BoxingScene.com's Television Picks of The Week

by Cliff Rold

So, about that HBO show…

With the hours ticking away, no one is certain yet that Brandon Rios’s scheduled opponent Diego Chaves will make the fight due to work visa issues.  That still leaves us with Sergey Kovalev-Blake Caparello.

Um…

Is it the weekend after Labor Day yet?

Circle those calendars and check the schedule.  The best weekend of the year appears to be sandwiched between the holiday and Mayweather day.  Until then, we will continue to provide the picks of the week.

Pick It: #10 Thomas Williams vs. Gabriel Campillo (Friday, ESPN2, 9 PM EST/6 PM PST)

This might be the most interesting fight of the week on US TV.  The former Light Heavyweight Campillo (23-6-1, 10 KO), after losses to Kovalev and Andrej Fonfara, has probably seen better days.  He’s still the best the 26-year old Williams (17-0, 12 KO) has seen to date.  It’s always fun to see a young talent make his steps towards contention against veteran former titlists that might still have enough to upset the apple cart.  Also on the card, making just his third start since a March 2010 disqualification win over Arthur Abraham, 2004 Olympic Bronze Medalist Andre Dirrell (21-1, 14 KO) is in Super Middleweight action against Vladine Biosse (15-4-2, 7 KO).  Time will tell if the physically talented but inconsistent Dirrell is back to stay.          

Pick B.A.D.: Triple Action (Saturday, HBO, 9:45 PM EST/PST)

Regardless of what happens with Rios (who may end up with substitute opponent Jose Zepeda), there are two fights locked in stone for this HBO offering.  One of them looks good.  The other pits Kovalev (24-0-1, 22 KO) against an underdog in Caparello (19-0-1, 6 KO) who is a stretch as an HBO opponent.  The other co-feature is more like it, a Lightweight clash between Jessie Vargas (24-0, 9 KO) and Anton Novikov (29-0, 10 KO) for a version of the WBA crown.  Vargas-Novikov may steal the show.   

Pick Espanol: Daniel Lozano-Antonio Garcia (Friday, Telemundo, 11:35 PM EST/PST)

One week after putting up a record number for their boxing telecast, Telemundo is back with this Flyweight clash between Lozano (11-1, 8 KO) and Garcia (13-2, 6 KO), both of whom enter off losses in their last bout.  At 112, that will probably mean a bunch of action anyways.  Action is always a good reason to watch.
 
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Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com