Khalid Twaiti first stepped into Gleason’s Gym in Water St, Brooklyn, when he was only 9. His father was a boxing fan, but it was his uncle who saw his talent and passion, and soon he was training alongside the likes of Paulie Malignaggi. First, he made his father a believer and then his local community. A Golden Gloves victory followed, and he earned the name ‘Pure Gold.’ A little over a decade has passed since, and the American boxer is inching closer to realizing his golden destiny. But standing before him is Emmanuel Rodriguez, a veteran contender. So, will he finally take the big step and burst open into the rankings?

The fans will find it out as they look at a clash between two fighters who will be fighting for a world title soon. The high-stakes fight will happen on October 12 at Prudential Center in Newark as the co-main event on the Michael Anderson vs. Daniel Gonzalez welterweight fight. As the showdown inches closer, let’s have a look at how the two boxers stack up.

Emmanuel Rodriguez vs. Khalid Twaiti: Tale of Tape

While much information is not available on Twaiti, the bantamweight fighter possesses technical prowess. He is a skilled operator with calculation behind each punch and tries to outclass and outpoint his opponents. What has helped build a cult around him is his undefeated record, as after 13 fights, he boasts a perfect record along with 5 KOs. The Brooklyn native banks his faith in his swiftness and elusiveness rather than power, which is also hinted at by his KO ratio of 38.46%.

In addition, Twaiti is only entering his prime years at 28 and adding more skills and weapons to his arsenal. Therefore, Twaiti is molding himself into a serious and top contender at 118. And he is ready to take the bantamweight division by storm. However, Rodriguez is the polar opposite of him and makes a perfect stylistic matchup.

Rodriguez, 31, is the older of the two and also has more fights under his belt. He is a perfect blend of power and skills. The Puerto Rican boxer has a wide range of punching, as he unloads all kinds of punches. It’s no wonder he confuses his foes with his quick footwork and has an impressive record of 15-2 with 8 KOs to show for. Besides, ‘Salserito’ packs enough power behind his punches to wreak havoc on his competitors. His KO ratio of 53.33% suggests the same. What’s more? Rodriguez stands tall at 5’5″ (165 cm), which allows him to punch and control the distance instead of fitting on the back foot. But will it be enough to tame the hot prospect, Twaiti, who fights in an anti-thetical way to him?

Prediction: Who wins it?

Twaiti has proclaimed himself to be a “slick boxer,” who tends to be more agile, swift on his toes, and shows excellent ring generalship. But he also mixes in his dangerous left hook, helping him rack up knockouts with his powerful and precise blows. What sets him apart from the rest is his boxing IQ, which allows him to adjust to the size and style of his rivals.

Rodriguez, on the other hand, prefers to employ his jabs, maintain a distance, cut angles, and rely on effective counters. Not to mention his strong defense, which has been penetrated only a couple of times. When he clashes with Twaiti, his jab could be negated by the latter’s slick movements and ring generalship. What’s more? Twaiti could catch him lacking with a left hook during exchanges, but the same is true for him as Rodriguez has more power and a larger weaponry. Any mistake would cost Twaiti his undefeated record. It’s a close fight to call as it will come down to Twaiti’s slickness and technical prowess vs. Rodriguez’s power and weaponry. Given that Rodriguez has been found out already, the age difference, and the stark style difference, we have Twaiti winning it.

What do you make of this coming fight between Emmanuel Rodriguez and Khalid Twaiti? Who do you think will leave the arena as a victor? Let us know in the comments below.