Call it a fight between youth and experience – a fight between ambition and redemption. Ahead of heavyweight Agit Kabayel’s interim title defense against Damian Knyba, spectators and fans at the Rudolf Weber Arena in Oberhausen, Germany, will be treated with an exciting thriller that pits two of the deadliest lightweights against each other. A fight for the vacant interim lightweight title will see WBC No. 1 contender Ricardo Nunez face Jadier Herrera, ranked third.

For the 23-year-old Herrera, it is an opportunity to inch closer to a world title currently held by superstar Shakur Stevenson. For Nunez, considering how his last fight ended on a controversial note and how his career has otherwise panned out, a win over a rising contender like Herrera likely cements his position in a division undergoing rapid changes. Now, before the two lightweights face off, let’s go through some of the details that could potentially determine the outcome of tonight’s match.

Predicting Jadier Herrera vs. Ricardo Nunez: Who has better stats and a record?

Nunez’s and Herrera’s careers stand in stark contrast to one another. The Panamanian made his professional debut in 2010, while the Cuban fighter fought for the first time in 2021. But their records have since taken very different paths.

In a span of four years, Herrera has competed in 17 fights. With 15 of those bouts ending inside the distance, he boasts an impressive 88 percent knockout rate.

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Nunez, by comparison, has fought 33 times, suffering seven losses, including one to Gervonta Davis. Despite those setbacks, Nunez remains a much-feared fighter.

His 84 percent knockout rate confirms his reputation as a dangerous finisher.

Jadier Herrera vs. Ricardo Nunez: Height, weight, reach comparison, and more

While reach figures for both lightweights remain unavailable, Herrera, who stands 5 feet 9 inches (175 centimeters), appears roughly three inches taller than Nunez, who measures 5 feet 6 inches (168 centimeters).

For his most recent fight, the March 15 bout against Jose Rodolfo Macias, Herrera weighed in at 134.8 pounds. Nunez, meanwhile, tipped the scales at 139 pounds when he faced Spaniard Jon Fernández in June. At the official weigh-ins for this fight, both Nunez and Herrera came in at 134 pounds.

Fight prediction

Despite Nunez’s active career and nearly a decade and a half of experience, very few fans and pundits are confident in his chances of victory.

Much of that doubt stems from Nunez’s recent performances, including his disqualification loss to Jon Fernandez last June. His two previous bouts, including the fight in which he won the WBC Latino title, both went the distance.

He is now facing a fighter ten years younger to him and carries devastating power.

Herrera is stepping into a 12-round bout for the first time, but there is little reason to expect him to struggle with the moment.

Experts describe Herrera as a disciplined, technical fighter who uses smart positioning and accuracy to knock opponents out without getting dragged into messy brawls. However, if Nunez can dictate the tempo and land clean, well-timed shots, he has the tools to make this fight difficult for Herrera.