Dudchenko-Mohammedi Scouting Report: Can Mohammedi’s Experience Help Him Overcome Dudchenko’s Aggression? Anatoliy “The Gladiator” Dudchenko
Wilkes-Barre, PA: Nadjib Mohammedi (34-3, 20 KOs) has the experience edge over Anatoliy “The Gladiator” Dudchenko (19-2, 13 Kos) in next Saturday’s fight at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs but the question will be whether or not that experience can help him to overcome “The Gladiator’s” aggressive fighting style. These two warriors will face off next week for the #1 position in the IBF and the chance to challenge Bernard Hopkins for his IBF heavyweight world title. The scouting report for this fight is below.
| Category | Anatoliy "The Gladiator" Duchenko | Nadjib Mohammedi |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 35 | 29 |
| Record | 19-2 (13 KOs) | 34-3 (20 KOs) |
| Strength | Dudchenko has a good reach and a good chin. He is aggressive with good punching power. According to Main Events' matchmaker, Jolene Mizzone, "Anatoliy will control the pace of the fight." | Mohammedi has great hand speed. He also has fought a higher caliber of opposition. He has 37 professional fights which gives him the edge with experience. He stays busy. |
| Weakness | Dudchenko gets hit a lot and gets careless when he brawls. He has not been in the ring with top competition yet. | Mohammedi has no real lateral movement. He has a tendency to be sloppy at times. |
| Experience | Dudchenko only has 21 fights (as compared to 37 for Mohammedi). He defeated Robert Woge in his last fight, who was 12-0 at the time. | Mohammedi has fought for titles. He went the distance against Nathan Cleverly (Lost - UD 12 rounds). He also fought Dmitry Sukhotsky (Lost - TKO 2nd round). |
| Power | Dudchenko has good power and a strong jab. | Mohammedi is more of a boxer. |
| Speed | Dudchenko's speed comes with the excess of punches but he is not a traditionally fast guy. Although he lacks speed generally, when he gets more aggressive his speed kicks in. | Mohammedi has quick hands. He is a small light heavyweight so he moves well and is agile. |
| Endurance | Dudchenko is tough. His last fight was a 12 rounder and he won, but prior to that his longest fight was eight rounds. The jury is still out with regards to his endurance. | Mohammedi gets the edge with regards to endurance. He has gone the distance 14 times, three of them through 12 rounds and another three through 10 rounds. |
| Accuracy | Dudchenko has a good jab. According to Mizzone, "he sticks the jab in your face all day." | Mohammedi gets the edge, however, because his jab may be more accurate. |
| Defense | Dudchenko does not have much by way of defense. His offense is his best defense. | Mohammedi is fast, so that makes him difficult to hit, but he stands right in front, which got him in trouble in his fight against Cleverly. |
| Chin | Dudchenko gets the edge here. He has only been knocked out once. | Mohammedi has been knocked out twice. |
| Style | Dudcenko is an aggressive, straight-at-you fighter. | Mohammedi is a boxer with a great jab. He comes straight forward and demonstrates some aggression. |
| Intangibles | Dudchenko travelled to Germany to take on then-undefeated contender Robert Woge in his backyard and won the IBF Fight of the Year award. He wasn't intimidated. | Mohammedi gave up other opportunities to come to the US and fight for the #1 position when he could have had a big pay day in France instead. He has been in the ring with world class fighters and Dudchenko has not. |
| The Match-Up | This fight is about two top fighters from two different parts of the world fighting for a chance to face legendary light heavyweight Bernard Hopkins. | |
| 1. Will Mohammedi's experience be too much for the over-aggressive Dudchenko? | ||
| 2. Will Dudchenko be able to capitalize with his aggressive style? | ||
According to Mizzone, “There are over a dozen up-and-coming contenders in the light heavyweight division. This fight is so important because both of these guys are trying to establish themselves in one of the sport’s most competitive divisions.”
Main Events CEO, Kathy Duva, said, “Neither of these guys are well-known stateside yet, but they will be after June 21st! Dudchenko’s last fight was a Fight of the Year and I expect to see fireworks in this matchup as well. It’s a perfect fit for Fight Night. The fans will get a great fight and these fighters will get the exposure they deserve.”
About June 21:
June 21 features Anatoliy “The Gladiator” Dudchenko and Nadjib Mohammedi in a twelve-round light heavyweight bout for the #1 position in the IBF live on NBCSN Fight Night from Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Wilkes-Barre, PA. The co-feature includes a ten-round fight between Philly natives Karl “Dynamite” Dargan and Anthony Flores for the USBA Atlantic Coast Region Title. The Fight Night telecast will begin at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT. Doors will open at 5:00 PM. The card is presented by Main Events and Peltz Boxing, in association with Greg Cohen Promotions. The remainder of the undercard will be announced shortly. Ticket are available at ticketmaster.com or at the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs box office.
NBC Sports Live Extra:
NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will live stream Fight Night at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on June 21.
Coverage will be streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.
For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.
All NBC Sports Network live events live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.
