By Cliff Rold
After an unfortunate postponement, it’s back on. The finals of the Showtime Bantamweight tournament might not clear up who the best in the world is at 118 lbs. but, really, who cares?
Fights fans have seen three quality contests come out of the mix. This Saturday, a fourth is probable. And, the night before, the sport will have other intrigues waiting to wet the whistle.
Not bad.
These are the picks of the week.
Pick It: #3 Joseph Agbeko vs. #4 Anselmo Moreno (Saturday, Showtime, 10 PM EST/PST)
For the second time, Ghana’s Agbeko (28-2, 22 KO) has the IBF Bantamweight belt. We assume he won’t have to pull out with a freak sciatic nerve problem in the next few days. Of his two losses, only one was without controversy and it’s been avenged (in his last bout against Yonnhy Perez). This is a very good fighter. So is the former Mexican Olympian Mares (21-0-1, 13 KO) and he came within a hair of beating Perez for the IBF belt before Agbeko regained it. A draw is hard to stomach. This second title shot, he’ll be more seasoned, younger…etc. Etc. If one is a serious fight fan, the excitement for this one is already there. Consider though the ramifications. If Mares wins, he is likely headed towards a unification tilt with the recently Golden Boy-signed WBA titlist Anselmo Moreno. If Agbeko wins, the future is cloudier but his resume would indicate he would be a perfect foe for perceived division leader Nonito Donaire (if Donaire sticks around). Hey, Don King (Agbeko’s promoter) and Bob Arum (Donaire’s) have done business recently and they still owe boxing for not making Tim Austin-Paulie Ayala when they should have in the late 1990s. If Agbeko wins this weekend, Donaire-Agbeko would be an excellent make-up.
Pick Kerm: Kermit Cintron vs. Antwone Smith (Friday, ESPN2, 9 PM EST/6 PM PST)
How did Cintron (32-4-1, 28 KO) get upset in his last fight by Carlos Molina? Looking purely at numbers on paper, the question has merit. Watching Molina fight recently, it’s clear the answer is: he’s good. And, let’s be honest, one doesn’t have to be THAT good to beat Cintron. Sure, he’s lost to world-class guys only, but he doesn’t exactly have an impressive dossier of wins to make that count. He’s a big punching, awkwardly coordinated, fun fighter trying not to fade away after his absolute prime is clearly past. Smith (20-2-1, 12 KO) is the sort of aggressive-but-still-slick-ish boxer who will make this watchable but probably has enough give to allow the bigger star a solid rehab assignment. It’s yet another excellently matched ESPN2 Friday Night Fights main event in a year chock full of them.
Pick Fox ‘Cause: Teon Kennedy vs. Alejandro Lopez (Saturday, Fox Sports/Deportes, Check Local Listings)
First of all, ignore whatever start time is assumed for a Fox show. It’s all market dependent anyways. Sometimes it will be on when it’s supposed to be. Other times, it’s randomly overnighted to Tuesday. The only regular programming ever worth watching on Fox Sports cable, The Best Damn Sports Show Period, R.I.P., and it had the same problem.
Yeah.
Screw Fox.
This isn’t a bad fight though, and it’s at Jr. Featherweight that always gets an extra star in the pre-fight box for me. Kennedy (17-0-1, 7 KO) and Lopez (21-2, 7 KO) can’t punch much, but they’ll throw. It will be a nice nightcap for Agbeko-Mares…
…if it’s on.
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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