Julius Indongo vs. Regis Prograis

Deadwood Mountain Grand, Deadwood, South Dakota, March 9
TV: Showtime
By Peter Lim

Emerging like a ghost from the deserts of Namibia, Indongo took the boxing world by storm by winning two of the four major world title belts. He proved that he could box, punch, go the distance and above all, that his style was infuriatingly difficult to solve.

But switch-hitting Terence Crawford, fighting predominantly as a southpaw, eventually solved the enigma of Indongo, writing the blueprint for every future Indongo opponent to follow. And that blueprint just happens to be what Prograis does best - apply controlled pressure, cut off the ring, stay low and elusive and punish the body and head with equal ferocity.

It might take Prograis more rounds than Crawford to break Indongo down but the end result will be the same. A straight left to the body snaps Indongo like a twig, sending him to the canvass in agony for the full count in the seventh round.

Deontay Wilder vs. Luis Ortiz

Barclay's Center, Brooklyn, NY, March 3
TV: Showtime
By Peter Lim

Wilder’s spectacular punching power has overshadowed the fact that he is as defensively flawed as he is offensively potent. If limited opponents the likes of Eric Molina and Johann Dehaupas could effortlessly bridge the distance and rock him, imagine the damage an educated monster like Ortiz can inflict on him. The question is, will Wilder land one of his fight-ending bombs before Ortiz can maneuver himself into range and let it rip up close and personal.

Of all of Wilder's previous opponents, Artur Szpilka, southpaw like Ortiz, is probably the best indicator as to how this fight will unfold. Although Szpilka was losing the fight, he had fleeting moments of success and getting in his share of punches before walking into a haymaker in the ninth round. Ortiz is a bigger, stronger, harder hitting and more polished version of Szpilka.

Despite his impressive stats, Wilder's level of competition thus far has been anything but impressive. He has never faced a fighter of Ortiz's experience and caliber and the step up in competition will be painfully obvious. 

Wilder is thrown off by Ortiz's southpaw stance from the outset and the Cuban doesn't give him time to adjust. Ortiz denies Wilder the chance to set up a big shot by applying steady pressure before stopping Wilder in the fifth round for the 2018 Upset of the Year.