abuhumoud of Nedal Promotions and Andre Kut of KEA Boxing. The ring for the huge bout-stacked event will be stretched at Resorts Hotel & Casino situated in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States.
The Friday night show will be co-headlined by the non-title eight-round bout between Derrick Webster and Sabou Ballogou. Mack, 32, recently shared his thoughts about his upcoming showdown and put forth the media his firm determination in defending and retaining
his title.
Yusaf, has been in a total 35 bouts and boasts 29 wins, 17 of them via knockout. The Philadelphian proud has successfully held several titles round his waist and boasts wins over many respectable names in the division such as Chris Henry, Omar Pittman, Daniel
Judah and others.
Mack explained, while recalling his last bout experience, the reason why he lost the battle. Yusaf commented, “I was hitting him (Cloud), I was hitting him with shots I could see, dude ain’t nothing, and got caught with a shot I didn’t see. Like I did Andrade.
I knocked him down in the first round and I got excited and lost my whole game plan.”
Widely known as the ‘Mack Attack’, Yusaf fought Tavoris Cloud for the IBF light heavyweight championship and lost his senses in the eighth round hence collecting a technical knockout loss.
Yusaf grabbed his USBA gold after collecting an impressive split decision against Otis Griffin and the current bout against Omar is his first ever USBA title-defence bout. His Friday night opponent is a veteran who has been in a total 43 bouts and emerged
victorious in 32. He has nailed 21 of his opponents by knockout and is a decent pugilist.
Despite the fact that Omar has a pretty intimidating resume even then Yusaf is confident and quite optimistic. Mack commented, “I’m ready. Omar Sheika, watch out because I’m coming. This ain’t gonna be the same Mack attack you see fading out in the eighth
round. Eighth round comes, I might blow him a kiss and say let’s go.”
The bout will be an epic one and Omar should now seriously strive hard to break the bad spell that has made him notorious for losing each and every title bout. Omar, 35, unfortunately, has been in eight title bouts and lost all of them. This will be Sheika’s
ninth title bout.
The odds are in favour of Yusaf but if Omar capitalises the home ground advantage, he might defy the odds to win the title for the very first time.
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