WBA #2 ranked heavyweight Michael ‘The Bounty’ Hunter II, (20-1-1, 14 KOs) will rematch Jerry ‘Slugger’ Forrest, (26-4-1, 20 KOs) tonight in the TrillerVerz IV ten-round main event at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Hunter defeated Forrest in 2014 by way of unanimous decision.
Hunter, who is also world ranked #7 by the WBC and #6 by the WBO, is well are of the durability of Forrest. He was extended the full eight round distance for the first time in his career in their first fight. Stopping Forrest this time around would be impressive given Forrest’s ability to bounce back when hurt as shown in his most recent televised performance.
How does it feel to be fighting in New York for the second consecutive time?
I am excited to be back here. I am very comfortable and in the same hotel as last time. The atmosphere here is really good and I am ready to fight.
How have you remained focused as Forrest was not your original opponent?
I am professional and things like this happen in boxing. I have a very good team around me we stayed on track until the opponent was finalized. My weight is good and I am in excellent condition. I have been in training for this date for quite some time so I stayed focused and am well prepared.
What do you most remember about your first fight with Forrest?
I remember he had a very good chin. It was early on in my career and I used my skills en route to the clear decision victory.
Do you feel that since he is seeking revenge he is coming in as a hungry fighter?
I feel that I am entering the fight even hungrier. I trained and fought hard to get to where I am. I am not overlooking him at all. I am actually entering the fight on the B side as he is promoted by the local promoter Lou DiBella. I have been here before. I am coming in extremely motivated to win this fight.
What were your thoughts seeing him in his draw versus unbeaten olympian Zhilei Zhang earlier this year?
It looked like he might get stopped early on but he is very resilient came back on strong. It just shows you that he is a fighter that you cannot count out and will fight you up until the very end.
How big would it be for you stop him tonight?
I think it would make a statement. He has shown that it is no easy feat to stop him inside the distance. I think me stopping him would be meaningful.
What are your immediate goals?
It begins with me winning this fight tonight and fighting for and winning a world title in 2022.
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Tonight’s TrillerVerz IV will be broadcast exclusively on TrillerFightClub.com and FITE through the TrillerVerz subscription package priced at $2.99 per month.
Following boxing, the telecast includes a VERZUZ battle between music legends Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Three 6 Mafia from the world-famous Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles.
This dudes dad was an original. Weird angles & kissing opponents
For a guy who’s short-term goals include a title fight, he’s taking an awfully weird path. With only one major name on his record, he seems stuck fighting regional fighters. I’d expect him to try and move up and get a real contender or two before earning a title fight. I see Hunter as a good fighter, but he hasn’t proven much of anything yet, except that he’s pretty good and like fighting no-hopers. it almost more risk to keep fighting these kind of guys and praying an organization just throws him into a big fight while potential taking a huge step back if he loses than it is to step up a fight a brand-name contender.
I’m pretty sure that Hunter would practically fight for free against the few HW’s above him in the ratings. Hunter is the LAST guy they want to fight. I’m not saying he beats them, but he’s obviously fast, skilled and isn’t afraid to fight guys much larger than himself. He may not be Shavers or Foreman, but he seems to be able to routinely beat up and stop guys that outweigh him by 40-50 pounds. He’s a no win opponent for the top HW’s because he doesn’t seem to get credit for what he’s already done in the division, and he could make most of them look bad, whether he beats them or not.
His stoppage of Bakole was an excellent win, as was his win over Kuzmin and his draw with Povetkin. And let’s face it, the current crop of HW’s don’t exactly have deep resumes. In fact, besides a decision over a nearly 40yo Wlad, and stoppages over the fragile Wilder, there isn’t much else on Fury’s resume.
Hunter is probably the most avoided HW in the top 10. Not because the others are afraid he’ll beat them, but they all know he’s fast enough, and confident that he’d be a very difficult win.
He also signed with a promoter that is more of a pseudo-boxing specialist. I mean, this card is a cross promotion with two way-past-their-prime hip hop groups. It doesn’t exactly feel legitimate. And while I think Hunter is talented, I don’t see him above a top 10 guy until he really steps in the ring and beats one of them.
Hunter will never be a major factor in the heavyweight division. Nothing special about him, plus he is way to small and has no punch
He probably doesn’t get a title shot next year, but I’m thinking Hunter – Dubois would be a really good matchup and they’re #1 & #2 in the WBA rankings, if that’s worth a damn. Either one of them beats Trevor Bryan imo.
It would be a fight I’d watch. I have no explanation how anyone could rate Dubois and Hunter #1 and 2 and feel like they’re credible. Both guys are good, but not top contenders at this point.
It’s the WBA, that’s pretty much all you need to know. Dubois lost to Joe Joyce and got an interim title shot in his very next fight while Joyce isn’t even ranked by the WBA. And Hunter beat a cruiserweight in his last fight which was, strangely, a WBA eliminator. They just don’t give a damn..
It would be funny if they weren’t serious about it. WBA is always the most shambolic of the bunch, and given how bad the other sanctioning bodies are, that’s really saying something!