The hero of the weekend, 39-year-old cruiser from Sweden, Badu Jack (28-3-3.17 KOs), after a sensational victory over the WBC champion African Ilunga Makabu (29-3, 25 KOs), must make his debut defense against the mandatory challenger – another ward Don King (Don King Production) native of Armenia Noel Gevor (26-2, 11 KOs).
He earned his title right in February last year – in an unrealistically boring style, he outplayed the gatekeeper from the DRC, Youri Kalenga. The Makabu vs Gevor fight was supposed to take place in January, but was canceled a week before the fight – apparently, an offer was received for a much more financially profitable offer to fight Jack.
Despite the presence of a mandatory challenger, the Swedish veteran is being wooed on the sidelines with might and main by the star Mexican super middleweight Saul Canelo Alvarez (58-2-2, 39 KOs). Everyone suddenly remembered how in November 2021 the Mexican team made a special request to the WBC – they asked to sanction the fight between super middleweight Canelo and cruiser champion Macabu.
Despite Alvarez’s desire to conquer the fifth category, this fight had practically no chances – the African had a low market value, no one wanted to invest in this fight.
But Jack is a different story. He is the conqueror of three divisions, the owner of a very solid track record, a future contender for membership in International Boxing Hall of Fame, the oldest champion in cruiserweight history and a very popular figure in the Middle East (including Saudi Arabia). Yes, and local investors, of course, would like to organize at least one duel with Canelo.
The fight Macabu vs Jack took place as part of the show Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury. In the main event of the evening, the victory of the underdog was also recorded.