By James Slater: Randall Bailey, known as “The Knock Out King,” returns to action in an important fight in December. The lethal-hitter, now aged 36, will face fellow crowd-pleaser Said Ouali on December 10th in Belgium, in what will be an IBF welterweight title elimination bout.
Bailey, 41-7(36) and already a two-time light-welterweight champ, has won his last two, including his impressive 1st-round stoppage of the useful Jackson Osei Bonsu last time out. That win, in March of this year, took place in Belgium, and Bailey will certainly have no qualms about going back there to fight Ouali. Feeling stronger up at 147-pounds, Bailey has put his exciting 11th-round TKO loss to Juan Urango behind him. However, against the 31-year-old southpaw who is (or was?) trained by Roger Mayweather, Bailey will have a real fight on his hands.
Some fans may not have heard or seen too much of Ouali, 27-3(19), but those fans who saw his sensational one-round win over Hector David Saldivia will know he is a fighter well worth tuning in for. That win took place in May, on the under-card of Mayweather-Mosley, and the Moroccan fighter known as “Prince” got up off the canvas to halt Saldivia in a round so good it will surely be considered for The Round of The Year award.
That win left the fans wanting more, but for whatever reason Ouali has been inactive since. Rest assured, we will get another action fight from him in December. How could Bailey-Ouali not be a great action fight? Both guys can hit, both guys are always aggressive and both guys are determined. This fight, though, could come down to who hits who hardest first!
It’s unlikely Bailey will be too concerned about his rival’s southpaw stance. Sure, Urango is a lefty and he beat Bailey last August, but the former WBO/WBA 140-pound king has beaten southpaws before. Indeed, is there anything Bailey has not seen in a ring? In terms of chin, the younger man might, might, have the better beard. Fresher than Bailey, we also saw firsthand how Ouali can get up from a hurtful knockdown in the Saldivia battle. Then again, no-one hits quite like Bailey hits!
Neither guy has been in the ring for quite a few months, and it could take either guy a round or two to get going as a result (could one fighter catch the other cold even?). But when the action does warm up, and it shouldn’t take too long, the war will surely be on. Bailey’s promoter, Lou DiBella told Dan Rafael that “If we land we win.”
This is as accurate a summation as you could give for this fight! Who will land, and who will be able to take it? The winner should go on to get a crack at never-stopped Jan Zaveck, the Slovenian who holds the IBF welterweight belt. But who will it be? I go for Bailey, just.