Jack Rafferty faces Sabari Jaishankar in his second title fight
Almost Famous – Jack Rafferty has the chance to announce himself on a global stage with his next title shot
Jack Rafferty (22-0, 13KO) will face Sabari Jaishankar (11-2, 5KO) for the vacant IBO Continental welterweight title on Saturday, June 29 at the Liverpool Olympia, live on DAZN.
The 147-pounders will headline the Conlan Boxing show, supported by IBO world featherweight champion Jazza Dickens, who heads back to the ring for the first time in almost year, since losing his world honours last July.
The IBO Continental welterweight strap up for grabs was last held by North East star Cyrus Pattinson, so if Rafferty can triumph on the night then it will ensure the prestigious belt remains on these shores.
The ‘Demolition Man’ from Shaw, Lancashire, picked up the Commonwealth super-lightweight title in his last fight with Lee Appleyard in December, and now aims to add more silverware to his collection.
Winning the colourful Commonwealth crown saw him enter the WBC world rankings at #36, so the unbeaten prospect has entered a new stage in his flourishing career.
It was only in the last quarter of last year when Rafferty, managed by Thomas Stalker, was first able to secure his most significant wins.
Although he has defeated a few winning fighters already, such as Northern Area title contender Tom Hill, it wasn’t until he stopped Midlands Area champion Ben Fields that people sat up and really took notice.
Then he put the icing on the cake last December by dropping ex-English champ Lee Appleyard twice to stop him within just two-minutes to be crowned Commonwealth king. It was a measured, confident and composed performance to work his way in with his ramrod jab to score the big shots he needed to finish the fight early in clinical fashion.
His 23rd opponent, Sabari Jaishankar, travels 5,000 miles from Chennai, India to Liverpool, England to stand in the way of his second professional title.
‘Sabari J’ is also a champion. He won the WBC Australasia welterweight title in 2022 with an eighth-round stoppage over Michael Pengue.
He then challenged for the WBC Asian super-welterweight title in 2023 away from home in Turkey, but was stopped in round eight of 10, after what was a fairly competitive contest.
The Indian boxing talent boxes behind his jab well, but he is there to be hit, which will suit Rafferty down to the ground.
Predictions
Rafferty is confident, unbeaten, has the home advantage, momentum, experience, better boxing skills and greater power.
Headlining this event so close to home and being shown live on DAZN, this talented prospect is going to make every second of his time in the spotlight count.
Sabari J has a 45% KO ratio, which is respectable but not fearsome. He doesn’t appear to have a great deal of power, mostly able to stop his opponents later in fights when fatigue and sustained damage takes effect.
I believe Rafferty is on the ascension and will have no problems outboxing Jaishankar. I think Sabari will be able to hold his own, but I do suspect there to be a gulf in class between these two challengers.
If Rafferty starts fast then I predict he will stop his opponent very early into the fight within five rounds, but possibly even in the first one or two rounds.