Jab Hook’s Prediction for the Madison Square Garden Theater, Linares v. Cano

Jorge Linares “El Niño de Oro“ vs Pablo Cesar Cano “El Demoledor“. Super Lightweights boxing in a 12 Round Prizefight.

Jorge Linares went professional at 17 years old under Sendai Tanaka in Tokyo, leaving his life in Venezuela behind forever.

A four-time world champion in three weight classes, he is the former Ring magazine and WBA lightweight title holder (Sept 2016 -May 2018). Linares' best wins were beating Anthony Crolla twice by unanimous decision. His best performance ever was against Vasyl Lomachenko, where Jab's scorecard was even at 85:85 after nine rounds, including Lomachenko's first ever knockdown. But the bout became Linares' worst ever when Loma dropped him in the 10^th round, making him quit in Jab's best bout of 2018.

So he moved up to Super-lightweight after the Loma loss, as if that might help?“El Niño de Oro“ has been a professional boxer half of his life.  Now he is 45(28)-4(4). He's fought ten grueling rounds fifteen times in his career. This followed by twelve rounds in four consecutive fights, including twenty four rounds battling Crolla. Then a brutal TKO loss to Lomachenko. In the “Old school” we talk about the substance of the man and what he pays in the ring as boxer. Win or lose, a boxer sacrifices a part of himself with every bout. When is it enough? It is unbearably hard for champions to walk away from the ring.

Pablo Cesar Cano was a club fighter from the outskirts of Mexico City for five years. Then he burst onto the world stage in 2011 against Erik Morales.

With only eight days notice he fought for the vacant WBC junior welterweight title on the Mayweather-Ortiz undercard. He looked good until losing the bout due to a cut after 9 rounds. The “Demolisher“ has had his own face demolished at least 4 times with serious cuts, including two technical decisions and one TKO. He's fought and lost against some tough guys and big names like Mosely and Malignaggi, which was a Brooklyn hometown gift for Paulie. Add a disqualification vs Abreu for a positive drug test, a previous missed weight, a record of 31(21) – 7(3)-1, and Cano moves clearly into the journeyman role.

Jab's keys to victory

Jorge Linares:

1) Box, establish the jab and control distance.

2) Avoid his head and his awkward style.

3) Counterpunch at will.

4) Set him up, and take him out.

Pablo Cesar Cano:

1) Be aggressive and awkward in your attacks.

2) Disrupt his rhythm and show no respect.

3) Clinch, lean, make him work.

4) Take ring center and invite him in.

Jab's Prediction: This is a bout meant to keep Linares relevant and warmed up. There will be fast and furious action, blood will flow as fists fly, including the so-called “third fist”. The question is mostly how and when will he do it. “The Golden Boy” stops the “Demolisher” via TKO in the 9^th round.

Check NYFights.com this weekend for Jab Hook's Epilogues for Madison Square Garden Theater, NYC

“Jab Hook”, aka “Brooklyn” Joe Healy is a boxing expert commentator for DAZN.de, a professional cutman from the BOXWERK gym, and a licensed referee/judge in amateur boxing. A lifelong aficionado born in Brooklyn and living in Munich, “The Sweet Science” is his passion. Please feel free to contact him as Jab Hook on FaceBook, at [email protected], or on Twitter https://twitter.com/BoxAficionado…