BoxingScene.com's Television Picks of the Week

by Cliff Rold

October continues.  Soon it will end.  For boxing fans, that will be a welcome time.  While there have been pleasant surprises, like last Friday’s early career test of former U.S. Olympian Deontay Wilder, and some solid overseas action, this is one dry month.

Last week, the uniqueness of having two significant shows online via an ESPN outlet made up for both fights being a wee shy of competitive (on paper or in the ring).  This weekend, one hell of a fight is coming…to fans in Japan.  Americans will be treated to fringe contenders on Spanish language television (and Brock Lesnar-Cain Velasquez in the UFC…anyone hear about that one?).  Having choices on U.S. television doesn’t change the obvious.

These are the picks of the week.

Pick If Found: Toshiaki Nishioka vs. Rendall Munroe (Sunday, Japan, ?)

This site’s divisional ratings are (over)due for an update and, with one, would have Nishioka (36-4-3, 23 KO) leading the pack at 122 lbs.  Whether he can hold that distinction after the narrow upset loss of Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym made room for him remains to be seen.  That’s because the Japanese veteran has a serious test on tap in defending his WBC belt, Rendall Munroe (21-1, 9 KO) earning his title shot with an 11-fight win streak extending back to April 2006.  Neither man is a huge puncher but they both move their hands and this could be one of those YouTube gems by the final bell.  There’s no U.S. TV for this one but it remains the clear pick of the week for those who can see it.  

Pick Uno en Espanol: Mercito Gesta vs. Ivan Valle (Friday, Telefutura, 11:30 PM EST/PST)
 
While neither man enters regarded as near the top of the Lightweight class, Gesta (19-0-1, 9 KO) can take a hard step in the right direction this Friday on “Solo Boxeo.”  Valle (28-9-3, 24 KO), seven years older at 30, has enough veteran moxie, and pop, to make it interesting and he’s been in with some of the best Mexican Jr. Lightweights and Lightweights in recent vintage.  Sure, he lost most of what mattered, but Gesta hasn’t really arrived at the part where he proves he matters just yet.  Men like Valle are called gatekeepers for a reason; in a slow week, seeing if Gesta can get through the pickets sounds better than nothing.

Pick Dos: Antonio Pitalua vs. Jesus Pabon (Friday, Telemundo, 11:35 PM EST/PST)

‘Nothing’ isn’t really an option anyways because “Solo Boxeo” has a little competition in the Welterweight division.  Pitalua (50-4, 44 KO) logically was probably better off at Lightweight but, illogically, has scored four straight stops since rising in weight after a second round knockout loss to the late Edwin Valero. Can he make it five in a row?  Pabon (15-1, 9 KO) came off the floor four times in his last bout to win, forcing his opponent to quit on his stool.  This has sloppy, violent fun written all over it and should get at least a DVR from every fight fan just in case.  

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