Leading Irish UFC welterweight contender Ian Garry shared his thoughts on a potential crossover bout between current welterweight contender Jack Della Maddalena and former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
Garry acknowledged Makhachev`s exceptional skills, stating, “It is obvious that Islam is phenomenal, he is good at everything.” However, he strongly emphasized the significance of the size difference between the two fighters, which he estimated to be around 7 kilograms (approximately 15 pounds).
He drew a comparison between Jack Della Maddalena`s size and that of Alexander Volkanovski, who previously challenged Makhachev. Garry noted, “Just compare the sizes of Volkanovski and Maddalena — there is a big difference, Jack is much bigger. And Volk fought Makhachev.” He also pointed to Islam`s recent fight with Dustin Poirier, suggesting it “was not a complete domination by Makhachev,” implying vulnerability despite Makhachev`s win.
Concluding his analysis, Garry predicted that size would “play a huge role in this fight, even on the ground.” Despite Makhachev`s reputation for immense strength and grappling prowess, Garry expressed doubt that executing his usual game plan against a significantly larger opponent like Della Maddalena would be straightforward. “But it doesn’t seem to me that it will be easy for him to do everything he has planned. No matter how phenomenal a fighter he is,” Garry remarked during an interview with Ariel Helwani.
Gareth Tenby