Heavyweight Jared Anderson will fight Marios Kollias on the undercard of Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk on February 14 at the Hula Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Lance Pugmore @pugboxing broke the news of ‘Big Baby’ Anderson fighting Kollias on the Keyshawn-Berinchyk undercard. This is a relatively safe fight for Anderson, 25, but not entirely because he has been hurt by lower-level opponents multiple times in his career.
A must win for Anderson
This isn’t a great opponent for Jared Anderson, but he looked so bad last fight that he doesn’t look ready to take on world class opposition. I don’t know if it ever will be, but that’s Top Rank’s problem. At this point, Jared is what you consider a project, and a precarious one at that.
This will be the first fight for Anderson (17-1, 15 KOs) since he was knocked out in the fifth round by Martin Bakole on August 3rd at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
It’s no surprise that Top Rank chose an unknown fighter, pitting Jared against 33-year-old Greek Kollias (12-3-1, 10 KOs). The way Anderson was blown out by Bakole in a three-knockdown loss, it would be a crazy move to put him against a contender. Anderson was knocked out in the first round and twice more in the fifth by Bakole.
Jared fought well from the second to the fourth round and looked like he was in control until Bakole hurt him again in the fifth.
Should the top rank drop Jared if he loses?
If Anderson loses this fight, Top Rank may have to consider releasing him. They were counting on Jared to become their next heavyweight star, but there were worrying signs early on when assistant Jerry Forrest staggered him and then re-injured former IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin.
Kollias is coming off a first-round knockout victory over player Tamaz Izoria on November 16. Before that, he was defeated by Kem Ljungquist by majority decision in 10 rounds on March 9 of last year.
In the main event, 2020 Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis (12-0, 8 KOs) will challenge WBO lightweight champion Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs). Top Rank is pushing Keyshawn, 25, fast in his career, matching him with Berinchyk in his fourth year as a pro.
Top Rank could be wrong to move Davis so quickly as he hasn’t fought anyone as well as 2012 Olympian Berinchyk and was stymied against Nahir Albright.
Keyshawn has shown no interest in fighting Cuban Andy Cruz, who has beaten him four times in the amateur game and owns him. He is probably still haunted by those defeats and wants to stay away from his conqueror.
Davis will be fine as long as Top Rank protects him against good opposition, but if they match him up against someone with talent, he’ll likely fall apart again.
