Kenichi Ogawa vs Azinga Fuzile Preview Nov. 27th, 2021
The vacant IBF Jr. Lightweight title is on the line this Saturday, November 27th when Kenichi Ogawa of Japan meets southpaw Azinga Fuzile of South Africa. The 12-round bout is on the undercard of the Teofimo Lopez vs George Kambosos tilt and can be seen live in most nations on DAZN. Ogawa last boxed in October, 2020 when he beat Kazuhiro Nishitani by a 10-round unanimous decision. Fuzile’s last fight was in May when he stopped Martin Ward in the seventh round.
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Ogawa vs Fuzile Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Kenichi Ogawa +150
- Azinga Fuzile -190
My Pick
The 33-year-old Ogawa steps into the record with a record of 25-1-1 with 18 Kos. He made his pro debut in 2010 and has boxed 151 rounds since. He carries better-than-average power with a current knockout ratio of 64. 3 per cent and stands 5-feet-8-inches tall but has an unlisted reach. Ogawa may be best remembered for beating Tevin Farmer by a split decision in 2017 in a fight for the vacant IBF super Featherweight Title.
The celebrations were short-lived though as the result was changed to a no contest after Ogawa rested positive for Androstanediol. He won the Japanese Super Featherweight Title in 2015 with a five-round technical decision over Rikki Naito and defended it five times. He then fought for the the WBO Asia Pacific Super Featherweight Crown in December, 2019 and left the ring with a five-round technical draw against Joe Noynay.
Ogawa has fought outside of Japan just once and that was against Farmer. This weekend’s bout takes place at the Hulu Theater at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. Like many Japanese boxers, Ogawa possesses fine speed, has good power and owns a solid chin but hasn’t really been tested consistently by world-class boxers. His lone loss was a fifth-round stoppage at the hands of Yuki Miyoshi back in 2012 and he avenged it with a first-round TKO the next year.
Fuzile is a 25-year-old who owns a record of 15-1 with 9 Kos. Like Ogawa, his lone defeat came by stoppage as he was halted by Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in the ninth round in 2019 and this will also be just his second fight outside of his homeland. Fuzile made his pro debut in 2014 following his amateur career and has boxed 108 rounds since. He stands 5-feet-6-inches tall with a 70-inch reach and gives up two inches in height to Ogawa.
Fuzile has decent power but isn’t regarded as a KO artist as his current knockout ratio stands at 56.3 per cent. He won the South African Featherweight title in 2016 and the interim WBC Youth World Featherweight Crown the same year. He defended the South African Title twice and then captured the vacant IBF Continental Africa Super Featherweight Belt in 2018 and has defended it three times.
Prediction…
This is a fine matchup between skilled boxers with Ogawa having the edge in height, experience and power but Fuzile being eight years younger. Ogawa displayed fine skills against Farmer but it’s debatable how much the drugs enhanced his performance. This is a close call but Ogawa should have one good fight left in him and if he can deal with Fuzile’s style he should be able to emerge from the ring with the title.
Ogawa’s power chin could be the difference.
Play Ogawa +150 @ BetOnline.ag
Azinga Fuzile betting • Kenichi Ogawa betting
You were right. Good call!
Cheers, it was a good fight.