By Cliff Rold
This week presents a choice boxing fans will have to make. Two weeks after a solid pay card presented by Top Rank, and a couple weeks away from Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey digging into pockets, is there enough in budgets for a card with two intriguing ‘main events?’
As to last week, it would be hard to call it a good fight, but the Jr. Middleweight tilt between Shawn Porter and Russell Jordan was certainly a solid challenge for young Porter and far from the rout it looked on paper. For yet one more week, it would be difficult to critique the main events on ESPN2 in 2010.
The next seven days should be even better.
These are the picks of the week.
Pick It: #10 Wlifredo Vazquez Jr. vs. Marvin Sonsona (Saturday, PPV, 9 PM EST/6 PM PST)
$34.95. That’s the suggested retail price for the Integrated Sports offering next Saturday night. Is it worth the dollar? On paper, it looks like it is. It’s a crying shame this one isn’t being shown on ShoBox or Boxing After Dark. It’s the sort of young, hungry warrior confrontation which makes the best of those shows special.
The 25-year old Vazquez (17-0-1, 14 KO) might be the best Junior to come into the game in recent years. He’s not Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., whose patsy schedule is meant only to entice the nostalgic. Nor is he Hector Camacho Jr., a fighter with his father’s uneven work ethic and less talent. Vazquez has been moved against real opposition and been coming through. Already a former WBO titlist at 115 lbs., the 19-year old Sonsona (14-0-1, 12 KO) has the speed and power of a potential star. The winner here will be the WBO titlist at 122, could emerge as one of the best young fighters in the sport, and a classic just might erupt.
The co-feature, a top ten showdown at 108 lbs. could be sweltering too. While #3 and WBC titlist Rodel Mayol (26-4-1, 20 KO) has had some funky outings in his last three, he’s got the moxie to make a long night for anyone. #8 and challenger Omar Nino (28-3-1, 11 KO) is one of the most accomplished, and underappreciated, Jr. Flyweights in the last ten years. 9-1 since a February 2004 defeat, with a no contest caused by a post-fight drug test after his rematch draw with Brian Viloria in 2006, Nino at 33 could be in a last big chance moment. That could mean war.
Should it mean extra on the cable bill? Looking at the undercard of Pacquiao-Clottey, it might be. Fans might be better off paying for this and waiting for HBO’s replay of Pacquiao one week later. It’s a tough call.
Pick Deuce: #7 Antonio Escalante-Miguel Roman (Friday, ESPN2, 9 PM EST/6 PM PST)
The 22-year old Escalante (22-2, 14 KO), a bona fide contender at Jr. Featherweight, may grow out of the class before a title shot arrives. One would hope not. As the number one contender of the WBA, he’s in line for a crack at titlist Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym (40-1, 28 KO) in what would be a hell of a fight. First, he has to win his ninth in a row. He’ll deal with a 24-year old Roman (28-6, 20 KO) who, while beatable, has yet to finish off his feet and appears to carry heavier hands. This might turn out to be ESPN’s best fight so far in 2010. In support will be a look at rising Jr. Welterweight Danny Garcia (15-0, 10 KO), a winner of three straight by knockout.
Pick Fox Times Two: Thursday and Saturday Shows
Rounding out the TV week in the U.S., Fox Sports will have a Fight Night show Thursday and a Top Rank show Saturday. Be forewarned: CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS. While Fox Sport’s new commitment to cable boxing is a positive, it comes with the negative of being an affiliate programmer. Already, more of the cards expected have been pre-empted, delay broadcasted, or flat not shown in many markets. It shouldn’t take a slide ruler to find out when, or even if, the fights are one when they’re supposed to be and building an audience could be tough if fans get frustrated with missing the fights and allows that to become being used to missing them.
For the Thursday show, fans can at least hope for the simulcasts of Golden Boy’s Fight Night shows which were the norm when they were on Versus. Jr. Welterweight Victor Ortiz (25-2-1, 20 KO) has Hector Alatorre (16-8, 5 KO), loser of six of his last seven, on tap to get his feet wet for bigger things later this year.
Saturday features intriguing Welterweight Mike Jones (19-0, 16 KO) against veteran Henry Bruseles (28-3-1, 15 KO) and the return of former Jr. welterweight titlist Kendall Holt (25-3, 13 KO). It’s slated to start at 10 PM EST.
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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
