Heavyweight Jared Anderson will fight Marios Kollias on the Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk undercard on February 14 at the Hula Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Lance Pugmore @pugboxing broke the news that ‘Big Baby’ Anderson is fighting Kollias on the Keyshawn-Berinchyk undercard. It’s a relatively safe fight for Anderson, 25, but not solely because he’s been hurt more than once in his career by lower-level opposition.
A Must-Win for Anderson
This isn’t a big opponent for Jared Anderson, but he looked so bad in the last fight that he doesn’t look ready for world class fights. I don’t know if it ever will, but that’s Top Rank’s problem. At this point, Jared is what you consider a project and a jerk.
This will be the first fight for Anderson (17-1, 15 KOs) since he was knocked out in the fifth round by Martin Bakole on August 3 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
Unsurprisingly, Top Rank chose an unknown fighter, matching Jared against 33-year-old Greek Kollias (12-3-1, 10 KOs). The way Anderson was shut out by Bakole in a three-knockdown loss would be a crazy move to put him against a contender. Anderson was dropped in the first round and twice more in the fifth by Bakole.
Jared fought well in rounds two through four and looked like he was in control until Bakole hurt him again in the fifth.
Should the top drop Jared if he loses?
If Anderson loses this fight, Top Ranking might have to consider cutting him. They believed Jared would be their next heavyweight star, but the worrying signs were there early on when he was outwitted by journeyman Jerry Forrest and then injured again by former IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin.
Kollias is coming off a first-round knockout win over journeyman Tamaz Izoria on November 16. Prior to that, he was defeated by Kem Ljungquist via a 10-round majority decision on March 9 last year.
In the main event, 2020 Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis (12-0, 8 KOs) will challenge WBO lightweight champion Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs). Top Rank is pushing Keyshawn, 25, quickly in his career, matching him with Berinchyk in his fourth year as a pro.
It could be a mistake on Top Rank’s part to move Davis so quickly because he hasn’t fought anyone as well as 2012 Olympian Berincik and he went wild in his fight against Nahir Albright.
Keyshawn has shown no interest in fighting Cuban Andy Cruz, who beat him four times in the amateurs and had him. It is possible that he is still haunted by these defeats and wants to stay away from his conqueror.
Davis will be fine as long as Top Rank protects him against good opposition, but if they match him with someone with talent, he will likely fall apart again.
2025-01-06 23:21:00
