By Cliff Rold

It’s sort of a ‘calm before the storm’ sort of week in Boxing.  Next week, the sport will see a flurry of activity and not just in the big Vegas show (get your Tecate coupons now!).  Calm doesn’t mean serene.  There will be still be ripples in Lake Fistic, the most prominent among them with the chance to alter the race for Fighter of the Year. 

These are the picks of the week.

Pick It: Paul Williams-Verno Phillips (HBO, Saturday 10 PM EST/7 PM PST)

And just what would the ripple be?  Imagine an upset in the HBO main event and there you have it.  In a Fighter of the Year race without a clear leader, Verno Phillips (42-10-1, 21 KO) upsetting Paul Williams (35-1, 26 KO) after an earlier upset of Cory Spinks, in Spinks hometown no less, would make a hell of a case.  It probably isn’t likely.  Williams has given up his WBO Welterweight belt for this WBO Jr. Middleweight eliminator, a big risk likely to lead to at least some reward.  Phillips will be some sort of test though, even 11 years older at 38.  He’s been a test for many of the best fighters at 154 lbs. in his long career whether it was in wins against Gianfranco Rosi and Bronco McKart or losses to Ike Quartey and Kasim Ouma.  Williams is, like Ouma, a fighter on the rise and one who already owns a win against Antonio Margarito.  This should be fun no matter who wins.  The undercard doesn’t hurt either as Heavyweight Chris Arreola (25-0, 22 KO) continues his ascent towards title contention in a showdown with the chinny Travis Walker (28-1-1, 22 KO).  It’s a chance for Arreola to make an impression, something no American Heavyweight has done in a minute.  Top to bottom, it’s not a bad little show for HBO.   

Pick Finland: Amin Asikainen-Khoren Gevor (Likely on YouTube Over the Weekend)

It can be said that Finland is cold and has good health care.  Beyond that, not really the first place to pop in the mind as a Boxing haven.  However, this Friday it’s got an interesting and likely violent Middleweight fight on tap.  Asikainen (25-1, 17 KO) is a legitimate top ten contender at 160 lbs., his only loss coming last year by a hard fought stoppage with rival Sebsatian Sylvester whom he’d stopped previously.  Ghevor (29-3, 15 KO) put up a heck of a battle before suffering a grotesque knockout loss in 2007 to Arthur Abraham for the IBF belt.  Add that up and we’ve got two guys with pop, both of whom desperately need this win, both of whom can be dropped.  What’s not to like?  There are some who question how good Middleweight is because they aren’t in the bulk of the division’s area code.  These are two fighters who point to the division being underrated more than over.  Find it if someone posts it on the www.   

Pick Espanol: Telefutura Solo Boxeo (Friday 8 PM EST/PST)

Soon, this show will be off the air and sorely missed.  Until then, for the serious fight freaks, there is an episode that doesn’t point to the shows higher qualities.  Jr. Middleweight Hicklet Lau (20-17-2, 9 KO) has lost 11 of his last 14 fights but will main event against Jesus Soto Karass (21-3-3, 15 KO).  Whatever…it’s Boxing.  If home, why not? 

Back in seven.

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