Maddalena faces tactical puzzle against dangerous finisher Prates

The upcoming bout between Jack Della Maddalena and Carlos Prates presents a difficult stylistic matchup. Prates struggles when pressured and forced to retreat, which would seem to favor Maddalena's forward-moving style. However, Maddalena lacks the kicking game and footwork that Ian Garry used to control distance against Prates, meaning he will have to rely on boxing to apply pressure, which increases the risk of getting caught by Prates' counters. Even if Maddalena can win early rounds, Prates remains dangerous until the final bell, as Garry nearly discovered after dominating four rounds. The post argues that for Maddalena to win, he must maintain perfect defensive discipline while pressuring Prates for 25 minutes, which seems unlikely. The author predicts Prates will win.