It's a shot at a title and he's not beating Bivol or Beterbiev, so he may as well test the waters.Zurdo might want to rethink this. While Briedis is old and has been out of the ring since he lost to Opetaia, he's skilled & dangerous. He's also shown that he has enough power to KO heavyweights (that Charr KO was ice old). Unless Briedis suddenly looks every bit of 39 in there he'll finish him.
I suppose but this isn't really the type of guy you'd want to test the waters against. Especially as a guy moving up in weight. Zurdo sees a vacant title and an old (but still dangerous) guy that he'll have to go through to get it. From where I'm sitting I think they've made a miscalculation.It's a shot at a title and he's not beating Bivol or Beterbiev, so he may as well test the waters.
Who should they fight instead?I suppose but this isn't really the type of guy you'd want to test the waters against. Especially as a guy moving up in weight. Zurdo sees a vacant title and an old (but still dangerous) guy that he'll have to go through to get it. From where I'm sitting I think they've made a miscalculation.
Someone a notch below that isn't too dangerous as an introduction to the weight. After one or two of those, provided he passes the tests, is when he should step up to former and/or current champs. Zurdo is only in his early 30s so time is on his side. There's no need to rush into it. Other belts will become vacant that he could fight for. But fighting a guy like Briedis right off the bat before he's acclimated to cruiser? That's risky.Who should they fight instead?
Opetaia won him on cards but it was, let's be fair lazy version over the hill thinking about other ways to earn next money portions. He damaged Opetaia seriously....not just jaw.Someone a notch below that isn't too dangerous as an introduction to the weight. After one or two of those, provided he passes the tests, is when he should step up to former and/or current champs. Zurdo is only in his early 30s so time is on his side. There's no need to rush into it. Other belts will become vacant that he could fight for. But fighting a guy like Briedis right off the bat before he's acclimated to cruiser? That's risky.
Opetaia beat him in his last fight but he also had his jaw mutilated. It was broken badly on both sides. I don't see how Zurdo is going to be able to keep Briedis off of him and he doesn't have good enough defense to avoid being hit with big shots and hit regularly.
Yeah I don't even count his fight with Smith as his cruiserweight debut. Technically it was but it was at a 193 pound catchweight and, as you noted, Smith is a light heavyweight. Zurdo's massive size advantage over his opponents is a significant piece of his success and at 200 lbs against cruiserweights it's not going to be there.A cruiserweight debut against another LHW in Smith isn't necessarily preparation for Briedis, but Zurdo is somehow already ranked in the top 5 for the. IBF, WBA and WBO he can pretty much get a shot at any of these champs, its a two-edged sword though and he might go to the back of the line with a bad loss in any title fight at 200lbs. hope he is ready.