Tim Bradley has named his winner for this evening’s O’Shaquie Foster vs Emanuel Navarrete unification battle.

WBC champion Foster collides with WBO and IBF titleholder Navarrete tonight at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.

It brings together the two best 130lb fighters on the planet, with Navarrete having stopped Eduardo Nunez in his last bout back in February, while Foster defeated Ray Ford by majority decision during his most recent action in May.

Speaking to his YouTube channel ahead of the showdown, two-weight world champion Bradley began by breaking down the contest.

“Foster has got his hands full. Navarrete is one of those fighters that has always defied the odds. He’s always done it his way. His way has always been good enough. I think this fight is extremely dangerous for both. Foster definitely has the tools to beat Navarrete and Navarrete has the tools to beat Foster.

“I think Foster has to be perfect, I do. From my experience in calling Navarrete fights and speaking to fighters that have fought him, every fighter has said the same thing. It didn’t matter what weight it was or when they fought, every single fighter has said they have never ever in all their years been hit as hard as Navarrete hit.”

Despite acknowledging the threat that Navarrete possesses, Bradley revealed he is tipping Foster to come out on top.

“My prediction is I’m going with Foster. He’s going to show why he’s pound-for-pound. He is focused now. In the past when he suffered a couple of losses, things weren’t aligned.

“Now he’s got the promotional team, his actual team where he trains with, he’s got that now. He’s got money to pay for the best sparring partners, the best treatment, the best therapy, he has all that now.

“He has fought experienced guys. Guys where he wasn’t the favourite to win. I got him winning this fight but it’s going to be a damn good fight.”

Whoever gets their hand raised in this evening’s fight may look to then target an undisputed showdown with the winner of December’s WBA title clash between Anthony Cacace and Nick Ball, with Cacace having claimed the belt with a victory over Jazza Dickens.

Dalton Smith will make the first defence of his WBC light-welterweight title on home soil when he faces former champion Alberto Puello in Sheffield on Saturday.

Unbeaten Smith, 29, returns to the ring for the first time since becoming world champion with a stunning knockout of Subriel Matias in New York in January.

Dominican Republic fighter Puello, 32, is aiming to become a three-time world champion, having lost his WBC belt to Matias on points last year.

Smith will have the backing of his home crowd at the Utilita Arena. Can he keep his dream of fighting at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough stadium alive with another win?

Or will the tricky and experienced southpaw Puello, who has lost just once in 26 professional fights, ruin the homecoming?

BBC Sport spoke to figures from across the boxing world to get their predictions on who will come out on top.

Rocky Marciano against Mike Tyson would match relentless pressure against explosive speed. Both heavyweight champions could end a fight with one punch, but the deciding factor might be whether Marciano could survive Tyson’s early attacks and force him into a longer fight.

The comparison should involve both men at their best. Tyson’s late-career defeats tell us little about how the fighter who demolished Michael Spinks would have handled Marciano.

Tyson would have the advantages in hand speed and weight. Although similar in height, he generally fought substantially heavier than Marciano. His quick combinations to the body and head would present an immediate threat to a fighter who needed to get close to do his best work.

Marciano retired at 49-0 with 43 knockouts and six successful heavyweight title defenses. His unbeaten record did not mean he avoided trouble. Jersey Joe Walcott dropped him in the opening round and led on the scorecards before Marciano knocked him out in the 13th.

Against Ezzard Charles in their rematch, Marciano fought through a severe nose injury to secure an eighth-round knockout. Those victories demonstrated his ability to remain dangerous when a fight was going against him.

Tyson’s first championship reign showed how quickly he could take control. He stopped Trevor Berbick in two rounds to win the WBC title and later knocked out Pinklon Thomas, Tyrell Biggs, Larry Holmes, Tony Tubbs and Spinks. James “Bonecrusher” Smith and Tony Tucker took him the distance, with Tyson winning both fights on points.

Against Marciano, Tyson’s uppercuts would be particularly dangerous. Rocky often advanced from a low crouch, bringing him into range of short punches as he worked his way inside. Tyson could also attack the body before bringing his hooks upstairs.

Marciano’s answer would be to keep punching and deny Tyson comfortable breaks. He attacked the chest, shoulders, and arms when an opponent’s head was protected. Those punches could contribute to wearing Tyson down, although they would leave Marciano close enough to be countered.

Tyson’s peek-a-boo style was more than a stationary high guard. At his best, he used head movement and quick changes of angle to create openings. Marciano would have to deal with that movement before he could establish his own attack.

A longer fight would give Marciano more opportunities. His conditioning and sustained output were major strengths, particularly over 15 rounds. If he could survive the early combinations and continue forcing Tyson to work, his chances would improve.

That does not make an early Tyson knockout inevitable or a late Marciano victory automatic. Marciano could be dropped, while Tyson could win over the distance, as his victories over Smith and Tucker demonstrated.

Tyson would have the stronger chance of an early stoppage because of his speed, combinations, and greater size. Marciano’s best route would be to withstand that opening assault and turn the contest into a prolonged, punishing fight.

Would Tyson’s speed settle it early, or could Marciano survive and wear him down?