Ryan Burnett and Zhanat Zhakiyanov will face off in a Belfast world title unification on October 21 in the SSE Arena. Burnett picked up the IBF version of the bantamweight titles in his most recent outing, outpointing visiting champion Lee Haskins. Burnett’s dominance was unquestioned, despite veteran judge Clark Sammartino inexplicably scoring the fight to Haskins. It was later discovered that the American had got the two combatants mixed up and thought he was scoring for Burnett.
Regardless, Burnett announced himself on the world scene and showed that he can be a viable threat to the best fighters not only at bantamweight but also up at super-bantamweight as well. His Kazakhstani opponent Zhakiyanov holds the WBA ‘Super’ bantamweight title but Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn who is promoting the contest is rightly using the unification tagline despite another of Hearn’s fighters, Jamie McDonnell, also holding a version of the WBA belt.
The bantamweight division has opened itself up nicely of late and if Burnett defeats Zhakiyanov it is not inconceivable that he could go on to pick up at least one more strap. Japan’s Shinsuke Yamanaka suffered a shock stoppage loss to Luis Nery in his most recent WBC title defence but Nery later failed a drugs test so that win is currently up in the air. South African dangerman Zolani Tete holds the WBO belt and would fight Burnett in a heartbeat. Tete can be devastating, as Paul Butler found out, but can also flatter to deceive – Guillermo Rigondeaux style. He is promoted by Frank Warren which could be a stumbling block. Khalid Yafai holds the WBA belt down at super-flyweight and could be a future dark horse for moving up and challenging Burnett.
Prior to the Haskins bout Hearn admitted to Belfast media that Zhakiyanov had been the first choice opponent before Haskins became available. The pair have sparred together and Burnett apparently coped well with the 33-year-old’s straight line, come-forward approach. After Hearn announced this fight would take place, a tweet popped up suggesting that the IBF would halt the matchup in favour of Burnett instead defending against Emmanuel Rodriguez. The little-known Puerto Rican has been pressuring the organisation for his shot but appears to have been placated for the time being and is likely to face the winner next, with no exceptions.
Zhakiyanov has boxed before in Belfast. In 2013 I was ringside to see the Ricky Hatton-trained fighter defeat Michael Escobar in the Holiday Inn. Zhakiyanov was only marking time then towards a European title shot, which he got in 2014 and knocked out Karim Guerfi in Sheffield. Zhakiyanov’s big world title break came in February of this year when he travelled to America to defeat Rau’shee Warren in an upset victory.
Zhanat (or ZZ as he is affectionately known) is a tough, rugged competitor who will be rumbling forward all night in Belfast. Does he have a touch of weakness? He was dropped twice by the relatively light-punching Warren, befuddled by the Ohio man’s speed and accuracy, before roaring back to the win, so it isn’t beyond the realms of possibility that he walks on to something at some point in the Burnett fight. It was likely that Zhakiyanov was caught cold and once he warmed up, a solid beard was displayed. This fight will be tough for Burnett throughout as he will be pressured, mauled and forced back. However, I think that even though each session will be competitive, there’s a chance Burnett will do the better work time and again to land a win by wide margins on the cards. Sometimes this happens and makes evenly-matched fights look more one-sided than they actually are.
I strongly expect Burnett to win this one and I will go for a stoppage prediction. Zhakiyanov is fit and strong but has shown that he can be hurt. I can see Burnett landing often and hard enough to back his opponent up as the contest proceeds and a bloodied Zhakiyanov getting stopped in round 11 of an absorbing battle.
