Merab Dvalishvili shared his prediction that Ilia Topuria will defeat Arman Tsarukyan, stating that Tsarukyan won't be able to take Topuria down and will get knocked out when he tries to box with him. Dvalishvili praised Tsarukyan as a wonderful fighter but believes Topuria's striking will be too much. In the same interview, Dvalishvili reflected on his loss to Petr Yan, saying Yan was the only person who could have beaten him that day. He described Yan as having a special style and noted that body kicks from Yan were extremely painful, with one late in the fight hurting so badly that he had to rush forward into strikes rather than escape.
Merab Dvalishvili has gone on record predicting that Ilia Topuria will stop Arman Tsarukyan by knockout when the two lightweights collide, offering a detailed breakdown of why he believes the champion holds a decisive edge.
Dvalishvili, ranked first in the bantamweight division and second in the pound-for-pound standings, carries a 21-5 record and has built his reputation largely on an extraordinary grappling engine — averaging 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career. The 35-year-old Georgian, who trains out of Serra-Longo Fight Team, argued that Tsarukyan will be unable to get Topuria to the mat, and that attempting to trade on the feet will prove costly for the Armenian fighter.
Topuria, the current lightweight contender ranked second in the division and first pound-for-pound, enters with a 17-1 record and the kind of striking output that backs up Dvalishvili's assessment. The 29-year-old Spaniard lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy, and also mixes in nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes of his own. Dvalishvili praised Tsarukyan as a wonderful fighter while maintaining that Topuria's hands will simply be too sharp once the fight settles into a boxing match.
Dvalishvili also reflected on his own recent loss to Petr Yan, speaking candidly about the defeat. He acknowledged that Yan was the only fighter who could have beaten him that day, pointing to a style that caused him particular trouble. The Russian bantamweight champion, who holds a 20-5 record and connects at a 54 percent striking accuracy rate — the highest among the three fighters mentioned — landed body kicks that Dvalishvili described as genuinely debilitating. He recalled one kick late in the fight hurting so badly that he was forced to rush forward into punches rather than create distance and recover.
Why it matters
- Dvalishvili's prediction adds narrative weight to the Topuria-Tsarukyan matchup at lightweight
- His comments on Yan offer a rare candid look at what made the bantamweight champion so difficult to solve
- Yan's 54 percent striking accuracy underscores the technical problem Dvalishvili described
