BoxingScene.com's Television Picks of The Week

By Cliff Rold 

Anyone who missed Mayweather-Maidana II last weekend can catch it Saturday on Showtime (9 PM EST).  An All Access epilogue will also air Saturday.

When that’s over, and the night before live fights will be on the air. In addition to the top picks below, UniMas will have action Saturday (11 PM EST/PST) at Welterweight as Russian Konstantin Ponomarev (24-0, 12 KO) steps in against veteran Cosme Rivera (37-18-3, 25 KO).  That might be interesting, but there is better.

Better includes a return to network TV.

These are the picks of the week.

Pick It: #4 at 126 Orlando Salido vs. Terdsak Kokietgym (Saturday, BeIn Espanol, 11 PM EST/8 PM PST)

Once removed from losing the WBO 126 lb. title on the scales before defeating talented Olympian Vasyl Lomachenko, Orlando Salido (41-12-2, 28 KO) formally steps up to 130 lbs. for a crack at an interim WBO belt.  Kokietgym (53-4-1, 33 KO), best remembered in the US for a spirited effort versus Juan Manuel Marquez years back, has won seven straight since a failed title chance versus Takahiro Ao.  This is a battle both veterans need to win and one of two interesting scraps on the night.  In support, #5 Jr. Flyweight and former titlist Ramon Garcia (20-4-1, 12 KO) squares off with Javier Mendoza (21-2-1, 18 KO) for the vacant IBF crown last held by Johnriel Casimero.  Mendoza has won eight in a row, all by knockout.  Garcia has won four straight since being knocked out in four by the outstanding Roman Gonzalez.  Garcia-Mendoza looks like the fight of the weekend on paper, something BeIn has had a penchant for providing this year.  

Pick Sequel: #1 Omar Narvaez vs. #7 Felipe Orucuta (Friday, TyC, 9 PM EST/PST)

For those whose cable services provide Argentine network TyC as part of the enhanced Spanish package, this should be interesting.  Last year, Orucuta (29-2, 24 KO) went on the road and just missed against the long reinging WBO 115 lb. titlist Narvaez (42-1-2, 23 KO).  That split decision defeat sets the stage for a rematch with no clear winner heading in.  It will be an interesting weekend at Jr. Bantamweight.  With no known US TV at this time, #2 Carlos Cuadras (30-0, 24 KO) is in action on Saturday defending his WBC belt.  He was supposed to defend against former Flyweight champion (and otherwise journeyman) Sonny Boy Jaro.  Instead, he appears to have found a tougher if less credentialed foe.  Jose Salgado (34-2-1, 27 KO) is 7-0-1 in his last eight starts.  There may be new arguments about the best in class by Sunday.

Pick Network: #7 Thabiso Mchunu vs. Garrett Wilson (Saturday, NBC, 3 PM EST/12 PM PST)

While college football rules Saturday afternoons in the fall, boxing fans who long for a return to network owe it to the sport to tune in here.  Mchunu (16-1, 11 KO) is an exciting emerging face at Cruiserweight who made the most of a chance against former Heavyweight title challenger Eddie Chambers last year.  Wilson (13-7-1, 7 KO) should provide him a showcase for his talents.  Also on the card is talented Lightweight Karl Dargan (16-0, 8 KO) against Angino Perez (17-5, 15 KO).

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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