- Shane Mosley Jr was one pound over the 160lb middleweight limit on his first attempt, then made weight to face Denzel Bentley at Zuffa Boxing 12
- Chris Billam-Smith weighed 199.5lbs and Cheavon Clarke 198.8lbs for the cruiserweight main event at the Copper Box Arena tonight
- My view: that rushed cut is a worry for Mosley Jr, and Bentley stops him in the late rounds
Mosley Jr Needs A Second Go
Right then, here is the story from the London scales. Shane Mosley Jr was a pound over the 160lb middleweight limit on his first attempt on Friday and needed the full hour to shed it before he got on and made weight. Opponent Denzel Bentley was on the mark at 160lbs, so the co-feature at Zuffa Boxing 12 is still on at the Copper Box Arena tonight.
Make no mistake, a pound is not the end of the world, and he did the job in the end. But dropping the last pound of a cut on the day before a 10-round fight is not how you want to prepare against a man who will be on you all night.
Why It Matters For Bentley vs Mosley Jr
Bentley is the pressure fighter who works the body and wears people down. If Mosley Jr has had to wring himself out at the last minute, those body shots land harder and the late rounds get ugly. I said in my fight-night preview that Bentley would stop him late, and this only strengthens that call. Let's not beat around the bush, I am even more confident now.
Billam-Smith And Clarke Make Cruiserweight
There were no such worries at the top of the bill. Chris Billam-Smith weighed 199.5lbs and Cheavon Clarke 198.8lbs, both inside the 200lb limit, so the amateur grudge match goes ahead as planned over 10 rounds.
Billam-Smith Has Half A Pound To Spare
Billam-Smith looks to have done everything right, and the more complete professional should get this done on points. My pick is unchanged: a hard-earned decision for Billam-Smith. The fight is live on Sky Sports in the UK and Paramount+ in the US, and my Saturday split guide will help you juggle it with Manchester.