Chamberlain vs Gwynne Predictions: Chamberlain’s star will continue to rise in Riyadh

Lightweights Gavin Gwynne and Mark Chamberlain clash on Friday March 9 in Saudi Arabia, with the fight being broadcast live on DAZN. While the glamour of the heavyweight main event dominates proceedings, this is a real trade fight that die-hards will be locked onto.

Boxing politics have nixed what should have been a European title 12-rounder. Both men hold a version of the continental crown, with Chamberlain carrying the IBF version while Gwynne holds the more-respected EBU iteration. However, due to the EBU refusing to rank the reigning IBF European champion, Chamberlain is ineligible to challenge for Gwynne’s title. The belt for this one comes courtesy of the WBO, who have attached their spurious Inter-continental bauble to proceedings.

But this fight is above petty politics or varied jewellery. It’s a great match-up of two fighters on a hot streak. Gwynne and Chamberlain don’t often get a pay-per-view stage on which to showcase their wares and both will be looking to leave a lasting impression on a large television audience.

Gwynne is enjoying a late-career peak at 33 years of age that he may once have worried would never come. Losses to future world champion Joe Cordina and then-British boss James Tennyson seemed to place a ceiling on him earlier in his career. But since the latter of those losses, in 2020, Gwynne has gone 5-0-1 and won the British, Commonwealth and European titles. Having ticked every domestic box, the Welshman is now determined to secure a world ranking.

Beating Chamberlain would set him on his way to doing just that. ‘Thunder’ is ranked 13th by the IBF, a position he looks to fortify here. He is yet to secure any of the traditional domestic hardware Gwynne has won, instead going the less well-trodden IBF European title route. While the prestige isn’t quite the same, it has secured Chamberlain an enviable world ranking. Still, it is a shame political machinations out of the fighters’ hands mean this can’t be a proper European title bout.

As for a winner, it’s a tough one to call. The betting lines favour youth over experience, with Chamberlain 1/3 to go 15-0 in Riyadh. 10 knockouts in his 14 wins actually makes the Chamberlain stoppage glisten at 17/10. But Gwynne has only been stopped once, against the concussive Tennyson. He has improved since then and I fancy him to survive this encounter on his feet.

Therefore I am tipping Chamberlain to prevail by decision at 7/5. Gwynne is in great form and can ask questions of the younger man, but ultimately I feel Chamberlain has a higher performance ceiling. I think this fight will surprise a few who might not be as familiar with the two lightweights as they are with Joshua and Ngannou. Expect action here with Chamberlain ultimately coming out on top.

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