Badou Jack vs Hany Atiyo Preview May 21st, 2022
Former super middleweight and light-heavyweight champion Badou Jack of Sweden takes his show back on the road again this Saturday, May 21st when he takes on journeyman Hany Atiyo of Egypt in a 12-round cruiserweight bout in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Jack made his cruiserweight debut the last time out in November when he stopped Samuel Crossed in the second round. Atiyo was last in the ring in April when he beat Georges Michel Baguigauana by a four-round majority decision. The fight is on the undercard of the Floyd Mayweather vs Don Moore event and is available on FITE pay-per-view
Jack vs Atiyo Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Hany Atiyo +1800
- Badou Jack -6600
My Pick
The 38-year-old Jack fights out of Las Vegas and owns a record of 25-3-3 with 15 Ko’s. He’s 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 via a first-round stoppage in February and 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 a controversial decision to Jean Pascal in his very next fight 11 months later. He’s now won four of his last eight 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. The other draw on his record was a 10-round affair with Marco Antonio Periban in September, 2013. Jack’s biggest career victories have been over Cleverly, George Groves, Lucian Bute, Anthony Dirrell and Rogelio Medina.
Jack stands 6-feet-1-inch tall with a 73-inch reach and is a former Olympian who has boxed 197 rounds since making his pro debut back in 2009. He has a solid chin as well as plenty of heart and determination and carries around a current knockout ratio of 48.4 per cent. He has enough power to hurt and drop anybody and has stopped his last two opponents after going the distance in his four previous outings.
Atiyo is also 38 years old and now resides in Dubai. He carries a record of 17-5 with 12 Ko’s and returned to the ring in 2020 after leaving the sport for over four years. He’s just over 6-feet-2-inches tall with an unlisted reach so has a 1.5-inch edge in height on Jack. Atiyo has boxed 103 rounds since turning pro in 2009 and has decent power with a current knockout ratio of 54.6 per cent.
His first two defeats came by knockout at the hands of Joey Vegas in the 11th round in 2012 and in the fourth round back in June, 2013. Atiyo lost his African Boxing Union Light-Heavyweight title in the first meeting and was beaten for the WBC International Light-Heavyweight Belt in the second fight. Atiyo was then stopped in just 75 seconds by the great Roy Jones Jr in September, 2014 in a bout for the Worl Boxing Union (German version) Cruiserweight Title.
Atiyo was also stopped by Rolly Lambert Fogoum in five rounds in 2020 for the UBO African Cruiserweight Title and was then stopped in the third round by Pavel Sour in April of this year. However, he was back in the ring just two weeks later and beat Georges Michel Baguigauana. Since turning pro, Atiyo has managed to win the African Boxing Union Light Heavyweight Title, the Egyptian Light Heavyweight Title and the Universal Boxing Organization All-Africa Light Heavyweight Title.
Prediction…
Jack is still a world-class boxer but is facing somebody who will be fighting for the third time since April 16 after sitting out for more than four years earlier in his career. Atiyo has been stopped in all five of his losses and this looks like it may be a bit of a mismatch. Still, Jack needs to be well prepared as it’s a professional fight but he should win this contest without too much of a problem.
Jack is a class or two above Atiyo.
Play: Jack -6600 @ BetOnline.ag
Check out my recent boxing betting picks to see my current form.
Badou Jack betting • Hany Atiyo betting