Prediction: Danny Barlow via Decision
The difference maker here is speed and precision. Barlow’s got that sniper timing. He doesn’t just throw, he lands clean, and he makes opponents pay for every mistake. His ability to read movement and fire off counters right as someone commits is high level stuff.
Santos is a solid striker in his own right. He’s aggressive, powerful, and definitely dangerous when he’s allowed to lead. But the problem is, he’s all offense and almost no defensive awareness. There’s not much head movement. He exits on straight lines and when he throws, he’s open down the middle. That’s basically the blueprint for a counter striker like Barlow to shine. Barlow doesn’t need to rush; he can let Santos come to him, pick his shots, and land the cleaner work every exchange. And when you factor in how much faster Barlow is, those openings are only going to get bigger as the fight goes on.
Santos will try to take the initiative. He has to, because waiting on Barlow means getting picked apart. But that plays perfectly into Barlow’s hands. The more Santos pressures, the more opportunities Barlow gets to counter with speed and accuracy. You’ll probably see Santos throwing in volume, but Barlow’s shots will be the ones that count. He’s too smooth, too quick, and too composed to get drawn into wild exchanges. Add in his footwork and it’s easy to see how he can style here.