By Cliff Rold
It was a welcome announcement on Monday. With questions about where it would be available for viewing, the best action fight of the week looked like a YouTube search on Sunday morning. The announcement from Integrated Sports of a pay show was welcome.
There is of course some disappointment. For those who want to see it, it appears they will need Dish Network or will have to use an Internet purchase option. Works either way. The fight should be worth it. What fight?
These are the picks of the week.
Pick It: #3 Brian Viloria vs. World Jr. Flyweight Champion Giovanni Segura (Saturday, Dish Network PPV, 8 PM EST/5 PM PST)
For those without Dish, the show will be available for about 30 bones at https://integratedsportsnet.neulion.com Win or lose, it’s probably the last time Segura’s lineal claim at 108 will matter. Segura (28-1-1, 24 KO) is expected to win in this first title shot at 112. The Mexican slugger has grown tremendously since his lone loss, defeating Ivan Calderon in 2010’s Ring Fight of the Year and blowing through Calderon even easier in their 2011 rematch. Viloria (29-3, 16 KO), a former titlist at 108 who now holds the WBO honors a class up. presents a different challenge than Calderon, possessing legitimate knockout power and the sort of short, precision shots that can threaten a Wildman like Segura. It’s high risk, certain suspense for both men and the latest excellent match at Flyweight this year. The winner, in a perfect world, would be headed towards a unification clash with Tyson Marquez or lineal king Pongsaklek Wonjongkam. We don’t live in a perfect world. This fight will stand on its own merits without worrying about tomorrow.
Pick Khaaaaaaaaan: #2 Amir Khan vs. #6 Lamont Peterson (Saturday, HBO, 9:45 PM EST/6:45 PST)
Readers will have to indulge the Trekkie in their author. This is yet another quality match in the deep, and mostly prime, Jr. Welterweight field. The WBA titlist Khan (26-1, 18 KO) has been hot on the heels of division leader Timothy Bradley, passing him in some rankings. Now we get a game of comparison-shopping. One of Bradley’s best performances, maybe his very best, came against Peterson (29-1-1, 15 KO). Can Khan top it? He’ll be in front of Peterson’s crowd in Washington, DC. Fans tuning in will also see Heavyweight Seth Mitchell and the replay of Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito II. That’s a solid night of action on HBO.
Pick Telemundo: Alex Sanchez vs. Glenn Donaire (Friday, Telemundo, 11:35 PM EST/PM PST)
A pair of former sub-Fly titlists squaring off can have its intrigues. This fight’s biggest one is the question of why the hell either guy is still lacing them up. Donaire (17-4-1, 9 KO) has not fought since losing a twelve round decision to Archie Solis in 2008. Sanchez (31-7-1, 21 KO) has been around so long he lost a 105 lb. unification match to Ricardo Lopez in 1997. This fight is going to feature two shot dudes pounding on each other. In other words, it’s going to be worth a look.
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