Green Vs. Stephens Odds, Full Fight Preview & Prediction

How Green Wins

King Green has still got it! In the last five years, Green has only lost to future, former, or currently ranked Lightweights. Even as he’s lost a slight step in durability and speed — which feels like it should be a death knell given his fighting style — Green has remained a very tough out who can make skilled opposition look amateurish.

In this bout as with most others, speed and range management are Green’s advantages and keys to victory alike. Green is confident in his shoulder-rolling defense, but he still doesn’t want to stand right in front of Stephens and trade right hands. Fortunately, Stephens is exactly the kind of fighter who can be baited into swinging at Green, which is usually how Green finds the mark with snappy jabs and hard counter shots.

I’d like to see Green work in the occasional takedown attempt as well. Why not? Stephens spent most of the last three years bare knuckle boxing, so Green oughta exploit that weakness and tire him out a bit. The threat of the takedown will keep Stephens honest if nothing else, giving Green more feint options and making it easier to establish the jab.

How Stephens Wins

Stephens has been a brawler for more than 20 years now. During his rise up the Featherweight ranks, Stephens refined his kicking attack and really rounded his game, but in his heart, he’s still a man who would prefer to swing for the fences each and every time.

In this matchup, it might be his kicking prowess that saves him.

Stephens is going to have a difficult time boxing with King Green. He’s not as quick, nor does he has the layered defense of his opponent or the spearing jab. In a gloved boxing match, there’s a very clear favorite.

Fortunately, Stephens’ low kicks could go a long way in disrupting Green’s jab, shoulder roll, and pull counters. The important part is setting up the kick, as Green is quite accustomed to withdrawing his leg away from naked calf kicks. If Stephens can press forward and kick when Green is moving his head or pivoting, he’ll find better success in taking away Green’s mobility.

That’s how the haymaker lands in the long run.

Green vs. Stephens Prediction

This feels like a tough matchup for Stephens, who most likely will end up walking into lots of stiff jabs. Kicking Green’s leg is an obvious solution — see the Paddy Pimblett fight — but that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy, especially since Stephens isn’t working with any kind of range advantage like “The Baddy.”

Stephens will do his best to make the upset happen by walking forward through fire and going for the kill, but Green loves that kind of fight. He’s never better than when he can touch his foe with a jab, pull just out of reach from the return fire, and then come back with hard counters. We just saw Green torch a young, aggressive kickboxer in Daniel Zellhuber, so he should be able to do the same against an older, more limited Stephens.

Prediction: Green via decision