Peter McGrail vs Ionut Baluta Predictions: A teak-tough late sub for Olympian McGrail

Tokyo 2020 Olympian Peter McGrail takes on super bantamweight dangerman Ionut Baluta this Saturday, June 21. The 10-rounder takes place on the undercard of Galal Yafai’s hometown headliner against Francisco Rodriguez Jr. at the BP Pulse Arena in Birmingham. DAZN will screen the action live.

Here are my Peter McGrail vs Ionut Baluta predictions ahead of this intriguing battle.

Peter McGrail vs Ionut Baluta Odds

McGrail was preparing to be a slight underdog on this card, or at the very least a narrow favourite in a real pick 'em bout. But now he is a comfortable 1/6 to score the win. But never count Baluta out. He might be 4/1 to score the upset, but he has made a mockery of longer odds in the past. If you fancy a draw, the stalemate is priced at 16/1.

Peter McGrail vs Ionut Baluta Fight Preview

McGrail had been set to face IBO champion Shabaz Masoud in a tasty domestic dust-up. But the Mancunian withdrew due to injury, which leaves the Liverpool amateur standout with a high-risk, low-reward assignment against Baluta.

Frustrating fight changes are nothing new for McGrail. After 2014 US National Amateur Champion Ja’Rico O’Quinn stopped him in a five-round upset in Arizona two years ago, a rematch was set. But O’Quinn withdrew due to “personal family matters”. Handing his replacement, former British champion Marc Leach, a third defeat in a row did not have the same emotional pull as revenge over the American.

The Masoud fight was something for the gifted McGrail to get his teeth into. The IBO title is a step below true world honours, but it has been part of the journey for many great fighters. Masoud is unbeaten and an excellent fighter in his own right. McGrail had a chance to put the O’Quinn nightmare behind him for good. 

So out goes Masoud and in comes Baluta. A bout that offers no title belt and far less credit for a victory. Masoud is fourth with the IBF, so McGrail could have even put himself in the world title debate. Such is the often fragile nature of boxing. You never know what you are going to get until fight night.

It is not all bad news for McGrail. Baluta is still world-ranked, 14th with the WBO. McGrail himself is eighth-placed with the WBA so there is a chance to improve on that placing too. The Scouse star is a clear favourite here, while the Masoud fight was a lot closer odds-wise.

But fighting Baluta can be a thankless task. Ask Dennis McCann, who suffered a bloodbath with him in their first fight. An accidental clash of heads was ruled to have caused the nasty gash McCann carried, but the hellacious fistic exchanges that bookended the injury were the sort of thing that shortens careers. 

The first fight was scored as a draw on the cards after nine rounds, when the blood was deemed simply too much. McCann won the rematch on points but he will not have appreciated the accumulated 21 rounds of hell he endured.

Michael Conlan, the Olympic medalist/IOC-baiting firebrand who became a world title challenger, also had his temperature thoroughly taken by the Romanian. Many felt Baluta was unlucky not to get more than a majority loss declared after another rough 12 rounds for a favoured fighter.

Baluta is about more than his losses though. TJ Doheny went on to become a world champion, and a Naoya Inoue challenger, after Baluta outscored him in 2020. The 31-year-old also holds points victories over former British and Commonwealth champion Brad Foster, current incumbent of both titles Andrew Cain and ex-WBO European kingpin Brad Strand.

Baluta is a headache McGrail does not need. But he might just be the perfect gut check for the Liverpudlian at this stage. A hard-as-nails foe who will take on all-comers and has beaten plenty of proven talent. 

Baluta has his weaknesses. While his five losses all went the distance, ‘Il Capo’ can be outboxed. McCann outscored him fairly widely in their rematch while Liam Davies also took a clear points win off him, albeit under heavy pressure. 

But you have to work hard to get anything off this guy. McGrail might have got a smaller name in box office terms, Baluta has the biggest heart you will ever find. If McGrail cannot match him, this will not be the night he expected for one more reason.

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Peter McGrail vs Ionut Baluta

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Peter McGrail vs Ionut Baluta Predictions

I like McGrail’s chances here. I think he will have a rough night, maybe leaving with some cuts and scrapes from close-quarters combat. But his excellent schooling should see him through. Do not forget this is a Commonwealth Games gold and World and European bronze medalist we are talking about.

Baluta brawls but he does not bang. Three knockouts in 17 wins tells you that. He will make live difficult, but not impossible. I like the McGrail decision win at 1/2.

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