ARLINGTON, Texas -- IBF junior lightweight champion Tevin Farmer and WBA champ Gervonta Davis will both be in action this weekend. Unfortunately they won't be fighting each other in what would be a highly anticipated unification fight between two fighters who genuinely seem to hate each other. Instead Farmer will be putting his title on the line against French veteran Guillaume Frenois. The two will meet on July 27 on DAZN.
Farmer (29-4-1) has never had it easy. He wasn't a highly touted prospect and never had a big promotional push behind him. Despite that he was able to rise to the top and become a champion. The southpaw hasn't lost a fight since 2012 and during that stretch has often frustrated his opponents. Farmer is able to do that because his defense is so good. He isn't a guy who gets on his bicycle much. Instead he likes to sit in the pocket and make guys miss. Although Farmer has little to no power, you wouldn't know it by the way he fights. He loves to attack the body and puts his combinations together very well. Farmer likes to be the aggressor and with his good jab also has a busy right hook and accurate left hand.
The Philadelphia native didn't get to pad his record and progress slowly like many top prospects are able to do. From the start Farmer had to prove himself worthy. He lost his first career fight and in the first 12 bouts of his career he put together a pedestrian record of 7-4-1. One of those losses came against future champion Jose Pedraza. Other notable Farmer opponents include Daulis Prescott, Ivan Redkach, and Billy Dib. Still, the fight everyone wants to see is a unification bout against Davis and until that fight, or a fight against fellow champs Miguel Berchelt or Jamel Herring happens it will seem like Farmer is just spinning his wheels.
At 35 years old Frenois (46-1-1, 12 KOs) will be making his U.S. debut. Even at his advanced age, Frenois still shows pretty quick hands. While his right hook isn't phenomenal he does have a quick and accurate straight left hand he likes to shoot from the outside. At times he will also sneak in uppercuts but he tends to spend too much time on his back foot. When Frenois does get in the pocket he does a nice job of letting his hands go and he gets back out quickly. He doesn't have much power though and he's never fought anyone as talented as Farmer.
France has never been known as a hotbed of boxing so the fact that Frenois has spent nearly his entire career fighting there doesn't exactly bode well for his chances against Farmer. Of his 48 career fights, Frenois has only fought outside of France a handful of times. One of those fights came against Jono Carroll, his best opponent to date. That fight ended it a split draw and Carroll is still the only really notable name on Frenois' resume. Farmer also fought Carroll and handled him fairly easily by the way of unanimous decision.
Farmer will be the clear favorite in this fight and it will be interesting to see if he comes out more aggressively than usual. Frenois is going to need to stay very busy with his jab in order to keep Farmer on the outside when he can catch him with his straight left hand. Look for Farmer to work his way inside and pound away to the body of the older fighter. While Farmer has faced better opponents than Frenois, the same can't be said for Frenois. If Farmer can get to the pocket and stay there, Frenois will find himself in serious trouble.
PREDICTION: This fight is going to be all Tevin Farmer. Guillaume Frenois has never faced an opponent as good as Farmer and he won't have enough answers for Farmer's attacks. Farmer doesn't score many knockouts but he will do enough damage in the early and middle rounds to win this fight by the way of 10th round stoppage.
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| Farmer, working the body of Francisco Fonseca |
The Philadelphia native didn't get to pad his record and progress slowly like many top prospects are able to do. From the start Farmer had to prove himself worthy. He lost his first career fight and in the first 12 bouts of his career he put together a pedestrian record of 7-4-1. One of those losses came against future champion Jose Pedraza. Other notable Farmer opponents include Daulis Prescott, Ivan Redkach, and Billy Dib. Still, the fight everyone wants to see is a unification bout against Davis and until that fight, or a fight against fellow champs Miguel Berchelt or Jamel Herring happens it will seem like Farmer is just spinning his wheels.
At 35 years old Frenois (46-1-1, 12 KOs) will be making his U.S. debut. Even at his advanced age, Frenois still shows pretty quick hands. While his right hook isn't phenomenal he does have a quick and accurate straight left hand he likes to shoot from the outside. At times he will also sneak in uppercuts but he tends to spend too much time on his back foot. When Frenois does get in the pocket he does a nice job of letting his hands go and he gets back out quickly. He doesn't have much power though and he's never fought anyone as talented as Farmer.
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| Frenois, celebrating a victory |
Farmer will be the clear favorite in this fight and it will be interesting to see if he comes out more aggressively than usual. Frenois is going to need to stay very busy with his jab in order to keep Farmer on the outside when he can catch him with his straight left hand. Look for Farmer to work his way inside and pound away to the body of the older fighter. While Farmer has faced better opponents than Frenois, the same can't be said for Frenois. If Farmer can get to the pocket and stay there, Frenois will find himself in serious trouble.
PREDICTION: This fight is going to be all Tevin Farmer. Guillaume Frenois has never faced an opponent as good as Farmer and he won't have enough answers for Farmer's attacks. Farmer doesn't score many knockouts but he will do enough damage in the early and middle rounds to win this fight by the way of 10th round stoppage.
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