\n<\/p>\n
Lauren Blake, Misfits Boxing Credit: Destiny McCubbin<\/p>\n
Fight night is here, and I recently sat down with Lauren Blake to talk about the Misfits Boxing card headed to Miami on Saturday. Lauren has been covering Misfits, so I wanted to get her take on what stands out, the biggest storylines heading into fight night, and a card that should give fight fans plenty to talk about.<\/p>\n
The event takes place Saturday at the James L. Knight Center in Miami and will stream live on DAZN beginning at 7 p.m. ET \/ 4 p.m. PT.<\/p>\n
With a former UFC champion making his professional boxing debut, a young fighter stepping into the main event on short notice, and former interim UFC lightweight champion Tony Ferguson also on the card, there was plenty to discuss ahead of fight night.<\/p>\n
The main event features Henry Cejudo taking on Javon \u201cWanna\u201d Walton in a welterweight bout which has boxing fans interested given the vast difference between the two fighters.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s so exciting! Henry Cejudo is a combat sports legend. Not to mention that this was a really unusual fight. This is so exciting because this is just so absurd. You have this combat sports legend, UFC champ, Olympian gold medalist who\u2019s making their professional boxing debut,\u201d Blake said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAgainst this 20-year-old southpaw Euphoria<\/em>\u00a0actor who\u2019s, in my opinion, grossly underestimated, but he is trained as a professional boxer. It\u2019s going to be super fun to see how it plays out.\u201d<\/p>\n Cejudo has already accomplished nearly everything in combat sports, winning an Olympic gold medal in wrestling in 2008 before becoming a two-division UFC champion. Now he enters unfamiliar territory as he prepares to make his professional boxing debut.<\/p>\n Walton may be best known to many for playing \u201cAshtray\u201d on Euphoria<\/em>, the HBO smash hit, but he is far from an actor simply stepping into the ring for attention. He has trained in boxing since childhood and enters Saturday night\u2019s bout with an undefeated professional record of 3-0-1.<\/p>\n Walton wasn\u2019t scheduled to compete on the card until Deen The Great, Cejudo\u2019s original opponent, fell out of the fight due to injury. Now the actor looks to score an upset on a massive stage against a combat sports icon.<\/p>\n That is where the matchup becomes particularly interesting. Cejudo brings elite fight IQ, an ability to adjust under pressure, and a competitive mindset that has translated throughout his combat sports career.<\/p>\n Walton is younger and brings significantly more boxing experience, having trained in the sport since childhood. That is what makes this matchup difficult to simplify. It is not simply a case of the UFC legend against the boxer. Both men enter Saturday night facing a unique challenge and with something to prove.<\/p>\n Tony Ferguson returns to the card to defend his Misfits middleweight title, but once again, he will have to adjust to a change in opponent. Ferguson is now set to face Mahmoud Sebie on Saturday night.<\/p>\n Sebie brings an extensive combat sports background of his own as a former Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler with professional MMA experience. While this is another crossover into boxing, the matchup is far from straightforward. Ferguson must adjust to a new opponent on short notice, while Sebie steps into a major opportunity with limited time to prepare.<\/p>\n Ferguson has already competed twice under the Misfits Boxing banner and will now make his first defense of the middleweight title. His career has taken several turns over the years, but the longtime fan favorite continues to draw interest every time he steps into competition.<\/p>\n The rest of the card features the familiar mix of fighters, creators and personalities that has become a staple of Misfits Boxing. Crossover boxing may not appeal to everyone, but the promotion has consistently built events around unconventional matchups designed to generate interest and conversation.<\/p>\n In my conversation with Lauren, we broke down some of the biggest names and matchups on the card, along with the larger questions surrounding Saturday night\u2019s fights.<\/p>\n Cejudo will look to prove that his decorated combat sports background can translate to the boxing ring, while Walton has an opportunity to show he belongs in a main event opposite one of the most accomplished combat sports athletes of his generation.<\/p>\n Ferguson, meanwhile, faces another unexpected challenge following a late opponent change, while several other fighters on the card will look to take advantage of the spotlight and create a memorable moment of their own.<\/p>\n My conversation with Lauren helped put the matchups into perspective and highlight what to watch for once the opening bell rings. Saturday night should provide some answers, likely raise a few new questions, and give fight fans plenty to discuss when it is all over.<\/p>\n \u201cThe intangible here is that Henry Cejudo has this insane combat IQ. Olympic gold medalist, UFC multi-belt holder, and professional boxing debut. I think that his competitive edge does come from the fact that he has years of experience, of training at such a high level of intensity, and being able to read the opponent and operate at a level that most athletes will never get to,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving that is an advantage, but Walton is developed professionally as a boxer since he was young. I think he\u2019s underrated and underestimated. It\u2019s going to be an interesting fight. It\u2019s unusual so we\u2019ll have to see how it plays out.\u201d<\/p>\n Misfits Boxing: Cejudo vs. Walton takes place on Saturday Sept. 26 at the James L. Knight Center in Miami and will stream live on DAZN beginning at 7 p.m. ET \/ 4 p.m. PT. Watch the entire interview with Lauren Blake below.<\/em><\/p>\nTony Ferguson Set to Defend Middleweight Title.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
The rest of the card continues to deliver the unpredictable energy that has become a trademark of Misfits Boxing.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Is it worth the watch? YES.\u00a0<\/h3>\n