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Erik Bazinyan vs Shakeel Phinn Preview
Thomas Hearns, Michael Nunn, and Andre Ward are just three names that have held the NABF super middleweight crown. The current holder, Erik Bazinyan, makes his seventh defense of the title this weekend against Shakeel Phinn. Born in Armenia, Erik now fights out of Laval, Quebec, and is looking to bolster his impressive record of 32 wins, 0 defeats, and 23 knockouts.
The NABF title is a step up to the elite level, and Shakeel Phinn is the man currently standing between Erik and an inevitable world title shot. Tyler Buxton (United Boxing Promotions) and Camille Estephan (Eye of the Tiger Management) have brought their promotional prowess together for this event. Phinn is a solid test and a serious step up from Bazinyan’s last opponent.
Both fighters are in the top 30 in the 168lb division. But, with Erik on the cusp of the elite and Shakeel on the fringes of the world level, how could this one pan out this weekend?
Erik Bazinyan vs Shakeel Phinn Head-to-Head and Key Stats
The Armenian is a top ten super middleweight by many boxing journalists and sits seventh in the IBF rankings. However, as we know in boxing, overlooking an opponent and focusing on a fight further down the line can be the downfall of many fighters.
Bazinyan and Phinn are facing off at the Montreal Casino, the location of Erik’s last five defenses. The scheduled ten-round fight could be a serious war of attrition. Before Bazinyan’s last outing against Billi Facundo Godoy in January, he chalked up a career-best win, stopping Ronald Ellis in six rounds. Ellis recently went ten rounds with another top contender, Christian Mbilli. He lasted into the 11th with a man many considered the heir to the king of 175, David Benavidez.
Phinn’s key stat is his chin. He hasn’t been on the canvas or had a significant wobble in his career. He also packs a fairly tasty dig in both hands, notching up 17 knockouts in his 26 wins. His only three defeats came via points decisions. You’d imagine Erik wanting to make a statement and become the first man to stop Shakeel.
Erik Bazinyan vs Shakeel Phinn Predictions
If Erik has recovered from sinusitis and is firing on all cylinders, he will be a serious handful for Phinn. It’ll be interesting to see how Erik fares on the world stage. Some journalists and fans believe he might lack that crunching power to challenge the top guys at 168. However, the Ronald Ellis win showcased what he’s capable of.
Phinn might try to set the pace early, as we’ve seen him do this with lesser-caliber opponents. He and his team will be wary of Erik’s power and combination punching. Shakeel must show more than he has in his last few bouts. He also starts slowly and moves toward his opponents in straight lines, which Bazinyan will probably take advantage of.
His cagey, pop-shot style shouldn’t cause Erik a problem. As we get into the middle rounds, we predict the Armenian will show his pedigree and skill, unloading to the body and head. Phinn probably doesn’t have the power or punch repertoire to stave off these attacks, especially in the latter rounds. We envisage a points win for Erik. But to make a serious statement on the world stage, you’d imagine he’d need to get Phinn out of there within 6 rounds.
As one fighter has it all to lose, you can imagine Bazinyan waiting for the perfect time to strike. Immaturity or one mistake could end up costing Phinn the biggest fight of his life. Predicting boxing matches is never easy, but we see a winner in this bout.
Erik Bazinyan vs Shakeel Phinn Betting Picks
The major consideration when placing a boxing bet should revolve mainly around how the two boxers match up stylistically. The crux of this fight is whether Bazinyan will crack Phinn’s chin. Our sportsbook seems to think he will. At the time of writing, Phinn is around +500, and Erik is at -800. For those of us who enjoy betting on boxing, we know how unpredictable the sport can sometimes be. Ryan Garcia beating Devin Haney on points was an outcome nobody saw coming.
We’d say it’s probably a little closer than this, but it’s hard to see any other outcome than an Erik W. He has much more to his game than Shakeel, and Shakeel doesn’t have too much that should trouble Erik. Erik’s amateur pedigree helps him read his opponents well. Shakeel often comes forward and throws single shots. That approach will play into Erik’s game plan and cause him a lot of difficulty in gaining any favors on the scorecard.
If you’re looking to place a wager on this one, there are welcome bonuses and promotions you can use to help save a bit of money on your punt. However, in this situation, it does not seem likely that the underdog can outbox Bazinyan. If you are betting on this boxing match, ensure you control how much you stake.
Erik Bazinyan vs Shakeel Phinn Outcome
Bazinyan has a fantastic range of shots, can punch with both hands, switch to southpaw, and whip in some great body shots. Phinn has looked solid from a defensive perspective. Despite boasting an impressive KO ratio, Erik does not have a reputation for delivering a one-punch knockout. He is the type of fighter to land an accumulation of shots to grind down his opponents.
If Erik is going to win this one by KO, we’d like him to do it with a culmination of body shots or a corner stoppage. You can get odds of -135 for under 8.5 rounds, which could be worth a punt. The outright markets are probably too wide, and Phinn at +500 isn’t worth it either. It could be worth it if those odds push out on fight night toward +800 or 900. But, Erik is the man in form and will fight for a legitimate world title belt this year.
The early rounds will probably involve the two fighters feeling each other out. Erik will start at a consistent pace, and the 10-round distance suits him. Phinn has shown vulnerabilities in the past, especially when faced with voluminous counterpunchers. If he has any chance of an upset this fight, you will know after the first two rounds.
Erik Bazinyan vs Shakeel Phinn in Montreal On May 2nd https://t.co/1p9cjeFkfJ #Boxing #BoxingNews
— Boxing News 24 (@boxingnews24) April 29, 2024
We’d say a wide win on the judge’s scorecard or a late stoppage for Erik is the most likely outcome. If we were to choose, we’d say a wide points win for Bazinyan would be on the cards. Still, if he wants to make a statement on the world scene, you’d have to expect that he gets rid of Phinn like he despatched Ronald Ellis. If it looks like the fight is swinging toward a stoppage early on, you can find a range of live betting markets to bet on the fight in play.
Erik Bazinyan vs Shakeel Phinn Full Fight Card
Originally scheduled to take place on April 11, they pushed the fight back a few weeks because of a bout of sinusitis that Erik suffered. It’s pushed a lot of the undercard back as well. There are two eight-rounders and two six-rounders. That includes an opponent TBA for Colombian-born lightweight prospect Jhon Orobio. Orobio is a 20-year-old lightweight who boasts a 100% knockout ratio after seven fights.
The first of the two eight-rounders is the main support for the showdown between Bazinyan and Phinn. It features undefeated southpaw super-featherweight Thomas “The Ghost” Chabot taking on the Mexican Alfredo Jimenez Espino. With one draw and one stoppage loss on his record, you’d think The Ghost should be able to finish this one before it goes the distance. The rangy southpaw is tall for super-featherweight and will walk Espino onto a shot at some point.
The second eight-rounder features Avery Martin Duval taking on Argentinian Ezequiel Palaversic. If it ignites in the opening couple of rounds, it has the potential to be a barnstormer. We’d say Duval has enough to utilize home advantage and take the victory over the stretch, be it via points or stoppage.
Moreno Fendero is a 24-year-old French southpaw looking to continue gaining experience and eager to climb through the ranks. Coming up against Argentinian journeyman Nicolas Luque Palacios. Fendero should increase his record to 5-0. He will win on points, considering Palacios was only stopped once in ten defeats. It should be a good learning fight for the Frenchman. Palacios will bring the experience and toughness that Fendero needs at this stage of his career.
Middleweight contender Alexandre Gaumont is the last fight on the card. The 28-year-old only fought three times in 2023, and this is his first outing this year. Time is a valuable asset in boxing. Given he’s already scheduled to fight again at the end of May, he’s looking to kick his career into second gear and move toward the regional title level. He should make light work of Tanzanian Abdallah Luanja, who usually campaigns at 147. It would surprise us to see this one go the scheduled distance.
