Jared Anderson is not expected to have much trouble with Riyad Mahi on Saturday in Corpus Christi, Texas.
The 24-year-old high-profile heavyweight contender admitted that smaller opponents can be a challenge at times. Anderson has about a five-inch height advantage over Mahy, a former cruiserweight contender. And Mahy (32-2, 26 KOs) has more experience.
Still, Anderson (16-0, 15 KOs) has no doubts about who will reach out to ESPN.
“Marley has a different level of experience,” Anderson said. “But my amateur pedigree and everything I've always done for everyone, whether they have experience or not, will play a different role.”
“Challenge [with smaller fighters] That means sometimes you have to deal with their speed. We were trained for that. But I don't think there are many challenges with this. I don't think there are too many challenges.
“I'm used to fighting all types of different people. I'm used to training with all types of people. So if I don't prepare properly, I can't perform properly. So, I Please know that we have made sure to prepare.”
Marley has only fought three times as a full-fledged heavyweight, with mixed results.
The 31-year-old Belgian suffered a major setback last May when he lost a unanimous decision to former contender Kevin Llerena. But he bounced back and scored his biggest win in December, defeating 2016 Olympic gold medalist Tony Yoka by split decision.
The result gave him the opportunity to compete against top contenders on the big stage, although he admitted he was lucky.
“I'm so happy to be here,” Marley said. “What an amazing opportunity. Who would have thought that I, from a small country like Belgium, would be able to show my talent in America? I hope to represent my country.”
That doesn't mean he loses.
Yes, he is naturally smaller than Anderson, who weighed 15.3 pounds heavier than his opponent on Friday (250.9 to 235.6). However, he believes he can make up for it with the strength of his own experience.
“Jared is a very talented fighter,” Marley said. “He's a great prospect. But this Saturday, I'm going to show he still has a long way to go. I've fought 177 rounds as a professional and Anderson has only gone 46 rounds yet. No. So we'll see if it makes a big difference on Saturday.”
Anderson believes there is nothing stopping him from picking up another win and getting one step closer to winning his first title.
“Expect the best version of me,” he said. “Expect me to shine. Expect me to dominate and show why I belong here.”
