BoxingScene.com's Television Picks of the Week

by Cliff Rold

With one week until Bernard Hopkins attempts to, once more, keep father time at bay, boxing is left with prospects, rising contenders, and a title fight at 115 lbs.  There are worse ways to wait for the appearance of one of the game’s true living legends.

That is, if one is waiting.  Of course, this is a tough fall.  With pay-per-view every month, and prices going up (they never go down, do they?), many fans hard hit low economic times will have to debate the worth of Hopkins versus Chad Dawson.  A solid undercard is a bonus…

…depending on how the bills stack up.  Maybe with an NBA lockout, some new avenues for fistic air could open up?  It’s worth a wish.

These are the picks of the week.

Pick It: #9 Raul Martinez vs. Rodrigo Guerrero (Saturday, Fox Deportes, 10 PM EST/PST)

While this is for the IBF 115 lb. belt vacated by Cristian Mijares earlier this year, that’s not necessarily a seal of approval.  During the previous decade, Jr. Bantamweight was one of boxing’s deepest, most consistent divisions.  The steady loss of fighters like Masamori Tokuyama, Martin Castillo, Alexander Munoz, Jorge Arce, and Vic Darchinyan took its toll. Mijares exit to higher domains, one would assume permanently this time, is sort of the end of an era.  Hugo Cazares has been the recent standard bearer, even with a recent and narrow title loss on the road.  This fight is either going to be part of the rebuilding or a marker until rebuilding really begins. Martinez (28-1, 16 KO) was blown out in four during his only other title opportunity, challenging Nonito Donaire at Flyweight in 2009.  Guerrero (15-3-1, 10 KO) almost handed Martinez a second loss in late 2010 and proved tough as old boot in absorbing bombs from Darchinyan over the route earlier that year.  This is a bout between men proven a notch or two below the elite, but perfect for each other.  The winner won’t exit the best in the world, but they’ll probably put on a world-class show for the paying fans.   

Pick 0’s: Sharif Bogere vs. Francisco Contreras (Friday, Showtime, 11 PM EST/PST)
 
This is a fine ShoBox main event, featuring two Lightweights on the cusp of contention, in need of an opponent to help them get there.  Bogere (20-0, 12 KO), he of the big lion headdress, will play the boxer.  Contreras (16-0, 13 KO) is surely the puncher in the equation.  With ten scheduled rounds, something is bound to give and someone’s “0” probably goes.  21-year old Texas Jr. Middleweight Jermell Charlo (15-0, 7 KO) will also see action.

Pick Online: #9 Kell Brook vs. Rafal Jackiewicz (Saturday, UK, ?)

U.S. viewers will likely have to wait for this one to show up on YouTube.  The 25-year old Sheffield man, Brook (26-0, 14 KO), is soon to grace bigger stages…probably.  Jackiewicz (38-9-1, 19 KO) is a hard veteran and, coming off of Brook’s wins over veterans Lovemore N’Dou, Phillip Kotey, and Michael Jennings, a chance to see just how much Brook is progressing.  The Welterweight division is wide open with two mega-stars up top, a short second tier, and hollow remainder of the top ten.  Brook and Mike Jones are two of the men making waves for tomorrow. 

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