By Cliff Rold

HBO is one show into their slate and has offered up the first Fight of the Year candidate.  As the action in Andre Berto-Luis Collazo progressively ratcheted the violence and drama over the course of twelve rounds, so does this weekend’s even more promising bout promise to ratchet the stakes for 2009. 

These are picks of the week.

Pick It: Antonio Margarito-Shane Mosley (HBO, Saturday 9:45 PM EST/PST)

There is plenty to debate about this weekend’s highly anticipated Welterweight showdown from what impact it has on determining the true king at 147 lbs. to the basics of how Mosley (45-5-, 38 KO) can use his speed and experience to offset the naked tenacity of the WBA titlist Margarito (37-5, 27 KO).  It’s the sort of match which screams for tired old axioms like ‘crossroads’ and ‘must-win.’ 

In other words, it’s a damn good fight.  It could also, at least on one side of the ring, give the sport a clear claimant to the vacant World Welterweight champion as noted here last week: https://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=17891

Ticket sales at the Los Angeles Staples Center, priced for Boxing fans as much as the local glitterati, are brisk and the sell-out crowd could top 18,000.  It’s a nod of respect to the reputation each of these warriors has cultivated through action filled career rounds.  HBO couldn’t have picked a better start to their 2009 World Championship Boxing series and whether the Margarito-Mosley goes only one minute or all of 47, it will be worth every second.

Pick The Unknown: Alejandro Hernandez-Jesus Jimenez (Telemundo, Friday 11:30 PM EST)

Less celebrated than the recently cancelled Spanish language “Solo Boxeo” on rival network Telefutura, the late night Friday shows on Telemundo have been a steady supply of violence in recent vintage.  Rarely featuring the biggest names, the series concentrates on the lower weight divisions and fighters looking for big paydays which rarely come.  Perhaps as fight fans, some readers may never have seen Flyweights Hernandez (20-6-1, 9 KO) or Jimenez (20-5, 13 KO). 

Here’s a quick primer. 

Jimenez is on a tear, the winner of nine in a row since a stoppage loss to Francisco Arce in 2006.  Eight of those nine dukes have come inside the distance.  Hernandez had a streak of his own for a while, winning twelve straight between 2005 and 2007 before dropping decisions in two of his last three.  Those defeats were of quality at the hands of fringe contender Carlos Tamara and long-reigning WBO 112 lb. titlist Omar Narvaez.  So maybe most haven’t heard of Hernandez and Jimenez.  So what?  The tale of the tape indicates a fight before THE fight this weekend.

Pick Classic(s): HBO On Demand

2008 has come to a close but for those still wishing to relive it, and with access to HBO’s On Demand services, this could be a fun week.  On January 25th, the series of bouts selected as their best of 2008, including Margarito-Miguel Cotto, will end their current replay loop.  For fight collectors who have missed anything, now’s the time to do something about.  Need more classics?  On Thursday night at 9 PM EST, ESPN Classic replays Margarito’s very first major title win, the 2002 war with Antonio Diaz. 

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