Intriguing fight.
Briedis is one of the best cruisers in the world in a really hot division. Perez is a super lazy-skilled little plump heavyweight that's finally decided to train but unfortunately had just 29 seconds of action in the past few years.
I've been contemplating backing Perez (4/1), as he looks in terrific condition at this weight, however, if beating Briedis wasn't hard enough, he'll probably need a KO (15/2). Now he certainly had enough crack to prevent men 25lb naturally bigger than him taking liberties but most of his stoppages came from reducing out-skilled/speeded plodders to walking quitting punchbags.
Perez can take a decent clump (no shame getting chinned by Povetkin and if being half-cut is true, as he claims, then understandble) but in Breidis he'll be dealing with speedier, sharper shots than he's been used to from a fundamentally excellent fighter with a persistent fight winner jab.
I think either Briedis destroys Perez early-ish - 16 of his 18 KO's have come in 5 rounds or less - (rds 1-3 7/1 / rds 1-6 9/4) or Perez gets into the fight confusing Briedis with his relaxed, slippery two-fisted lefty-switch style... which brings us back to Perez pulling off an upset (4/1). Hmmm....
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