BoxRec

Michael Hunter will step up his pursuit of major fights in the Heavyweight division as he faces Fabio Maldonado at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland on Saturday May 25, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.

Hunter (16-1 11 KOs) has notched four wins at Heavyweight since moving up from Cruiserweight, with his last three coming inside the distance and impressively in his last two outings, stopping the touted Martin Bakole in the tenth and final round of their clash in London in October and then travelling to Monte Carlo to stop former World title challenger Alexander Ustinov in the ninth round of their battle a month later.

‘The Bounty’ is already in the reckoning for major fights amongst the big boys, having found himself in the conversation to face Anthony Joshua on the Heavyweight rulers American debut at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 1.

“I'm here to stay at Heavyweight whatever is next,” said Hunter. “There's a lot of avenues for me, a number of big fights out there and I will take anyone on. I'm always in the gym and I'm a real, traditional fighter that will take anyone. I have a lot more doors open for me but the first task is to win and win well against Maldonado, who is a dangerous and experienced guy.

“I've always been a small Heavyweight. I just started off as a Cruiserweight as a pro but I've always been a Heavyweight really. I will just do what I do best and be me. I was a Heavyweight as a teen and as an amateur, I've boxed lots of Heavyweight fights but as I started to mature into the pro game and getting into my 'man frame' the weight started dropping off and Cruiserweight became a real option for me.

“Here I am now as a Heavyweight, my dream was always to be a Heavyweight, nothing else. I didn't really think about Cruiserweight until I found out about the different divisions were, because as a kid you know the biggest, baddest man on the planet is the Heavyweight World champion and that's what I want to be.”

Hopefully Hunter KTFO of this guy.

What’s the point in Hunter facing an opponent with a losing record?

Blatant mismatch.

Is the American being protected for the sake of ensuring that Joshua is able to face an unbeaten American on US soil for any of his future title defences after the Ruiz Jr. bout?

I thought Maldonado had a good record.

A good manufactured record. But not a losing record.

SenorPipino wrote: ↑15 May 2019, 15:47 I thought Maldonado had a good record.

A good manufactured record. But not a losing record.

Last two outings? Recent form?

Where was his previous bouts staged and what opponents did he face?

It’s a losing record.

Enlightened-One wrote: ↑15 May 2019, 16:12 Last two outings? Recent form?

Where was his previous bouts staged and what opponents did he face?

It’s a losing record.

I know what you're saying. Loser of two in a row once he fought some guys who could move their hands.

But cosmetically, Maldonado has a terrific record that can be sold to the unsuspecting.

very disappointing, Maldonado, despite numbers in his records, is a bum, to be honest i think that TBA was better than that.

Can someone post his Boxrec page?

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑15 May 2019, 17:05 Can someone post his Boxrec page?

http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/171565

He might at the very least be durable, went the distance in his two losses, but pure rubbish on his record aside from that...

http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/171565

chinarich wrote: ↑15 May 2019, 17:18 He might at the very least be durable, went the distance in his two losses, but pure rubbish on his record aside from that...

http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/171565

He's durable. Took Rivas the distance and Teslenko (lesser fighter though).

oogiebe wrote: ↑15 May 2019, 17:24 He's durable. Took Rivas the distance and Teslenko (lesser fighter though).

so at best he's a walking punching bag

dagilechia wrote: ↑15 May 2019, 17:27 so at best he's a walking punching bag

He'll punch back but you're not wrong.

dagilechia wrote: ↑15 May 2019, 17:15 http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/171565

Why did he have a 6 year gap. Could have been prime years.

Hunter should fight the guy who beat Fabio

http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/727779

Hunter is the type of boxer who will probably jump on Fabio.

Maldonado is a surviving type of an opponent. He'll go utterly defensive. But Hunter can get to his victims. Hunter will outbox Maldonado and batter him eventually.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑15 May 2019, 18:05 Why did he have a 6 year gap. Could have been prime years.

He was a much more accomplished MMA fighter through those years. He was a fringe top 25~ light heavyweight at his best and arguably beat Fedor Emilianenko, albeit well past his prime.

joshj909 wrote: ↑16 May 2019, 10:39 He was a much more accomplished MMA fighter through those years. He was a fringe top 25~ light heavyweight at his best and arguably beat Fedor Emilianenko, albeit well past his prime.

I thought so. I searched Wikipedia and it came with MMA, I thought it was someone else.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑15 May 2019, 14:49 Michael Hunter will step up...as he faces Fabio Maldonado

Jokes are supposed to end with a punchline, not start with one.

characters wrote: ↑18 May 2019, 15:59 Fabio is like the B-version of Wilder, but he must have had at least some kind of talent at some point in his carreer.

Is Takam still fighting on this card?

Maldonado will survive and lose a one-sided decision.

I think Bounty might catch him.

Contendeh wrote: ↑20 May 2019, 18:23 I think Bounty might catch him.

If Hunter takes him out, it's a good one.

oogiebe wrote: ↑20 May 2019, 18:23 If Hunter takes him out, it's a good one.

Yeah. I think it would be a good one too. If he can. Hunter has the rep of being feather fisted and the Brazilian has never been KO’d in boxing, so it does seem like a stretch.

Could just be wishful thinking on my part. Gives me something to look forward to this weekend!