Jahi Tucker withdraws from Yoenli Hernández fight talks, shifts path

Withdrawal Changes Direction

For Tucker, the Hernandez matchup represented a major step up. Hernandez has stopped eight of his nine professional opponents and built his reputation on constant pressure and heavy punching. He forces opponents into exchanges and keeps them there, making it difficult to operate from distance.

Kyrone Davis went the full 10 rounds with Hernandez earlier this year, but the fight was decided early. Hernandez dropped Davis in the second round and controlled the rest of the night, winning every round on all three scorecards. Davis stayed on his feet, but he was reacting rather than setting the terms.

That result stood out because Davis had previously given David Benavidez difficult rounds in their 2021 fight and shown he could compete at that level. Hernandez took control of the fight early and never gave Davis the chance to change it.

For Tucker, whose strengths come from timing and placement, Hernandez presented a difficult stylistic problem. Fighters who apply steady pressure remove space and force exchanges. Those situations tend to reveal quickly where a young fighter stands.

Contender Position Holds

Instead, Tucker’s path now moves through Akale. He faces a veteran opponent who brings experience without the same immediate contender implications. The fight keeps Tucker active while delaying a direct test against one of the division’s most physically demanding contenders.

Hernandez remains near the top of the WBA rankings and now appears headed toward a veteran checkpoint in Gausha. The Tucker fight is no longer in play, but his position in the division remains intact.