Merab Dvalishvili shared his thoughts on the upcoming Topuria vs Tsarukyan fight, predicting that Ilia will knock out Arman after the latter fails to secure takedowns and tries to box. Merab also reflected on his loss to Petr Yan, stating that Yan prepared specifically for him and has a unique, tough style. He recalled being hurt badly by Yan's body kicks twice during their fight, with the pain so intense in the second instance that he had no choice but to press forward into strikes rather than try to escape. Merab noted that on that night he could have beaten anyone except Yan.
Merab Dvalishvili has gone on record with his prediction for the upcoming Ilia Topuria versus Arman Tsarukyan lightweight bout, while also opening up about the lessons learned from his defeat to Petr Yan.
The 35-year-old Georgian, ranked first in the bantamweight division with a 21-5 record, believes Tsarukyan will struggle to impose his game on Topuria. Dvalishvili's reasoning is straightforward: once Tsarukyan's takedown attempts are stuffed, he will be drawn into a boxing match — and that, in Dvalishvili's view, is where Topuria finishes him by knockout. It is a bold call on Topuria, currently ranked second at lightweight and sitting atop the pound-for-pound rankings at 29 years old. The Spaniard carries a 17-1 record and lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy, numbers that support the knockout threat Dvalishvili describes.
Dvalishvili also reflected candidly on his own loss to Yan. He acknowledged that Yan, who holds a 20-5 record and connects at a 54 percent striking accuracy rate while landing 5.12 significant strikes per minute, prepared specifically for him and brought a style unlike anyone Dvalishvili had previously faced. The detail that stood out most was Yan's body kicking. Dvalishvili said he was hurt badly by body kicks on two separate occasions during the fight. The second time, the pain was so severe that he felt his only option was to push forward into the strikes rather than attempt to create distance. He described it as a night where he felt capable of beating anyone — except Yan.
Why it matters
- Dvalishvili's breakdown highlights how Tsarukyan's takedown-heavy style could be neutralized against an elite wrestler-turned-striker in Topuria
- His candid account of the Yan loss underscores Yan's standing as bantamweight champion with a uniquely difficult style to prepare for
- The insight from the number-one ranked bantamweight carries weight heading into both of these high-stakes divisional matchups
