A detailed breakdown of Jack Della Maddalena's loss to Carlos Prates highlights several tactical errors. Della Maddalena relied heavily on a boxing guard which proved ineffective against Prates' diverse striking arsenal of kicks, elbows and knees. He fought primarily in southpaw stance despite his left leg being vulnerable, and Prates punished his left side with mid-kicks. Della Maddalena lacked the aggression and speed needed to pressure Prates effectively. The analysis suggests Prates would have won regardless of Della Maddalena's preparation due to his elite striking versatility and confidence. A potential Makhachev vs Prates matchup is discussed, noting Prates' ability to damage southpaw opponents' lead legs but also Makhachev's grappling threat.
A tactical breakdown of Jack Della Maddalena's recent defeat to Carlos Prates has identified clear structural problems in the Australian welterweight's approach, pointing to defensive habits and positional choices that played directly into Prates' hands.
Della Maddalena, ranked fourth in the welterweight division at 29 years old, carries an 18-4 record and is one of the more active strikers in the 170-pound class, averaging 5.57 significant strikes per minute. Despite that output, the analysis argues his reliance on a traditional boxing guard left him exposed to Prates' wider striking vocabulary. He also spent much of the fight in a southpaw stance despite his left leg proving vulnerable — a choice Prates exploited with repeated mid-kicks to that side. His low takedown average of 0.13 per 15 minutes meant he had little alternative threat to fall back on when the striking exchanges turned against him.
Carlos Prates, known as "The Nightmare," is ranked fifth in the welterweight division and brings a 24-7 record into his rise up the rankings. The 32-year-old Brazilian stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach — a significant advantage over most opponents — and lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy across kicks, elbows, and knees. The breakdown concludes that his striking versatility was simply too broad for Della Maddalena to solve, regardless of preparation.
Why it matters
- The result reshuffles the welterweight contender picture, with Prates climbing from fifth and Della Maddalena's path to a title shot now uncertain.
- Islam Makhachev, the welterweight champion, is southpaw and stands five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach, making his lead leg a theoretically similar target for Prates' mid-kick attack.
- Makhachev's grappling — 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and a 28-1 record — represents a dimension Prates, who attempts no submissions, has not faced at this level.
