Tellez vs Baraou Predictions: ‘El Bandolero’ goes gun-slinging against battler Baraou

Cuban wrecking ball Yoenis Tellez returns this Saturday, August 23 as he defends the WBA interim super welterweight bauble against Abass Baraou. The fight takes place at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida. The main event sees Yankiel Figueroa defend his WBA interim flyweight strap against Angelino Cordova. DAZN will screen the event live on a busy weekend of boxing for the service.

Here are my Tellez vs Baraou predictions ahead of this tasty tussle.

Tellez vs Baraou Odds

Tellez is 1/10 to win here, giving his victory an implied probability of 90.9%. The draw is priced at 18/1 while a Baraou victory is priced at 7/1.

Tellez vs Baraou Fight Preview

Tellez is one of many Cuban boxers to defect to America, given the fact they only started allowing professional boxing in 2022. A two-time national youth champion in his homeland, Tellez defected to Russia before turning professional in 2020.

That pro journey has been a comfortable one so far. Tellez has amassed a 10-0 record with seven knockouts. His style combines the footwork and schooling of the elite amateur system in Cuba with a real stalker’s instinct. Tellez closes the ring off and knows when to seek and destroy.

Those tendencies came to the fore in his most recent win, with Tellez walking down former world champion Julian Williams for 12 punishing rounds. The toughest test so far on paper for ‘El Bandolero’, his 34-year-old opponent hung in there but left with a grotesquely swollen, blood-flecked face and a unanimous decision loss.

Williams was past his prime, of course. But these are the fights a prospect needs to have as he moves through the gears. ‘J-Rock’ had reigned as unified super welterweight king back in 2019 and had challenged current WBC middleweight boss Carlos Adames two fights previously. Williams was not at his peak, but this was no journeyman. You learn a lot in fights like that.

Baraou is a different sort of fighters with raging ambition that Williams may have lacked in his boxing dotage. The German vacated his European super welterweight championship to take this fight, which shows what this means to him. 

That continental title was hard-won against noted hard-nut Sam Egginton via majority decision in Telford last year. Baraou was back in a British ring to defend it just three months after that draining contest. The Berliner beat Macaulay McGowan in Bolton to retain the belt.

That was in June 2024 and, worryingly, Baraou has not fought since. But then the 30-year-old has never been the most active. Baraou has averaged 2.4 contests a year since turning over in 2018. But four of those were in his first year in the business and he is currently on the second year-long lay-off of his career.

It has done little to halt his momentum. The only blemish on his record is a 2020 split decision loss to former world champion Jack Culcay. Despite Baraou’s medal success as an amateur, bronze at the World Championships and bronze at the European, it felt like Culcay was a bit far for his 10th professional opponent. Especially considering the fact ‘Golden Jack’ was on what would become an eight-fight winning streak that led to an unsuccessful challenge for Bakhram Murtazaliev’s IBF title last year.

But Baraou has been moved well, if slowly, since. His status as the boogeyman for British boxers of a certain weight has seen him pushed back into title contention. This might only be an interim strap on the line, but an upset win would open up a world of possibilities.

Tellez cannot afford to let that happen. The 25-year-old is making waves with a fan friendly style and an effective melding of speed, skill and pressure. Baraou is his toughest opponent so far. Time to put that potent pugilistic brew to the test.

Tellez vs Baraou Full Card

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Yoenis Tellez vs Abass Baraou 

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Jocelyn Camarillo vs Agustina Solange Vazquez

Tellez vs Baraou Prediction

I see this fight as a little bit closer than most. Tellez is more schooled than the likes of Eggington, but he does leave openings. Baraou is willing to walk through punches to find them. 

The German also has a good engine. He has been the 12 round distance on four occasions. Tellez has only completed the full championship distance once. Could Baraou drag the favourite into the deep waters in the 11th and 12th stanzas? 

I think Tellez will pass that test with flying colours. Williams certainly did not benefit from a more docile ‘Bandolero’ in the later rounds. He probably wishes he had. Tellez has the edge on precision and timing and I think that will be too much for the experience and gas tank of Baraou. I’m picking the Cuban on points at 4/7.

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