McCann vs Strand Predictions: Somebody’s ‘0’ must go

WBO world number 12 Dennis McCann takes on 13th-ranked Brad Strand on Saturday in Birmingham live on TNT Sports 1. This super bantamweight contest has split opinion when it comes to picking a winner. McCann is a 1/3 favourite, but Strand has talent to burn. This could be a sleeper Fight of the Night contender on Frank Warren’s stacked ‘Magnificent Seven Rides Again’ card in the Midlands. Here are my McCann vs Strand predictions ahead of an exciting bout.

When weighing up two unbeaten fighters, it can be difficult to build a full picture. After all, how much can you truly know about a boxer until they have come back from adversity? We can’t know what it takes to beat either McCann or Strand because nobody has managed the feat. 

Our best barometer of McCann’s ceiling should have come last time out. Against Romanian whirlwind Ionut Baluta, ‘The Menace’ had a chance to prove his credentials against a high-quality opponent. Baluta had run Michael Conlan close in a 2021 majority decision defeat and had also tested Liam Davies, who fights on the Birmingham card, in a 2022 battle. 

McCann was leading at the halfway stage of their bout before a clash of heads left him nursing a gruesome cut. Baluta won the following three rounds and when the match was called to a premature end due to the gash, a technical decision turned up a majority draw. McCann had the first blemish on his record, but not in entirely fair circumstances.

Knockouts of James Beech Jr and Joe Ham the year before, the latter netting McCann the Commonwealth title, are arguably more reflective of the man. The Londoner’s power is improving, with eight knockouts coming in his 14 victories. Now he’s got to try and do it against a fighter who has never been down in his career.

Strand was a standout amateur, winning four national titles and a Senior ABA gong. His rise has been classically-steered in the Frank Warren house style. Get your sea legs against journeymen in six-rounders before dipping your toes into continental waters. Strand snatched the WBO European title last time out, outscoring Joshua John in the first 10-rounder of his career. The result catapulted Strand into the world rankings, where he now meets a more experienced foe.

I feel like that experience might be telling at this stage. McCann has fought twice in bouts scheduled for the championship distance and also in a further 10-rounder. He is a nose further ahead in his professional journey than Strand and I feel this opportunity may have come too soon for the latter.

Strand will give a good account of himself here, fighting with the confidence of a man who has never tasted defeat. But after a setback last time out, I see McCann having too much for his opponent. It’ll be a lively contest that I can see going the full 12 rounds and my pick is McCann to win via decision. That outcome is priced up at 20/21 for this battle of the unbeatens.

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