Chamberlain vs Wahab Predictions: Late stoppage for ‘Thunder’

Mark Chamberlain takes on Joshua Oluwaseun Wahab on Saturday, May 18 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The lightweight contest takes place on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk. The fight will be screened on DAZN, TNT Sports Box Office and Sky Sports Box Office.

Here are my Chamberlain vs Wahab predictions ahead of Saturday’s lightweight showdown.

Chamberlain is right where he wants to be after 15 career fights. ‘Thunder’ is unbeaten and occupies a spot in all four sanctioning body world rankings. He makes his second trip to Saudi Arabia, having knocked Gavin Gwynne out in four rounds on the Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou card back in March.

Wahab has largely competed in Ghana and his native Nigeria in his 24 pro bouts. British fans will recognise him from the tricky challenge he gave Liam Dillon at York Hall in 2022. Wahab lost that one on a majority decision, but it helped put ‘The Wealth Machine’ on the map. Now he gets the call-up to compete in boxing’s de facto modern capital.

Chamberlain has one of those stories of self-belief that boxing often conjures outside the Olympics-to-glory pipeline. Not everyone reaches the top by walking the red carpet from the podium to the world title. Chamberlain was plastering houses a year ago before backing himself and choosing boxing over the 9-to-5.

The decision is paying off. A win here will net Chamberlain the WBC silver lightweight title. The belt means little on its own, but the benefits to his ranking could be considerable. A world title shot is in the sights of the 25-year-old. Winning on what could be the most-watched boxing pay-per-view in years certainly won’t harm his claim.

Wahab will be determined to continue his winning ways though. He rebounded from the Dillon defeat with an 11th round TKO of Sikiru Shogbesan to win the WBO Africa super featherweight belt. Now he moves up to lightweight looking to keep the good times rolling.

Wahab’s main weapon in this one is likely to be his power. He has stopped the last five men he has beaten. Against a highly-touted prospect in Chamberlain, he may be wary of leaving this one up to the scorecards. Look for ‘The Wealth Machine’ to try and break the bank with a big knockout.

That’s not easy to do against a man who has never looked like being stopped before. Chamberlain has never been down in his career and he has never lost. Even when he has been cut, such as against Artjoms Ramlavs, he has always rallied to win.

The Portsmouth southpaw has looked largely untroubled in his 15 fights. Forgoing the traditional route, Chamberlain has racked up ranking belts like the IBF European title and WBA inter-continental championship. 

Traditionalists may baulk, and there is something pleasing about the classic British, Commonwealth and EBU European pathway. But Chamberlain has got where he needs to be. The titles might not be prestigious heirlooms like the Lord Lonsdale Challenge belt. But they have landed ‘Thunder’ in every ranking that matters.

When all is said and done against Wahab, I feel like Chamberlain will remain in those all-important world rankings. I think that Wahab is tough and talented, but ultimately out-gunned here. Chamberlain is too complete a fighter to be beaten at this stage. Tougher tests await, but he’s proven he can come through against fighters of Wahab’s level.

As for the outcome, Wahab is tough and durable. But I can’t escape the idea that it won't be enough. I feel the Nigerian boxer will incur the first stoppage loss of his career. Chamberlain by knockout in rounds 10-12  is priced at 9/2 and that is where my prediction is going. Riyadh had better prepare for ‘Thunder’.

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