Point of interest: Odds and opinions
The oddsmakers and public seem to be siding with the sitting champion, listing Adesanya -280 and Romero +240 as of this writing.
Given how dangerous Romero is throughout almost any portion of a fight, it’s hard to be confident in betting against him here. Despite being 42, Romero still shows arguable improvements each time out, especially regarding his comfort with throwing strikes.
Nevertheless, as scary as Romero’s ability to end a fight is, it is also important to remember that even the super athlete himself needs time to recoup energy and make his reads. If Adesanya plays into Romero’s game or makes the mistake of buying anything that the Cuban is selling, then the champion could very well be kissing the canvas within the first couple of rounds.
That said, I suspect that this fight follows a similar spirit to the recent boxing rematch between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, as I predict that Adesanya draws out Romero’s counters with feints and suffocates his power-punching via length and superior skill. The pick is for Adesanya to make a statement by earning a stoppage within Romero’s realm of the third round.
Prediction: Adesanya inside the distance