Maybe this is the year when Jalil Hackett will finally put his foot in the door to reach the world title shot. Or, given his power, he will smack the door or barge in with force. Undoubtedly, he is one of the hottest commodities in the boxing world right now. Already labeled a star in the making, the Washington native is eager to woo the fans again. But will he get caught against a more experienced fighter in Jose Roman Vazquez? Or will he continue to march ahead and realize his potential?

The fans will be eager to witness how this prospect vs. experienced fighter bout plays out when they take on each other on December 7 at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan. The fight offers fans an exciting stylistic matchup, where a win could push either closer to the top of the welterweight division’s hierarchy. Before that happens, let’s have a look at how the two boxers stack up.

Jalil Hackett vs. Jose Roman Vazquez: Tale of Tape

Hackett, 21, is your explosive fighter, who knows how to blend power and precision. You can gauge his skill set by his sparring partner, Gervonta Davis. He has closely worked with ‘Tank’ for some time now and hence picked up some things from him. Maybe that’s the reason he had a splendid start to his pro career, as he currently boasts an unblemished record of 9-0 with 7 KOs. You can look at his KO ratio of 77.78% and make a quick assessment of his aggressive style.

Despite being in the early days of his pro career, the Washington native appears calm in the ring and unloads his shots with calculations but with tremendous power behind those. That’s why you would notice many of his finishes with his predominant right hand. In addition, Hackett stands tall at 5’11” (180 cm), which he couples with his quick footwork and head movement to slip away from punches. Interestingly, his reach is not listed anywhere on the internet.

Meanwhile, Vazquez, 30, is the older of the two, with more fights under his belt. The Puerto Rican fighter has a strong fundamental base, with a quick jab, tight defense, and calculated punches. While he is a relatively unknown face in the boxing community, a look at his boxing resume gives a fair idea of his mold. He holds an impressive record of 13-1 with 6 KOs. His KO ratio of 46.15% suggests he is your defense-first fighter, who would prefer to slowly chip away from you rather than going for a knockout.

In addition, the Bayamon native carries a size advantage. His height measures 6’2″ (188 cm), and he has a reach of 72″ (183 cm), which could allow him to dictate the fight’s pace and launch an attack behind the jab. But the question is whether he can fend off Hackett’s offensive onslaught.

Prediction: who wins it?

What separates Hackett from the rest? It’s his experience of sparing with Davis and how he is shaping himself as a boxer, with all the bases covered. His perfect blend of precision and power is a treat to watch as a fan. His precision also extends to his counterpunching, which makes him deadly on counters, too. You can envision him going for the bodywork and killing the fight with his heavy right. In between, Hackett employs his heavy counters.

You shouldn’t overlook Hackett’s speed and agility, given his youth, which he puts to good use by his boxing IQ. But he will be tested against an experienced fighter in Vazquez, who has all the weapons to nullify his aggression. Amusingly, this is his first 10-round fight. That’s not it. Vazquez has had struggles with weight. An interesting factor would be to see how he fares before his home crowd. That will surely give him a push. But we have Hackett winning this one with ease. While Vazquez does have what it takes to cause an upset, he has to put on an inspiring performance to do it.

What do you make of this coming fight between Jalil Hackett and Jose Roman Vazquez? Who do you think will leave the arena with a win? Let us know in the comments below.