Anderson vs Merhy Predictions: America’s next great heavyweight?

American heavyweight hope Jared Anderson continues his journey on Saturday, April 13 against former WBA cruiserweight champion Ryad Merhy. Sky Sports Arena carry the UK broadcast, with the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas hosting. Here are my Anderson vs Merhy predictions as we preview a big heavyweight showdown in the States.

American fight fans are starving for a legitimate heavyweight contender. With Deontay Wilder enduring a dark night of the soul against Joseph Parker last Christmas, the Stateside scene is ready to anoint a new big man. American boxing has long been defined by its heavyweights, but the country has not crowned a champion since Andy Ruiz Jr shocked Anthony Joshua in 2019. 

Many believe Anderson can fill that void. ‘The Real Big Baby’, so-called due to the proliferation of that nickname and because of Jarrell Miller in particular, is 16-0 with 15 knockout wins. He is currently the only American to reside in a world top five, a ranking he holds with the WBC, IBF and WBO. In a scene dominated by Brits like Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua and where the WBO, IBF and WBA champion Oleksandr Usyk proudly represents Ukraine, he flies the star-spangled banner as America’s sole heavyweight force. 

Heavy is the head that wears the crown. There is certainly a lot riding on Anderson’s continued success. So far the two-time National Amateur Champion has looked equal to the expectations placed on him. Only former IBF heavyweight champion ‘Prince’ Charles Martin has extended him the distance. 

The rest of Anderson’s record is not quite as eye-catching. The cream of the crop are a brace of wins over European fringe contenders Miljan Rovcanin and Andriy Rudenko. But you can only beat what is put in front of you and Anderson has done that, usually in fine style.

On Saturday, ‘The Real Big Baby’ faces arguably the best fighter that has been put in front of him. Merhy was a knockout artist down at cruiserweight and, while he has not demonstrably carried that power up a division, he remains well-schooled and tough to beat. 

Merhy reigned as WBA ‘regular’ cruiserweight champion in between 2019 and 2021. After a successful defence against Zhaoxin Zhang, the Belgian moved up to heavyweight. A win over journeyman Dusan Krstin led to a showdown with fellow ex-cruiserweight Kevin Lerena. Merhy would lose via unanimous decision but he rebounded in December with a split nod over Olympic gold medalist Tony Yoka.

Merhy is not a world-beater, at least not at heavyweight. But considering the fact that Anderson’s best win is over Martin, a man Anthony Joshua pounded into dust almost a decade ago, he is a fine challenge. The apprenticeship is over. Anderson needs fighters who will extend him, who will challenge him. 

A charmed life has got him into the world top five. But to prepare for Fury, Joshua, Usyk and the rest he needs to face sturdier resistance. If he is successful against Merhy, the next step should see him seek out the likes of Parker, Ruiz, Zhilei Zhang and Daniel Dubois. The division is as competitive as ever these days and a statement win is needed to enter the mix. Merhy is a great stepping stone towards bigger fights, but nobody is getting a crack at the Fury-Usyk winner off the back of beating the Belgian.

Does America have a heavyweight contender to rival the greats of the glory days? It’s too early to tell. Even predicting whether ‘The Real Big Baby’ can go further than long-reigning WBC champion Deontay Wilder or blink-and-you’ll-miss-it unified boss Andy Ruiz Jr is a fool’s errand. But Anderson can certainly get past Merhy. I think he’ll do just that, in fact.

My prediction is Anderson by knockout priced at 2/7. Merhy is a fine fighter but he is not a natural heavyweight and plenty of those have been knocked out by the Ohio native. Anderson will add to his ever-expanding highlight reel. If you fancy a bit more bang for your buck, I like Anderson in rounds 7-8 at 18/5. 

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