Bryan Flores vs Jose Nunez

I fancy Flores, but Nunez’s win over Erislandy Alvarez is a warning against getting careless. He recovered from a knockdown and punished Alvarez for charging in without protecting himself. Flores cannot give him that sort of opening.

Flores’s advantage is sustained pressure with solid body work. Against Starling Castillo, he closed the distance on a southpaw, got inside and made the exchanges increasingly uncomfortable. That is the approach I’d want here: short steps, punches downstairs and no reaching after the head.

Nunez has shown he can punch his way out of trouble, so simply backing him towards the ropes isn’t enough. Flores must keep his balance and be ready for the counter. Delgado caught him coming in, and that remains the danger when he gets too eager.

For Nunez, the question is whether he can keep Flores off him consistently. Recovering well is admirable, but taking clean shots early gives a persistent body puncher something to build on.

I expect Nunez to have his moments, but Flores’s pressure and engine will win more rounds. Flores on points.