Written by Jon Uddin

On Saturday, WBC Cruiserweight Champion 🇨🇩Ilunga “Junior” Makabu (27-2-0, 24KO) puts his title on the line against contender 🇳🇬Olenrewaju Duradola (34-7-0, 31KO) at Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

This will be the first defense of the title since Makabu, 33, defeated Poland’s Michal Cieslak by decision in January. The Congolese southpaw has been recognized as the Pride of Democratic Republic of the Congo by the country’s president, and will get to make his first defense where he won it, in front of his countrymen against Nigeria’s Durodola.

The 40 year old Durodola is on a five fight win streak with four knockouts since being stopped by Cielsak in the second round in 2019.

To say this fight has gone under the radar is an understatement as their has been no mention of it outside of a short snip on the WBC website. Cruiserweight title fights rarely disappoint and expect the leather to fly in this one as these two don’t know how to fight any other way.

Makabu is the heavy betting favorite at -2500 while Durodola comes in at +1000. I don’t expect this go the full twelve rounds as it’s a rare occasion for either fighter win or lose. But it will be fireworks while it lasts.

Prediction: Makabu by 5th round KO over Durodola