Yoenli Hernandez vs Francisco Daniel Veron

This isn’t a mismatch; Francisco Daniel Veron is being asked to climb a steep hill. He is a capable, educated boxer with proper amateur schooling, yet Yoenli Hernandez looks like a fully grown middleweight who has carried elite Cuban technique into the professional game without losing his spite.

Hernandez is a long 6ft 2in, but he does not ponce about at range collecting harmless points. He walks men down behind a stiff jab, closes the space and lets compact combinations go upstairs and underneath. Nine stoppages from ten wins tell the story, but the better evidence was becoming the first man to halt the experienced Terrell Gausha. He also showed against Kyrone Davis that his engine and concentration remain sound over ten rounds.

Veron is four inches shorter but no mug. He controls rhythm well, changes angles and uses his jab to prevent punchers from planting their feet. His shutout victory over Roiman Villa showed he can stay disciplined against serious power. The problem is that Hernandez cuts the ring better than Villa and punches naturally at the heavier weight.

Veron must keep turning Hernandez after every exchange and never leave by the same door twice. Hernandez’s danger is becoming too eager when he smells damage and giving Veron countering opportunities. Even so, I cannot see Veron holding him off for the full distance. Hernandez will close the exits, work the body and force the referee’s intervention.

Yoenli Hernandez by stoppage.