Staying on track with its promise to give boxing fans the best fights, Zuffa Boxing has put together a loaded card that is headlined by Jai Opetaia. While most fans and pundits look forward to the main event, where Opetaia’s Ring title will be at stake with Zuffa’s inaugural cruiserweight belt up for grabs, fans will be hard-pressed to watch all the fights featured on the main card. One fight worth circling is the welterweight bout between Ricardo Salas (IBF #4 and WBO #11) and Jesus Saracho.

Considering it’s their first fight under Dana White’s promotion, both fighters will be eager to make a statement. A win not only ensures future matchups and payouts, especially for Salas, who sits atop the world rankings, but it could also move him one step closer to a title shot. But what happens if Saracho throws a wrench into his plans? To check out how the two fighters measure up against each other at Zuffa’s fourth event, here are a few key details that could shape how the fight plays out.

Ricardo Salas vs. Jesus Saracho: Who has better stats and a record?

There isn’t much separating Salas and Saracho in terms of record or experience. Starting his professional career in 2019, Saracho, who resides in Auburn, Washington, has competed in 20 fights, out of which he emerged victorious in 16, while 2 ended in losses and 2 went to a draw. With 12 of his wins secured inside the distance, Saracho boasts a knockout-to-win rate of 75%.

Enjoying a slight edge in terms of experience, the contender made his professional debut in 2016. In a decade-long career, he has fought 26 times, with 22 fights ending in wins, while the remaining 4 are split equally between 2 losses and 2 draws. 16 of Salas’ wins were secured via early stoppages, giving him a competitive 73% knockout rate.

Ricardo Salas vs. Jesus Saracho: Height, weight, reach comparison, and more centimeters

At 5 feet 8 inches (173 centimeters), both Salas and Saracho stand even in height. However, with a wingspan measuring 69 inches (175 centimeters), Saracho seems to enjoy a slight edge of 1 inch over Salas, who has a 68-inch (173 centimeters) reach.

For his most recent fight against Jesus Estrada, Salas weighed 148.3 pounds during the final weigh-in. In comparison, Saracho weighed much heavier at 153.5 pounds when he fought Peter Dobson this past November.

Ricardo Salas vs. Jesus Saracho: Style breakdown and fight prediction

True to Mexico’s boxing traditions, Salas is an aggressive pressure fighter who likes to overwhelm opponents with sustained volume and heavy combinations, including hooks and powerful rights. Forcing opponents onto their back foot, the Mexico City native systematically wears them down.

The fights against a slick jab-heavy boxer like Ken Cruz and the one before against an all-action pressure fighter like Roman Villa demonstrated Salas’ ability to adjust and assert his power. Though the bout against Estrada was a closely contested affair, the back-to-back early stoppages of Cruz and Villa indicate legitimate punching power.

Salas, who turned 27 early last month, has emerged not just as an action fighter but as a destructive, physically imposing welterweight contender who is becoming hard to ignore.

In Saracho, he faces an opponent who matches him in style and power, the only difference being that the 24-year-old Guanajuato, Mexico, native is a southpaw. Known for his high work rate, Saracho is a durable pressure fighter who has power in both hands.

While working on the opponent’s body, he quickly moves inside using a high guard and lands heavy shots. Like Salas, Saracho can make mid-fight adjustments.

Prediction

Fans should expect a fast-paced fight tomorrow night. Based on the records, physical differences, and other variables, it is not surprising to see why fans and pundits have picked Ricardo Salas as the clear favorite to win the 10-round bout. The recent decisions that saw two fights end in draws, besides the loss to Starling Castillo, seem to have turned Saracho into a moderate to heavy underdog.

Considering Salas would want to deliver a statement win in his promotional debut and improve his overall standing in the welterweight division, expect him to press for a stoppage, either in the early rounds or late.