By Cliff Rold

What was true before last week remains true now: Edwin Valero and Tomasz Adamek just don’t make for bad fights.  Also still true is that Friday Night Fights is on a hot streak right now with a full show last week which matched a steady stream of quality main event matches.

What will be true in the week ahead? 

Can the Deuce do it again?

And can Top Rank deliver on what it looks like they have in the ‘extra on the cable bill’ category?

These are the picks of the week.

Pick It: Top Rank PPV (Saturday, Check Cable Provider, 10:30 PM EST/7:30 PM PST)

The old saying is without a main event, there’s no main event.  This Saturday’s independent Top Rank pay-per-view doesn’t really have a main event.  Instead, it’s got a top to bottom show with a slate of good fights.

People pay more for less often.

Ostensibly, the main will feature former Flyweight titlist #1 Nonito Donaire (22-1, 14 KO) in his latest foray at 115 lbs.  He’ll tackle veteran Gerson Guerrero (34-8, 26 KO) and the interim WBA tag at Jr. Bantamweight will be on the line.  It might seem preposterous that the WBA has three titleholders at 115 right now (because it is preposterous) but with a win Donaire could get closer to a rematch with Vic Darchinyan, the real World Champion in the class right now.  That rematch doesn’t need the WBA to happen, but any little push counts.

The best matched pair of the evening will probably come in a 118 lb. scrap for the interim WBO belt.  Anyone ever stop by the park and marvel at a couple old timers playing speed chess?  37-year old Gerry Penalosa (54-7-2, 36 KO) and 34-year old Eric Morel (41-2, 21 KO), both of whom have worn major titles in the past, fit the bill.  Neither is in their prime anymore but they aren’t shot yet either and the skill level on display should be of the ‘watch to see how it’s done’ variety.

Filling out the card, the WBO will collect a second sanctioning fee at Bantamweight as regular titlist #7 Fernando Montiel (39-2-2, 29 KO) tests legs made rubbery in his last outing against inexperienced Ciso Morales (14-0, 8 KO) while Featherweight #9 Mario Santiago (21-1-1, 14 KO) takes on Bernabe Concepcion (27-3-1, 15 KO) in what should be a crowd pleaser.

Pick Deuce: Ji-Hoon Kim-Tyrone Harris (Friday, ESPN2, 10 PM EST/7 PM PST)

Sometimes a fighter gets hot.  It looks to be the case for Jr. Lightweight Ji-Hoon Kim (19-5, 16 KO), a 23-year old South Korean on an eleven-fight winning streak.  Only one of those eleven went the route.  Three of his losses came before he’s spent a week at age 18 and in his first five fights, all five before he was twenty.  Kim’s come a long way in his development and it speaks volumes that he’s making his third U.S. start.  He’s comer.  Can Tyrone Harris (24-5, 16 KO) derail him?  He’s seen the better pros so far and will present a new set of challenges.  This fight should keep the hot ESPN start going.  Throw in Russian Jr. Welterweight Ruslan Provodnikov (14-0, 9 KO) against rugged veteran Javier Jauregui (53-16-2, 36 KO) and this should be a night full of learning for the fighters and the audience.

Pick Classic: Archie Moore-Joey Maxim (Tuesday, ESPN Classic, 4 AM EST/1 AM PST)

Whether one is a night owl or just likes to use their DVR, this is one every boxing fan should see.  It wasn’t so much that it was a great fight; it was, instead, a great moment.  Moore, in his late 30s, had fought for years without a chance to be called champion.  Joey Maxim never shied away from anyone.  This 1952 Light Heavyweight title bout wrote a new chapter in the history books.  Check it out if previous airings proved elusive. 

Back in seven.

For BoxingScene’s latest full divisional ratings, log on to: https://www.boxingscene.com/forums/view.php?pg=boxing-ratings

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