American trainer Teddy Atlas shared his thoughts on the victory of Ukrainian boxer Sergey Bohachuk (25-2, 24 KOs) over British fighter Ishmael Davis (13-2, 6 KOs).
The bout for the WBC mandatory contender status in the junior middleweight division (up to 69.9 kg) took place on December 21 in the undercard of the Usyk – Fury rematch and ended with Bohachuk winning by technical knockout. In the second round, Davis was knocked down, and after the sixth round, he was unable to continue the fight.
"Incredible performance by Bohachuk. But again, two weeks is a very short time, even for those who are always in shape. Preparing for an opponent like Bohachuk in two weeks is practically impossible.
As for the original fight, it was supposed to be against Madirov. However, he pulled out due to bronchitis. Madirov is a very strong fighter, as he showed in his fight against Crawford in Los Angeles. He surprised many, despite having a relatively small number of fights. He's a champion who lost his title to Crawford, but that fight was competitive. It could have been a fantastic fight.
I don't blame anyone or question the truthfulness of this situation. I have no doubt that Madirov was genuinely ill. He is an honest fighter and a serious man, so there is no reason to doubt his words.
Davis is a versatile fighter, predominantly fighting out of the southpaw stance but capable of switching easily. He’s strong, physically durable, and very brave. But Bohachuk is a machine. He consistently pressures his opponent, lands precise punches, and moves without unnecessary motions. Sergey won and is now in an excellent position to fight for the WBC title," said Atlas.