Prospect of the Month: (May)
There have been two men who have dominated the Light-heavyweight division for much of the last decades. Those two men, Dmitri Bivol and Artur Beterbiev are pound-for-pound elites but are a bit long in the tooth, and it's time for new blood in the 175-pound division. The new blood came bursting onto the scene on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk in Riyadh Saudi Arabia in the form of Daniel Lapin, a 6'6 Southpaw, originally from Poland and now fighting for Ukraine, who is experiencing a power surge has put the 175-pound division on notice. Lapin, stopped Octavio Pudivitr, of Portugal in 107 seconds to move his record to 10-0 (4), score his fourth consecutive stoppage, and put himself on the radar in the light heavyweight division, scored the biggest win of his career in what was supposed to be the biggest challenge of his career and takes home our "Prospect of the Month" award.
It will certainly take you more time to read this month's Fighter of the Month award than it took Lapin to dispose of his opponent in Riyadh on May 18th. Lapin worked patiently, not looking for a stoppage.The Ukrainian flicked out the jab and used his legs to circle the ring. A straight left late in the first round drove Pudivitr backward midway through the first round with his man in the ropes a barrage of power shots capped off by a left hand to the body put his man down. The Portuguese tried valiantly to beat the count but was unable to make it to his feet. Giving Lapin the stoppage just past the midway mark of the opening round in what was supposed to be the biggest test of his career.
The Polish-born Ukraine native should be moved quickly at 26 years old and should get another big step-up fight next. There are plenty of names out there for Lapin to test himself on. Veterans like Luke Keeler or Stefano Abatangelo would offer him the experience he hasn't seen before. If they wanted to get risky and try to propel their man into the world title picture Lapin's team could look for a fight with the likes of Alexis Angulo or Deon Nicholson. Fights like that are winnable for Lapin and could propel the 6'6 giant into the world title picture in 2025.
