By Cliff Rold

Is there enough money to make it all worth it? 

That will likely be the question some of the audience is asking when the main event of the week is over.  It’s a question some are asking already.

Why?  Because, both past the age of 30 and notably slowed in the sparse action they’ve seen since their epic trilogy, Mexican greats Israel Vasquez and Rafael Marquez are going to do it for a fourth time.  By “it,” anyone who saw even one of the first three wars knows what that means.  These two will beat the hell out of each other.

If power is the last thing to go, then what sort of damage could slower, less reflexive versions of these two do to each other.  We may find out and not like the answer, particularly when the fight plays in the mind’s eye and its after affects are there to see ten or twenty years from now. 

The fighters clearly think the money’s worth it.  Is this just short enough of inhumane to merit a look from the fans?   

These are the picks of the week.

Pick IV: Vasquez-Marquez IV (and Perez-Mares) (Saturday, Showtime, 9:00 PM EST/PST)

Hell yes this merits a look.  Whether it should be happening or not, and this scribe is a skeptic for reasons beyond health, why change the channel?  These are grown men who have made a choice and they haven’t sent the ticket buyer’s home unhappy.  Unlike their first three contests, the World Jr. Featherweight title (or any other title) won’t be on the line.  The 32-year old Vasquez (44-4, 32 KO) risks only his 2-1 edge in the series versus the 35-year old Marquez.  That should be enough to get the leather flying.  For those who like their hostilities from men closer to their physical prime, the support bout could be a show stealer.  In yet another hot match in the red hot Bantamweight division, IBF titlist Yohnny Perez (20-0, 14 KO) makes his first defense against 2004 Mexican Olympian Abner Mares (20-0, 13 KO).  Perez can’t make a bad fight; Mares could take a step towards filling a star vacuum in Mexico’s boxing future right now.  This fight alone would be the pick of the week.  It probably will be as it all plays out anyways.

Pick Deuce: Ji-Hoon Kim vs. Ameth Diaz (Friday, ESPN2, 10 PM EST/7 PM PST)

The Showtime battles won’t feature the only all action promises.  ESPN2 goes with increasing network favorite Ji-Hoon Kim (20-5, 17 KO), a Lightweight whose appearances on U.S. air have proven memorable and whose 12-fight win streak going back to 2006 has him on the verge of real contention.  The eleven knockouts in those wins make his contention worth getting excited about in a Lightweight division needing fresh faces.  He’ll close in on a crack at the vacant IBF belt if he can get by veteran Ameth Diaz (27-9, 19 KO).  Given Diaz’s six stoppage losses already, bet on Kim. 
 
Pick Solo: Pablo Cesar Cano vs. Ilido Julio (Friday, Telefutura, 11:30 PM EST/PST)

Having never seen 20-year old Jr. Welterweight hopeful Cano (18-0, 15 KO), it’s hard to say what to expect from his contest with Julio (40-17-1, 35 KO) on Friday.  Julio’s record, which includes eight stoppage losses, says expect a ninth against a young Mexican whose numbers whisper “promise.”  Even if that’s not true, it’s between this and a Heavyweight fight not showing in the U.S. featuring former titlist Ruslan Chagaev and Kali Meehan.  Can that fight possibly entertain?  This one at least might so pick it.

Back in seven.

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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