Dmitry Pirog vs. Nobuhiro Ishida: Start Time, Preview and Schedule

Boxing fans are going to get a rare treat this week when Dmitry Pirog defends the WBO middleweight championship against Nobuhiro Ishida on Tuesday from Russia. 

Pirog is fighting for the first time since defeating Gennady Martirosyan last September. He has been unstoppable in his professional career, winning all 19 fights with 15 of those victories coming via knockout. 

Ishida, who is coming off a loss to Paul Williams in his previous fight, has been given a gift with this title shot. He is a pedestrian 2-2 in his last four bouts, and he hasn't won a 12-round fight since 2009. 

Where: Sport Complex Krylatskoe in Moscow, Russia

When: Tuesday, May 1 at 2:00 p.m. EST 

Watch: Only on Russian Television

Pirog's Keys to Victory

Use superior striking and athleticism to go for the knockout.

Pirog is the better boxer, let's not try to dance around it. He took this fight knowing full well that it would be, if not a sure thing, certainly as close to a safe bet as he can get. 

As long as Pirog doesn't get cocky, comes out and uses his superior striking and speed to overwhelm the challenger, he is going to retain his title and had to his (hollow) undefeated record. 

Ishida's Keys to Victory

Don't get overwhelmed by the stage; land heavy shots early and often.

Pirog is going to have a huge home-ring advantage in this contest, so it is up to Ishida to prove that he is not going to be out of his element on this stage. 

Ishida is not known for being a powerful striker, relying instead on his defense and instincts to carry him to victory. That will not work in this fight, because he isn't as fast as Pirog. He needs to make a statement early by trying to stun the champion. 

What They Are Saying

Pirog's style has earned him a lot of fans around the world. His choice of opponents thus far leaves a lot to be desired, but at least he has an exciting style that makes his fights entertaining. 

Here is what Pirog had to say about his wild, relentless style that has produced so many knockouts already.

"

When I was young, I was pretty small and light. My boxing technique was all about speed and throwing lots of punches. I weighed just 48 kilos then, but suddenly I started growing tall very fast. That changed me a lot, I suddenly couldn't act the same way in the ring. 

 

"

Prediction

Ishida is going to serve as the sacrificial lamb that hopefully gets Pirog in the ring with Daniel Geale later this year. 

Pirog wins via sixth-round TKO

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