By Cliff Rold

After what amounted to a slow week, at least on U.S. TV, pugilism will fire on all cylinders this coming Friday and Saturday.  In multiple nations, in multiple divisions, some of Boxing’s best will be on display in fights with promise and question marks.

These are picks of the week.

Pick It: Vic Darchinyan-Jorge Arce (Showtime, Saturday 9 PM EST/PST)

The pocket protector squad, this author included, will soon have a healthy debate about whether or not the winner of this weekend’s battle is the undisputable World champion at 115 lbs.  After all, the only man with a divergent claim, WBO titlist Fernando Montiel, is slated for a shot at the same body’s title at Bantamweight.  Win and he’s gone and what will be left is the winner of this one.

And this one should be a dandy.

The former lineal World Jr. Flyweight king Arce (51-4-1, 39 KO) is a considerable underdog heading into his shot at the unified WBC/WBA/IBF titlist Darchinyan (31-1-1, 25 KO).  Darchinyan, entering this bout off of a career best year and single victory, November’s drubbing of Cristian Mijares, should be the favorite especially when doing comparison shopping.  Arce was bounced to easy an easy decision loss by Mijares and has picked up plenty of rugged miles since the Spring 2007 bout.

However, favorites and underdogs are betting options and there is one guarantee which no one can gamble against: Arce and Darchinyan will come to fight.  That’s it and all.  Whether it ends in the first or last round, or the likely somewhere in between, Saturday provides two of the best in one of Boxing’s best division, neither comfortable fighting backwards.  Both have been stopped in the past and both know how to land their money punches.  If it develops into a Fight of the Year candidate, would anyone be surprised?  It’s an easy pick for pick of the week.

Pick Deuce: Chris Henry-Yusuf Mack (ESPN2, Friday 9 PM EST/6 PM PST)

Can’t wait until Saturday for a show of serious leather flying?  This Friday’s ESPN2 main event should whet your whistle for bigger things in a little division with a couple of big Light Heavyweights.  Mack (26-2-2, 16 KO) has been in thrillers, win or lose, for years.  Henry (23-1, 18 KO) is building a similar reputation but has shown more discipline and is a serious threat to one day stand atop the class.  His WBC title war with Adrian Diaconu last year was a lost gem by the end of the year.  No reason for this one to get lost at all.

Pick The World: In Demand and Next Week’s You Tube Clips Predicted

Two outstanding cards highlight the global arena this weekend and one of them will be widely available in the U.S.  In Demand pay-per-view will have the return of WBA Heavyweight titlist (or titlist in recess or…whatever) Ruslan Chagaev (24-0-1, 17 KO) against undefeated and largely unknown Carl Drummond (26-0, 20 KO).  Now, this fight probably isn’t worth a buy at around $25, but the undercard makes this a must-see show.  The WBA Jr. Welterweight confrontation between titlist Andriy Kotelnik (30-2-1, 13 KO) and challenger Marcos Maidana (25-0, 24 KO) feature two legitimate top ten warriors at 140 and this could be a jewel.  If that’s not enough, those who can find access to Argentine TV, or find it on YouTube-ish sites next week, could be in for a treat as well.  In yet another all top-ten clash, WBO Flyweight titlist Omar Narvaez (28-0-2, 17 KO) takes on America’s Rayonta Whitfield (22-0, 11 KO).  Can Whitfield overcome the odds, and hostile turf, to become the rare American Flyweight beltholder?

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