Derrick Lewis (#2) and Ciryl Gane (#3) are two of the most feared heavyweight fighters for two different reasons. Lewis can send you to another dimension at any given moment, Gane on the other hand is so good with his movement you rarely get a chance to land a clean strike. This fight will serve as a case study for understanding what happens when a fighter with a touch of death goes against a fundamentally sound fighter.
Lewis’ Strengths
- Power
- Speed
- Explosiveness
- Ability to fight through adversities
- Surprise attacks
Lewis’ Weaknesses
- Cardio
Gane’s Strengths
- Solid striking fundamentals
- Octagon awareness
- Agility
- Creativity
- Good submissions
Gane’s Weaknesses
- Yet to be exposed
What does Lewis need to do to win?
Lewis at the moment is probably the second biggest puncher in the Heavyweight division, right behind the champion Francis Ngannou. You can never count Lewis out of a fight. He has the heart to keep fighting even in extreme adversities and he can knock anyone out at any given moment. With that being said, this is the first time Lewis is fighting someone like Ciryl Gane, a technically creative fighter with solid fundamentals. The longer the fight will go, the more it will favor Gane, who is very good at making adjustments and also has superior cardio. Therefore, Lewis has the highest chance of winning the fight in the first 3 rounds. Lewis needs to make this a dirty fight from the beginning, he has to put ultra pressure and close the distance and focus on landing any kind of punches. It only takes one good punch for Lewis to drop anyone flat and that should be the main strategy for Lewis; just land something. Gane can fight clean all day long, but how well does he do in a dirty fight? The answer lies in the hands of Lewis. When Lewis is not actively pressing the fight, he needs to try his surprise attacks, which have been very successful in his past fights.
What does Gane need to do to win?
Gane might be the most technically sound and creative fighter in the heavyweight division. He has amazing octagon awareness and he puts constant pressure on his opponents. He moves well and creates angles where he can land all kinds of strikes with minimal risks attached. With that being said, this Saturday he is fighting Derrick Lewis, a knockout artist who does not quit. Gane can minimize the risk of getting hit hard by taking the fight to the ground, where he tends to do very well. To win against Lewis requires Gane to be perfect throughout the fight, in the striking realm one mistake could cause Gane serious trouble. Therefore, Gane needs to maintain distance and mostly stay in the kicking range for the first 3 rounds. He needs to throw a lot of teep and leg kicks to negate Lewis’ explosiveness and to slow Lewis down. In addition, Gane needs to attack Lewis’ body to get him fatigued. Once Lewis is tired, which will most likely be after the third round, Gane can spend more time in the boxing range and mix his punches with knees and elbows.
Prediction
Two explosive fighters in the most important fight of their careers thus far, I expect this fight to be a firework from the start. I think Lewis will try to finish the job as fast as he can, while Gane will try to stretch it as long as possible, either way, they both have to strike to get there, just with different approaches. Given how clean Gane has fought his previous fights, I’m leaning toward him being able to do the same against Lewis.
