An analysis piece predicts that Carlos Prates will defeat Jack Della Maddalena in their upcoming bout, despite Maddalena's pressure-fighting style. The breakdown suggests that while Maddalena's gameplan of pressuring Prates could work in theory, the Australian lacks the kicking and footwork skills of Ian Garry, who successfully controlled Prates. The author notes that Maddalena will have to rely on boxing to control distance, which increases the risk of being caught by Prates' strikes. Even if Maddalena wins rounds, Prates remains dangerous until the final seconds, as demonstrated when he nearly finished Garry in the fifth round after four losing rounds. The analyst concludes that for Maddalena to win, he would need to pressure Prates for 25 minutes while maintaining perfect defensive discipline, which seems unlikely given that even Belal Muhammad landed clean strikes on him.
A recent analytical breakdown of the upcoming welterweight matchup between Carlos Prates and Jack Della Maddalena concludes that Prates holds the edge, even accounting for the Australian's relentless pressure-fighting approach.
Prates, known as "The Nightmare," carries a 24-7 record and is ranked fifth in the welterweight division at 32 years old. The Brazilian, who trains out of Vale Top Team, stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach and converts strikes at a 55 percent accuracy rate — one of the more efficient outputs in the division. The analysis points to his ability to remain a finishing threat deep into fights, citing how he nearly stopped his opponent in the fifth round of their contest despite dropping four rounds on the scorecards.
Della Maddalena enters as the fourth-ranked welterweight and sits 13th in the pound-for-pound rankings, posting an 18-4 record at 29 years old. The Australian out of Scrappy MMA stands five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach and generates an impressive 5.57 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy. The breakdown acknowledges that his pressure style could theoretically trouble Prates, but argues it lacks the kicking game and footwork that previously allowed Ian Garry to control distance effectively.
Why it matters
- Prates' seven-inch reach advantage gives him a structural edge that pure boxing pressure may not overcome
- The analysis warns that Della Maddalena's reliance on his hands to manage distance raises his exposure to Prates' counters
- Former champion Belal Muhammad, a precise technical fighter now ranked sixth in the division, still landed clean shots on Della Maddalena, suggesting defensive gaps that Prates could exploit
- Both fighters are switch-stance strikers, making timing and footwork central to the outcome rather than conventional stylistic dominance
