By Cliff Rold
The Heavyweight Champion of the World remains. The once great Erik Morales continues on. Yuriorkis Gamboa steps up and solidifies his place as a top ten Featherweight by defeating one. And Lightweight has a new ‘when is HE on again’ warrior in Brandon Rios.
The week behind felt quiet but was far from. The week ahead? Intrigue abounds. There are two pay shows, two shows on Friday night, and two notable names going at it in a Jr. Featherweight contest flying below the radar. It is the last of these that deserves more attention.
These are the picks of the week.
Pick It: Jorge Arce-Lorenzo Parra (Saturday, Fox Sports Espanol, 10 PM EST/PST)
It was just weeks ago, on the last day of July that Mexican fan favorite Jorge Arce (55-6-1, 42 KO) was making his way into the ring with a Martin Castillo who would have been favored to beat him years ago. Arce proved to have aged better, stopping Castillo in one. It won’t be as easy this time.
Former Flyweight titlist Lorenzo Parra (31-2, 18 KO) once looked like he was one of the very best in the world. A consummate road warrior, Parra went on the road to defeat Eric Morel, Yo Sam Choi, Takefumi Sakata (twice), and Brahim Asloum. Before it could get better, a knee injury put Parra on the sidelines and his body blew way past the Flyweight limit. He lost his WBA belt, first on the scale and then in an anemic capitulation versus Sakata in 2007 and then was suspended for a time by the sanctioning body. He’s fought only four times since, most notably in a 122 lb. title loss to Celestino Caballero where Parra gave a strong account before falling in the final round.
This could be Parra’s last chance to save the promise he showed in the mid-00’s and, despite being 32 to Arce’s 31, there are less miles on him than Arce and less miles than Castillo brought to the ring. Did we mention it’s in Mexico? Venezuela’s Parra should feel right at home. This is a sleeper worth full attention.
Pick ShoBox: Freddy Hernandez-Mike Anchondo (Friday, Showtime, 11 PM EST/PST)
Is there an over/under on whether somebody bleeds in a fight? This is the sort of battle that hints that someone is going to do so because it features two men who aren’t hard to hit and like to do some hitting. Maybe it will come from the nose, the mouth, the eyes, but the leather will land and there should be at least some nasty bruises. Mexico’s Hernandez (28-1, 19 KO) is a bit more of a boxer than the former WBO Jr. Lightweight titlist Anchondo (30-2, 19 KO). Hernandez also hasn’t lost since a 2005 split verdict versus a more experience Golden Johnson. Anchondo has been stopped in both his losses and, at Welterweight, is the smaller man. However, he rides a modest three-fight win streak including an upset of undefeated Mauricio Herrera last time out. Blood or no blood, this will be fun while it lasts. Telefutura also has a Friday show going off at the same time with a main event featuring former title challengers Jose Navarro (27-5, 12 KO) and Nestor Rocha (22-2, 8 KO) so there’s not really a bad pick. Get the DVR set for one of them.
Pick $?: Mosley or Gonzalez?
Finally, fans can choose to purchase (or not purchase) amongst a pair of PPV shows. Wednesday night, and yes it reads Wednesday, Integrated Sports (10 PM EST/7 PM PST) will allow fans a chance to catch former Bantamweight titlist Jhonny Gonzalez (45-7, 39 KO) against Jackson Asiku (26-3, 14 KO). Asiku is scrappy and Gonzalez is Gonzalez, capable of hurting or being hurt in any fight. On Saturday, former three-division leader Shane Mosley (46-6-, 39 KO) returns to Jr. Middleweight to face Contender Season One winner and former Jr. Middleweight beltholder Sergio Mora (22-1-1, 6 KO). The undercard is a selling point but is probably oversold. Daniel Ponce De Leon (39-2, 32 KO) versus Antonio Escalante (24-2, 15 KO) promises a knockout of someone and will be rock ‘em sock ‘em as long as it lasts. Mexican star in the making Saul Alvarez (33-0-1, 25 KO) might be getting a little (or a lot) overrated but he sells tickets. Former lineal Welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir (45-12-6, 14 KO) is a better fighter than a Jose Cotto who hurt Alvarez bad two fights ago before getting beat up, but Baldomir has never been a big puncher. It’s a good show but is it really worth the extra cash? It remains to be seen and fans should choose with caution.
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
