Prediction: Jake Matthews via Decision
Matthews is younger, more explosive, and thrives in the pocket. He’s not afraid to sit down on his shots, throw with intent, and mix in his wrestling when he needs to. His defense definitely isn’t airtight. He’ll get clipped clean because he keeps his head on the center line, but what makes him dangerous is how he reacts. He doesn’t fold. He bites down, fires back, and forces the other guy to respect him. That stubbornness is going to be huge in this matchup because Magny is notorious for ramping up the aggression late, especially in the third round.
Magny’s whole game is to drag you into deep waters with his pace, clinch work, and sheer persistence. But Matthews has the tools to win those first two rounds clearly. His timing, his bursts of explosiveness, and his ability to surprise Magny with wrestling entries should stack up points early. As long as Matthews doesn’t gas himself out or get reckless in the third, he should be able to weather that late Magny surge and hold on for a decision.
Magny is tough as hell and hard to put away, so the pick here isn’t about Matthews landing a highlight finish. It’s about him banking the early work. Two clean rounds of sharper striking and wrestling control, then staying composed down the stretch, should be enough to get his hand raised.