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Things are gonna get heavy in Brisbane.
Fighting Words pits two of our Generation Iron MMA writers against each other in a heated debate on big fight predictions.
Jonathan Salmon: So I’m hearing from a little birdie that you actually think Frank Mir is going to take out Mark Hunt. Now, while I think it’s certainly possible, my gut’s telling me that Hunt is probably going to put a beat down on Mir with some fast and heavy hands.
Lionel Harris-Spence: You know, usually I think you’re out of your mind, but this time, I think you’ve got a point. Mark Hunt definitely has some heavy hands and his conditioning has gotten a lot better. However, I still think Frank Mir’s movement and boxing will eventually get the better of him. Not that I think he’s going to knock him out or anything, but I feel the competent boxing and foot work will keep Frank going in and out, picking his shots as well as avoiding them (most of them anyway.) I also feel Frank Mir’s ground game is far superior and that will play a part in the later rounds when Mark Hunt get tired, this is a five round fight.
JS: You’re absolutely right about the ground game, but I don’t think it plays a factor in this match up. Hunt has shifted his style for MMA to encompass more boxing combinations and less kicking in order to dig underhooks and prevent takedowns. Mir is no wrestling wizard and will be hardpressed to get Hunt to the ground. Hunt’s footwork is also very clean, it’s a matter of whether he stands tall in front of Mir to receive shots or use his distancing to get off big shots and hurt the former champ with a left hook counter.
LHS: Yeah I think Mir is going to fight a smart fight and stay on the outside, possibly trying to tire him out with some clinch game against the fence. I see Mir keeping his distance at first and then turning it up in the 3rd round. The new rested Mir seems to have way better cardio and punching power to boot, knocking out Bigfoot Silva and Todd Duffee. I think it will be a war of attrition with Mir ending up on top
Final Prediction: Mir by submission Rd. 3
JoOn the contrary, I see Mir getting more winded in this fight than Hunt. The former kickboxer is going to show everyone exactly why he was so highly regarded in K-1.
The Verdict: Hunt wins by TKO Rd. 3
Who do you think will triumph in the heavyweight main event?
