Merab Dvalishvili stated that while he likes Arman Tsarukyan and considers him an excellent fighter, Ilia Topuria will defeat him. Merab believes Tsarukyan will not be able to take Topuria down and will be knocked out when he tries to box with Ilia. Regarding his own fight with Petr Yan, Dvalishvili admitted Yan was the only opponent who could have beaten him that day, praising Yan's special style and preparation. He revealed that Yan's body kicks were extremely painful, forcing him to rush forward on strikes in the second exchange because he couldn't run away from the pain.
Merab Dvalishvili has gone on record predicting that Ilia Topuria will stop Arman Tsarukyan, while also offering a candid look back at his own experience against Petr Yan.
Dvalishvili, 35, is the top-ranked bantamweight contender out of Georgia with a 21-5 record. Known as "The Machine," he fights out of the Serra-Longo Fight Team and is one of the most relentless grapplers in the sport, averaging an extraordinary 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes. In his assessment of the lightweight picture, he offered praise for Tsarukyan before ultimately siding with the champion.
Topuria, ranked second at lightweight and first in the pound-for-pound standings, carries a 17-1 record and fights out of Spain under the banner of Climent Club. The 29-year-old southpaw — standing five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach — averages 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and has shown well-rounded skills with nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes as well. Dvalishvili argued that Tsarukyan will struggle to get the fight to the ground against Topuria, and that once the fight becomes a boxing match, Topuria's power will prove decisive.
Dvalishvili also spoke openly about bantamweight champion Petr Yan, whose 20-5 record includes a switch-stance striking game that produces 5.12 significant strikes per minute at a sharp 54 percent accuracy. The Russian fighter out of Archangel Michael Club is 33 years old and brings a precise, technical style that Dvalishvili acknowledged was uniquely difficult to handle. Dvalishvili admitted that Yan was the only opponent on that given day who had the tools to beat him, crediting Yan's preparation and distinctive approach.
Why it matters
- Topuria's ability to neutralize takedowns will be central to any matchup with Tsarukyan, and Dvalishvili's wrestling credentials lend weight to that analysis.
- The comments on Yan add context to the bantamweight title picture, with Dvalishvili sitting as the division's top-ranked contender.
- Dvalishvili's firsthand account of Yan's body-kick effectiveness highlights a specific tactical weapon that future opponents will need to prepare for.
