Michael Cieslak vs Tommy McCarthy Preview November 4th, 2023
Poland’s Michael Cieslak will be fighting at home this Saturday, November 4th as he defends his European Cruiserweight Title against former beltholder Tommy McCarthy of London, England. Cieslak won the vacant title in his last outing when he stopped Dylan Bregeon in the fourth round. McCarthy, who resides in Belfast, Northern Ireland, hasn’t fought since September of last year when he beat Reinis Porozovs on points over eight rounds so may have some ring rust to get through.
Cieslak vs McCarthy Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Tommy McCarthy +350
- Michael Cieslak -500
My Pick
The 34-year-old Cieslak enters the bout with a mark of 24-2 with 18 Ko’s and has boxed 125 rounds since turning pro in 2013 following an amateur career. He’s got pretty good power in his punches as 75 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage. He’s 6-2 in his last eight fights with all six wins coming by stoppage. He dropped a unanimous decision to Ilunga Makabu in January, 2020 for his first loss as a pro in a shot at the vacant WBC Cruiserweight title and was beaten by Lawrence Okolie by unanimous decision in February, 2022 in an attempt at the WBO Cruiserweight Crown.
As a pro, he’s won the vacant Republic of Poland Youth International Cruiserweight Title, the vacant IBF Baltic Cruiserweight Belt and the Polish Cruiserweight Title. His best wins up to now have been over Art Binkowski, Yury Kashinsky, Enrico Koelling, Ismail Abdoul, Jarno Rosberg, Taylor Mabika, Olanrewaju Durodola, Youri Kayembre Kalenga, Ivica Bacurin and Francisco Palacios. Cieslak is 6-feet-3-inches tall with a 79-inch reach.
McCarthy will turn 32 years old on fight night and makes the ring walk with a record of 20-4 with 10 Ko’s. He turned pro back in 2014 after an extensive amateur career and has 146 rounds under his belt since. Some of his amateur accomplishments were reaching the quarterfinals of the 2013 AIBA World Championships and European Championships, winning the Irish National Championships the same year as well as in 2012. He also captured the 2011 Under-21 Irish Championships made it to the final of the 2010 Commonwealth Games and fought in the World Series of Boxing.
As far as power goes, McCarthy has seen 50 per cent of his wins come by stoppage. His losses came at the hands of Matty Askin by 12-round unanimous decision in 2016 after being dropped twice in the fourth round, by fourth-round TKO to Richard Riakporhe in 2019 in a shot at the WBA Inter-Continental Cruiserweight Title, to Chris Billam Smith by 12-round split decision in July, 2021 in a shot at the British, European, and Commonwealth Cruiserweight belts and to Billam Smith by eighth-round KO in their rematch nine months later for the European and Commonwealth Belts.
McCarthy had won the vacant European Title in 2020 when he edged Billal Laggoune by a 12-round majority decision. He’s also won the WBC International Cruiserweight Belt via a 12-round split decision over Fabio Turchi in 2019. McCarthy measures just over 6-feet-2-inches tall with a a 74.5-inch reach so is half an inch shorter than the champion and gives up 4.5-inches in reach.
Prediction…
Cieslak is a tough customer with a good chin and also has good size and power so it’s not going to be easy for McCarthy as he’s been stopped twice in four defeats. McCarthy also needs to get inside to cause damage. I wouldn’t underestimate him but am expecting Cieslak to win a close fight in his homeland.
Cieslak is fighting at home and has the better skills.
Play: Cieslak -500 @ BetOnline.ag
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Michael Cieslak betting • Tommy McCarthy betting