Akani Phuzi vs Ryan Rozicki Preview Oct. 25th, 2025
The vacant WBC Continental Americas Cruiserweight Title is on the line in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada this Saturday, October 25th as Akani Phuzi of South Africa takes on Canada’s Ryan Rozicki. Phuzi last fought in May when he beat Youssouf Kasongo Mwanza via an eight-round unanimous decision while Rozicki last saw action in December when he battled to a 12-round draw with Yamil Peralta in a rematch for the WBC Interim Cruiserweight Belt. The two first met in 2022 with Rozicki winning a controversial 12-round split decision for the vacant WBC International Cruiserweight Belt. The result stood but the WBC decided that the title should stay vacant due to judging favouritism in Canada. A WBC panel reviewed the fight after Peralta’s team complained about the scoring.
Phuzi vs Rozicki Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Akani Phuzi +125
- Ryan Rozicki -155
My Pick
Phuzi is 31 years old and makes the ring walk with a mark of 14-3 with 6 Ko’s. He’s been a pro since 2017 following his amateur career and has 118 rounds of experience to his name since. Unfortunately there’s no height and reach information available for Phuzi so we don’t know how he stacks up size-wise against Rozicki. We do know that he isn’t the most powerful puncher out there though as 42.9 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage and he’s stopped just two of his last nine opponents.
Phuzi has hit a rough patch in his pro career recently as gone 4-3 in his last seven fights. He dropped a 10-round unanimous decision to Johnny Muller in December, 2020 and was then edged by a 10-round split decision to Muller in their instant rematch six months later. Three fights after that, in October, 2023, Phuzi lost an eight-round unanimous decision to Muslim Gadzhimagomedov in his opponent’s second pro bout. Phuzi has never fought outside of Africa and has taken on limited opposition throughout his pro career.
Rozicki is now 30 years old and carries around an impressive record of 20-1-1 with 19 Ko’s which means 95 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage. He obviously has a heavy punch as he’s stopped 19 of his 22 opponents so far with 17 of them being halted in the first three rounds. He’s boxed just 84 rounds since turning pro in 2016 after a short amateur career but has more or less taken on domestic-level opposition only in Canada. His biggest fight though was for the inaugural Bridgerweight title in October, 2021 when he dropped a 12-round unanimous decision to Oscar Rivas for his lone pro defeat.
The only other times Rozicki went the distance were in May, 2022 when he was awarded a 10-round split decision over Yamil Peralta for the vacant WBC International Cruiserweight Belt. However, the result was appealed by Peralta’s team and a WBC panel reviewed the fight and ruled the title still vacant as a no contest as all three of the judges were from Canada and some hometown cooking may have been involved. He then went the 12-round distance with Peralta in their rematch last December and the pair battled to a draw.
Rozicki won the vacant NABA Cruiserweight Title in 2018 by stopping Abokan Bopke in the first round and captured the vacant WBC International Silver Cruiserweight Belt by halting Shawn Miller in the third round a year later. He also took the NABA Cruiserweight Belt in 2021 when he stopped Sylvera Louis in the sixth round and won the NABF Crown in 2023 by stopping Alante Green in the 10th round. Unfortunately there’s no reach information for Rozicki but he’s listed as 6-feet-2-inches tall.
Prediction……
Rozicki has plenty of power while Phuzi lacks in that department and is also fighting outside of Africa for the first time. I doubt that Phuzi will be able to keep the Canadian off of him for all 12 rounds but if his chin holds out he has a shot here. I’m leaning towards Rozicki though as I believe his punch output will be too much for Phuzi to handle.
Rozicki’s power and aggressiveness will be too much.
Play: Rozicki -155 @ BetOnline.ag
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Akani Phuzi betting • Ryan Rozicki betting