By Ian S Palmer
Former super middleweight and light-heavyweight champion Badou Jack of Sweden returns to the ring this Sunday, June 6 when he takes on unbeaten Dervin Colina of Venezuela in a 10-round bout in Miami, Florida. Jack had been scheduled to face Jean Pascal in a rematch for the WBA Light-Heavyweight Title after dropping a split decision to him in December, 2019. However, Pascal failed a pre-fight drug test and Colina stepped in as a replacement. The fight can be seen on the undercard of the Floyd Mayweather extravaganza against Logan Paul which is available on pay-per-view. Jack last fought in November when he beat Blake McKernan via an eight-round unanimous decision. Colina last fought in February when he stopped Wilman Contreras in the second round.
The 37-year-old Jack fights out of Las Vegas and owns a record of 23-3-3 with 13 Ko’s. He’s a a former WBC Super Middleweight Titleholder who then won the WBA Light Heavyweight Title by stopping Nathan Cleverly in the fifth round in August, 2017. Jack possesses a good jab, decent and underrated power and is a good counterpuncher. He’s not a spectacular boxer, but is a very solid one. His first defeat came at the hands of Derek Edwards in an upset via a first-round stoppage in February of 2014.
He didn’t taste defeat again until January, 2019 when he lost a 12-round unanimous decision to Marcus Browne for the interim WBA, and the vacant WBC Silver Light-heavyweight Titles. He then dropped the decision to Pascal in his very next fight 11 months later. In fact, he’s won just two of his last six fights with two defeats and two draws.
Jack fought to a majority draw with Adonis Stevenson in a shot at the WBC Light Heavyweight crown in May, 2018 and also drew with James DeGale over 12 rounds in January, 2017 in an IBF and WBC Super Middleweight Title tilt and fought to a 10-round draw with Marco Antonio Periban in September of 2013. Jack’s best wins have been over Cleverly, George Groves, Lucian Bute, Anthony Dirrell and Rogelio Medina.
Jack has as habit of dropping his hands and sometimes lunging in and he’ll need to keep these traits to a minimum against Colina due to his opponent’s power. Jack stands 6-feet-1-inch tall and has a 73-inch reach. He’s a former Olympian who has boxed 191 rounds since turning pro in 2009. Jack has a solid chin as well as plenty of heart and determination and carries around a knockout ratio of 44.8 per cent. However, he has enough power to hurt and drop anybody.
As for Colina, he’s 33 years old and now fights out of Florida. He owns a perfect record of 15-0 with 13 Kos but hasn’t fought anybody of note as of yet. He’s taking a huge step up in class against jack but keep in mind his current knockout ratio stands at 86.7 per cent. Since making his pro debut in 2013 he’s boxed just 40 rounds and has captured the vacant WBA Fedebol Super Middleweight Title /
Colina weighed 204 lbs in his pro debut and basically fought as a cruiserweight for his first six contests. He then fought mainly as a light heavyweight or super middleweight. He stands just under 6-feet-tall with a 74-inch reach which gives him a minimal one-inch reach advantage on Jack while he’s a couple of inches shorter. He’s never fought past eight rounds and 11 of his knockouts have come in the first two rounds with seven of them coming in the first stanza.
Prediction…
Jack is a world-class boxer who’s had some tough luck lately and he’s not getting any younger. He’s understandably disappointed at not fighting Pascal this weekend but need sot make sure he doesn’t underestimate Colina, especially with his punching power. As long as Jack is focused for this fight and takes it seriously I’m expecting him to win it, but once again, Colina has a puncher’s chance.
