It’s raining boxing fights. Across the globe, diehards will be glued to their TVs as events unfold one after another on both sides of the Atlantic. While light heavyweight Ben Whittaker and heavyweight Frazer Clarke promise edge-of-the-seat thrills in the UK, across the pond in the U.S., fans will be treated to an event that should potentially exceed expectations. Anticipating the high demand from American boxing lovers, Manny Pacquiao and his promotion company, Manny Pacquiao Promotions, will make their promotional debut tonight at Temecula, California’s Pechanga Resort and Casino.

The professional debut of his son, Emanuel Pacquiao, makes the card quite intriguing. The night will end on a high note as two of the featherweight division’s top contenders slug it out for the WBO International Title. Fans are waiting with bated breath. Will 30-year-old Venezuelan Lorenzo Parra break his American rival Elijah Pierce‘s winning streak and take the title?

Predicting Lorenzo Parra vs. Elijah Pierce: Who has better stats and a record?

The Pacquiao card’s headliner features two veterans who have been there and done that, yet still remain a step short of achieving a world title. One misstep, however, could potentially send their careers spiraling downward. In his nine-year career, Oklahoma native Pierce has participated in 23 professional bouts, winning 21 of them. His two losses, to Giovanni Cabrera and Sulaiman Segawa, came six years ago.

Launching his pro career two years before Pierce, Machiques, Venezuela-born Lorenzo Parra has recorded 25 professional fights. With one bout ending in a draw, he suffered his sole loss in 2017.

Both featherweights seem to favor early stoppages. So one thing is certain: fans are in for a fiery finale on the Manny Pacquiao card. 29-year-old Elijah Pierce, who has dropped 17 opponents, boasts an impressive 81% KO rate. Lorenzo Parra trails slightly at 74%, having knocked out 17 of his 23 opponents.

Lorenzo Parra vs. Elijah Pierce: Height, weight, reach comparison, and more

Standing 5 feet 8 inches (173 centimeters), Pierce is roughly an inch taller than his Venezuelan counterpart, who measures 5 feet 7 inches (170 centimeters). Surprisingly, reach information for the American featherweight is unavailable. Parra, on the other hand, has a 71-inch (180-centimeter) wingspan.

Ahead of his last fight against Michael Dasmarinas, Pierce officially weighed in at 125.2 pounds. Lorenzo Parra, meanwhile, tipped the scales at 124.8 pounds before facing Omar Trinidad in August.

Fight prediction

Both fans and pundits expect Elijah Pierce to keep his winning streak alive. Some outlets give him as high as a 90% chance of victory. Parra’s recent performance, holding top-ranked contender Trinidad to a majority decision draw, worked in his favor, with a few predicting he could pull off an upset.

However, the fight before that, against Michael Woodward, was another closely contested affair. This raises doubts about whether Parra can withstand the pressure of a heavy hitter like Pierce. Many favor Pierce because he has stayed active. Parra fought Trinidad after a two-year layoff, and such gaps have hindered his otherwise solid career.

Styles and strategy

While skills and power will ultimately determine the winner, this fight may largely come down to who wants it more. Given his No. 2 rankings in both the WBA and WBO, Pierce will be eager to deliver a statement win and strengthen his case for a title shot in the rapidly shifting 126-pound landscape.

Fans can expect him to get to work from the opening bell. One may have a look at the Pierce vs. Dasmarinas fight and realize it doesn’t really bode well for Parra. Yet, as the Trinidad bout showed, Parra can blunt an offense and carry opponents deep into the rounds.

Though Pierce won his fight in July, he showed a tendency to overextend, especially when throwing uppercuts – an opening Dasmarinas exploited in the first round. Against a veteran like Parra, Pierce cannot afford such lapses. The Venezuelan will gladly capitalize on any mistake.

To sum up: It’s a worthy matchup to headline the card and a strong opportunity for Manny Pacquiao Promotions to showcase their promotional capability. Do you think Pierce should call out Rafael Espinoza or Nick Ball if he wins tonight?