By Cliff Rold

Next week, the hype and chatter will be in full swing and the bulk of it will be focused where it should be: the non-title rematch between World Middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik and former champion Jermain Taylor.  As an immediate return to one of 2007’s best fights, Pavlik-Taylor II earned the hype in blood. 

Guaranteed then to get less attention among mainstream outlets is the stellar undercard to that feature attraction. 

Beneath the bigger boys, the best weight not prefixed with the word “Welter” will be given one of its best stages in years.  If the two bouts featured live up to the action so far this year at 115 lbs., boxing fans are in for a treat.

That’s because, for true fight lovers, Fernando Montiel-Martin Castillo and Cristian Mijares-Jose Navarro is a double header unto itself.  Anytime three of the top four battlers in a single class share the same bill, and Montiel, Castillo and Mijares are recognized as such, it’s hard to believe that something else can be the main event.  That says a lot about how good Taylor-Pavlik I was, how good II could be, and how tough it is for fistic quality alone to stand out.

It is the curse of being small.  Quietly and consistently, Jr. Bantamweight has stood out for all of this decade as a haven for excellent fights and fighters, appreciated by those who watch boxing avidly and that’s about it.  The division does solid business between other borders, but rarely in the U.S. where, as one notable boxing personality once commented to me, fans have to feel like the guys in the ring could kick their ass.

5’3 guys who go 115 lbs. don’t look the part (even though looks deceive and there are a lot of bigger men who would find themselves sadly mistaken.) 

As noted earlier this week in the Boxing Scene January Review, 115 lbs. delivered arguably the sports finest showing last month when Alexander Munoz (32-2, 27 KO) successfully defended his WBA belt against former lineal World champion, and now retired, Katsushige Kawashima.  It was the sort of back and forth battle that displayed the guts, tenacity, skill level and CONDITIONING that is only occasionally seen in today’s Heavyweight fights. 

When the paycheck tallies are totaled, the overwhelmingly higher tax brackets the best Heavyweights find themselves in prove just how much size alone matters. 

Believe it or not (wink), I’ve been accused of being overly partial to the little guys…but it is only bias when favoritism overrules reality.  The reality in boxing is that this division is and has been that good.

If you are a regular reader of this column, you know.  You’ve tracked down at least one of the fights in the Masamori Tokuyama-Kawashima trilogy; you knew who Gerry Penalosa was long before Daniel Ponce De Leon and Jhonny Gonzalez found out in his HBO breakthrough 2008, years past his prime; and you know how sorry it was that Luis Perez rotted on the vine after two IBF title wins against Felix Machado.

You also knew how unfair it was that it took Martin Castillo (33-2, 17 KO) so long between a questionable decision loss to Machado in 2002, a six round technical decision forced by a Castillo cut, and the 2004 shot at Munoz that still stands as his best performance.  Castillo has since lost that WBA belt and seen it travel back to Munoz, and his own travels have brought him to next weekend.

Already 31, and appearing recently to have begun to lose just a slight step, his bout could be the most interesting story of the night.  His younger opponent, 28-year old WBO titlist Fernando Montiel (35-2-1, 26 KO) has shown tremendous speed and skill, but also has appeared to choke up in his two biggest U.S. TV appearances against Mark Johnson and Jhonny Gonzalez.  What matters more: age or the ability to cope with the spotlight?  

With just ten or fifteen pounds more granted by the grace of God, who know how much this fight might be worth in dollar terms.  They’ll likely fight up to whatever amount it would be anyways.

This isn’t just about those two fights though.  It’s about the whole division.  Last week, former Flyweight titlist Vic Darchinyan joined the club with an exciting draw against Z Gorres; the same Gorres fought valiantly in a narrow, and again exciting, loss to Montiel last year.  Darchinyan-Gorres was the sort of fight that just deepens the pool.

There remains no lineal or Ring champion in the division right now and for those who argue that such things don’t matter, this class is an example of why.  Instead of worrying about a single champion (and the division could use at least a little clarity in the wake of Tokuyama’s 2007 retirement), good fights just keep getting made, some for belts and some for bucks. 

So before the headlines get reserved for the big fights, let’s put the supporting cast and the realm around it on center stage for a day.  They deserve it and they’ll probably prove it next Saturday.

The Other Fight: THIS Saturday, we’ll get our latest look at WBO Welterweight titlist Paul Williams, in action against veteran Carlos Quintana.  The Pre-Fight Report Card for that bout will be prepared for tomorrow evening.

Cliff’s Notes…

This is one of those weeks in boxing where the fights taking place just feel like a way to pass time until better fights arrive.  That said, there’s been more than enough ground to cover.  Here are some thoughts on:

I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.

Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com