by Cliff Rold
From a week where a champion was made to a week focused, on U.S. TV anyways, on the potential champions of tomorrow, the wheel keeps turning if a bit slower for a few days. The best action of the week will be off U.S. TV which is a shame. While still a hair behind Steve Cunningham, one of the world’s more underrated battlers will attempt to keep on a roll at Cruiserweight.
These are the picks of the week.
Pick It: #2 Marco Huck vs. #10 Matt Godfrey (Saturday, Germany)
While this corner is unaware of the German TV networks planning a webcast at this time, a possible YouTube viewing after the fight would be worth viewing. Huck (29-1, 22 KO) was good before his lone loss, a 12th round stop to Cunningham in 2007. He’s been better since, reeling off ten in a row including wins over the capable Ola Afolabi, Vitaly Russal, and Victor Ramirez. If he can get, and win, a rematch with Cunningham, Huck could seize full control of the class. Before he can think of that, he’ll have to get by the skilled Godfrey (20-1, 10 KO) in what should be a solid technical affair. Huck appears the better man heading in and has the home turf. Can Godfrey play over his head on the road? Probably not but it’s worth a look.
Pick Net: #5 Tomasz Adamek vs. Michael Grant (Saturday, GoFightLive.tv, 9 PM EST/6 PM PST)
For those who cannot be New Jersey for the show, this one will have web pay-per-view availability. The matchup isn’t so great, but Adamek (41-1, 27 KO) brings crowds like almost no one else in the U.S. and can’t make bad viewing. Since his lone loss at Light Heavyweight to Chad Dawson, all he’s done is win the Cruiserweight crown in an epic against Steve Cunningham and beat some of those excess pounds off of Chris Arreola at Heavyweight while posting ten straight wins. The WBO has made him their mandatory, putting him in line for a crack at Wladimir Klitschko. Unlike other Heavyweights who talk, Adamek might actually man up and challenge the champ. He’s got Grant (46-3, 34 KO) to get through, a surprise to those who might not have realized Grant was still fighting. We’ll see if he still is on Sunday.
Pick Deuce: Erislandy Lara vs. Willie Lee (Wednesday, ESPN2, 10:00 PM EST/7:00 PM PST)
Yuriorkis Gamboa gets more hype and Guillermo Rigondeaux will probably get to a title faster, but of all the current Cuban wave, Lara (12-0, 7 KO) is still the best bet for long term success. The Jr. Middleweight is beginning the process of transitioning from prospect to contender and Lee (17-6, 11 KO) is the sort of veteran who can help build to that place. With shows on ESPN2, Telefutura, and Fox Sports Espanol this week, this is the most can’t miss of the bunch because it’s Lara.
And Lara is the kind of guy worth watching every time, if only to say ‘we saw him when’ until someone proves otherwise.
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
