The undercard of BKB 49 features a fight that I think is flying under the radar. We have the British brawler Tom Pratt taking on the Slovakian sniper Robert Koky.

Most bookies have Koky as the favorite here (-180) but I see this fight differently. This is a matchup of “Range vs. Pocket Presence” and I think the underdog has a real shot if he survives the first 10 seconds.

Tale of the Tape

The Case for Tom Pratt

Pratt is a standard, decent pocket brawler. He isn’t the fastest guy on his feet but he has a very nice double jab that he uses intelligently. He uses it to create space when he needs a breather and then switches it up to use it for damage, often tagging a “2” on the end of it.

He likes to creep in with his left foot. Against a less experienced boxer like Koky, this tactic should find success. He can eat up the distance incrementally and force Koky to misjudge the range.

We saw in the Cathal Moore fight that Pratt struggles with range. Moore was much taller and lankier (similar to Koky) and landed that right hand from distance multiple times. Pratt eventually adjusted, using his shoulder to block the rangy shots, but it was a struggle all night. There is certainly an argument that Moore won that fight. However, Pratt proved he can survive the length and get inside where he is dangerous.

The Case for Robert Koky

Koky has made improvements over the last year. His right hand looks deadly from range—it is a total weapon. He has also started using a pull-back defense that makes him look slippery.

But he has major red flags. He hasn’t faced anyone with real pedigree outside of Keiron Harding, who absolutely flattened him.

Technically, Koky has what I call the “classic archer problem.” He pulls back one arm to throw with the other, leaving him wide open during the transition. His chin is also way too high. This is a bad habit that goes back to his early days fighting in his homeland of Slovakia. He stands tall, chin in the air, relying entirely on his eyes to evade shots.

The Verdict

I think we will know the result of this fight in the first 10 seconds. Either Pratt gets tagged by Koky’s long-range cross immediately, or he doesn’t.

Koky has the exact same red flags as Cathal Moore did against Pratt—tall, rangy, but leaves openings when you get past the reach. Pratt gets over his shots well and once he gets inside that reach, the danger for Koky is real.

Koky’s “pull back” defense works until it doesn’t. With his chin that high, he is asking to be clipped by Pratt’s double-jab-right-hand combo. I like the dog here.

Official Pick: Pratt survives the early scare and grinds him down. Tom Pratt wins.