At first, this co-headliner would have seen former title challenger Steve Erceg taking on Alex Perez. When Perez was then sidelined, Park Hyun Sung was instead pegged to take the spot.
However, this week comes another change, with Park now fighting in this weekend’s headliner; veteran Ode Osbourne will instead step in to fight ‘Astro Boy,’ albeit in a bantamweight fight.
Essentially, this should be a no-risk fight for each man, which is probably good for Erceg in particular. After reeling off three straight wins to start his Octagon career, he will come into this fight on a three-fight losing streak.
Definitely, the Aussie has lost to Alexandre Pantoja, Kai Kara-France, and Brandon Moreno, three of the best flyweights in the world, but any fighter on a four-fight losing streak could be in trouble.
However, if a late loss occurs at a heavier weight class, the consequences should not be too severe. So will it?
Erceg made a name for himself at flyweight with his crisp boxing game and even took Pantoja to the limit in their fight. However, the truth is that after losing to “The Cannibal,” he probably was pushed a little too quickly and should have been allowed to face less formidable opponents. Erceg’s ideal opponent right now would probably be Osbourne if he were a flyweight. He is exciting to watch and always brings action to the octagon, but ‘The Jamaican Sensation’ is also not that durable and tends to leave himself open.
One big question still remains here: how in shape is he and ready for this fight? Erceg could be in danger if Kara France fractures his chin because he is the naturally larger man and packs power. Only in the case Osbourne is out of shape, though, ‘Astro Boy’ may be able to use his speed to gas the Jamaican out and pick him apart over three rounds.
Meanwhile, Osbourne is not the slowest 135-pounder by any means, and in fact, he is very explosive at points. Having said that, it is also worth noting that he has never beaten anyone as good as Erceg before, and the late notice could definitely affect him.